Battle Mountain Trail

Distance: 1 mile round trip
Elevation: 9,800 ft - 10,000 ft
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Dogs: Off Leash

Looking up at the Independence Mine headframe from the parking lot

The area around Cripple Creek and Victor Colorado is filled with mining history and short trails you can take the family on. I road tripped to this area a few weeks ago as a way to get out without having to hike very far. I am recovering from an injury or at least trying to. We did the Vindicator Valley Loop, which is a mecca for history buffs, as well as Battle Mountain.

The rock sorter under the canopy

Heading west on the well manicure rail bed

Battle Mountain is a short trail up to a skyscraper-like headframe of the Independence Gold Mine. Under a canopy is a rusted pipe filled with holes of many sizes. This remnant was part of a system that sorted rocks into various bins for crushing and gold extraction. A small informative display explains the process.

Looking back on the headframe

Just beyond the canopy there is a metal bridge over a mine shaft that seems to disappear into the very center of the Earth. Even though it is covered in a metal mesh to protect the tourists, the shaft has an ominous feel. Its looming darkness and jagged edges is surely the denizen of some primeval monster, a destroyer of worlds. Perhaps it was just the wind moaning in the headframe but the shattered mania of gold fever still echoed from the deep, a destroyer indeed.

The town of Victor. You can just see the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in the distance.

Beyond the bridge a well manicured path follows an old railroad grade to a view of the Portland and Cresson Mines amidst a pile of yellow debris. From this point there is a nice view of Victor itself and the Sangre de Cristo Mountains beyond.

Looking up at the Portland Mine. This viewpoint is pretty much the end of the trail.

I would not drive all the way from Denver to Victor for this trail, but combined with other trails or adventures in the area, it is a worthwhile destination.

From the parking lot you can see Pikes Peak and the main ruin at the start of the Vindicator Valley Loop

Vindicator Valley Loop: A mining ghost town

Distance: 2 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,000 ft - 10, 200 ft
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Dogs: Off Leash

Looking at the Therese Mine from the parking lot of the Vindicator Valley Loop. In the distance is a surprising view of the Sangre to Cristo Mountain Range. On a clear day it would be startling.

Want to take the express escalator into Colorado's past? You can do no better than the Vindicator Valley Loop near the towns of Victor and Cripple Creek on the "back" side of Pikes Peak. This short, extremely well manicured trail, weaves by the ruins of over 500 gold mines. The structures that remain are extremely photogenic. If you love ghost towns you will love this short trip.

The path is well manicured, suitable for children (if kept out of the ruins), and bordered by a wooden fence.

The trail through the mines is bordered by a wooden fence. Not only does this protect the ruins, it protects the hiker. This area looks solid, but underneath the ground it is Swiss cheese minus most of the cheese.

One of the many powder magazines on the site. The dynamite and fuses were kept separate, just in case.

The gold near Victor Colorado is not the California 49'er variety where any yokel with more dreams than sense can plop by a stream and pan. This gold was formed in the fissures of ancient volcanoes. To get to the gold the ore must be pulled out of the ground, pulverized, heated to outrageous temperatures, and treated with chemicals. The massive structures that are required to get the ore is what the walker sees today.

Looking northeast at Pikes Peak

This was a labor intensive effort. By 1900 over 50,000 workers lived in the area. Disputes were inevitable. Conditions were harsh underground, hours were long, and safety was not the most important concern. A strike that occurred in this area has become known as one of the battles in Colorado's Labor War (1903-1904). The prominent players included the Cripple Creek Mine Owners' Association (CCMOA) representing the operators, and the Western Federation of Miners (WFM), a labor union. What is interesting is the role of the State of Colorado, which deployed 1000 National Guard to keep order and invariably sided with the operators.

A house surrounded by Fir trees at the northern end of the loop

Some sources say the Guard deployment was secretly financed by the CCMOA. Certainly, justification for the deployment was dubious, as least by today's standard, and many including the local Sheriff and Mayor tried to stop it. Many petitions were signed condemning the move.

This is my favorite photo of the day. In the foreground is a ruin painted with the words "safety first", in the middle ground is a narrow wooden ruin, and in the far ground is the towering hill of the modern Cripple Creek and Victor Gold Mining Company. Trucks the size of small moons could occasionally be seen dumping dirt on the ridge line.

