Thursday, August 22, 2019
We spent the morning in Ridgway
and Ouray, for coffee, shopping, bench-warming, crowd-watching, and followed by
lunch. It was a good morning and, on the way, back to Ridgway State Park, we
stopped off at Cedar Grove Cemetery. It’s an old cemetery and lots of historic
figures are interred there, but a thunderstorm and light rain preempted our
visit. We decided it was best to return home for a nap!
Wednesday, August 28, 2019
Today we returned from a
two-day trip to Hinsdale County’s, Lake City (1873). Lake City, on the Lake
Fork of the Gunnison River, is just across the San Juan Mountains from us but
we had to drive 180 miles to get around there. The four-wheel-drive road was
not an option for us.
Today, the surface geology of
the Lake Fork watershed is dominated by volcanic rocks that are part of the San
Juan volcanic field. Between 23 and 34 million years ago, numerous erupting
volcanoes threw thousands of feet of andesitic and rhyolitic rocks across the
region. Even as novices, we could identify the huge masses of tuft, ash, pumice,
basalt, and all sorts of rock from the basement of the earth.
Lake City- Prior to written
history, the Ute people lived in this area of the San Juan Mountain Range
(Shining Mountains), where they hunted and fished in the high mountain valleys,
during the summers, and wintered on the western slope. When placer gold was
found, hard-rock mining followed and a flourishing town grew up at the
confluence of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and Benson Creek.
Lake Fork of the Gunnison
River- The Lake Fork, which is located south of Gunnison along Highway 149 near
Lake City, is the least known of the Gunnison River’s major tributaries. The
Lake Fork of the Gunnison River, locally called the Silver River, drains the
northeastern portion of the spectacular San Juan Mountains and is one of
Colorado's most underrated and intriguing rivers, with dizzying canyons and
stunning landscapes.
Historic Buildings- Lake City
was well laid out with wide, shaded streets, and boasted a number of
substantial buildings constructed of frame, brick, and stone. Today, the
historic old buildings house shops, restaurants, and various other businesses,
but it still looks like 1873. Lake City remains the county seat and sole town in
Hinsdale County.
Hinsdale County- Hinsdale
County, Colorado, is the most remote area in the United States' lower 48. The
high-country county is covered by mountains, including multiple 14 and 13,000
ft. peaks, and contains one of the most roadless areas in the country. The
continental divide crosses the county twice, along with the Continental Divide
Trail.
Jagged peaks pierce deep blue
skies while wildlife teems in rocky canyons and on high valley floors.
Crystalline rivers flow from high altitudes while unique geology promises
adventure and spurs endless exploration. And continuously, within this wondrous
dreamscape, whispers from the past mingle with voices of the present in the
cool, rarefied air of remote Hinsdale County and its historic town of Lake
City.
Encompassing more than 1,000
square miles of untamed beauty, “ah factors” are a constant in this northeastern
corner of Colorado’s mystical San Juan Mountains. From climbers, fishermen,
hunters, 4-wheel enthusiasts, and hikers to bikers, horseback riders,
birdwatchers, and Old West history buffs, magical moments are spun into
heirloom memories passed on and recreated generation after generation. In town,
the rustic cabins are occupied by tourists from all around and their OHV’s are
seen cruising around town. The area is a popular off-road vehicle region, with
hundreds of miles of high-mountain trails to ride, providing great vistas and scary
thrills.
Lake San Cristobal- Lake San
Cristobal was formed about 700 years ago when the first Slumgullion Earthflow,
a natural landslide, created a dam across the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River.
The earthflow is plainly visible from above and it is still slowly moving.
Slumgullion Pass- At 11,530
feet elevation, we could clearly see five fourteen-thousand- foot mountains in
the northeastern San Juan range. It was a clear, cool, breezy day and some of
the quacking Aspens were beginning to show gold.
