Darling Creek

Distance: 4 miles round trip out of a possible 12 miles
Elevation: 8,740 ft - 9,601 ft
Elevation Gain: 642 ft
Bathroom at the Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash
Date Hiked: 28 September, 2014

While Darling Creek Trail is named after the creek, it is the Aspens that steal the show.

Darling Creek is an obscure trail on the east side of the Williams Fork Range near Silverthorne, Colorado. It wasn't until I took a fall color drive on Ute Pass Road that I even knew the area existed. While the upper slopes of the Williams Fork Valley are mostly dead Lodgepole Pine, there are several small groves of Aspens and it looked like this trail might go right through one.

A small sign points the way. The trail travels around the Henderson compound.

Williams Fork in Autumn glory

Interestingly, the trail starts near a tunnel where the world's largest conveyer belt, connecting the Henderson Mine (think molybdenum) in the east and the Henderson Mill in the west, comes out from beneath the Continental Divide. The belt is 15 miles long! Who knew? Molybdenum is used in the making of steel alloys. You will have seen the Henderson Mine if you hiked Butler Gulch or Vasquez Pass.

Some junctions are well marked. Much of the trail is indistinct.

The first half mile of the hike travels around the Henderson compound and up the Williams Fork River. Here too Autumn was evident. The willows were a rusty brown and I kept expecting a bull moose to wander into view all "geared" up for the annual rut.

The first mile of the route is the prettiest.

At 0.4 miles the trail splits with the South Fork Trail going straight along the river and the Darling Creek Trail doubling back up the hillside. This segment is very rocky but filled with Aspens. The trail then travels above and behind the Henderson compound (at 0.7 miles) and heads up the Darling Creek drainage.

Could not resist another Aspen shot

Be warned that the trail is often indistinct and hikers will need to be comfortable trail finding. On the way back we got sucked off on social trail that ended up on the east side of the fenced compound and had to back track, never a fun prospect, to find where we had gone wrong.

The blue sky belies a winter storm that was barreling down on us. By the time we returned to the car it was raining.

After the mine, the trail weaves up and down the drainage never straying far from stream. At one point (at 1.3 miles) the trail crosses the stream on a bundle of round, slick tree trunks. I hate such water crossings. My balance standing on pavement is poor. My balance on such a contrivance is non-existent and I am practically paralyzed with indecision on how to move. My preference is to ignominiously scramble on all fours over such obstacles. My hiking partner was disgusted with my timidity and zipped back and forth in a vain attempt to show me how easy it was. It is at times like these that I feel that a good wallop with a hiking stick is good for the soul. 

The trail wound around several hills filled with Aspen debris.

Since a winter storm was brewing, we only went 2.0 miles up the trail. At our turn around point, the Aspens had receded and only the stark skeletons of dead Lodgepoles remained so we did not feel guilty about turning around. The trail does continue for another 4 miles.

The perilous, at least to me, log crossing

 You get to Darling Creek from Silverthorne by traveling Ute Pass Road (County Road 3) west past the Henderson Mill (where the conveyor belt ends up) until it intersects with County Road 30. Take a right and travel south through the lovely Williams Fork Valley. Just before the road dead ends at the Henderson compound, it splits and travels under the conveyor belt through two tunnels. Take the tunnel even though it looks like private land. On the other side, brown signs point the way to a nearby campground and the Darling Creek trailhead. Parking is plentiful but right next to the compound, so don't get confused. A small wooden sign points the way.

The Aspens receded and soon a mixed coniferous forest cut off all view of the sky.

Darling Creek Trail is not a pristine wilderness experience and the trail is indistinct. It will appeal to those who like to leave the crowds behind and want to experience a wide variety of scenery.

Butler Gulch

Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10, 546 ft - 11,963 ft (at the Jean Mine)
Elevation Gain: 1,238 ft
Date Hiked: 14 July 2012
Dogs: Off leash, National Forest
Bathroom at Trailhead: No

Mountain Views on the Butler Gulch Trail

Butler Gulch,  near the large switchback on the way to Berthoud Pass, is a close-to-Denver alpine journey filled with wildflowers, waterfalls, historic mining ruins, and make-me-move-here scenic views. This trail is fantastic!

The parking area is just the road by a gate

While most of the route follows an old road, it  occasionally gets soggy

Columbine near the trail

Another stream crossing

You get to Butler Gulch by first turning off of Highway 40 at County Road 202 and then heading due west towards the Henderson Mine. Just before the mine, a dirt frontage road splits off and parallels the paved road.  Continue on this dirt road until the parking area right at the junction with the Jones Pass Road.  Park along the side of the road by a large gate.

Monkshead along the trail

The waterfall at 1.5 miles

Indian Paintbrush along the trail

Mosses extend like beach sand from the "forest" of this riparian ecosystem

The lower sections of Butler Gulch are soggy and tree shrouded with several stream crossings and numerous stands of wildflowers. As the trail rises, it comes to a long cascading waterfall at 1.5 miles and finally breaks out of treeline at 1.8 miles. From this point on, the trail travels westward across a wide alpine shelf and finally reaches the remains of the Jean Mine at 2.7 miles.

