Category: Roxhikes

My daughter considers the hike up Waterton Canyon “boring.” And I guess for someone whose wanderlust has led her to explore the world from the Himalayas to Patagonia – and who now lives on an island in the South Pacific – maybe it is. But answer me this: Does a pristine trout stream with imposing two-hundred-foot granite cliffs on both sides which serves as the grand entrance to the 486-mile-long Colorado Trail from Denver to Durango strike you as “boring?”

On a normal summer’s day Waterton sees hundreds of recreational users – bikers, hikers, fishermen, and even moms pushing strollers – on the 6-mile smoothly graded dirt road paralleling the South Platte between the trail head and Strontia Springs reservoir at the top of the canyon. Yesterday there were far fewer than that. But there were 2 trail runners exercising their donkeys. So that’s got to be worth something at least, right? And if that’s not enough, how about a bighorn guard ram in the front yard at the Denver Water caretakers’ cottage at mile marker 3.0?

All this and water supply to over a million Denver area homes, plus hydroelectric power from Marston and Strontia Springs dams.

And a bonus bighorn guard ram too? Far from “bored,”

you can color me… well, positively electrified.

Also, well-hydrated.

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A related blurb on reservoir sedimenation from Denver Water is here. Of course the “sediment problem” is well downstream of other inter-connected and contributing ecological issues such as catastrophic wildfires and the fact that warmer temperatures allow over-winter survival of pine bark beetle larvae.

Yesterday’s hike at Staunton State Park was a little longer than usual, hence this post is delayed by a day for extra recovery time. I didn’t take a lot of pictures yesterday because you’ve seen most of them before. But what we lack in scenery we make up for in the history of Archie G. Staunton, an eastern transplant and retired doctor who, along with his wife Rachel – also a doctor – founded the Lazy V Ranch as a tuberculosis treatment center in 1928.

As the story goes, the Stauntons were native West Virginians – hence the “V” – and considered their Colorado mountain retreat perfect for retirement – hence the “Lazy.”

After both Dr’s Staunton passed away, daughter Frances inherited the property and left it to the State in her will. After over 25 more years of wrangling with adjacent property owners, Staunton became a State Park in 1991. With that kind of extended prep time, you’ll be glad it took me only one extra day to bring you this post.

More on the Staunton family’s history is here.  Check out more pictures of past adventures in Colorado’s newest State Park, here.

Today’s hike on the Winston K Walker loop from O’Fallon Park near Kittredge was long on scenic beauty, but unlike yesterday’s hike – see here – it was short on outhouses. There is one at the trailhead, but if you miss it, you’ll be out of luck on the backside. Word to the wise: Be prepared. Also, south-facing slopes have muddy trails, while north-facing ones are icy, so be sure to bring your spikes!

Today’s hike on Rampart Range Road ten miles west of Sedalia on the way to Deckers features a snow-packed track, giant house-sized boulders, stunning vistas looking east, and a  super-deluxe crapper with all the comforts of home.

Today’s hike features the Slocum Cabin tucked behind a ranger station on the south shore of Chatfield Reservoir. Today was a beautiful sunny 60-degree day outside, perfect for NOT watching Taylor Swift’s Chiefs beat out Lamar Jackson’s Ravens for the AFC Super Bowl nod. If you stayed indoors for that, too bad for you.

According to the Colorado Parks & Wildlife site, here:

Slocum Cabin, built along the South Platte in 1852, stands as a testament to the 19th century fur trade. It is recognized as one of the oldest structures in the Denver area.

Featuring 2 doors, 2 windows, hand-hewn joints, a sod roof, and a  stone fireplace, this 10×12 space accommodated 5 people. That’s right, you heard me: Five. The Slocums were trappers, and their rustic cabin predated Chatfield Reservoir by over a century.

With no big screen TV, my guess is that on cold winter days they gathered round the hearth and played Parcheesi rather than watching the NFL playoffs – but that’s just a guess. My other guess is that if they were smart, they spent their summer days as far apart as possible in the great out-of-doors. That’s where I’d be. In fact, that’s where I WAS today, even though it’s still January – go figure. And thank G*d for the fur trade. Also, for global warming.

Other ideas:

1. Rob banks.
2. Break the Guiness World Record for bungee jumping.
3. Sail the Seven Seas.
4. Buy a Life Preserver.
5. Note to self, very important:  Do #4 before doing #3.

All things considered, hiking seems the most prudent course of action for a retirement plan. I mean, c’mon: What am I supposed to do for the next couple of decades, golf? Yeah, right.

From the last day of 2023 to the first day of 2024…

…there’s nothing quite like a hike.

Good article on “First Day Hikes” is here. Four of the six listed are go-to places close to home for me. Not to beat a dead horse, but you can read all about them here, here, here, and here. Or better yet, hit the trail yourself. What are you waiting for? Another year? Hey, it’s New Years Day already, so better get moving!

Some of you may already be familiar with Amber Share‘s “Subpar Parks” series of hilarious 1-star National Park reviews. There’s a Colorado-specific version of the same thing here. My favorite?

Red Rocks Park and Amphitheatre: “Went to get a funnel cake well before the end of the concert and was told the concession stand is closed. He sent me across the plaza to another food stand and they said they don’t make funnel cakes and are also closed,” 1 star, Nick M.

Self-Improvement Bonus Wisdom for a New Year.

Today’s Golden Gate Canyon State Park hike at altitude 9000+ ft. was a bit chillier than previous shirt-sleeve days’ hikes, see here and here; but the scenery was definitely more spectacular. Not only that, but there was elk scat on the trail. I can safely say you won’t see THAT on most golf courses, Tiger Woods.