Tracks of the StoneBear Odyssey ROF = Ring of Fire

Monday, January 14, 2013

Cache La Poudre scenic byway 1 BTW 32 - 81

BTW # 32 - 81 Back to the West Journey Monday July 22, 2012 Cache La Poudre scenic byway 1 , North Central Colorado Rocky Mountains We've been in Ft Collins, COlo on the front range for too long; too much city/ too many people.... had to see about mechanical problems. A new 12volt battery and now ready to go. Too many people / cars on the front range... Let's make like a sheperd and get the flock out of here. Let's blow this Taco stand.

Head out on US Hwy 287N, then hwy 14west from Ft Collins... a COlo state scenic byway on the Cache La Poudre River valley -- Prounounced ... "Cash la poud- er". The French fur trappers stowed/ hid their gunpowder in this valley during a snow storm in the 1820's. The Poudre Canyon is beyond description for beauty ; it IS utterly stark and beautiful. This is one of the most scenic drives in America... I;m excited... let's get started. Got a box of Cheez-its... I;m ready to go.

Now ,... take into account... the 2012 forest fires in Colorado.... the national newscasts that Colorado was on fire... Colorado was burning.... was here. This canyon was on fire a month ago. It's out NOW. ... so let's drive this canyon up into Wyoming. My plan on this road trip .. while Colo was burning... was to do a "6" . Come into Colo in the south... and curl up on the west side, and come across to RMNP from the West... the fires were out now.

Stop at Ted's Place, then stayed on hwy 14west, split at US 287 went to Laramie, WY; we'll get there the back way after driving the Cache La Poudre canyon. Up into the mountains immediatly... a couple of miles.... and have to stop at a river sideout / picnic area.

I've seen many things in my life... some pretty spectacular things and places.... but never have seen this. The Banks of the river were black. The river was black. Soot from the fires are still here. The river was BLACK ! You dip a glass and it looked like black coffee. The fires were here a week ago.

This bend in the river -- the river delta-- had steep sandstone canyon walls.... and a black river w/ black river banks. Drive on and up into the canyon go through sections that were beautiful high plains sub- alpine forest... up 8,000' elev. Beautiful pines... some arid sections w/ sagebrush and high chapparell brush. Really beautiful,... following the Poudre river up the canyon. STEEP mountains/ mountain walls / cliffs in places. Magnificent!!! Then come to a burned out section. uuuuuwww. Really black burned out mountain walls. Stubbs of brush about a foot tall, black,... brown dirt for a 6 foot radius and another burned bushroot 6" chared black stump. Wind has blown the black ash down into the canyon / river. Driving this Canyon / river is amazingly beautiful in between areas of burned out desolation. A real contrast. Burned hills are still beautiful in their own way. A contrast that is sureal.... natural rockies forest... then burned hillsides 100 yards later.... Many hand painted signs on plywood, bedding sheets ect... offer a "Thank You firefighters" to show their thanks for saving homes, farms, ranches... and offer an earned respect for the firefighters that worked 16+ hour days for over a month. I saw only a couple of structures partially burned , or in ashes. With all this drought dried out fuel -- pines and brush -- so close to the houses in this canyon,... the wind in this canyon is 15+ on normal days. Reports during the fires were winds at 30+ making the fires racing rampant out of control. A LOT of homes/ families homesteads were saved; Thank you guys! Well done! Driving through this Cache La Poudre river / canyon scenic byway is one of the most beautiful drives.... the burned out places -- sureal -- interesting to see a nature / fire zone aftermath. Makes you want to pay more attention to nature / soil conservation and definately heed those warnings about keeping campfires under control. Most campers do. This was a great day. You never drink twice from the same stream.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Independence Pass Colorado BTW 54

BTW # 54 Back to the West Journey Tracks of the StoneBear

You never drink twice from the same stream.

Monday August 13, 2012

10 miles west of Twin Lakes, Colorado

Independence Pass 12, 085' elev ON the Continental Divide

It took some doing to get here. On the road map it's Colo hwy 82 west from US hwy 24south -- south from Leadville, colo -- also see the Leadville, Colo posts.

Twin Lakes, Colo is a neat little historical sideout.... pop 100. The lodge has been here for 100 years... a couple blocks of dirt streets. on west 5+ miles is the Twin Peaks camp in the San Isabel national Forest.... a refreshing stop. -- see the Twin Peaks -- Perseides meteor shower post.

Head out on Colo hwy 82west. This road will take you to Aspen, Colo. I don't care to see Aspen. I've already seen Vail and Breckenridge, Colo and wanted to throw up after riding through town. Also wanted to take a shower after being violated to seeing these aborations -- tourist ski resorts among grand majestic mountains -- in the Rockies. Maybe it's better in the winter snow.

Heading west on Colo hwy 82, up this valley, 1,200' mountains on each side. Rock formations are amazing. Thick mountain forest terrain in this valley, wind over the mountain stream on the left,.... over a bridge and then the stream is on the right. This is the same Lake Creek I listened to last night 100' from the Twin peaks campsite. This is more than a creek... it's 100' wide most places with a lot of flow over mountain rock bed. The beds are rounded rock from the millenia of erosion. Absolutely beautiful stream flowing down. We're driving upstream -- up the valley.

Ascending on a steep pace. At times the road grade is 6% and little Hiddalgo II is going 15mph up the mountain road..

Running in and out of rain. Mountain fog. Up and into the fog clouds.... Visability in a mile ranges from 10 miles to 200 yards. Valley is amasing. Ascending up some shwitchbacks / hairpin curves.

come to a valley headwater. Winding creek through beaver dams. Mountains on every side.... up 2,000' verticle... Spectacular. Moist damp, wet road. Can see the road going up the mountain.

Drive on , ascending....stop at an overlook.... phenomenal view looking back down the valley. pix. Can now see the treeline on the mountains.... the point where forest evergreen pine trees grow.... and the line -- horizontal line on the mountains that are bare on the top.... just alpine tundra grass. No trees / vegitation will grow above a certain point on the mountain due to altitude ... harsh mountain wind erosion.

Switchback road up into the fog now. Visability 200' now... press on to the summit.

Independence Pass -- it IS the Continental Divide. 12, 095' elev. Fog / rain... viz 100' at times. Wind 25+

i've got to climb out onto this place. Driving rain.... sideways rain. ... stinging rain. Cold, 37*. Hike out to the actuall peak. Fog. I'm it! ; there is no one else here. ?Where is everybody? ?Why isn't there anyone else here? Pristene mountain peak. ... raw / sureal. Wind is 25+ gusts. A brief gap in the clouds & can see the actuall peak.

About 20 minutes to say a few prayers for Sons,... take in the stark, raw, cold element of this peak / pass. Evacuate and begin to head down.

Descending the peak, stop at an overlook... maybe a thousand feet below... maybey 11,000' now and the clouds / fog part for a few minutes. Can't take pix fast enough. Fantastic view of the mountain ridges and valley with the headwaters. Down from the Continental Divide... this was a phenomenal place to see.

You never drink twice from the same stream.