At the foot of the Pass is the
Alferd Packer cannibal massacre site. Alferd Packer, "The Colorado
Cannibal," and five fellow prospectors tramped into the snowy San Juan
Mountains on February 9, 1874, got lost and Packer was the only survivor.
We took a cozy,1940 cabin on
the river at the Texan Resort. We enjoyed some nice dining, shopping, hiking
and exploring in and around Lake City!
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Labor Day weekend was a very
busy time in the park and it was our last weekend of the season to work. It has
been a great summer and we have made lots of new friends and experienced lots
of new things.
My final notes of the season
are on “Observations of Nature and Wildlife” in the park;
In the park, every day, among
abundant nature and wildlife, there’s an infinite observation of change. The
trees, birds, animals, insects, vegetation, and seeing bears during the day,
all reflect the approaching Fall and Winter. It is a grand opportunity for
nature and wildlife observations. One of our main responsibilities is to be the
“eyes and ears” of the park. From many hours at the Pa Co Chu Puk gate house, I
have observed the season;
The Plum Trees have bloomed,
leafed-out, and made fruit
The angle of the sun has run its
summer course
My daily bird visitors have
nested, hatched, fledged, and many have begun migration
The trees have budded,
produced new foliage, and are now turning to Fall colors
The Bears are eating night and
day, preparing for winter hibernation
The Elk and Deer have
slicked-off, raised young, and the new bucks are now in “velvet”
Numerous wildflowers have come
and gone during the season
Day and night have traded
hours
The fat little Chipmunks are
gathering nuts and storing for winter
The native grasses have gone
from green to brown
The summer insects have
disappeared
The winter snow-melt and
runoff, swirled and swelled the streams now they’re wadable becks
The sounds of kids in the park
are hushed with their return to school
The Mountain Lions are
garnering the weak and lame
This summer has taught me some
new lessons:
These changing seasons teach
us to appreciate change in our lives and see it as a natural process. Just as
mother nature is not constant, neither are our lives. They're full of twists
and turns, highs and lows.
These changing seasons show us
how to let go and wait patiently for the next best thing. As fall marks the
conclusion of summer, and spring marks the end of winter, there are chapters in
your life, laid out on a timeline, that are meant to be enjoyed until they pass
on. The loss doesn’t have to be negative, though, for you never know what
amazing things are to occur in the next chapter of your life. The best is yet
to come back around.
Thursday, September 5, 2019
This morning, we said goodbye
to the San Juan Mountains and Ridgeway State Park and headed over to Woodland
Park, for a visit with friends, Dave and Diane. We drove north to Montrose and
a Starbuck coffee, then east on US 50. At Parlin, we took a new route SE to
Saguache, and a campsite at the San Luis Valley RV Park.
The first part of our travel
today was over familiar terrain, and the last part was a new landscape for us.
This new path was Colorado 114, a scenic drive, from US 50 down to US 285. The
route follows up Cochetopa Creek, crossing the Continental Divide at North Pass
(10,149’), then down Saguache Creek to Saguache.
Several highlights were
especially scenic;
Leaving US 50, we crossed
Tomichi Creek, at the confluence with Cochetopa Creek. 71-mile long Tomichi
Creek receives the waters of several creeks including Cochetopa Creek, and
flows into the Gunnison River at the Town of Gunnison. It’s a picturesque trout
fishery and provides lots of agricultural irrigation. The best way to really understand
a creek is to wade right in. It can be
very calming to get away from the busy main streets of town and wander through
the tall grass and dense Aspen trees to Tomichi Creek. Tomichi Creek is a
tributary to the Gunnison River that flows from the Continental Divide and
Monarch Pass Area.
Cochetopa Creek- A beautiful trout
stream and irrigation source with attractive cattle ranches and green hay
fields, with the cold, clear creek meandering through the valley. It takes its
rise on San Luis Peak in the La Garita Mountains. It merges with Tomichi Creek
near the town of Parlin, Colorado, along Highway 50. The creek flows through
the Cochetopa Caldera in the San Juan volcanic field and through Cochetopa
Canyon along Colorado State Highway 114.
