Peru Creek Snowshoe

Distance: 6 miles to 8 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,030 ft to 10,630 ft or 11,061 ft
Elevation Gain: 600 ft (6 miles) or 1,031 ft (8 miles)

Brittle Silver Mountain (12, 228ft). Note the mining ruin on the slope. This is the farthest I have gone up Peru Creek Road. Photo take in 2004. All other taken in December 2008.

Peru Creek, near the Keystone Ski Resort, is a great novice or early season snowshoe. The elevation gain is relatively gradual and the route crosses several expansive valleys with incredible views. The eight-mile distance is more easily obtained on skis or for snowshoers who don’t have to drive up from Denver and return the same day. If you manage to make it that far, you will be rewarded with the additional attraction of the ruins of the Pennsylvania Mine.

The first glimpse of Cooper Mountain (12,792 ft). Note the ski tracks to the right and the snowshoe track to the left. I love seeing fresh snow on the trees.

There is a large, parking lot at the intersection of Montezuma Road and Peru Creek Road. It is usually plowed.

First power line crossing. This is the most obvious one. The creek here is always snow covered. Somehow that does not look like a hot tub. You can actually see the power line on the topo map. It appears as a thin dashed line to the north of the road at is beginning. Here is where it crosses to the south.

On snowshoes, it is a good half-hour to forty minutes before any of the spectacular views appear. Before this, there are glimpses of peaks through a mostly tree-shrouded road. At 0.5 miles Cooper Mountain (12, 782 ft) can be seen. Occasional glimpses to right of Morgan Peak (12, 474 ft) also occur. At 1.5 miles are the ruins of the Maid of Orleans mine. There are also two private cabins there, which can be rented out if you know the right person.

Deer tracks along the trail

Just past the turn off to the Lenawee trail, which is clearly marked and often tracked, is the first valley. Here Morgan Peak and Brittle Silver Mountain on the right and Cooper Mountain on the left frame a winter tableau. If you go no farther than this, you will have been well rewarded. This valley is suitable for romping, trail blazing, and general fun in the snow. At the far end is a forest service road size point ahead to Argentine Peak and to the left to Chihuahua Gulch.

The trail widens and Morgan Peak comes into view.

Beyond this first meadow, the trail winds upwards again through the trees. There is a short quarter mile segment that is very steep and narrow. On this trip, it was shortly beyond this meadow that we began breaking trail.

A good view of Cooper Mountain. This small boulder field is always photogenic with its variable snow cap.

I like nothing more than being the first to track new snow but it is fatiguing and doing it on this steeper pitch made it doubly so. Still, with the thoughts of my Christmas over indulgences, I forged gamely ahead.

Looking south. I believe this is Tip Top Peak (12,053 ft) which is west of Morgan Peak. Note the large avalanche chute down its side. From the size and lack of trees I would guess this chute sees action on a yearly basis.

Getting closer to Morgan Peak

On this trip we stopped right at the beginning of the second valley. This was due to two things. First, our new German Short Haired Pointer was on her first snowshoe and she was shivering. Second, we had gotten caught in typical I-70 traffic and it had taken us 2 hours to get to the trailhead. It was therefore late in the afternoon and we were already fearful we would get trapped in the apres-ski stampede.

Western end of the first open valley.

Eastern end of the first open valley.

Back in 2004 we went a little further so that we were almost abreast of Brittle Silver Mountain. From that point it was still around a mile to the Pennsylvania Mine. Given an overnight stay it would be an easily obtainable goal. I have always wanted to climb Argentine Pass and Peak, so perhaps this summer I will at least see the buildings.

Second open valley. Here the power lines briefly return.

If you are in Summit County or are daring the drive up from Denver, Peru Creek is a good choice. I have had friends complain to me that they find it too crowded and filled with snowmobiles. I have gone yearly now for the last four years and have not seen a single machine and usually the trail is sparsely populated and practically deserted after the first meadow. Others find the power lines that transect the valley a detriment to their outdoor experience. I find them easy to ignore, particularly since you cross their path only a couple of times. The views of the peaks are far more eye catching.

Coyote

(On the Left: This is a squence of photos from Rocky Mountain National Park. They are ordered in time.) Colorado has gone to the dogs and I don’t mean rover! The Coyote (Canis latrans subsp.), a member of the dog genus is ubiquitous around the state and throughout North America for that matter. Unlike other species, which have felt the pinch of encroaching humans, the Coyote has adapted and expanded its range. It now roams from Oregon to New Jersey. They thrive in the burbs as well as the wilds.

Coyotes are carnivores. Their primary diet consists of small mammals like rabbits, mice, and Prairie Dogs. They will eat carrion but prefer a fresh kill. There is a great deal of controversy over how much livestock and domestic pets are affected by the coyote. Whether myth or fact, just the idea makes the Coyote the target of ranchers and farmers. Interestingly, Coyotes are afraid of Mountain Lions and some communities have learned to keep Coyotes away by projecting the sounds of Lion.

