Cutler Creek, Bear Creek and More…

 

We’re still hanging around the Ouray, CO area, jokingly telling Mark and Bobbie we may stay until it snows. The past week has been busy with hikes on the Cutler Creek, Bear Creek, and Red Mountain #3 trails. We had a group dinner at Buen Tiempo the night before John and Joalenn left, and met up with John Shroeder (Just Finding Our Way) on Sunday at Mouse’s. He’s staying in Silverton but came to Ouray for the afternoon to meet Mark and try one of Mouse’s famous scrap cookies. Somehow I failed to take any photos. Too busy eating and talking, I suppose.

If you follow Take to the Highway you have already heard about Suzanne’s father. She decided to fly back to Texas for the funeral so we drove her to the Montrose airport after putting the Winnie and Tracker in storage. It gave us a chance to do a little shopping in the big city, since Ouray and nearby Ridgway don’t have much to offer. We’ve sure been missing Suzanne’s laughter and chit-chat on our hikes this week and hope she will be able to join us again soon.

We had several days with off and on rain and threats of thunderstorms, which kept us from hiking at higher altitudes, but we did manage to get in a 7 mile hike on the Cutler Creek trail, a little buggy and overgrown with flowers but a good workout. We were joined by Mark’s neighbor David.

Mark, David, Chris, Bobbie, Jim and Debbie all back there somewhere. The rain stayed away during our hike but the dreary skies didn’t make for good photography.

On the way back we stopped off at an old mine, where we had discovered this bullet-ridden old truck on a previous hike. We were surprised that Mark and Bobbie had never seen it before. These photos were taken on a much nicer day.

The next day Debbie found this bear track just down the road from where we’re parked. Looks like a big boy is wandering around our neighborhood while we’re not paying attention.

Monday was to simplify Glenn’s big day to embark on his first try at backpacking, starting on the Bear Creek trail just south of Ouray. So he wouldn’t have to hike the entire way in solitude, Jim and I, Mark and Bobbie, and Chris accompanied him 4.5 miles up the trail to Yellow Jacket Mine. Chris, Jim and I had only planned to hike to the first mine, Grizzly Bear, but we were all feeling good after 2.6 miles so we continued on with Mark’s encouragement. It was a tough climb, as we gained 2,600’ of elevation.

The Bear Creek National Recreation Trail is quite impressive, cut into the ledge of a rock wall. Some of the trail requires walking on piles of slate, which crunch under your boots like breaking glass.

We hiked to the first mine when we were here in 2012 and I was very uncomfortable on this trail. Guess I’ve gotten in enough hiking on the edge over the years so that it didn’t really bother me this time, although I was more careful and didn’t sacrifice one of my hiking poles down the canyon like I did the first time.

A short break at Grizzly Bear Mine, then on and up through the aspens and meadows.

You know the flowers are tall when they come up to Mark’s shoulders.

A little past their peak but still so colorful.

Lunch and trip planning at Yellow Jacket Mine.

Our turn around point, where we say our goodbyes to Glenn.

It was like sending off a child on his first day of school. You’ll have to read to simplify to find out how he fared.

The sky was darkening so we kept a brisk, knee-jarring pace back down the trail.

    

We made it back to the cars with just a few drops of rain and a little bit of thunder.

The rest of our day was spent dozing, reading, and resting up from what was for us the hardest hike we’ve done here so far. It’s a good life, one that I still can’t believe we’ve been doing now for almost seven years.

Bullion King Lake Hike and Dealing With RV Issues

 

We were looking forward to a return hike to Bullion King Lake since we had fond memories of going there in 2012, but sometimes life gets in the way. The night before our scheduled hike I was outside walking Sophie and Jim was on his way out with Elvis when he yelled that the water pump was running constantly but he hadn’t turned anything on. Just then I saw water gushing out of the compartment that holds our outdoor shower. Jim turned off the pump and went out to find the leak. It appeared that a valve had failed, and we decided that since we never use the outdoor shower anyway he would just cap it off. Of course we had nothing that would fit the pipe, so the next day Jim sent me off to hike and he stayed home to fix the plumbing. What a nice husband! It only took two trips to the hardware store and a couple of Shark Bite fittings to get the job done. Since access is under the refrigerator behind two drawers there is little room to work.

He did a nice job cutting the pipes and installing the fittings, the first time he ever used Shark Bites. They aren’t cheap but are easy to put on and are removable in case we or the next owner want to install another shower. So far no leaking. When he finished that project he changed the oil in the car, a productive day for Jim.

I, on the other hand, got the better end of the deal, hiking at 12,000+ feet to another beautiful lake and beyond. The previous day we were joined by Glenn (to simplify), and he also came along for the hike, as did our chauffeur Mark, Bobbie, Suzanne, Kim, John and Joalenn.

The “trail” is a jeep road which is closed due to work going on to clean up an old mine. The scenery is just unbelievably beautiful.

Then it was a shortcut to the lake, which meant pick your way up, up, up.

Bullion King Lake, peaceful and calm except for the jumping trout.

Suzanne and her stunt double.

Some of us decided to continue on above the lake to try and get to a ridge with views of the Blue Lakes. I decided not to follow Mark along this snowy path, and ended up with an even more difficult route up, but you’ll have to check the Box Canyon Blog to see my photo.

We climbed higher and higher, trusting that Mark and Bobbie knew where we were going, although we didn’t really have to be going anywhere since it was a wonderful day just to be out hiking.

A faint, rocky trail continues to our destination.

Which I find out is at the top of the ridge ahead up where you can see the snow. My heart begins beating faster and faster, and not just due to the fact that we are at 13,000’ but because I fear if I make it up there I may never be able to get back down. It was much steeper than it looks.

I make it about half way up the grassy part of the climb, stop on a slightly level spot to catch my breath and decide to turn around to take a picture of the view. As I look down, down, down I get lightheaded and dizzy, and can feel the panic attack coming on. It was at this point I sat down and gave up. I do know my limits.

I called Jim to get an update on the water leak repair (yes, we had Verizon up there) and took lots of photos.

I watched this marmot take a long walk carrying something fairly big in its mouth. A baby, perhaps?

I finally regained my composure and made it down to the rocky area so I could watch Glenn the mountain goat come back down a different, even more treacherous looking path.

While Mark, Bobbie and Suzanne came down the way they went up.

We took the low road back, which led us through the most impressive bed of flowers.

Suzanne and I watched Mark effortlessly glissade down the snow, then we proceeded to go down on our butts, laughing all the way. Not very graceful but it sure was fun.

More scenes on the way back down.

Is it any wonder why Mark and Bobbie love living in Ouray?