Several friends and I were itching to go backpacking once again. Our backpacking trip in the desert several weeks ago, was probably the last one possible until the Fall because the daytime temps make hiking uncomfortable.  We finally got to backpack into the (lower-part of the) High Country wilderness around Durango, by going up the “Horse Highway” as one friend at Rotary called it. About 32 miles ENE from Durango are the Vallecito thresholds to the Weminuche Wilderness.  I’ve hiked several trails directly north of the Vallecito Lake drainage into the Weminuche, but not the more Easterly drainage of the Pine River. Many Trail Head parking lots have hitching posts for horses in our area, but this TH had rails for 25 or 30 head. It must be a horse highway because of it’s gentle rise along the Pine River for over 20 miles.  Fortunately for us, we were the first to travel more than the 3 miles up to the Weminuche boarder sign and get the first look on to the trails this season.  Horseback riders are probably aware that it’s not a good idea to venture out on these freshly thawed trails because of the all the deadfall from even our mild winter makes the going tough. We’d come across so many downed trees that we couldn’t clear, it would be very discouraging for anyone on horse back.  One family of beaver were very active recently leaving more than 20 large sized trees blanketing the trail.

Most of you don’t know, but I’ve joined a group of volunteers known as Wilderness Information Specialists (WIS) and this was just the type of hike where we can be helpful, in that we recorded the quantity and size of the downed trees that a trail crew would have to come and remediate.

By enlisting as a WIS volunteer I’m forcing myself into spending more time in the backcountry that I have habitually said, “I’ll enjoy the area close to Durango when I get grey”. Well, what’s left on top is certainly grey, and as the byline says, “How many summers do you have left”.  Now is the time to get out there.

Having converted to an evangelist ultralight backpacker makes the endeavor all that more enjoyable.  Four of us, all similarly out-fitted, pushed the season door open and tramped almost 20 miles up this horse highway until the snow line only offered “post holing” for passage.  Over the two nights and three days we camped low (8,880′) and hiked high (10,000′) so that the night time low temps wouldn’t be more than our light weight gear and packs could handle.  As it was the lows hit 23° F and we all slept in every stitch we brought inside our sleeping bags (No one got cold).  We did allow ourselves a campfire in one to the established campsites both nights, so that kept the chill off while we waited to bed down. It was really fun to see the foliage pressing itself out of the ground like the skunk cabbage (false hellebore) shown below.  This plant will grow to be 4 to 6′ tall by Fall.

And even though we all had base weights in the 10-12 # range we still had room for a birthday cake, albeit with only one candle.  Mike Taylor celebrated a “surprise” 71st birthday midway thru the hike.  I should also probably mention that the average age of the crew was 69 years old.

A good time was had by all. And ice cream was the first stop on the way home.