Hobos along to "ride the trail" were Chris "Colonel" Potter (CJ), Sean Tallent and friend (TJ), and myself-Bill Hallinan (CJ) with my jeepin-sidekick Molly and rider Thomas Elliot.  Others ready and eager for a great run at Slaughterhouse were Tom Hester (P14-CJ), Pat Rinkle (Prospective of P14-XJ), Richard Dillon (Commando) and his soon-to-be wife, Bobbette Mathews (Yellow TJ) and friends.

    We met up at the Bugling Bull in Conifer at 9:30 am, and headed out Hwy 285 to Crow Hill just before you head down to Bailey. As trip leader I remembered the trail from the trailhead, now just not how to get to it was another thing.  We aired down and disconnected just off the pavement.

    Tucked away somewhere south of the Deer Creek valley, just past some houses, keep your eyes peeled for a yellow metal signpost.  The Colorado Go-4er's adopted Slaughterhouse Gulch, and provided many "Closed to Motor Vehicle's" at strategic locations of spurs off the main trail.  Efforts like that keep most 4Wheelers hopefully in check and responsible.

    The 1st part of the trail is easy and 2WD as a single lane road winds around to a steep hill climb that challenges any stock vehicle.  We all climbed on thru, as Tom skillfully drove his open CJ thru some deep moguls too. Bobbette's 2000 stock TJ with 31's climbed up and she stayed on most of the high sides of the moguls while keeping forward traction up the hill. Those locked up were able to crawl up thru the deepest moguls with just a smile that says it all.

    Moving on, we made it up to another yellow signpost marking the beginning of a loop that would take us down into a small valley, then climb back out thru another saddle to the Southeast.  Just past the saddle the trail gets steep and a little smaller and rockier and with some fresh snow in the shade a little slick.  Taking our time as not to slide into a tree and leave sap marks we made it to the bottom of the hill and what used to be a mud hole now barely a hole to drive thru.  We had lunch in a small meadow away from the cold November winds.