A month in the life: San Isabel National Forest

San Isabel National Forest, Colorado //

We check out of our Airbnb this morning with ten days to roam around before our next obligation.  With that kind of freedom, I have one simple desire.  I want to go somewhere in Colorado we’ve never been before; a goal easier said than done.  My sights are set on the west side of the Sawatch Range.  Many years ago, we spent a single night near Taylor Park Reservoir, and I was captivated by the beauty of the area.  Since then, I’ve wanted to see more.

We could easily get there today, but we have no reason to be in a hurry.  Instead, I’d like to find a mellow hike to stretch our legs and enjoy some Colorado scenery.  Finding a “mellow” hike, though, is much easier said than done around here.  My first choice, Loveland Pass, turns out to be closed today, so we point the truck towards Leadville and decide to go from there.  After we’ve sufficiently stuffed our bellies with delicious Cuban sandwiches from Buchi, we continue south towards Forest Service Road 390.  We took an exploratory drive down this road years ago and know there are multiple hiking and camping options.  With it being a Monday afternoon, we figure our chances of finding an attractive, vacant campsite are high.

Twelve miles of dirt road lead from Highway 24 to the historic mining town of Winfield.  About halfway down the road, we question if we want to continue.  The road is riddled with potholes and rocks jutting out from its surface.  It’s a slow-going, uncomfortable ride, and so far, to our dismay, every campsite is occupied.  On top of that, every hiking option within this narrow valley climbs straight to the top of a 13,000 or 14,000’ peak.  That is most definitely not the kind of hike we’re up for today.  Our best option, and the only hike with an “easy” rating, lies at the very end of the road.  By the time we arrive in Winfield, we’re tired and a bit cranky.  It’s hard to admit to ourselves that now in our mid-40s, we seem to need two full days to recover from weddings, not just one.  

We gather up our gear, regardless of the interest we’ve lost in going for a hike, and decide to let our feet tell us how far they want to go.  Two miles is all we have in us, but it feels good to stretch our legs nonetheless.  

Back at the truck in Winfield, Mark searches for the source of a loud clanging noise that we heard off and on during our drive here.  He soon discovers that two of the steel mounts that hold the bed to the frame are cracked.  There are a total of eight mounts, so we’re not yet in danger of the entire bed and camper breaking free from the truck, but it’s certainly something that needs to be addressed sooner rather than later.

We make our way back down the valley, much slower this time, in search of a place to camp.  It dawned on me earlier that the renowned Leadville 100 race series is most likely why the valley is so full of campers.  The 100-mile mountain bike race and ultra-marathon take place over two consecutive weekends, and this happens to be the week that falls between the two races.  

Thanks to satellite imagery, we eventually find a hidden little campsite that can’t be seen from the road.  It feels good to be home for the night, but come morning, we have a mission to tend to.  Head to Buena Vista and find a welder.  No further backcountry exploring will be on the agenda for us until we can trust that the truck is up for the task.