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The Castles
The trip to the Castles is one we try to make every year. The trip has it all: enough distance to leave most day hikers behind, scenery, wildlife, and decent fishing. It is situated in south-central Colorado. The rock formation called the Castles is the centerpiece of the trip, and looks the world like the ramparts of a castle. These pictures are actually from two separate trips. One was in 2003 with three friends (Ron, Wes, and Dennis), the second was in 2005 and was with my sister Linda and a friend, John. As an aside, Dennis created a separate website detailing the trip in 2003. Click on any of the pictures below for a larger view. |
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One point of regular excitement is what is known as "the Great Stream Crossing". Little Pass Creek (which ain't so little) has to be forded. The first few times resulted in wet gear and people. We've since figured out a system, and things are much smoother. |
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The trail goes through aspens for the first couple miles, and so there is not much in the way of views. Then, you break out into the open. The weather wasn't cooperating this year, but the view here is stunning. |
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Here's my sister, her dog, Columbo and Topper the llamas. This was Columbo's second trip, and he while he handled it pretty well, he's still not to the point where I can rent him out. |
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One of the geographic features by our campsite is this, Storm Ridge. Here it is aptly named... |
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but come the next morning, it had improved its temprament considerably. |
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One of the highlights of the trip is fishing. There's a lake about another mile in from where we camp, but well worth the trek. |
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One curious thing about this lake is the fishing is only marginal from shore. If you can get out in the middle, it improves. Enter the Garbage Scow. The first year we fished the lake, we found a delapitated raft which barely stayed above water. Of course we used it, and it was christened "The Garbage Scow". |
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The next year, I brought tools to craft a new raft. This was christened "The Garbage Scow II", pictured here. |
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Here's Ron with a nice catch of brook trout. |
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In 2005, we wisened up a bit. Why not have the llamas tote an inflatable raft for us? It made fishing a little easier, but didn't help with the weather. We'd barely gotten off the lake when the skies opened up, and it started to hail. |
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Here's me, trying not to freeze after the hailstorm. Good thing we were pretty much done fishing. |
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Here's John, also trying not to freeze. |
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In 2003, a grand experiment was tried after the day of fishing. Was it true that you could burn cow chips? This photo is proof positive that you can. BTW, we've yet to figure out what that skull-like thing is in the background. |
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Sometimes you just can't keep those llamas from hamming it up for the camera! |
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Linda, Topper, Hawk, and John |
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Linda and Topper |
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Here's two pictures from the same spot, but one year apart. |
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Wes coming around the curve a year before. |
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Needs no comment. |
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The area around the Castles appears to get lots of moisture, as the depth of these wild flowers can attest to. |
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