More Fun Stuff - Packing hunters in to Elk Park

Buddy had the opportunity to ride into Elk Park with Preston on a pack trip as they took two bow hunters to the Crazy Horse drop camp. A drop camp simply means the hunters are taken in and left for five days. If a hunter wants a "full-service" hunt the guide rides in and stays, helping the hunter spot game and also helping with the camp duties such as cooking meals and clean-up. Crazy Horse had several such camps but the main two they used were at Elk Park and farther into the Weminuche Wilderness at Granite. The only way in is on horseback or walking because no motorized vehicles are allowed in this area of the Wilderness. You can't even take a chain saw in! Colorado has a bow hunting season which starts the end of August, then a black powder (muzzle-loader) season, followed by 4 rifle seasons. The last season ends in November. With one of the largest elk and mule deer population in America, Colorado is a hunter's paradise. A great deal of the Pagosa economy revolves around hunting.
The ride to Elk Park is over one of the roughest trails we rode all summer. Much of it was quite rocky and full of roots, with a great deal of climbing, steep drop-offs and a very narrow trail in parts. It takes two and a half hours from the trail head (Poison Park) to get to the camp. We had to trailer the horses up to the trail head from the corral so with that, plus the 2 & 1/2 hour ride in, then back out, you end up with a full day with the horses. Ah...how fun. Though it was hard work, the scenery was absolutely gorgeous. This was a highlight of the summer for us.
The Road Runners
Buddy & Elaine
1 Thess. 5:18
PTL!