As a member of the Colorado National Guard I find this incident both telling and colorful. We ultimately work for the Governor of the State and so refusing to deploy would not have been an option for the Soldiers involved. Many of those same Soldiers would have come from the same working class background as the miners and may have felt very conflicted if not downright sympathetic to the men they were dealing with.

There are lot of Aspens around Victor, which makes me think this would be a great fall color excursion.

In contrast to the average Soldier, the commanding general was a maverick with a fetish for imprisoning folks who spoke out against the "intervention". Victims included the County Commissioners and the Justice of the Peace. Habeas corpus was suspended and all sorts of legal shenanigans committed.

How much longer these ruins will remain standing is an open question. They are already over 100 years old.

The miners lost their cause, however, when someone blew up a rail platform with 300 pounds of dynamite. They only thing they found of the non unionized men standing on it were bits and pieces. The press branded the union as terrorists and they lost public support. The union never recovered its influence in the region.

At every vista is a plaque naming the mine and how much they had extracted. Most listed huge numbers like 38 Million, and this was in 1903 dollars. There were over 500 mines in the area.

Military intervention in labor disputes is controversial and certainly did not begin nor end in Victor Colorado. Even President Nixon deployed troops during a postal workers strike. My intent here is not to judge these or subsequent events, but present an interesting glimpse into Colorado's mining history.

I loved this building. It dominates the 2nd third of the trail. Up close the red tin is striking.

So take a walk into the past on the Vindicator Valley Loop. Don't forget to swing through Victor for a taste of 1800's architecture. While you are there, stop by the Gold Camp Bakery on 3rd Street where Gertrude will serve you killer German desserts. I tried the Bee Sting and Beef Stew (not in that order). Both were scrumptious and ridiculously inexpensive.

Looking back up the hill to the north

Looking southwest near the end of the trail just before it loops back towards the parking lot.

Walden Ponds: Ducks Unlimited

Distance: 2.5 miles loop
Elevation: 5,100 ft
Elevation Gain: None
Dogs: On Leash (wildlife sanctuary)
Tags: #Boulder, #ducks, #coloradooutdoors

The south side of Bass Pond in the Walden Ponds Open Space Park and Wildlife Sanctuary

Walden Ponds, named for “Wally” Toevs, is a wildlife sanctuary east of Boulder created from an old gravel mine. Wally was the Boulder County Commissioner who spearheaded the effort.

Map of the area

Ducks in the shallower west side of Cottonwood Marsh

American Wigeon (Anas americana) is a dabbling duck, meaning it feeds on the surface rather than diving to the bottom. They are part time residents, migrating between Central America and Canada.

Walden is haven for waterfowl, fishermen, birders, and local strollers. I went to Walden to play with a 500 mm lens. Even with that cruise missile sized monstrosity, I could only capture the ducks nearest the shore.

A view across Cottonwood Marsh from the Boardwalk

The Widgeon does not play nice with others. It is often observed ripping food out of the beaks of diving ducks. For that reason, it is sometimes called a poacher.

Walden contains 5 separate ponds, but the birds like to hang out in Cottonwood Marsh, the largest of the ponds in the area. Large is great for birds, but bad for photographers. There was a wayward Tundra Swan at the far end, but I could barely see it with the naked eye. For birders with binoculars though Walden "Aflak" heaven.

Cottonwood Marsh from the parking area. The peaks of the Rocky Mountains are just visible in the background.

Wigeons are often seen feeding with American Coots (Fulica americana). Adult Coots have a short thick white bill a reddish-brown spot between the eyes. Coots are also migratory, traveling between British Columbia and the southern US

For those looking for exercise, there is a 2.5 mile loop that winds around the ponds. In the fall, it must be pleasant indeed with Cottonwoods and shrubbery in their full fall regalia. In March, the trees are barren and the grasses along the roadsides are stark in their pre-spring couture. For the bird watcher, this is ideal since it means more of the ponds are visible from the trails. As it was I needed to shoot through Cattails along the shore, blurring some otherwise nice shots.

The trails around Walden Ponds consist of wide, dirt roads

Coots eat grasses but also arthropods, fish, and other aquatic creepy crawlers. When on land, they bob their heads, which has given them another common name..."Mud Hen"

Near the second parking area, there is a nice boardwalk with benches for the older set to lounge on while they scan the horizon for a new addition to their life list.

The north side of the Ricky Weiser Wetland

Ring-necked Ducks (Aythya collaris) cruising off shore. Ring-necks are diving ducks feeding on aquatic plants, insects, small fish, and mollusks.

