Eight excellent endurance hikers walked mostly downhill for ten miles on Tuesday. We were following a segment of John C. Fremont's biggest mistake, using Stuart Bryan's new book as our guide ("Fremont's Fatal Fourth"--available in valley book stores and museums).
We'll be doing three more segments of the route this summer [Fremont's 34 men and 200 mules did it in December--going upstream from today's Rio Grande Club, with no trail].
We'll take shorter segments at higher, panoramic locations on good weather days (Tuesdays).
Tuesday's route started at a corner of Long Draw (South of Pool Table Mountain, on an edge of Pool Table Park). We descended Long Draw to its nearly invisible junction with West Alder Creek, then followed W.Alder down to Fish Park for lunch. A little farther downstream we let the trail lead us up (gradually) to the West Alder Road, high above the creek. We walked along the the road looking down the very steep hills of the Narrows. [Fremont's group had to push the mules up the hillsides to find places to sleep, often lying on the upside of a couple of trees to keep from rolling out of their blankets.]
By the way, the guy/gal on the wide-tired motor bike did a nice job of clearing the trail of fallen trees and branches just a few hours or days ahead of us. The road grader contractor did the same on FR 610. Thanks, Steve!
Next Tuesday, we'll head for high 10-11,000' altitude (weather and fires permitting) and do some conditioning walking for 5-6 miles, getting ready for some peaks that will help to get you (and me) on top of Colorado's highest mountain later in the summer. I'm looking for a place that isn't too steep or uncomfortable at that altitude, so new arrivals can join us. Nominations are open.
--Doug Knudson (douglasfir636@gmail.com)
Mtn Candytuft at the Trailhead
May 29 2012 Fremont hike #1 Linda, Wayne, Barbara, George, Marilyn, Wayne, Bob (remember his photo show late afternoon June 2 in Creede Theatre)
Long Draw from near road 610
Long Draw intermittent stream
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