(also known as The Uncompahgre Wilderness)
Click here to see photos
The wilderness, located north of the quaint Colorado town of Lake City, comprises
99,490 acres in the Uncompahgre National Forest (established in 1905) with
elevations ranging from 8400 feet to 14,309 feet. Over 75 miles of trails
are available, and because about half of the wilderness is above timberline
(11,500 feet at this latitude) the vistas are spectacular. Alpine flowers
bloom in late July and August. Elk, bighorn sheep, ptarmigan, and marmots
reside here.
Uncompahgre, a name given by the Ute Indians to the area around Ouray, Colorado,
has been translated variously as "red water spring" and "hot
water." A public hot springs pool still exists in Ouray. The area is
also known as the "Switzerland of America." Several years ago
I hosted an American Field Service foreign exchange student from Carpi,
Italy, which is in the extreme northern part of Italy. Luca, upon seeing
this area of Colorado, remarked that it did indeed resemble the Alps of
Switzerland.
The Big Blue Wilderness includes two of Colorado's famed "14ers,"
Uncompahgre Peak (14,309 feet high, the sixth highest in Colorado) and neighboring
Wetterhorn Peak (14015 feet in elevation.) A trail, which climbs nearly
3000 feet in 3.5 miles allows access to Uncompahgre Peak. The first known
ascent of Uncompahgre Peak was achieved in 1874, but the climbers discovered
that grizzlies had preceded them. Also adjacent is the "13er,"
Matterhorn Peak. The two Swiss names recount the area's nickname, "Switzerland
of America."
Slide Lake, created by a rock slide into Big Blue Creek in the 1940s, is
called a fisherman's paradise, and considerable fishing can also be found
along the Big Blue. Good fishing is also found in the four other main rivers
in the wilderness, Fall Creek and the three forks of the Cimarron -- Middle,
East, and West.
The Big Blue valley, which extends 11 miles to Uncompahgre Peak, is the
most magnificent valley I've ever seen, bar none. I've backpacked here three
times and will return more times to enjoy the incomparable beauty of the
area. Seeing a herd of over two dozen elk circling around us while we labored
over the pass by Silver Mountain is a sight I will never forget. Their beauty,
agility, and grace are beyond words.
FOR INFO:
Uncompahgre Forest Headquarters
2250 Highway 50
Delta, CO 81416
(303) 874-7691
Exploring Colorado's Wild Areas by Scott Warren; The Mountaineers,
Seattle, WA; 221 pages.
Hiking Trails of Southwestern Colorado: A Guide to the San Juan and
Uncompahgre National Forests by Paul Pixler; Pruett Publishing Company;
Boulder, CO; 214 pages.
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E-mail Chuck at CMorHiker@aol.com