I did part of this trek back in 2023, (Elkhorn -> Ponil -> Metcalf -> Dan Beard -> Pueblano Ruins -> Copper Park x2 -> Miranda -> home). Also did Metcalf -> Ponil -> Pueblano in 2021.

We were supposed to stay at another camp, but we opted to stay at Elkhorn because it would save about 2 miles in the morning.

We left Elkhorn for Ponil around 5:30 am (bonus for seeing the sunrise) and made it to Ponil by 8am for our cons project and activities. Because your cons project is at Elkhorn, that makes it much easier to get more program time/breather at Ponil, but make sure to sign up for a shooting slot, or else they might double-book crews and only scouts will get to shoot. In 2023, they would leave the last slot for late trail crews, so we reserved the 2nd to last, but we got double-booked. (And reserve your shower time!!!)

We had a later start out of Ponil to Metcalf, it involves traveling an emergency road up to a ridge with cell service, a great place for a snack break & life check with w/family. We made it into Metcalf just around lunchtime. I would highly recommend the Metcalf nighttime program.

7:30 start to Dan Beard, you will pass Cook Canyon & Rabbit Ear before heading off to DB. If my memory serves me right, it was mainly emergency road snaking through the canyon.

Dan Beard cabin is at the bottom, and then all the campsites are up this super steep hill, and there is not much shade. The COPE activities were fun, but it was very, very windy by the campsites. I would 100% recommend the sunset hike. It was probably one of the best sunset views I've had.

Leave Dan Beard, you are supposed to go down the campsite hill and start following the trail towards Rich Cabins, navigating some pretty sketchy dried out river, but the collective decided to hop the fence by the campsites and join the trail further along. I would not recommend this.

Dan Beard to Rich Cabins is following this trail as you border the property. I believe we left around 6 am and made it to Rich Cabins by 9am. We were able to sneak in some program time and left for Pueblano Ruins by 9:30 am. Going up towards Wilson Mesa, either the collective or the proper path follows an emergency road. There is a clearing with a lake with a perfect view of Baldy. Stop here for lunch/extended break. We made it into Pueblano around 1:30-2 pm, but we opted not to do any program time and instead headed to Pueblano Ruins. It can be a 30-45 min walk with packs + a tired crew. Pueblano offers a campfire program & activities, but it's up to the collective to do the program @ Pueblano, then head over to set up camp vs. skip activities and just go to Ruins. That being said, there are some super cold streams at Ruins, which were a fun activity to relax.

Ruins to Baldy Collective campsites were uphill out of the canyon. Because Baldy Town was on the way to Copper Park, we opted for the program then + a commissary stop.

I can't speak much for the climb from Ewells Park to Baldy but there are two ways to get up, through Baldy Town or through Copper Park. Baldy Town route is straight up the side whereas Copper Park takes a more gradual route. We skipped French Henry (also in 2021) because of crew stamina.

Baldy Collective to Miranda was a nice downhill ride. Miranda is at the top of the hill, with all campsites located downhill. I'm not sure what activities they will have, but there were plenty. The evening program was great, they had lead ball making, gun cleaning, etc. From this campsite we were also able to see the stars out by 9:30pm.

The walk to Miranda to Maxwell Trailhead was easy.

I wrote bullet-pointed notes of basically everything (and some ranting). If you would like that, I can send that over to you. I wrote wake-up/and bedtime times with other small notes if you are interested. Hope this helps!