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