Go! Explore!

I recently found myself walking up a slot canyon, mouth agape, trying to take in all of this amazing hidden gem. To call it “off the beaten path” is a bit of an understatement. I’ve been sworn to secrecy regarding its exact location, but it is so special, it is under consideration to be designated a Wilderness Area. Grubby Guy knew about it from a previous trip, and wanted to show it to me and look around for some elk sheds. This hike turned out to be an “ah-ha moment” for me. It was nothing short of a revelation! I could look at the rocks all around and feel the history of the area. I found myself wondering who else had walked that canyon…Native Americans, explorers, mountain men, hikers, hunters... I wondered what it looked like for them, what they saw. I found myself wondering what kind of animals lived in the area and what they thought about it. I saw mountain lion tracks, deer tracks, elk tracks, raccoon tracks, beautiful little blue birds, hawks…and two little butterflies that followed me down the canyon. I thought about the amazing forces of nature needed to create the slot canyon. I wondered about the rocks and how they were created, and where they started from and how they ended up in the canyon. I found myself wishing I had paid more attention to my Geology class...My imagination was ignited. My sense of wonder was exploding. For those things alone, this little jaunt was rewarding beyond measure.

So, this is my challenge for you…explore the untrodden places. Go for a walk in a place that doesn’t have an established trail. Drive down a road you’ve never driven down before. Stop at a little pull-out and get out and walk for a bit. Take an entirely new route through your city or town. Pick a place on the map and find your way there. Go somewhere new and different and unexplored by you. You never know what you will discover. I recently read about an archaeologist in South Africa who decided to explore the caves nearby, figuring they held untold treasures. He was meandering around in an area he knew had lots of unmarked caves, and found the skull of a 9 year-old boy who was 2 million years old! It turns out to be a whole new species of man – the first link between the apes and us. And, all of that because he wandered someplace not marked on a map. You may not find a new species, but you never know what you could discover about your environment and yourself!

As Calvin said to Hobbes in the last frame of the last comic strip… “Let’s go exploring!”

Trip Report - Deep Lake Camping

Have you ever driven through Glenwood Canyon, mouth agape, senses awed and wondered what was on top of those cliffs? I got to experience the top firsthand the weekend of June 19-21. If you get off at the Dotsero exit, head north on the Colorado River Road for about two miles, there will be a left turn onto the Coffee Pot Road. The Coffee Pot Road is one of those epic Colorado roads…it is narrow and windy and the landscape falls very steeply off the side of the road. But, the views are stunning, and the landscape once you are on top of the canyon are nearly indescribable. You can see to Aspen to the south and to Vail the west. Once on top, all around are deep canyons, meadows filled with wildflowers, aspen groves that light up in the fall, pine trees, interesting rock formations and more lakes than you would expect in dry Colorado. The Flattops Wilderness begins in this area, so it is the perfect location to really get away from it all.

About 29 miles up the Coffee Pot Road is Deep Lake (about 10,500 feet in elevation), which has a beautiful campground along the eastern edge. That was Grubby Guy and my destination. We’d heard a snowdrift had made getting to the lake nearly impossible, but that they were plowing it in the morning. So, Friday night, GGuy and I drove most of the way and pulled off Coffee Pot to set up in what had been a hunter’s camp in the fall. (A sign that it was the right spot...a mama elk and her newborn baby were walking up the hill by the campsite right as we pulled off. GGuy was sold!) We had eaten before we got there, so we built a fire and talked and gaped at the absolutely amazing night sky. I swear, we could see the whole Milky Way. I made a wish on a falling star.

