From: Alan and/or Brenda Thomson (abthomson@goes.com)
Date: Mon Apr 08 2002 - 23:08:14 CDT
A couple of people has asked about Trek 21. That was my route last summer
with a crew traveling with our Council contingent (not my troop). It is a
great trek and one of the most popular since it includes both Baldy and a
hike return over the tooth. There were a couple of sources on Selden's
pages last year (it was Route 15 pre 2000 and only slightly different). If
my journal was actually written, I'd point you to that, but since it isn't,
a few comments day by day will have to do. Fire away with any questions you
have.
Day 2 - Sioux. The typical short day with Ranger Training. Even though we
had arrived at Base Camp the previous day at 8:30, we were assigned a late
bus (possibly because our Ranger got us through everything but Logistics in
record pace, but we didn't get there until mid afternoon?). So, though the
hike trough Ponil to Sioux was short, it was in the heat of the afternoon.
We returned to Ponil that evening for the campfire and cantina, but because
it was the Fourth of July, the "talent" was in town for the rodeo. Saw a
rattlesnake on the side of the road hiking back to Sioux in the dusk.
Day 3 - Pueblano. Crew had decided to do the burros. As an advisor, I
didn't get a vote, but if I had I would have opted to skip the burros and go
over Wilson Mesa to Pueblano. However, the boys really enjoyed the burro,
so it was the right choice for them. Taking the burros means a late start
to this day as well, as you pick them up in Ponil at 9:00 and then have
about 45 minutes of instruction followed by an hour to catch one in the pen
and get it loaded. Since many more crews go from Ponil to Miranda than the
reverse, we (and the other two crews who took burros) were limited to one
each. One burro can take 50 pounds of crew gear, so that does not make a
real dent in the loads the crew is carrying. Were advised to take the four
wheel drive road rather than the trail with the burro, so another day hiking
in the sun. Got to Pueblano about 1:45 - couple of the crew took the burro
to the pen, the rest got in line for program (spar pole climbing and rail
making). Set up camp after program. Campfire that night, following a game
of "logger ball" between the crew chiefs and staff.
Day 4 - Head of Dean. Very short day. Even with getting the burro rigged,
were there by 9:30. Took the trail rather than the four wheel drive road
with no problems. Setup camp and got the burro to the pen (which is quite a
distance from the cabin, and you will get a site near the pen). Took lunch
and gear for conservation project back to the cabin and did the program
(challenge events). After lunch hiked out for the conservation project -
timber stand improvement. Since there were not many conservation projects
in the North last year, and almost everyone in the North goes through Head
of Dean, there were a tremendous number of people (probably a dozen crews or
more). Other attractions at HOD include "stump ball" and basketball on a
dirt court.
Day 5 - Ute Meadows. Again took the trail rather than the four wheel drive
road to Baldy Skyline and then down to Miranda. Boys did not get the
equipment on the burro rigged properly and it shifted on the down slope,
cutting the animal's leg. Dropped off the burro and continued up to the
cabin for program - black powder, tomahawk throwing, and cabin tour. I
found the staff at Miranda to be less than enthusiastic, and the persistent
flies there was also a big minus. After lunch headed up to Ute Meadows, set
up camp, and hiked to Baldy Town for showers and our Day 6 food pickup.
Spent the rest of the afternoon there getting showers, our food, and touring
the various buildings.
Day 6 - Baldy. We were up at 5:00 and on the trail at 5:40 - since we
didn't have to break camp and we waited to eat breakfast at Baldy Town, that
was not exactly record time. Headed out of Baldy Town 6:50 and reached the
saddle below the summit at 8:20. Moved off the trail to the ridge line and
took a break there - spectacular views to the West whet you appetite for the
top!. Let the crew take the last 800 feet at their own pace - the
racehorses in 15 minutes, the rest between 30 and 40 minutes. Stayed on top
until 10:50 and headed down the other side. Two choices - the "slide" and
the "switchback". Both are very steep and loose rock. The switchback is a
trail about half way down the rock slope to the west and the "slide", but
our racehorses (and several other crews) blew past it and continued straight
down. Once below the treeline, the "trail" was even steeper and loose dirt.
Eventually reached the stream that flows to Copper Park and followed the
trail being created by repeated bushwhacking by crews along the stream.
Carry Polar Pure so you can replenish your water supply from the stream.
Continued down "the wall" to French Henry for the mine tour and then the
gold panning and blacksmithing program, before returning to Baldy Town and
Ute Meadows.
Day 7 - Upper Dean Cow. Back up and along the Baldy Skyline to Head of
Dean. You already have had a full day there, so there is no need to stop -
we did and the crew played some basketball against other crews. Upper Dean
Cow is an easy downhill hike. Several sites when you first reach it near a
small pond, and then several more strung out along the trail. There is a
well (though requires treatment) near the end of the "strung out" sites.
Bear tracks by the pond, and some other crews reported hearing bears during
the night, but we didn't actually see any.
Day 8 - Upper Bench. Long day today. We had been warned that the trail to
Bear Canyon was not well marked, and it is true - both we and our sister
crew ahead of us missed it. (On the map, it looks like it would be obvious
as the trail to Santa Claus is almost the same spot - missed that too).
When we got to New Dean we knew we missed it, and took a four wheel drive
(though not marked as such on the map) trail to Bear Canyon - it was steep,
exposed to the sun, and not very pleasant even at mid-morning. Got to the
Cimarron River by 10:10 and took a break there, then moved on to Vista
Grande, where we ate dinner for lunch, since there is a water source there,
but Upper Bench is dry. Did not leave Vista Grande until late afternoon,
with threatening black clouds and thunder and lightning to the west.
Reached Upper Bench at 4:45 and set up camp in 15 minutes flat, dove into
the tents and waited out a short storm. When we crawled out of our tents
about 5:45 we found a conservation crew sitting in our site, also waiting
out the rain. They were there to replace the sump, which had been ripped
out by a bear.
Days 9 and 10 - Cimarroncito. Stop at Ute Gulch for your last food pickup
before continuing on to Cimarroncito. A second layover gives you plenty of
time to do the rock climbing (try to schedule it for the next morning -
afternoon thunderstorms mean that the afternoon sessions are often inside
rather than on the ridge), environmental awareness, and a side hike through
Hidden Valley to Window Rock, then down to Hunting Lodge and the cabin tour
there (hike it in that order, not the reverse). Understand the evening
program at Hunting Lodge is outstanding - consider returning there for it
after dinner.
Day 11 - Ponderosa Park. Hike to Clark's Fork is relatively easy. We saw
our only bear of the trek right after leaving Cimarroncito. If you have
horse rides scheduled there, that will dictate your schedule for the day.
Can easily reach Clark's Fork for morning rides - if so, head up to
Ponderosa Park afterwards to set up camp before heading back down to Clark's
Fork for the chuckwagon dinner and campfire. If you have an afternoon ride,
go to Ponderosa Park first to set up camp, then back down for activities.
Day 12 - Camping Headquarters. Another long day. You will need to get up
VERY early if you want to catch the sunrise from Shaefer's Peak. Only water
source the entire day is at Shaefer's Pass - the spring there is slow, if it
is flowing at all. Trail across Tooth Ridge has spectacular views, but is
very rocky and rough. At the Tooth, hang bear bags and climb. From there,
the trail is all downhill, but it seems endless.
- Al Thomson 703E11
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