The Coyote to the left smells something in the snow

Now it is digging in the snow.

Nothing comes of it.

I have lost track of the Coyote sightings I have had. What is unique about his sequence is that there were three Coyotes traveling together. I have only seen them solo despite the fact that they do usually hunt in pairs. I observed this group in Rocky Mountain National Park the day after Christmas. I only had a 200mm lens, so the photos are distant but the sequence does give you an idea of their color and behavior. Coyotes usually have a hunting circuit three to four miles long. The tracks you can see in the photos imply these three had cruised this ground before.

The group begins to move on.

I have been spotted and they begin to head over the hill.

I am being observed.

Coyotes can interbreed with domestic dogs. Sometimes I wonder if my new puppy is not part Coyote. She is a trickster for sure, just like prevalent Native American myths. Next time you see a Coyote or hear its lonesome song, take a moment to appreciate the rare success story of a species that is actually thriving.

The last shot before they bolted over the hill.

Elk (Cervus canadensis)

This herd was located across the street from the visitor's center snuggled down in between a bunch of houses.
Welcome to the herd! Think we “advanced” primates are above such behavior? Try taking an intercontinental flight one of these days and you will change your tune. I can hear the cattle braying as the line winds around and around the tape at the security checkpoint. All I see are backsides and I shuffle ignominiously onto the plane. Ever been to a professional football game? Doesn’t that remind you of the annual rut in which thousands of Elk gather in Rocky Mountain National Park’s two large meadows and congregate around the largest and loudest Bull with the showiest physic. Herd indeed!

This herd was on the side of the road between Moraine Park and Horseshoe Meadows. It was about 16 degrees out and the Elk were all laying in the grass.

I confess that I am immune to the charms of the Elk. It is sheer ennui brought on by too much familiarity. Visit the Estes Park and you will see them…everywhere. They are on the golf course, huddled around the large bronze Elk statue at the edge of town, or wandering around the meadows of the park itself. In contrast, last summer I ran into a herd of Mountain Goats and practically had an epileptic fit. Isn’t it amazing that you can live in a place where such amazing animals are as common as the tourists who clog the roads to ogle them?

Many of the Elk had tags and radio collars.

(On the left: This young bull was watching us closely as we got too close to the gals.) I have another confession…whenever I see an Elk I also think of dinner. I like the taste of it and wish I could get some hunter to bag one for me. I don’t think I could ever get up the nerve to do it myself. I like my protein dressed and sauced on my plate. Hypocritical in the extreme I know but not an uncommon attitude. Since the days when we could hire out our husbandry, the human species has become sensitized to all the carnage.

Elk are Colorado’s largest species of deer. They can be seven to nine feet long and over four and half feet high. The antlers of the Bull Elk are impressive indeed. These antlers grow in the spring and can weigh up to 40 pounds. They can grow up to an inch a day, protected by velvet, a soft skin that is scraped off on trees by summer. By early winter, the antlers are shed. Interestingly, the number of points on the antlers has nothing to do with the age of animal.

Elk are vegetarian browsers. Their diet consists primarily of grass but in winter will augment this with the bark of trees. Much of the scaring on Aspen trees is from Elk.

The snow was softly falling. You can see the flakes in the photos.

Finally, experts are trying to get us to use the term Wapiti for Elk because in Europe the term Elk refers to what we would call a Moose. Somehow, I don’t think Wapiti is going to catch on. The herd may just have a mind of its own.

Homestead/Mesa Loop…Don’t forget the history

Distance: 4 miles round trip
Elevation: 5,645ft – 6,300ft
Elevation Gain: 655ft
Date Hiked: 12/13/08
Dogs: Off leash in designated areas with Boulder green tag
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes

The Dowdy-DeBacker-Dunn Homestead gives the Homestead trail its name.  Frozen in place, its cold stones hold the memory of many Front Range winters. 

With yet another storm raging in the high country we once again set our sights on a lower hike along the Front Range. This loop near Boulder travels up the Homestead Trail for 1.1 miles, heads west along the Towhee Trail for 0.4 miles, then jogs 0.3 miles on Shadow Canyon before finishing up with 2.0 miles along the Mesa Trail.  There is a web of trails at the southern end of the Mesa Trail, and hikers can choose many different options.

Map of the route 

The beginning of the trail.  The homestead is just out of the picture to the left.

Heading up the Homestead Trail

The Homestead Trail is nice because it is a steeper and more strenuous ascent. It will get your heart rate going as you climb the many steps leading up to a broad plateau. From the top, there are views of the distant plains as well as the ever-approaching Flatirons.

View from the Homestead Plateau

Snow on the back side of the Homestead Trail

The Towee Trail is in a gully and the snow here was packed and slick. 

