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An odyssey on horseback to some
of the best high valleys in the Sangre de Cristo
Wilderness. We travel south along the ancient range,
riding from mountain lodge to lodge. This
spectacular five day trip combines adventurous
riding with all the comforts.
The Sangre de Cristo
Mountains are one of the longest mountain chains on
Earth. We journey south from Gibson Creek via
the Rainbow Trail riding up the spectacular valleys
of North Taylor, Goodwin, Comanche, Venable and Horn
Creek. Each night we arrive at a mountain lodge for
hot showers, a sit down feast in the dining room and
a comfortable queen sized bed.
 IRCO01 
Rates include six nights accommodations, meals
from lunch on day two to lunch on day six, 5 riding days
7 days/ 6 nights $ 1,725
Single +$295
2008 Dates:
07/20-07/26 08/17-08/23
... more dates are available for groups of 4+
reservation & availability
Taxes: 3%
Airport: Colorado Springs
Transfer Colorado Springs
airport
Tack:
Western
Horses:
Quarter mix
Pace : Slow
mountain riding with
some trots
& canters
Level: Low intermediate+
Min/Max: 4-13 riders
TRIP ITINERARY
Day 1 Arrival in
Colorado Springs. The hotel shuttle will transfer
you to the hotel for check in at the Radisson Inn or
similar for overnight. No meals included today.
Day 2 We meet you at the hotel in Colorado
Springs at 7:30 AM and travel to the
trailhead. This route takes you from the eastern
plains below Pikes Peak, traveling back into western
history up Hardscrabble Pass through the Wet
Mountains, across the Wet Mountain Valley, to the
base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. These
locations are aptly named. Hardscrabble is just that
-- a narrow, steep, twisting canyon found and used
by the white man for less than, maybe, 200 years.
Over 12 feet of snow fell on much of the Wet
Mountains this winter, and rain, hail, and snow can
find riders in the Wet Mountains every summer. You
will get the opportunity to learn how the Sangre de
Cristo range gets its name (in English, the "Blood
of Christ") if you see the morning sun strike the
mountains and, for just a few moments, the
snow-covered peaks turn the pink of snow brushed
with blood. If you need to buy a fishing license,
remember to ask your guide to stop before we pass
through the town of Westcliffe. You will arrive at
the trailhead mid-morning, where we begin with a
detailed lesson on riding, saddling and care of your
mount. Your luggage is carried in our support
vehicle to arrive ahead of you to the lodge. We ride
several hours up into the North Taylor valley, one
of our favorites. This less used trail winds up to a
flower filled meadow near timberline where we pull
lunch from the saddle bags and lay out a nice
spread. After lunch we’ll return to the Rainbow
Trail and ride south to where the abandoned runs of
the Conquistator ski area reach up to the Rainbow
and provide access down through the timber to the
former ski lodge now called Hermit Basin Lodge. The
lovely rooms have 2 queen beds. - saddle time 4
hours.
Day 3 After enjoying a hearty breakfast in
the dining room, we venture out to where the horses
and assistant guide have camped for the night above
the lodge. We saddle up and head south to Goodwin
Valley. The Rainbow Trail runs 80 miles along the
eastern base of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains
connecting the trails that head up to the many
alpine valleys. Our destination is the lovely
Goodwin Beaver Ponds. Besides fishing this is an
opportunity to enjoy the wildflowers close up. There
are an amazing variety of wildflowers, especially at
the peak of their seasons if there's been sufficient
water. In addition to the ever-present small yellow
composites, you may find larkspur, elk thistle,
monk's hood, mountain bluebells, scarlet gilia,
Colorado blue columbine, Parry primrose, wild roses,
wild geranium, and harebells, or if you're truly
fortunate, a Calypso orchid, also sometimes called a
fairyslipper, Venus slipper, or lady's slipper. If
you climb above timberline, look closely at the
paintbrush. Something unequaled at lower elevations
happens here; often the paintbrush bloom in
startling shades of fuscia or even a delicate
off-white. If you choose to fish, in these high
waters it is a true delight. There are indigenous
trout, but the Dept. of Wildlife also stocks many of
these alpine lakes and streams with Pikes Peak
Native fingerlings, a hybridization of Greenback and
Yellowstone or Colorado River, and purebred
Greenbacks. You may also find Brookies or a Rainbow
in some of the creeks and beaver ponds. These waters
are not specially restricted, so pack your favorite
gear: flies, lures, or hooks for bait, and come
prepared to enjoy. We spend another night at Hermit
Basin Lodge.
