SNOW! As a ski instructor it’s what I live for. As a hiker it has meant unfulfilled attempts at a summits for me personally.When driving up Buckskin Gulch there is a point in the road where Mt. Democrat comes into view. When I reached that point this morning I looked up and saw the peak blanketed in the white fluffy stuff I crave. The whole range had been hit last night and covered in snow.
I set up my information table and began to count the folks braving the conditions. As folks stopped by I told them to be careful. With the snow covering the scree there was a serious danger of slipping and falling.
Most people were prepared for the arctic conditions that awaited them at the summits. Some were not. The folks that I visited with and advised them of the frigid conditions for the most part heeded my advice. But like everything else in life some just thanked me for my concern and naively trundled off.
After about an hour the first of the people that I talked to about being unprepared began to file back to the trail-head. The first folks back I had not talked to as they went up but they decided that today was not the day to bag these peaks.
As I was talking with the folks that turned back on their own another group of unprepared folks came up to the table. I asked the folks that had returned to explain to the folks that were about to ascent what the conditions were like when they turned around.
“Slippery, cold and dangerous” was their reply. The folks that were about to ascend took stock of what they had, listened to the folks that came back and decided that maybe today was not the day to summit these peaks.
At that same time another couple came by and told the same story of harsh conditions on the ascent to the saddle. The guy, of the two that just returned said that the rocks were glazed and that he fell four times before deciding to turnaround.
The peer to peer encounter was more effective than my explanation of the conditions they were about to encounter.
Luckily, just behind the pit toilets is the trail to Emma Lake. I pointed out this option and many of the people that weren’t willing to brave the conditions to summit took this option and still enjoyed their outdoor experience.
Along with the usual crush of hikers and dogs the Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) was continuing the trail restoration project on the skirt of Mt. Bross. It was great to be able to show the trail users how much time and effort is going into the maintenance of the trails.
More than a few folks wanted to know how to volunteer not only at LCD (Lincoln, Cameron, Democrat) but other trail projects around the state. I gave them LNT cards with CFI info and told them about the links to other sites.
Again, the overall response from the hikers, both ascending and descending was of surprise over the private ownership of these peaks. Today I encountered more people than usual that when informed that the summit of Mt. Bross was officially closed responded by saying, “Well I summited Bross anyway, what are you going to do about it?”
My response was of congratulations on completing the loop and letting them know that more than anywhere else in Colorado their actions are being scrutinized and have a direct effect on the access of these peaks.
I used the analogy of when you get your drivers license you are told to come to a complete stop at all stop signs but that people blow through them all the time. What is being asked of the users is to do the right thing and stop at all the stop signs or please respect the land owners wishes and not summit Mt. Bross this season and if all goes right with the land owners Mt. Bross will be officially open next season.
When presented with this line of reasoning almost all people understood and were left to decide for themselves. Hopefully when presented with the stop sign they would do the right thing. There were a few that tried to justify their "running the stop sign” by saying that no one was going to keep them from summiting. Giving the impression that it was their right to trespass.
When confronted with the “it’s my right” argument I turned the discussion to the fact that there is still gold and sliver ore located in these mining claims. I explained that if the price of those commodities rises to the point of being profitable the mine owners can begin extraction and then these peaks might be fenced off and patrolled.
When presented with a realistic mining scenario of closure those that previously asserted their right to summit had a better understanding of the fragility not only of the ecological climate but of the political climate.
Jim “J.J.” Jimenez
Alma, CO
10,400’
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