Cochetopa Valley- With
occasional traffic, we slowly drove on the very winding road, we had our
windows down, enjoying the cool mountain air and the magnificent scenery. Daisy
loved “flying her nose” and the sights, sounds, and smells of the valley. The
narrow valley was an active scene, with ranchers, cutting and bailing hay.
Cochetopa Canyon- Rivers have
always been a special topography attraction to me but now I’m adding canyons to
the list. We enjoyed a picnic lunch, beside the creek, under the Aspens, Pines,
and Spruce trees. The road is narrow with many curves, and the steep canyon walls
were massive volcanic deposits.
Canyons tell a story- Like
pages in a book, the rock layers of canyons tell a story of past environments,
ancient animals and dynamic processes of change. But unlike a book that we can
read in a short time, this geologic book has to be read from a different point
of view. Time is thrown out of balance here, and we need to see the land from a
very different perspective. Just like a calendar is divided into months, weeks,
days, and so forth, the geologic time scale has its own unique set of time
divisions. We’re talking eons, or billions of years. Very impressive stuff!
North Pass- At (10,010’ feet
elevation) the pass is below tree-line but has good views of the east and west
slope. We were impressed with the contrast of variation in tree species. The
west slope is predominately pine and spruce, while the east slope is
predominately Aspen and juniper.
Following Saguache Creek down
the east slope toward the San Luis Valley, Aspen gives was to Juniper at the
lower elevations, then desert Rabbit Brush, Salt Bush, and Artemisia.
We saw a large forest fire in
the Rio Grande National Forest, on the east side of the pass. We also saw
Pronghorn on the slopes of the east valley.
At the little town of Saguache
(1891), we toured around and admired the old buildings and giant Cottonwood
trees. The site has lots of history from the Native Americans to the Spaniards,
then Anglos. Along the old Spanish Trail, Saguache saw all the pioneers and
characters of early American history. It’s an attractive little town invoking
visions of yesteryear life.
At the San Luis Valley RV Park,
we made chicken pie, outside in the convection oven, while we admired the
magnificent Sangre De Cristo Mountains, with the Great Sand Dunes National
Park, at their western base. My personal name for the Sangre De Cristos is the
“tumultuous ocean mountains”, due to the hundreds of peaks in the range,
appearing like a rough seascape.
The Rio Grande Canal is a
puzzling observation that requires investigation. Initially, I assumed that it
was taking water off the Rio Grande for the San Luis Valley, but it’s
vice-versa. Actually, it takes water from mountain drainages in the north San
Luis Valley and dumps it into the Rio Grande, to meet Colorado’s growing water
demand downstream.
San Luis Valley- the valley is
bounded on the east by the Sangre de Cristo Mountains and on the west by the San
Juan Mountains. The valley has predictable wind patterns, with morning upslopes,
as warming air rises up the mountains, and evening downslopes, as the cool air descends
down the mountains. We experienced it two days at the north part of the valley.
The high valley is 8-thousand square miles of desert, containing huge, rich
agricultural fields, resulting from irrigation. Also, the north part of the
valley contains enormous grids of those round, ground-water, pivot irrigation
plots.
The name of the Sangre De
Cristos may refer to the occasional reddish hues observed during sunrise and
sunset, and when alpenglow occurs, especially when the mountains are covered
with snow. The Sangre De Cristo Range rises abruptly from the east valley floor
and consists of a jumble of 13-14-thousand-foot peaks. This is a special place!
Friday, September 6, 2019
On a clear, cool morning, we
decided to make a day-trip visit to the Great Sand Dunes
National Park and Alamosa. From Villa Grove, we took Co 17 to Moffat and then
east to the park.
Our last visit to the Great
Sand Dunes National Park was 30 years past but we enjoyed this visit even more.