We woke to an absolutely beautiful morning – sunny, warm, clear. After a delicious breakfast, we packed up our little camp and drove up the road to Deep Lake. GGuy wanted to fish (and look for Elk – he’s spotted two herds that morning), and I just wanted to sit by a lake

and relax. Perfect solution! When we got there, the spots right next to the lake were taken, so we settled for a spot in the trees with a view of the lake. Our spot had a great place to pitch our tent, a picnic table and a nice fire ring with a grate for cooking. We pitched our tent and set our campsite up, and then GGuy and I headed down to the lake for some fishing. We could see the fish jumping out of the water, and GGuy had a good feeling. The fish, however, decided to be picky. After about 45 minutes and not a nibble, I decided I’d rather get some exercise, and left GGuy to decide which dry fly would work best. Since the area is pretty remote, there wasn’t a lot of traffic, so I walked along a dirt road for a while. It was unlike anything else I’ve seen in Colorado. Once I got on top of Old Ute Trail, there were tons of white and red rock

everywhere, set against the vivid green of the grasses and evergreens – it looked almost like an alien landscape. Stunning. I could have kept walking just to see what was around the next corner, but I’d been walking for more than an hour, and decided to go back to camp. GGuy and I napped for a bit in the sun-warmed tent, then went looking for firewood for our campfire. There was plenty of available fuel, but with all the recent rain, it was more difficult to find dry wood. Once we had enough to last us the night, we came back to camp to hang out. I read and he fished a little more (catching two Brookies). Then, we made a lovely camp dinner, sat around the campfire chatting, watched a beautiful sunset over the lake and called it an early night. A fierce thunderstorm roared through about midnight, and it pretty much rained the rest of the night. When we woke up, nothing was dry, and most of our things had standing puddles on them. With nothing we could do about it, we made the best of it. We marveled at the low-hanging clouds racing up the canyon carved by Deep Creek, made some coffee, cooked a little breakfast and then packed up our soggy belongings and made our way back down the hill. I’d definitely go back. The campground was nice – very scenic, the potties were clean, and there were plenty of dispersed camping options nearby. The sites were just $6 a night. It takes a bit to get there, but was well worth the feeling of being in the middle of the wilderness

and surrounded by the great outdoors.


Great, grubby weekend,

GG

Getting Started - Hiking

Hiking is a great way to get into getting outside and getting grubby. It's free (unless you choose to hike in a State Park or National Park, which have entrance fees), it's easy (unless walking is difficult for you), and it has virtually no start-up equipment needed. All you need to start, really, are a pair of sturdy shoes and a water bottle. Some people, "experts," recommend a 10-point list of safety equipment for any hike, but, in all honesty, you probably won't need that until you decide that you really like it and want to go for longer, deeper or more intense hikes. If you do decide that you want to hike more often, definitely get that first aid kit, a good hyration system and a packable jacket. But, if you're just exploring and trying to decide whether there's a hiker lurking in you, stick to the popular trails, and you're probably going to be okay. You just need to get out and do it.

The big question for your first hike is: Where to hike? Start by asking your friends or co-workers. They will probably have some recommendations. There are also plenty of books on the subject. REI, Sportsman's Warehouse, Bass Pro or any bookstore will have plenty of options to choose from. You can also look online for trail ideas. Colorado State Parks has a great site with links to other entities that have trails, just search here: http://parks.state.co.us/Trails/TrailMapLinks/ I really like the Jefferson County Open Space trails. There are lots to choose from, the scenery is suprisingly varied, and the difficulty ranges from super easy to pretty difficult. And, they're all within easy driving distance. Here's that link: http://tinyurl.com/lo5pzl.

All the Grubby Details:
How Far - Depends on how far you'd like to go...anywhere from 2-12 miles is do-able in a day.
Time Commitment - Plan on hiking about 2-3 miles per hour...adjust from there.
Misery Index - Low - occasionally, you'll come across a pretty intense hike, but usually, hiking makes for a very pleasant afternoon.
Intimidation Index - Low - one foot in front of the other and soon you're on your way!
Dog Friendliness - High - but, most trails require a leash. Check before you pack Fido.
Equipment needed to start - Sturdy shoes, water bottle, sunscreen
Equipment to upgrade if you find you like it - Hiking boots (or low hikers), good socks, a hydration pack (I like the daypack/hydration combos), first aid kit, rain jacket, wicking shorts and shirts.

Now, get out there and get grubby!

XO,
GG