For several years six of us have shared a climbing trip each August in the San Juan Range, where we’ve hammered away at finishing up the Centennial 13ers. Three of us have recently brought new puppies into our families. On our climbing trip this past August we promised one another that we’d take a “doggie hike” together before year-end. We live sort of spread out – in four towns/cities along the Front Range, and in Durango. Our earlier plans for the hike were washed out with the September flooding, when access to logical areas was closed down.
When we learned that all six of us would be in the Fort Collins area during the Thanksgiving period we ramped up planning for our hike. We wanted a place to ourselves, so the dogs could run off-leash; we wanted a hike of reasonable distance and exertion; and we wanted assured access. This post-flooding combination is tough to find in nearby mountains! At present they don't exist in Boulder County or up the recently-reopened Big Thompson Canyon. And in Poudre Canyon, from its mouth up to Rustic, only two trails have been reopened since the flood: Greyrock Mountain, and Lower Dadd Gulch. Both would be jammed with people on a nice Saturday in late November. I considered places off Poudre Canyon that Denali Queen and I had accessed as we worked away at ascending the 255 Ranked Peaks of Larimer County and “hit gold” when I recalled a location north of the former townsite of Eggers. There, a simple path goes north from Colorado 14 and weaves its way into valley meadows, providing access to some interesting tight canyon-like terrain as well as high rocky ridges.
So off we went – the six of us plus spouses and five dogs, three of them our “new” puppies. It was a glorious day of pleasant temperatures, brilliant sunlight, and no wind. Once underway we simply couldn’t turn back. The dogs were enjoying their freedom and newly-formed associations. And we, not having been together since August, babbled on and on and lost track of time and distance. By lunch time we had already hiked farther than we’d planned to go for the day. Our luncheon spot had beautiful views, including one of a relatively nearby peak where years ago I had placed a cache named “Reverse Somersault Style Points” (GC223HG).
As I munched on my sandwich and gazed across the rugged terrain between our present position and Reverse Somersault, I was struck by the thought that where we were now sitting with our five dogs would be an ideal location for a backcountry geocache. This was to be a non-caching trip, but I luckily discovered a peanut butter jar at the bottom of my day pack. It’s now hidden in a beautiful rock formation for your caching entertainment. Go find it. And yes, dogs are allowed here. Take yours when you go on the hunt!