Nestled against the rugged Sangre De Cristo Mountains, the park hosts majestic
scenery. The tallest dunes in North America are the centerpiece in a diverse
landscape of grasslands, wetlands, conifer and aspen forests, alpine lakes, and
tundra. The Visitor Center presented an interesting film, exhibits, a nature
trail, and scenic overlooks. The park offers many ways to experience the dunes
and the mountains, from campgrounds, picnic areas, hikes, trails, wildlife, 4WD
adventures, fishing, swimming, wildflowers, and stunning night skies. We had a
wonderful visit and were glad that we visited the park.
From the park, we took CO 150
south to Alamosa, on the Rio Grande River. We had lunch at Emma’s, a fine
traditional Spanish cuisine. After looking around the old town, we headed
north, back to our San Luis Valley RV Park. A huge storm was moving in from the
west and the dark clouds looked ominous. The wind increased and a light rain
fell but it amounted to very little. Oddly, a storm is southern Colorado can
reveal streaking rainfall at a distance but it simply evaporates before it
reaches the ground.
Saturday, September 8, 2019
Heading north to Buena Vista,
we crossed Poncha Pass (9,010’), from the San Luis Valley, over to the Arkansas
Valley. Poncha Pass had spectacular views of the Sangre De Cristo Range to the
east and the Sawatch Range to the west.
We shopped at Salida and then
headed up the Arkansas River to Buena Vista for lunch at K’s Dairy Delite, the
best hamburger in town. We made it a picnic of lunch, under
the huge Cottonwood trees, at the nearby park. We always enjoy Buena Vista for
its splendid setting, between the Arkansas River and the Collegiate Range.
We took campsite at the Buena
Vista KOA, for a relaxing BBQ and college football. Tomorrow, we head to
Woodland Park to visit Dave and Diane.
Sunday, Sept. 8, 2019
Amidst a cool, clear, Rocky
Mountain morning, we resumed our ride on US 285/US 24 over to Woodland Park and
the Bristlecone Lodge RV Park. Our four-day visit with Dave and Diane was loads
of fun and we really enjoyed the visit.
From Buena Vista, we crossed
Trout Creek Pass into South Park, where we saw Pronghorn and a cattle herd with
Buffalo intermingled. We wondered how they get along together. We stopped off
at Wilkerson Pass for a walk and overlook of South Park. It was clear and we
could see the mountains ranges of SW Colorado. We talked to the Visitor Center
hosts, a pleasant couple from Starkville, Mississippi.
At Woodland Park, we had some
delightful dinners and adventures with Dave and Diane. On Monday, we drove down
to Colorado Springs and visited the Old Courthouse grounds and gardens,
followed by lunch at Suggas’s. We spent the afternoon at Fort Carson and the
May Insect Museum, a grand collection of insects and an interesting story of
the May family.
On Tuesday morning, we visited
Manitou Lake, in the Pike National Forest, and walked around the lake, across
the boardwalk, and through the Ponderosa Pines. We saw Yellow Warblers, a
Golden Eagle, and numerous other birds and wildflowers. It was a pleasant
morning and we enjoyed being out with Dave and Diane.
In the afternoon, we drove to Sedalia
for a visit to the Cherokee Ranch. We took Colorado 67 north through the Pike
National Forest, down West Creek to the South Platte River and then followed
down the river to Deckers and Sedalia.
Cherokee Castle and Ranch, a
34-hundred-acre estate, raised Santa Gertrudis cattle, the first distinct breed
of beef cattle produced in the United States. We enjoyed the visit to the ranch
and the castle was a real showplace, with extensive art, furniture and
furnishings collection. The castle, perched on a high mesa, commands an
expansive view of the ranch, the Denver skyline, and the distant mountains of the
front-range.
Following our visit to the
castle, we returned to Sadalia for dinner at, PieZanos Pizza, a popular pizza
joint with great food and atmosphere. Finally, we returned to Woodland Park via
Colorado Springs. Another great outing with Dave and Diane!
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