Road Trip - Platoro

 

 

Fellow Travelers,

Today was a good day to travel in the comfort of a vehicle.

Before I met you guys, I took the following photo of Walton Pond on 4UR Ranch, which is located between Creede and South Fork.

Wagon Wheel Gap is to the extreme left of the image.

Love those clouds and sidelight.

 

The trip to Platoro was also delightful.

 

 

 

And the hamburgers and cobler were not bad either.

Bob.

 

Platoro trip Photos

Six carloads drove from the South Fork along Park Creek, then into the Alamosa basin and over to the Conejos Basin.  We marveled at the bright golds, yellows, greens, oranges, and colors without a name. Texas friends commented on the morning snow cover above 11,000' and the ice and snow falling on our way home.

 

We all enjoyed a tasty lunch at Skyline Lodge, drove around to look at water features and more multi-colored aspen. Thanks for the cheerful spirit and patience with the photographers.  It was a harmonious day.

 

NEXT TUESDAY:  We have a request to carry a light-weight wooden sign to place at Fremont's Christmas Camp. Bob and Dennis and I talked it over and we're interested. This is a volunteer mission for the Forest Service and for our own satisfaction.

If you want to search for this place again (we haven't been there this year--it's a logical next step for our Fremont series), please join us  by 9 a.m. at the South Fork Visitor Center with several layers to deal with changing weather. We will be near timberline, although probably not dangerously exposed.  The walking is partly on trail and partly in the rough.

--Doug Knudson 873-5239

 

Rich colors and vertical forms

 

Aspen papparazzi?

 

early snow of autumn, Park Cr Drainage

 

Lookout Mtn

 

Clones and layers

 

Terrain near Stunner

 

Skyline Lodge

 

Sue Davolt/Susan Stewart

 

Conejos R and hillside

 

Embargo creek hike

Wayne led us up the Embargo Cr. trail for about 2 miles, enjoying the great scenery every upward step of the way!!  The colors are quickly fading away so don't delay if you haven't yet taken that tour through the Aspens..........

Thursdays hike is planned as follows:

We will hike the Bonita pass trail up to Bonita pass and then on the Continental Divide trail to Silver Pass and then on to Railroad Pass for those that want to hike another mile and a half.

 

We will drop a vehicle at Silver pass to carry the drivers up the road to the vehicles at the end of the road.

 

This is undoubtedly the most miles of aspen you will see on a hiking trail; the views down the Elwood pass canyon are great and the view toward Pagosa Springs is nearly as good.................so bring your cameras, water, lunch, raingear and a friend and meet us at 9AM at the VCPL.

 

Dennis

Embargo Creek Hike

A baker's dozen went up Embargo Creek on a beautiful, sunny, trail through colorful aspen.  Over lunch-time, the clouds thickened and  light sprinkles settled the dust and cooled us as we hiked down the hill. 

I'm writing this with a heavy rain beating on my roof and windows.

Small series of waterfalls, a couple of beaver ponds, dramatic vertical rock walls, and a few remaining flowers decorated the corridor that we walked.

We were pleased to enjoy the company of the hiking team from beautiful Bolivar, Missouri.

 

Notice--Tomorrow (Tuesday), rain or shine, we will drive to the Platoro region to enjoy one of the most colorful aspen shows in Colorado. Bring cameras (rain or shine), raincoats, sweaters, and enough $ to enjoy a sandwich or more at Skyline Lodge. Hiking is not required to enjoy the various valleys, peaks, rivers, and hillsides of fall colors.  So bring a friend who doesn't get to hike often.

Gather for a prompt 9 a.m. departure from the South Fork Visitor Center.  Roads are mostly gravel, with a few short rocky stretches. I'll be driving a Subaru Forester, if that helps you gauge your vehicle clearance.

--Doug Knudson

 

 

Rocky Mountain Trails are for climbing.

 

Bolivar's Camera Guy

 

Falling, floating--a decorated trail surface.

 

Aspen forest

 

 

Wanda and friends on the upward path

 

Gold, green, and yellows below the cliff

 

Aspen-glow

 

The valley opens to a beaver pond

 

Clouds built up slowly--leading to a late afternoon storm (when we were snug in our homes).

