After a week and some days spent among wonderful people it felt weird being on my own again. I actually missed people – an unusual state for me to be in. But I would not be alone for long. I had made new friends at the gathering and would be meeting up with them in the Colorado Rockies!
The hill is the landfill pile
My first night back camping on my own was at a pretty uninspiring spot, beside a SantaFe landfill to boot. It was a popular spot, giving me some challenges to find a spot far enough away from people to suit me. The solution was to camp closer to the border with the landfill – no one seemed to want to be there. There was some hiking and vistas to see, perhaps worth a return at some point for more than an overnighter.
Dating to 1734 according to the sign
My plan was to head to some boondocking near Mancos, Colorado. Freecampsites.net indicated there were quite a few spots around there. The days drive was going to be on the longer end of the scale, so I got an early start and headed out. But there was time to stop for some interesting attractions like the remains of an old church dating all the way back to 1734!
Santa Rosa Church remains
The Spanish explored a fair bit of North America before the French and the British supplanted them. This would have been one of the more northern establishments in New Mexico for the Spanish. But the town names remain, Spanish origin telling you who was there first in that part of North America.
The scenery going into Colorado was amazing. Spring was in full glory, with the reds of the desert changing to greens as I got into higher wetter country. Passing through towns on the way, I could see that tourism was a big economy driver in a lot of these places. They all felt like versions of Banff to me, just hopefully not as crowded during the peak season. I turned off the highway towards my chosen boondocking area. As expected, there were quite a few people around, so I continued up the road past the spot.
I wasn’t seeing much until I came to this large empty circle that looked pretty good. It wasn’t screened from the road, so I decided to try further up to see if there was anything better. But the next few spots further up were not as nice, and not screened from the road. So, back I went to claim the area.
Left behinds as found
The spot is big enough for several rigs, but I would say three to four fit in comfortably if you know each other and squeeze together a bit. I am always amazed at what is left behind by other people. The picture shows you what was there as I found it. The like new suitcase contained a girl’s set of clothing and stuffed animal. You’d think they might come back for their forgotten stuff, but no, it was never reclaimed. Perhaps they had traveled too far to return.
Mancos in the distance
I could see from the road map that the road I was on continued up to a campground of sorts, at least a boondocking spot. This camp was way up at just over 10,000 feet. I decided to walk up there, being at somewhat over 8,000 feet, it was and attainable hike for me. The views going up were nice, if a bit obscured by smoke. Here too, fires were burning, just not huge out of control ones that threatened to boot me out of the area. I continued up, past springs and through a mix of aspen forest and conifers. I run across an older fellow and his dog walking down the road. We get to talking and the fellow introduces himself as Rick, a seven year veteran of nomad life. He’s been everywhere and nothing fazes him. He tells me his van broke down up the road, blocking it. He’s pretty sure he knows what the problem is, so rather than get a tow, he’s walking down the road to meet a NAPA delivery guy to pick up a part. Then he’ll walk back up and hopefully the part will allow him to fix his van and move on.
Abandoned van up the rough road at 10,000 feet
This guy is at least another ten years older than me, and he’s going to walk double the elevation gain/loss I’ll be doing. Van life certainly has made this guy tough. I continue up the road and eventually come to the van. I’m amazed all over again, looking at this extended body van having made it this far up the much rougher road than what I had further down! I did get an update from another camper later who told me Rick had gotten a ride back up to his van, which did get towed off the road by another passerby. Never did find out how the fix went.
I climb up to the what is supposed to be the camping area. It really is just another boondocking spot, doubling as parking for people heading out on the trails that start here. I climb up the trail leading up the one ridge, crossing 10,000 feet for the first time in my hiking career. I stop at 10,400 feet, as the trees don’t end for a while and I’ve extended myself out quite a ways for a day hike.
Doggy drink break at a spring
On the way back down, I meet Ava, a local from Mancos. She is on a regular hike for her, having come down from higher up. She is a similar age to me, but in much better shape from all the hiking. I can just keep up with her going downhill, up hill I’m sure she’d get ahead of me quickly. She tells me about the ridges and peaks you can hike to around there. For her, this is the backyard and she hikes these the way I’d walk the park in Calgary. Life sounds pretty good in Colorado for her.
The following day I hike down the road rather than up, taking a side branch that takes me further down the mountain, to a nice little spring pond. Having cell service, I get a text from Sarah and Aaron, telling me they would be joining me at my spot, would be there in half an hour! I’m still a long ways down from my camp, so they beat me back to the camp. It seems they have picked up a rock between their rear dual tires. It is wedged in good, no wiggling it out. Eventually, we put the inside wheel on blocks, and let the air out of the outside tire, deflating it enough that the rock is eventually pried loose with a lot of effort and cursing by all of us. But it was a little team effort in solving a problem that we can laugh at now.
A hike down in elevation to a spring
For the next two days, we have a great time together, hiking some of the trails and chatting. As they are towing a car, we take advantage of that and head into Durango one evening for a nice pub meal at Carvers, a long time establishment there. I have to say, they have it figured out with excellent food, beer, and service, in a great pub environment! We also used the car to head further up the road, and start our hike where the road turns into more of a cart track much higher up.
The view from 11,400 feet
This time, we make it to 11,400 feet, up in a clearing on the ridge, but not yet at the top, that is another thousand feet higher! At just over 11,000 feet, I hit the elevation I started feeling the altitude. Not bad, I was worried my winter at sea level killed some of my altitude climatization from being a born and bred Calgarian.
But the visit had to come to an end all too soon. I had to continue north and get back to Canada without using too many more of my yearly allowed 182 US stay days. I packed up my things and said my goodbyes. Sarah and Aaron were staying behind to enjoy the great spot I had found for another few days. I continued north, this time to Routt National Forest, still in the snow when I arrived. See you there next time!