In the property to the west of Walden was a grouping of Blue Heron nests but I could not get close enough to see any of the birds. Walden abuts another open space park, Sawhill Ponds and it is easy to walk between the two for a longer excursion. I was told by one local birder that long-legged birds tend to hang out at Sawhill more than Walden because the ponds are shallower. They spotted a Sandhill Crane there just a week ago.

Ring-necks winter over in the western half of the US. They are quite stylish birds with their sleet black plumage. It is often hard to see the ring around their neck but the ring around their bills is more visible.

Redheaded ducks (Aythya americana) floated in large numbers at the far end of the Cottonwood Marsh. They are just dots even with a 500m lens. Still, their red plumage is quite distinctive. They overwinter throughout the US. Mollusks form a large part of their diet.

At the trailhead, there is a brochure with a list of the birds you can see at Walden Ponds. I obviously need to come back later in the spring and look for songbirds and other waders. If you are into birds, this seems to be THE place in Boulder to find them.

Matted reeds along the eastern border of Cottonwood Marsh

Ashcroft Ghost Town

Aschroft's Hotel View

Ashcroft is a small ghost 12 miles down Castle Creek Rd from Aspen. There are few buildings to walk around and some nice mountain backdrops.

Looking down the scenic valley

Blue Mirror Saloon

Ashcroft, originally Castle Forks City, was larger than Aspen at one point. It boasted a bowling allye, two newspapers, six hotels, and 20 saloons. What little ore that was there was quickly depleted, however, and the town folded by 1885. Much of the infrastructure was moved to Aspen.

old cabin

With all these Aspens, a fall visit to Ashcroft would be picturesque indeed

Thailand: Ayutthaya

The Wat Phra Si Sanphet section of Ayutthaya is known for its row of chedis (Thai-style stupas). A stupa is a Buddhist shrine. Note the photographs in this post are old and faded and were not that great to begin with. Hopefully, they will give you a taste of the area.

Siam keeps its ghosts close to home. Neither the diaspora of history nor the fluctuations of national boundaries affects these hearty specters who seem quite at home amidst the country's modern plethora of deities and crush of humanity. Such was my impression when I visited Thailand and the ruins of Ayutthaya 85 km north of Bangkok in the early 90s. Ayutthaya is a common tourist destination with river cruisers departing at 11:30 AM daily from the city. It is a fascinating place to visit.

Reclining Buddha with chedis in the background

Remains of a sitting Buddha. Note the tourists in the corner. Most of the other visitors were Asian.

Built in 1350, this ancient capital of Thailand was once one of the largest trading centers in Asia. Scented wood, ivory, camphor, rice, lumber and rubber were important commodities carried on the 1000 or more ships that traveled up the river each year.

Ruins of a Wiharn (a quiet place) at Wat (monastery) Thammikarat

The chedis totally fascinated me. There shape is like nothing else seen in western architecture.

At one point the city was the largest in the world with over 1 million inhabitants. Its temples and buildings were gilded in gold. Surrounded on 3 sides by rivers, canals were also dug to create a society that totally revolved around the water. Similar to modern Venetians, the citizens of Ayutthaya would travel about in dragon headed boats as they enjoyed over 400 years of peace and economic prosperity.

Such glory is always fleeting however...

“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings:
Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

Another view of Wat Thamm

A stylized view of a chedis

In 1786 Ayutthaya was sacked by the Burmese. The city was burned to the ground and it took the conquers several days to cart all the gold away. Perhaps the ghosts never left because they are still dazed by the city's sudden change in fortunes. What allegories can one draw for modern societies? All prosperity is fleeting under the relentless crush of time and circumstance.

Seated Buddha

My memories of this trip have been reduced by time to heat, stone, the press of other tourists and the unrelenting sense that something unseen hung in the still air. I was ill on this trip to Thailand with some stomach aliment and I had not eaten for several days but managed to nibble at the nice buffet the cruise put on. The river journey was pleasant. I sat in the stern with some Brits and watched the villages and Hindu temples, with their thousands of carvings, drift slowly by.

The author on the steps of one of the largest chedis

As with most such brief travel experiences, one does not get to see it all, but does get a sense of a place and for a young adventurer traveling alone, Ayutthaya was both mysterious and sobering.

This old photograph, blurry and faded, is like a window into my memories. Was I ever that young?