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Alan's
and Sheila's Homepage
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- Boy's Camping
2012
- August 5-6, 2012
- Buckeye Gulch,
Colorado
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- This year the camping trip featured backpacking for the first
time, but instead of totally roughing it we opted to stay at
one of the 10th Mountain Division
Huts. This provided a nice hybrid between the extremes of
back country backpacking and staying at a cabin.
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- Thanks to Bob Wientzen for securing a reservation at the
Sangree
M. Froelicher Hut, which was named after Staff Sergeant Sangree
Mitchell Froelier a member of the 86th Mountain Infantry who
fell valiantly in Italy during WWII.
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- The spacious hut provided bunks, propane cooking facilities
and wood stove and was supplied with cooking utensils and other
basics.
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- Water Management proved to be a major factor on this trip
as each day required a 1 mile round trip to a small stream where
we had to filter the days drinking water and carry back another
5 gallons of water daily to use for cleaning and cooking.
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- As usual, the boys had plenty of fun which included airsoft
battles, archery, chopping wood, making fires and fishing.
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- A highlight of the trip was our overland trek sans trail
from the hut to a high alpine lake, Buckeye Lake, which was just
below the summit of Buckeye Peak.
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- Skip ahead to:
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- Day 1 - Everyone was all smiles
before the start of the 3.1 mile hike and 1600 foot elevation
gain starting at 10,160 feet. However, soon, sooner than we realized,
we started feeling the weight of our packs and the thin air as
we headed up the trail.
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- The boys posing with their packs before the big hike...
- Stopping for a picture gives the boys and excuse to take
a much needed oxygen break...
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- This is the sign we all missed as we failed to take the turn
off onto the actual trail to the hut. We later theorized this
was because the tree was located at the top of a steep hill and
were all too busy huffing and puffing looking down at our feet
to see it.
- One upside to missing the trail was finding this old abandoned
cabin...
- About to run out of trail...
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- Realizing we just ran out of trail, Freddie pulls out the
map and saves the day by pointing us back in the right direction
though some bushwhacking through boggy forest was definitely
required.
- Back on the trail, we come across another former cabin...
- Hiking near tree line at 11,700 feet....Sound of Music anyone?
- Arriving at the hut...
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- Day 1 - Hanging out for
the rest of the day at the hut including lunch, archery, wood
splitting, a water run and of course the nightly fire.
- Keith with the first day's water load to trek back to the
cabin. We estimated it was nearly 60 lbs with the pack and we
had to hike it back 1/2 mile at 11,700 feet.
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- Whittling sharp sticks, a favorite fire side pastime. (Someone
remarked after 5 years of sharp stick whittling, its time for
someone
to ramp it up.)
- Day 2 - After more archery
and another airsoft battle (biodegradable pellets only) in the
woods, we took the boys along on a water run.
- Filtering the days drinking water...
- Alan's turn to hike the 60lb days water supply back up to
the cabin. Did I mention we were at 11,700 feet?
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- Day 2 - We decided to hike
over to Buckeye Lake which sits just over 12,000 feet near the
summit of Buckeye Gulch. The interesting aspect was that we did
not use a trail, but instead we trekked across the top of the
mountain, which was a very cool experience, and simply explored
our way to the lake. We hung out at the lake for a few hours
fishing and just relaxing. On the way back several of us summitted
the ridge to the top of Buckeye Peak.
- Trying to spot the optimal route over the next ridge and
to the lake...
- Approaching the lake which we located by noting the dark
green foliage on either side indicating drainage...
- Heading back to the hut...
- View from the top of Buckeye Peak at 12,600 feet looking
west... Click here for a panoramic
view...
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- Day 2 - Back from the lake,
the kids participated in a compass scavenger hunt and more axe
play before dinner and smores by the fire.
- Using compasses, the boys follow a course setup by Keith
in which each compass heading leads to a clue which in turns
leads to the next clue until the bounty of glow sticks and candy
bars was found.
- Firing up the wood heating stove...
- In lieu of the propane stoves, we decided to fire up the
old fashioned wood burning stove and it worked well.
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- Day 3 - After a great two days,
we say goodbye to the hut and make the much easier hike back
down to civilization
- The group along with our gracious hut mates Matt and Maya...
- Hut mates Matt and Maya with whom many interesting Sci-Fi
related conversations were had.
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- Ready to make our way back down...
- Lee wondering how we possibly missed the trail on the way
up...
- Enjoying burgers at TommyKnocker
Pub and Brewery in Idaho Springs...
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