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West Spanish Peak Family Camp Out and Hike
San Isabel National Forest,
Colorado
September 1- 4, 2006
Leader: Kathleen Gruetzmacher
Author: Jan Studebaker
Photo Gallery: Jan
Studebaker, Click
here
to view.
Map Downloads: Click
here to view.
Trip Participants: Kathleen,
Michael and Elena Gruetzmacher, Jeff, Sophie and Rose Click, Dick and
Judy Opsahl, Carol Gargano, and Jan Studebaker
Cosima was again drawn to
Houston to work, so I found a number of fun and exciting things to do in
her absence. One of them turned out to be a "family" camping trip, put
on by my good friend Kathleen, to the Spanish Peaks area in southern
Colorado near the small town of La Veta. Our "family" group included
Kathleen and her kids: Michael and Elena, Jeff and his kids: Sophie and
Rose, Dick and Judy, and their friend Carol, and me. It turned out to be
a wonderful group; the kids were all terrific (I did have to coerce them
into "adopting" me however).
West
Spanish Peak as seen from close to the trail head
I had always wanted to climb
the peaks (East and West), but never got around to it. This time would
be different, as we were going to camp at Purgatoire Campground in the
San Isabel National Forest, which is just a few miles drive to the West
Spanish Peak trailhead. West Spanish Peak is the highest of the two
(13,626') and the easiest to access. Standing as sentinels along the
southeast edge of Colorado's Rocky Mountains, the Spanish Peaks have
long served as important landmarks for all who pass within sight of
them. The Indians called them Huajatolla, or "Breasts of the World."
Our
intrepid hikers!
I drove up with Jeff, Rose,
and Sophie, and had a great time talking to Jeff about our
Mount Hope
climb and computers, as well as getting to know Jeff's precocious
children.
Once at Purgatoire
Campground we ate all our meals together as a group, so the social
aspect of the trip was great fun, and I had lots of time to play with
the kids. One evening I supervised the tricky cooking of marshmallows
over my MSR isobutane-propane stove......the stove amazingly survived.
Obligatory summit shot
On our last full day we all
headed up the West Peak Trail for a hike. Dick, Jeff, and I were in the
lead, as we were the only ones hoping to make the summit. Kathleen
volunteered to hike with the kids, as she had summited on her last
family backpack to the area. Kathleen and the kids turned around part
way up, and returned to the trailhead, and eventually to camp. Judy and
Carol climbed to tree line at about 12,000', rested for a while, and
descended to meet up with us two hours later. Carol was a real trouper
as she lives near sea level and had to deal with an extreme altitude
change.
Dick, Jeff, and I made our
way slowly to the top (another 1600' vertical from tree line). It was definitely
strenuous hiking through scree and talus, but 'oh' so satisfying when we
got to the top. The summit ridge was quite long with multiple views that
were magnificent, and accentuated by the clouds that rolled in and out
as we hiked the ridge and ate our much appreciated lunch. The eastern
end of our summit had a view of nearby East Spanish Peak, but only a bit
at a time due to the mysterious fog.
Note: the "West Spanish Peak
hike" is described in "100 Classic Hikes in Colorado", by Scott S.
Warren, and is published by The Mountaineers Books. We highly recommend
this book!
Click
here
to view our "West Spanish Peak" gallery
Click
here to
view maps associated with our "West Spanish Peak" trip
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