OJF:
Saddlsore has given you good info regarding the benches between Castle Creek and Storm Ridge. There are a couple of other ways of getting to that area that are shorter than from the trailhead on Ohio Creek Road.
From the west; You can drive to the end of the Coal Creek Road and hike in from there, but there's not much room to park a pickup at the gate, so you have to figure out some kind of shuttle from the nearest parking area. That trailhead is only a couple of miles from Storm Ridge, as the crow flies, but the switchback trails make it longer, but still shorter than from the trilhead on Ohio Creek Road.
From the north; You can park in Horse Ranch Park or at the USFS Lost Lake Slough Campground. From either trailhead it's about a mile and a half, fairly gentle upward slope (for CO), trail to Beckwith Pass. Then it's another couple of miles or so south through the upland basin above Shelf Creek. That puts you right near the benches that Saddlesore mentioned.
BTW don't overlook the meadows in the basin above Shelf Creek.
Good luck
KC