Highway Clean Up Day (9/26)

                         Attention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

We will clean up our section of the highway on Wednesday, Sept. 26. Meet at the visitor center at 10 AM. Come and help out the club. Lots of hands makes the work go quickly.

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

Tuesday (9/25) ATV Ride

There will be an ATV Ride, Tuesday, Sept. 25 to go to Bonanza. Meet at the visitor center at 7:30 AM.

 

George Powell, president

Thursday (9/20) hike

We will hike on an established trail, one that gives us a maximum amount of foliage for the colors..........

 

Meet at the VCPL at 9AM, bring your lunch, water, camera and a friend.........j

 

Dennis

Friday (9/21) ATV Ride

The Friday ATV Ride will be to look at the foliage around South Fork. Meet at the visitor center at 9 AM.

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

Model T Park hike--today and next week

Dear hikers--

Today, six of us went up to Model T Park at a merry pace. Marilyn, George, Mike (his last hike this season), 2 Moulds, and yours truly. The auto is rusting away, but still standing.
For some reason, ATV people are going around the block built in the trail by Silver-thread muscle. We looked for them in hopes of a pleasant discussion, but to no avail. No elk either.

Unfortunately, my camera was sitting on a bench in my study when I got home.

NEXT TUESDAY--bring your cameras. Come one/come all. No hiking required, although some will want to walk a few miles.

We're taking an auto tour of the gorgeous aspen stands to the South of our valleys, invading the valleys of the Alamosa R. and the beautiful Conejos River near Platoro. We may have some tips for photographers from a pro. Typically, the Platoro area has some of the most varied colors and spectacular hillsides of anywhere in the state. We hope that the last Tuesday in the month will hold true to its past performances.

The Skyline Lodge will supply you with a delicious lunch (from the menu, at your cost). The manager just told me they will be open for lunch on Tuesday next and that the leaves are nearing their peak (still about 1/3 are still green), so we may hit the place with sensational color (pinks, oranges, gold, yellow, lemon yellow and a few shades of green).

Bring your smooth, pretty-high clearance vehicle (just a couple of miles of rocky but safe road). We can car-pool if you prefer. Bring your crippled up relatives--they will love getting out into this area.

Meet in the parking lot of the South Fork Visitor Center before 9 a.m. departure. Be a color tourist for a day.
--Doug Knudson

Tuesday (9/18) ATV Ride

There will be a ride Tuesday, Sept, 18 to The Love Lake area to see the foliage. Meet at the visitor center at 9 AM.

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

September Club Meeting

The September meeting of the Silverthread Club will be Tuesday, Sept. 18, potluck meal 6:30 PM, meeting 7 PM at the South Fork Community Center. Come and enjoy.

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club 

Hogback Mesa Hike

This semi-tough hike was suggested by Marilyn; somehow the seven that started didn't include her.  Carla, Regina, Suzanne and Jan Powers did the big Willow Park loop while the Moulds and I went south up the Hogback Mesa.   The south end of Del Norte Peak is prominent to the North.  The long mesa is highly varied, topping out above 12,000 feet in several locations. It's a great place for distant views in all directions.

We followed several game trails for about 1/2 of the hike. We followed a fence line for a small part of it. The rest of the time, we followed a compass pointing south and north as we meandered through the down trees in the spruce forest. Round trip=7.4 miles

Scenery = superb and surprising.

Weather = beautiful clouds, some apparently seeking where to drop a little rain (none on us).

Good choice, Marilyn. Thanks for the idea.  Welcome back Carla and Regina.

Thursday hike--depends on Dennis' schedule. Wayne and I are busy with relatives coming.

We will have hikes next Monday and Tuesday--9 a.m. at the South Fork Visitor Center.

 

--Doug Knudson

 

 

Del Norte Pk from Hogback Mesa northern slope

 

Oops--three tops

 

Dropoff--Hogback Mesa  12,224' (or 231)

 

Top of Hogback Mesa looking N.

