​​In The Shadow of Longs Peak

Peaceful Valley

28 October 2006

Our first back-country tour this year.  Peaceful Valley is our destination.  I was hoping we could start off the ski season like this!  The front range had 24 inches of snow in Septemeber, then there was snowed from that storm that rained on us in Utah, then that huge storm that passed thru on Oct 20th...the day of our return to Utah; then another 24 inches this past Thurs.

Of course, driving up there, there was some snow on the side of the road...not enough to ski on.  Our alternative plan was the East Portal, but we did not have to pursue that.  Once we got to Peaceful Valley, we could park at the trailhead just beyond Camp Dick...always a luxury, though that mile or so of trail from Peaceful Valley to Camp Dick is really a delight (though not easy);

The parking lot it-self seems to have 12 inches or more of snow; We decide on purple wax, wax up, and head up; We decide to take the trail up and the road back; so we cross Middle St. Vrain Creek; the other side of the bridge generally has a patch of marginal snow so we navigate around it.  Before too long, I decide I’m slipping a bit too much and add purple to the purple special.  We continue up.  This is a wonderful trail, the classic Rocky Mountain trail alongside the creek and boulders. 

Up and up we go; A group of 3 on snowshoes pass us; there is a named falls along this trail and it’s a common hiking destination.  Before long. We see the 3 headed back; they look tired but they’ve been to the falls.  We continue, reaching the falls in less than 10 minutes.  At this point, we are nearly half-way to the wilderness boundry.  We check out the falls - more like cascades – and continue on;   Of and on, we can see The Sawtooth and Buchanan Pass in the distance.  That is not where we are going but that is our direction.