Vasquez Wilderness

We were assigned sheep duty this past Monday which meant we had to go up to an area where the sheep had been lambing and count the sheep we saw. The area had been closed to visitors but had just reopened and there were others going up there to observe the sheep. Looking down on them from a higher viewpoint, we only saw ten sheep and only one lamb among them. Three looked to be yearlings, the rest were ewes. Over thirty had been spotted just the day before, and then none were spotted the next day by other observers. Sheep are naturally skittish and can be stressed very easily so they may have moved on due to the visitation they were receiving. We will see if they are spotted again.

We found out who Larry 1951-2010 was. This was the inscription on a wooden eagle we had come upon at a Ditch Company camp. Larry had been a ditch worker who had a heart attack last year, then succumbed this year from heart problems. He had some connection to bald eagles. RIP.

We went out of the park with our friend Mark to the Vasquez Wilderness this past Tuesday and climbed Vasquez Peak, which is just under 13,000 feet. Starting at Berthoud Pass, at 11,300 feet, we followed the Continental Divide Trail, getting above tree line very quickly and got up on a high ridge after summiting Stanley Peak. We inadvertently got off the CDT when we got near Vasquez Pass as the path we were on took us away and down towards the Henderson Mines, a molybdenum processing plant. After figuring out that we needed to get down to the pass before going up the peak, we took a detour and found ourselves at the pass looking way up at the peak before us. The guide said it was only 500 feet up but I think it was more than that. We had lost all that elevation and had to gain it back, what a haul going up but it was wonderful on top. We could see the peaks up in RMNP and saw that they were totally covered by clouds. We scurried back, expecting rain and t-storms but none ever materialized. They got pounded with bad weather that day in RMNP, so we chose the right place to be.

We went to Estes Park to get Kathy a new G-string, for her guitar that is. They had a pretty good music and gift store there, and I ended up getting a Key of C harmonica, now if we can only play in harmony. Along the way, we hiked an upper section of the Ute Trail before the rains came. While hiking ahead of me, Kathy pulled a piece of glass out of her head and showed it to me. I thought she was kidding, but she insisted it was in there from the accident we had last October and had finally worked its way out. E-gads. I then remembered her telling me that her hair dresser had spotted it and told her it would eventually come out. It’s about the right size for a ring stone, I think it’s a keepsake.

Biking around here can be hazardous. I will spare you the details, but a biking outing along US 40 and SR 125 was very unpleasant due to three rude drivers. Some drivers, and in this case they were all driving pickups, think that bikes don’t belong on the road. Bikes are given rights of the road in all fifty states. But why drivers have to use their vehicles as weapons, escapes me. There were four other bikers from England who witnessed the third incident when a truck pulling some ATVs just laid on the horn and didn’t let up until he was well past me. I assume it was a man. He earned a one finger salute from me. I stopped to talk with the four right after and finding out they were from England, felt compelled to apologize for our rude drivers. They said that drivers can be rude in England too. So maybe it’s a universal thing. I would rather bike in the park, but a co-worker almost got clipped the other day by a trailer who had their steps out. We’re looking at doing a bike path that runs between Breckenridge and Vail.

We were treated to lunch by the Walk Backwards team on Friday. It’s a kids program that comes into Holzwarth every Friday morning and we always give them a hand with things as we are here anyways and their program starts earlier than our tours. Walk Backwards is a chance for kids to see what life was like a long time ago. They all get to dress up in old-timey outfits and do chores and play games like kids used to do, way before video games and mp3 players. The park’s team of five puts a lot of effort into this program, they dress up in old outfits too and give the kids a lot of special attention. I get a kick out of watching it. So thanks to the Walk Backwards team for what you do and thanks again for lunch.

We had a bite to eat and a brew at the Grand Lake Lodge, an historic lodge that had been closed for the last four years. It is said to have the best front porch view in America, as it sits above Grand Lake and the view is spectacular. The owners had been trying to sell the place, they had six offers that all fell through for one reason or another. So the family decided to get it back in business rather than let it sit idle. Several businesses in the Grand Lake area are just barely holding on right now, waiting for better times to come back.

The next time you see me, I may have short hair. In national park areas, it can be a challenge finding a barber or hair dresser who will cut your hair for a reasonable price. So I decided to invest in an electrical hair trimmer, it will pay for itself after one cutting. It may not look professional, but I figure I can just wear a hat until it grows back out.

Quotes that can get you into trouble if you are a ranger:
Referring to someone who gets too close to moose: “That is self-correcting behavior.”
“You can eat anything in the woods, once.”
“Lightning travels pretty fast, you think you’re faster?”
“Feeding the wildlife is not allowed, but feeding the rangers is required.”