View to the west as the trail breaks out of the trees

Heading across the shelf to the mine

The Continental Divide to the north

More flowers because I could not resist

Wildflowers dot as well as carpet this high altitude play land and I found myself irresistibly drawn to them as our group continued on their way. I would scurry to catch up only to be distracted by the latest colorful bauble.

From the western end of the shelf looking back at the Continental Divide

Getting closer to the mine

The mine tailing come into view

The ruins of the Jean Mine are interesting as well.  Purists may be offended by the piles of metal, old cars, and defunct machinery that covers the area, but this is our Colorado history and it has been part of the landscape for good or evil for the last 100 years.

Playing with an old car

More ruins

Behind the mine and wrapping around the entire area is the Continental Divide.  There is also a small spur trail leading to a shelf that formally contained a small glacial tarn.

Near the mining ruins was a whole field of Indian Paintbrush

When you see clouds like this above treeline, you should run away!  

If you are from the Denver area and are trying to decide whether to petal peep at Diamond Lake in the Indian Peaks Wilderness or on Butler Gulch, choose the latter.  It will be significantly less crowed and may actually have more wildflowers.

Vasquez Pass

Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,555 ft - 11,734 ft (at the pass)
Elevation Gain: 1,539 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Off leash
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #hiking, #CDT, #mountainpass
Nearby hike: Butler Gulch, Vasquez Peak Pass

Verdant Vasquez Pass

A trip to Vasquez Pass near Empire CO, will fill you will solitude and make you feel like you are worlds away even though you are close to the Denver Metro area. Part of this trail is on the shaded Henderson Spur Trail and part is on the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) as it winds its way from Mexico to Canada. The final pitch is across open tundra.

Looking down on the Henderson Mine

A typical lower segment in the trees. 

The trip starts in a large dirt parking lot across from the Henderson Mine just off highway 40 out of Empire. This lot also serves Butler Gulch, which starts a little further up the road and so can be a little crowded on weekends.  A small wooden sign marks beneath some power lines marks the trailhead. A small CDT logo is also present.

Cow Parsnip (Heracleum maximum)

The initial ascent begins with a series of gentle switchbacks that climb steadily through a Lodgepole and then a Spruce forest. The mine and its attendant noises are obvious here, but the solitude makes up for it. There were several pleasant water crossings and the higher you go the more often you will see wildflowers, which congregate around the many small rivulets that cross the trail.

Getting above treeline. The trail travels the ridge towards the cleft in the distance.

Jacobs Ladder

At 1.56 miles is the intersection with the Continental Divide Trail. There used to be a large wooden sign here, but it has since collapsed. Go left to "Vasquez Peak Pass" and right to Vasquez Pass and Stanley Mountain.

Looking south

A typical segment above treeline

At 2.0 miles the trees thin and the tundra appears. From this point on the trail weaves up and down on a narrow trail that does not get much traffic. The views to the south will have you stopping for a while to gaze fondly at the topography.

Looking southwest

Parry's Primrose (Primula parryi)

At 2.6 miles the trail curves sharply right and crosses another small stream. This is the turn off for Vasquez Pass, which lies 0.5 miles up the drainage to the left. On the way up, I bushwhacked across the tundra to the pass, but on the way down found a partial trail that fades in and out.

Looking back down the trail towards the Continental Divide

Almost to the turnoff

The pass itself is small but a pleasant place to lounge. Alpine Sunflowers dot the grasses in summer and the views to the south towards Granby are lovely. The probability of running into another human being is practically nil. This is a great place to get away from the hustle of the city.

Turning left and beginning to bushwhack up to the pass

Looking back down the gully

Looking back down the gully from a small "false pass" part way up (2.89 miles)

On the left side of the pass is a tall ridge to an unnamed 12K ft peak. To the right is Stanley Mountain. Why they call this Vasquez Pass I have no idea since there is another pass to the west that I have dubbed "Vasquez Peak Pass" since it sits beneath Vasquez Peak itself.

On the pass looking north

Looking up at the unnamed 12K ft peak. The slope is dotted with Alpine Sunflowers.

To get to the trailhead, take I-70 west to Hwy 40 and head towards Winter Park. Drive through the town of Empire. At around 7.3 miles from the highway, there will be a sign for the Big Bend Picnic Area. You will want to make a left turn onto a frontage road here. You will know you are in the right spot if Highway 40 curves sharply away to the right in the first hairpin turn it makes going up to Berthoud Pass. Follow the road towards the large Henderson Mine Complex. In front of the mine complex, a dirt road splits off and parallels the main road. Take the dirt road. Park anywhere on the left. A small trail marker (unnamed) is on the right. This is your starting point. If you go too far, you will run into the trailhead for Bulter Gulch.

Jones Pass Snowshoe

Distance: 4 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,478 ft-11,800 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,322 ft
Dogs: Off leash

Jones Pass

You won't find Jones Pass in any snowshoe books, but don't lets its absence deter you. This location near the Winter Park Ski Resort is a keeper. The bowls surrounding the pass are some of the most stunning winter scenery I have ever seen. It certainly rivals Saints John near the Breckenridge Ski Resort and Mayflower Gulch near the slopes of Copper Mountain. The downside of the area is the snowmobiles, which periodically zoom around the bowl and a snow cat service that takes backcountry skiers to the upper reaches of Jones Pass Road.