- saddle time 4 hours.
Day 4 Morning breaks and we’re off for the next
adventure- Commanche Lake. Each day we go
progressively higher. Today we're riding to the
beautiful Commanche Lake just at timberline. Keep
your eyes open, and you may find signs of Rocky
Mountain mammals. We hope to see the larger cousins
of the mule deer we spotted earlier. Unlike mule
deer, who are more territorial, the elk are nomadic
- constantly searching for food and a warm thicket
to bed down in during the day. A bull elk, who
stands about one and a-half feet taller than a mule
deer, can run up to 35 mph, and during the rutting
season you may hear them "bugling" as they call to
their potential mates and warn off other bulls.
Where there are so many small forest critters as
well as deer and elk, there are predators, and deep
in the mountains we cross live both cougars and
black bears. The black bears have a very short
season to store enough fat to feed them all winter
while they snooze in some dark den, so they munch
all summer on whatever they can find. It's not
unusual to see tracks or scat of these fat,
lumbering old fellows where they have stepped in
some mud near a creek for a drink. If we're very,
very lucky, we may see one from a distance casually
crossing our trail on a path of his own. The cougar,
or puma, are even more reclusive, and few guides in
these mountains have yet to see more than sign that
one of these big cats have passed our way -- but,
you never know. . . . The smaller predators, such as
bobcats or coyotes, are more often seen and heard,
and the coyotes have been known to give us a thrill
when they howl as we tell tales on the porch of our
cabin at our new accommodations at the Alpine Lodge.
We have individual cabins with two rooms each with
queen beds that sleep either two or four. -
saddle time 4-5 hours.
Day 5 Our destination
today is the high pass of Venable. The trail may
wind through low-lying bogs, across downfall timber,
through dark groves of evergreens, past fields of
wildflowers, and ultimately will lead you above
timberline to a spectacular pass. Here you may hear
strange whistling sounds warning others we're coming
-- we're the invaders here. If you look closely, you
may see this whistler -- a rotund, waddling
funny-looking fellow known as a yellow-bellied or
mountain marmot. He's a friendly fellow who lives in
the rocks, subsists entirely on the greens of
summer, and then hibernates through the harsh
winter. That's "marmot," not "varmint.") It's an
incredible day of riding over a 13,000' pass to our
first glimpse of the vastness of the San Luis Valley
framed by each peak and ridgeline descending sharply
below us. If lucky, we have a quiet moment in the
brilliant sun to enjoy a picnic lunch on top the
world. These breath-taking, lofty views are perfect
locations to watch for some of our air-borne
predators: large, swift, powerful hawks and eagles
who swoop to dine from the skies. You may see
Swainson's hawks, red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered
hawks, and, most majestic of all, golden eagles.
Imagine what it is like to look down from your perch
on high to see a golden eagle soaring with a wing
span of over seven feet, or to see him perched
standing 3 feet tall! Exhilarated we descend back
down to happy hour and another excellent dinner at
the lodge to celebrate a great day. Saddle
time 5-6 hours.
Day 6 We’ll travel the Rainbow across
the range clear south to Horn Creek. Deep in the
trees you may see a sharp-shinned hawk, a Cooper's
hawk, or the northern goshawk. We have the option
for the gung ho to explore further up this valley or
depending on time we may just need to descend to our
waiting van. We're at the trailhead too soon. We
drive you back to Colorado Springs for a restful
evening in a big city hotel. Dinner on your
own. Saddle time 3-4 hours.
Day 7 Departure - Hotel shuttle
transfer is available to the airport.
Due to factors beyond our control, we occasionally
find it necessary to change the order or the route
of these activities. |
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