 

Sept. Colors and Bennett Pk from Hgbk Mesa

 

Looking S along Hogback Mesa

 

 Flag trees/Del Norte Pk

 

Old Spruce character

 

W. Yellow paintbrush

 

Tuesday ATV Ride

There will be an ATV Ride Tuesday, Sept. 11. Meet at the visitor center at 9 AM and the plan is to ride Burro Creek Trail.

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club 

Closing of Ice Cave

Thought this might be of interest to all of you. This is on forest land, and I think they are being closed for security reasons. I will try to find out more information.

 

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

 

George

 

We went back to Ice Cave and this is what we found. They have already sealed the other cave and as you can see have almost completed sealing Ice Cave. It is sad because they are putting all their empty mortor bags behind the wall they are building. It appears they are planning on returning to finish sealing ice cave like they did the other one.

 

Jerry & Carol Dale

Searchin' for Fremont

We did not find Fremont nor any of his expedition, nor any evidence of anything they left behind.  It was, however, great to try.  And I did find a devil skull, or at least that is what it looked like to me.

One of those crisp fall days when no thunderstorms threaten.

Loved it.

Bob.

 

 

 

 

Fremont's winter trail #3

Five of us drove to the north side of the notch in Pool Table Mountain, walked across E Bellows Creek, and then climbed up a steep mesa to the north. It was an exhilarating hike, extending our earlier explorations They started in the Alder Creek drainage, continued by climbing on (or near) Fremont's route up to and across the top of Pool Table Mountain, and now this third hike starting on the north side of Pool Table Mountain..

 

The area in the first picture (to the left of the road) is where the Fremont party camped one night in December.  From there they went up on Palmer Mesa, walked northerly, then to the left to make camp in the high but (somewhat) protected Trujillo Creek headwaters. The next day they went over a low spot to the North and down into Wannamaker Creek drainage, where they camped among the spruce islands from Dec. 17-23. Here, their pack and riding mules found little food and began to die. Then they crawled back up the hills and wound their way down to the "Christmas camp", eventually continuing down to the Rio Grande at Embargo Creek and on to Taos.

 

We followed their route, ascending about 850 feet of the steep hillside of "Bryan's Butte" (part of the Palmer Mesa complex in the La Garita Mountains.  Mesa Mountain rose above us to the North (12,944'). We walked across the splendid flatness (12,200') to look down at the starting point of Wannamaker Creek, which flows north into the South Fork of Saguache Creek. Just over a ridge we could imagine the seven days that Fremont's men and mules tried to find comfort in the camp, lying in deep snow in December, 1848.

 

Then we circled down toward the starting trickles of Trujillo Creek. We found some mini-hoo-doos with stone faces, several flowers still blooming, interesting old-wood forms, and a few edible fungi.  We ran into the ATV road, turned left and walked back to the trucks sitting on the loose rocky road.  This special place gave us a special feeling of walking through history, as well as appreciating the vast high country of these beautiful La Garita Mountains.

 

Wayne/Linda,George, Bob, on ATV trail that winds from Hanson's Mill to Wheeler Geological Area.  The Bellows Creek campground

was in the trees in the upper left part of the picture. Pool Table Mountain top is at the backs of the hikers.

 

W from Palmer Mesa

 

Top of hills Fremont crossed, Mesa Mtn in upper right.

 

Hikers near Fremont's ond-night Trujillo Cr. camp

 

Trujillo Cr. formations examined by Wayne Moulds

 

Gentian

 

•Weathered spruce

 

Pink plumes Erythrocoma triflora

 

Next Tuesday plan--We'll leave from South Fork Visitor Center at 9 a.m., heading up into the wild Willow Park.  We will walk up the gentle ramp of

Hogback Mesa.  This hike was nominated by Marilyn Caldwell earlier this summer.  Several of us want to explore what may be a relatively easy

walk, although the eventual 11,000 foot altitude requires you to carry water and breathe deeply.

Later this month--the colors are already coming.  We will have two five hikes into prime color country.  At least one will take us to the Platoro area, where

the trip will combine auto viewing and hiking in a flexible manner.  We usually spend a long lunch time at the Platoro resort.

--Doug Knudson  719-873-5239