7/26/03 Mt Champion, San Isabel NF, Collegiate Range
Our first backpacking trip, together. Lori and I had taken an abortive trip up Barr Camp Trail a few years ago, she borrowing her brother’s old crappy backpack. We did what we could to get it adjusted to her petite frame, but it would turn out to be futile. After about 3 miles or so Lori is slowing down, encouraging me to keep going and she will be along. I am wondering, “what the heck is she talking about”? I do some investigation and find that her collar bone is hurting. And her shoulder. And her arm is numb! Ever the stalwart, she will not admit this isn’t working and is determined to tough it out, not to impress me per se, but just because that is her nature. Now, anyone who has dealt with this sort of personality knows, getting this trek called off and turning her around is going to be dicey. And to do it, I will have to be clever and present my case so she won’t mis-apprehend the situation and think she is to blame for a radical alteration in plans. But, I pull it off, because seriously, backpacking in large amounts of pain early on due to improper equipment is a serious no no. Why torture yourself like that when there is already so much self-abuse inherent to the activity in the first place. But, I digress.
There was a long hiatus between the attempt up Barr trail and this successful trip to Mt Champion in the San Isabel N.F. As always, some cool outfitter was pulling up stakes here in the Springs (EMF) and they were clearing it on out! They made their business decision and we made ours. Soon, two new Gregory packs were part of the Glasser toy box. We scored some various other bits and pieces as well. Now we were committed because we had blown a substantial chunk of dough re-equipping ourselves. I had given my old pack to my younger brother cause it still smelled like cat piss (long story) and Lori had not been packing since she was 19 and had pretty much gotten rid of her gear, it being old and used up and all. So, this would be a shakeout of the new gear and we wanted to keep it simple over all.
Now, the trip we had planned and what we ended up doing were, foreshadowing an ever recurring situation, not at all the same. The original plan was to head up the flanks of Mt. Elbert a ways, get a nice spot by a stream and then nail the summit the next day. Of course, Mt. Elbert being the highest, and probably easiest, 14eener in the state the trailhead parking lot was full. We headed to the overflow lot, and it was overflowing. Sigh. A quick consultation with the gazetteer and Lori quickly had a new plan. I have to mention right now that my wife is fantastic with map and atlas. She has pulled many a rabbit out of her hat with this natural ability. So, a new destination was chosen and we were soon off in search of the trailhead for Mt. Champion.
After a brief drive through some better than usual car camping areas we arrived at the parking lot for Mt. Champion. It was not full, by any means, but did have quite a few vehicles. We being the ever mindful owners of four dogs, are ever dubious of crowds and for our own piece of mind seek areas of low population. We forged ahead across a small running stream (came up to the rocker panels on the Bronco YEAH!) and keeping her in 4-high did some very fun jeep trail up to the Champion Mill where the road ends. Even if you are not going to camp, this is a very cool thing to see provided your vehicle can make it. You need some clearance and definitely need some 4 wheel drive to be sure you don’t get stuck. Anyway, the old mill is a huge wooden structure complete with some old rail and a high wheelhouse where ore was brought in via cable tramway, remains of which are strung along the mountains side in various states of decay all the way up to the mine itself. One can easily snoop around this antique structure in relative safety as long as you are not stupid about it. After a brief snoop we were soon saddled up and heading up the steep mining road which led to a promising looking alpine meadow (on the map anyway…we were winging it).
The hike up was quite steep but thankfully was very short. Which is just what we wanted granted we were both a bit out of shape for any serious packing, and we had lots of new untested gear. So, after maybe a little over a mile we were in fact setting up camp in gorgeous meadow surrounded on three sides by imposing 13eeners, one of which is Mt Champion itself. We stashed our gear and headed on up. The way up was a meandering jeep road used by the mine and was in relatively good shape for such an animal. As we trudged up I couldn’t help but ponder how cool it would be to be paid to drive some company truck up this beast. Repeatedly.
A short hike found us resting up at the crest of the saddle before the trail headed up steeply to the mine itself and eventually the summit of Mt. Champ. We took a short water break and lounged on a rock, basically stunned by the scenery. Across to the south we could see Frenchman’s peak, or something like that, with a huge snowfield at the top still melting away into a thin stream that flowed straight down a steep contour line and eventually into the streams. Even from here, I could see the blueness of the water though I openly wondered how clean it would be, given the extensive mining operations in the area. Off to the west we could plainly observe folks heading up and down Independence Pass, a real beaut.
Time to head on up and up we went. The old Champion mine site is really a neat one and I would encourage a visit. But be careful and keep any snoopy animals you take on a leash because though an exposed adit (horizontal or nearly horizontal passage driven from the surface for the working or unwatering of a mine)is caged shut, there is still a very deep and terrifyingly exposed shaft not far above where and too close of an encounter with it could be catastrophic. But, enough with the scare tactics. Besides the obvious hole in the ground there is a semi-intact bunkhouse with attached mining office which still contains some artifacts. Down slope from this amongst the rocks one can observe various bits of trash and other pieces of refuse which helps to bring the area back to life as one imagines the life of a hard rock miner back in the day.
As always in the Rockies, be ready for a hasty retreat from exposed heights and ridges as storms approach seemingly out of nowhere. Don’t be afraid to drop what you are doing and just take to your heels, as we had to do, to get down to the tent just as large drops were beginning to pelt us. Close one.
After the visit to such a sweet historic site, we were ready for chow and some lounging. We all, us and 4 dogs, headed into my old ‘Outdoor’ megamid knockoff which, while light as a feather, had pretty much cashed in its chips many years before. Bringing this old relic would prove to be a mistake. So, as we sat in the leaking tent and cooked up some food, we watched nervously as the tufts of tundra grass began to fill in with puddles and I silently kicked myself while Lori vocally questioned my wisdom, rightfully so. One of the things I truly love about the floorless pyramid tent is you can cook away in there, and not worry much about messes, and get some nice toasty heat out of it, however fleeting. As the sun went down, the temp at 11k’ dropped rapidly and we ran into our next miscalculation. In the interest of keeping it light, we had brought our 40 degree bags. These pack down to the size of a softball and hardly weigh anything. They do this, because there is really hardly anything to them as we would find out during the long, cold night.
Nearly all camper types will be able to sympathize with the plight of a cold night in the tent. The minutes drag on like hours, sleep is evasive at best, and when the light of false dawn hits, time stops completely. In the infinite span between false dawn and actual sunlight one tends to get really grumpy and lazy. Finally, when the sun hits and you warm back up, everyone can commence to bitching, and we were no different. So, lesson learned and we looked at the positive side. We would soon be shopping for some nice toasty down bags.
In my notes, I have this marked as a ‘will return’ trip and would be great for beginners since it is so short. It is also a great one for doing a shakedown of new gear. Lastly, if you are the type, the old mining remnants alone are reason enough to make this quick journey, even if for just a day hike.