The Notch

Total Miles
0.4

Elevation

2,452.94 ft

Duration

0.5 Hours

Technical Rating

Difficult

Best Time

Spring, Summer, Fall

Trail Overview

The Notch is an advanced trail in Hartman Rocks. The south end starts by climbing long slickrock slab sections and going past giant rock outcroppings that are super scenic. It climbs up several technical rock features that are like off-camber or steep slab faces, sometimes up a blunt ledge or through a crack that makes it even trickier. It goes through some rock pinches where you need to be wary of your peg placement. It descends steeply off several slab rock faces, dropping off several foot-high rock ledges. Sometimes the slabs are covered in pea-gravel, which makes them slippery as well. It's helpful to have a map for this one to see where the trail winds through all the rock features. This is a fun challenge that is very close to the main staging area for Hartman Rocks, so you'll likely see other riders.

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Difficulty

This is an advanced trail due to several (10+) significant rock features throughout the half-mile route. It requires very technical skills and expertise for uphill rock ledges or the downhill drop-offs.

Technical Rating

Status Reports

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Access Description

The Hartman Rocks Recreation Area, in Gunnison, Colorado, has about 50 miles of singletracks ranging from easy to advanced. It's a high-traffic area, and the trails are multi-use with mountain bikers and hikers. There is a large Day Use parking area at the entrance to Kill Hill Road, and there are 50 dry/primitive designated camping spots within the recreation area. There is a decent Verizon cell signal throughout the rec area. It can get pretty hot here in the summer. The trails are typically closed during the mud season to protect the routes as they dry out but are typically opened around May each year. Trails south of the Powerline Road are closed March 15 - May 15 for sage grouse conservation. The area is very well marked and maintained, with trail markers and difficulty levels indicated at the entrance to every trail.