Starting up the trail from the parking lot. Note the well traversed snow.

The junction between the Jones Pass (to the right) and Bulter Gulch (to the left) trails

The turn off to leave the road. The Forest Service marker is barely visible in the shade.

The noise and exhaust of the machines can be avoided, however, by leaving Jones Pass Road and following a tree shrouded, blue blazed winter trail up a creek drainage. This route also has the advantage of cutting a mile off the journey.

A typical segment in the trees

This is the spot where we avoided the more well traveled trail that went back to the road and instead started breaking trail up the narrow shelf.

The snow cat passed us just as we were exiting the trees and regaining the road.

This route to the Jones Pass area begins at the Butler Gulch trailhead near the Henderson Mine and the Big Bend in Highway 40. 0.26 miles up the road is the split to Jones Pass. This is well marked with a large brown sign. Jones Pass is to the right and Butler Gulch is to the left. 0.66 miles up Jones Pass Road is a small forest service trail marker between two boulders. This is your sign to head off trail and into the woods.

Our first view upon exiting the trees and climbing up the switchbacks

We decided to head towards the pass in the distance. This location is on the north side of the Jones Pass Bowl.

A little farther along. We walked in the tracks of snowmobiles to make the going a little easier. This area is steeper than it looks. Our destination is the clump of trees on the left.

On this trip it was easy to follow the trail that others had made, but after a fresh snow, it would be relatively easy to get lost in the drainage. If you are uncomfortable route finding, stick to the road. It is longer but it will get you to your destination.

Two of us have reached the trees and got to watch the others arrive.

Shortly after the turn off into the woods, we ran into a fork in the trail. We took the right fork, which headed up hill. This happened once again in the trees. Staying right and heading upwards is your best guide to staying on route.

A close up of the mountains beyond

If you examine a National Geographic topographic map of the area, this route through the trees is following a creek drainage that cuts off a large switchback on Jones Pass Road. The route exits the drainage and regains the road just at the midline of two tight switchbacks. This is marked clearly on the map and is the spot where the words "Jones Pass" are written.

Wind sculpted snow and dwarf trees reveal much about the usual conditions of the area.

If you ever get tired of being in the trees and breaking trail, there are numerous places where people have regained the road, which is always up and to the right of the route. At one point this confused us because the tracks headed back to the road while the shelf we were walking on headed upwards still. This zone was quaint and narrow and we could glimpse mountains through the trees. We decided to take this route even though it meant breaking trail. This turned out to be a great choice.

Ginger is dwarfed by the scale of the scenery.

This part of the route followed a narrow shelf that switchbacked very steeply (at times up to a 30% grade) to our final exit point at 11,320 ft. Periodically, we saw blue blazes on the trees, so our choice happened to be the correct one. We exited the trees at 1.6 miles and regained the road. 0.15 miles beyond this point are "oh shit" views that had us once again acclaiming how much we love Colorado.

There is no way my camera can capture the scale of the area.

After climbing straight up the midline of the switchbacks I mentioned earlier, we had to choose between following the road towards Jones Pass or heading off into the right hand side of the bowl. We could see that the Pass itself was another 1.5 miles or so to the left. It was covered by a thick cornice. There was no way to reach it without significant risk.

Another shot looking back down the bowl.

The bowl to the right is bordered by a rocky 12,000 ft ridge that dips down into a small pass. Our initial thought was to head for this pass. We ended up stopping 0nly 0.3 miles beyond the road however. After a sharp 480 ft of elevation gain, we realized we would not make the far pass in the time we had left. Instead, we settled next to a clump of wind blown trees (at 12,800 ft) and ate lunch.

The shadows, sun spots, and glistening snow were irresistible.

The wind sculpted snow, the shadows playing off of the cornices, and the dramatic cirrus clouds created a picture perfect winter tableau for our peanut butter sandwiches. Who cares about a few snowmobiles with such a panorama? All was picture perfect until several snowmobiles decided to race up the side of the wall behind us, all the way to the top.

The clouds on this trip were as interesting as the scenery they complimented.

We all started chattering like hens, wondering where the avalanche we were sure would follow would hit. Would it stay in the middle of the bowl or come roaring up and over the berm we were resting on like a wave crashing over a rock. Earlier in the day we had heard them using explosives on Loveland Pass, and in my research today I found that skiers had set off slides near Berthoud Pass to our North and Loveland Pass to our south. It seems exceptionally foolhardy to highmark a snowmobile on such a steep ridge (800 ft) when the danger is so high.

As we headed back down, the rock formation we could see in the distance from the bowl is much closer now and just starting to get bathed in the evening light. This formation sits right above the Henderson Mine.

Alas, we lived to tell the tale and gleefully strode back down the mountain away from the setting sun. Jones Pass is now a favorite that I will return to again and again. I want to thank Suzanne who invited me on this trip and showed me this stunning area.