The Homestead trail descends back down the north side of the plateau to intersect with the Towhee Trail, which comes up the gully from the right. This (north) side of the plateau was still snow encrusted and very slick. The Towhee Trail also has the disadvantage of being a leash only, which is another good reason to start out on the Homestead Trail if you have dogs that need to run free.

Near the intersection of the Towhee and Shadow Canyon Trails

View from the Shadow Canyon Trail

Heading up the Mesa Trail

From the Towhee Trail, the loop heads east on Shadow Canyon for just 0.4 miles. There are nice views of some rock formations near this intersection and nice views of the plains a few yards up the trail. The Mesa Trail stretches 6 miles south to north, and at the intersection of Shadow Canyon and the Mesa Trail the hiker has the choice of heading north for another 4 miles or heading south directly. We decided to head north and upwards but were turned around by very slick conditions within a quarter of a mile. Just past the ruins of an old cabin, we turned around and headed back to the trailhead. The southern portion of the Mesa Trail is a broad. It winds gracefully downwards with sweeping views of the plains. The willows along the trail are filled with birds in the spring and summer.

Heading back down the Mesa Trail as it curves southward

Around half way back

Looking across to the Dowdy Plateau.  

At the apex of the Homestead and Mesa Trails are the remains of the Dowdy-DeBacker-Dunn Homestead. Built in 1858, all that remains is the stone section, unique for its multi-sized slab construction. In its day, an irrigation canal ran through it, providing fresh running water…of a sort. It seems hard to imagine this popular trailhead as the deep frontier but long before Boulder was founded, hearty stock had been settling in what was then Arapaho Indian country. For some it was gold but for others if was land for both farming and ranching. The original settler, Dowdy, ran a gristmill.

Close up of the rock construction

Crossing the stream at the trailhead.  Even in winter it has a stark beauty. 

 Colorado is filled with history and many of its trails are strewn with mining relics, the ruins of old cabins, and the ghosts of pioneers. Half the time we overlook these doorways into the past. Glued to our iPods and focused on cardiovascular performance, they simply fade from view. So, next time you hit the southern Mesa Trailhead, take a moment to examine what is left of the homestead and look around. Imagine living there over 100 years ago.

Squaw Mountain Snowshoe (Sort of)

Distance: 4 miles roundtrip
Elevation: 10,230-11,430 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,200 ft

Mt. Evans (14,264 ft) Massif viewed from the summit of Squaw Mountain
When the wind is blowing at Brainard Lake and when the traffic to Summit County is just unbearable, check out the trails near Mt. Evans. Several of these, including Squaw Mountain (11,430 ft), are located up Highway 103 out of Evergreen. Squaw Mountain is not a pristine wilderness experience. Its three summits are filled with radio antennas, buildings, and propane tanks. Still, given the conditions I mentioned in my first sentence, these detractors can be easily overlooked.

The start of the trail

Squaw Mountain from the trail
The trail up Squaw Mountain is a wide service road. On this trip it was a hike and not a snowshoe. We brought snowshoes but started out in Yak Traks instead. Halfway up, we took these off too because there was not a stitch of snow on the ground.

First switchback
From Highway 103, the trail heads moderately upwards. A view of the summit is briefly visible with the first half mile. At 0.4 miles, the trail crosses Old Squaw Pass Road, another good snowshoe in the area. Another third of a mile beyond this and you reach the first switch back. Once you have that pattern in your mind, you have the essence of the Squaw Pass trail…long stretch, then switchback, long stretch, then switchback. The pattern breaks down near the top when the fire watchtower comes into view.

Looking up at the watchtower
Antennas on the summit
The watchtower is a small rock shelter located on the right-most summit. A road leads directly to this area. There is not much shelter there though, and a luncheon next to its wall can be brisk if the wind is blowing.

Road to the watchtower

Wider view
Squaw Mountain three summits are all sharp piles of nearly vertical skree. The exception is the tower upon which the watchtower is built. It is a little broader. On this trip I climbed up near the top of the middle pile. The actual top of this summit is an angled knife-edge that would probably be easy in summer but was not worth the effort in winter.

Propane tanks between the left-most summits. Chief Mountain (11,709 ft) is to the left.

Between the left-most summits (when viewed coming up the road), is another building and a large set of towers. We ate lunch here on this trip. There are stellar views of the Mt. Evan’s Massif from this location and it is slightly more sheltered.

Heading towards the summit
The one note of caution I have about this trail is that parking is very limited and is primarily tucked in next to the Hwy 103 itself. It is also difficult to identify. There are no named signs, just a small forest service sign that says 1921 on it. You can’t see this sign coming from Evergreen. Our guidebook says the trailhead is 12.8 miles from the junction of Hwy 103 and Hwy 74 (Evergreen Parkway), but our odometer read less than 12 miles.

Standing in between the rock piles on the middle summit. The watchtower is visible in the distance.

On this trip we ended up running over a sharp object in the snow along the road, which ripped out our tire. Fortunately, there is cell service there where it is otherwise lacking lower down in the canyon.