Trip Reports
| Hermit Pass | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date: | Sep 20th, 2009 | |||
| Trip Leader: | Dave Peaslee | |||
| Members Present: | Mike and Marilyn Borum, Bob Novak, Matt and Kim Dodds, Jim and Allison Johnson, Glen McMullan | |||
| Guests Present: | Bob and Barb DeBates, Zach Lennicx, Ethan Hoyle, Brandt, Asher, Ian | |||
| Picture Link: | Mike's Pics | |||
| Description: |
We met at Starbucks (Sears Southgate) and departed promptly at 8am. The morning weather was almost perfect for a fall trip. We stopped for fuel and rest stop at the Shell station in Penrose, and then onto Bishop's Castle. The aspen were fairly golden but not "spectacular" through the Wet Mountains but majestic just the same. At Bishop's Castle someone in the group asked if Mr Bishop still lived at the Castle, and we soon found out that he did, because we could hear his opinionated "view of the world" as he talked to many of the visitors.
Not far from the Castle we picked up Ophir Creek Road and wandered through some fantastic scenery with rolling hills and high country meadow with the "Sangro De Chisto" mountains as the backdrop. On the trail we encountered some range cattle resting on the dirt road. Being the lead vehicle, I didn't want to piss off the one with the "big" longhorns (them long horns are bigger in Colorado not Texas), so we crept by very, very slowly. Arrived in Westcliffe close to high noon, we hit the gas station for another rest stop. Hermit Road is directly west of the gas station, and the peak was just starting to cloud over. We drove about 15 minutes until we could find a spot on the trail where we stopped for lunch. Jim decided to air down from 60 to 40 lbs. The rest of us should of done likewise. The 8.6 mile trail is extremely rocky the entire stretch. The only good news is that it is a very wide trail the entire way, so there were no spots with "Colorado pin stripping". Although the stock vehicles, had no problem with some of the gnarly turns and switch-backs, there was no let up on the rough trial. Half way up we encountered some gropple (the light hail like snow that bounces off but doesn't stick), which eventually turned to rain, but fortunately only for only a short while. We took a quick poll to see if we wanted to turn-around because of the rain, but the consensus was to continue to take the mountain ahead of us. Two thirds up the trail we started above tree-line on the shelf road, and the scenery is fantast4ic, plus the rain had stopped. The last switchback had a small glacier on the edge, and several stock rigs decided not to attempt it, more likely just plain road whipped, not knowing how much further did we have to the top. Anyway just past the glacier, was the top, but it was cold, windy, so we promptly turned around and headed back down, met up with the remaining rigs and headed down to the bottom. Not sure yet if it was rougher going up or coming down, but rough the entire way. Down around 5 o'clockish. Looking back at the "Sangro De Chisto" mountains where we just came from, we could see that it was socked in with snow, sleet and you name it, just some real nasty stuff, so we got off just in time. Hit the gas station in Westcliffe, where Mike and Marilyn left us to head into Pueblo to drop off their nephew Ethan. We headed north towards Texas Creek on Highway 69, and picked up "Copper Gulch Road" through Cotapaxi, coming out on US-50 just west of Royal Gorge. In Canyon City, we stopped to see if anyone wanted to have supper, but the consensus was to push on for Colorado Springs, home about 7pm. We saw some fantastic mountain scenery, some superb golden foliage, and more importantly there were no vehicle break-downs. The next time some old guy in a Range Rover asks you to do Hermit Pass, turn around and "Go Home", otherwise your vehicle, your teeth, and all your bones will quickly learn why they call it the Rocky Mountains. |
|||
 |
|
 |
 |