Descent into Dark Canyon: Kids Wild Fishing in Colorado's Raggeds Wilderness
The trout literally jumped to snag our hooks as we cast them time and again into the little swimming pools of Trout Creek as it cascaded through the brush, waterfalling from rock to rock. No, actually, that is just one of those rare memories from childhood that stands apart as a boggling phenomena, among couple of that I plainly remember. Beyond that I don't bank a great deal on my capacities to recall a great deal from years past, as well as this expedition into the Colorado backcountry almost feels like a journey to OZ.
Trout Creek was a tiny side creek to the Anthracite in western Colorado between Paonia and also Crested Butte up on Kebler Pass. I was 13 years old, and also trekking right into the Raggeds Wilderness with my friend Steve, his daddy and bro. We followed an odd thick trail around Marcellina Hill down right into the fabled Dark Canyon to fish as well as camp, complying with Anthracite Creek out to the other trailhead.
My family members had driven over Kebler Pass lot of times, and also Marcellina Hill stood tall as well as challenging right near the road, sticking out up in the Colorado backcountry to a soaring 11,348 feet within the Raggeds Wilderness. That we were in fact going to backcountry trek around that optimal, treking via the Raggeds Wilderness and also down famous Dark Canyon-- a childhood years desire come to life.
To arrive, we followed Highway 133 around 16 miles east up the North Fork of the Gunnison River from Paonia, Colorado to the road fork listed below Paonia Dam. Transforming right the road leads up Anthracite Creek 5 miles to Erikson Springs Camping area and also a switchback, the road leading up Kebler Pass. Around 5 miles past the switchback, forest Route 836, leads east into a high stand of aspens. Path 836 brings about Trout Creek following it down to Anthracite Creek and the heart of Dark Canyon, getting in touch with Path 830.
Our trail circled around Marcellina Hill looming high south of Dark Canyon. North people, the Raggeds Hills rose tall and also hard to reach as we functioned our means down toward Anthracite Creek. Here lay the marvel of the trek right into this tough backcountry. Going across into the Raggeds Wild, we struck Trout Creek, receiving our fishing guidelines from Steves dad. Issuing each of us a tiny barbless hook, we linked them to our lines, and were after that advised to enjoy.
Never ever since have I experienced such awe. Trout Creek, true to its name was teaming with trout as this wild little stream collapsed via the brush. Without any fly or bait on the hook I expected nothing. Instead to my disbelief, every cast right into a swimming pool listed below a rock motivated a rush of trout, all combating to grab that shiney reward hitting their waters. Each time-- boom-- a set of trout would strike, among them taking the prize as well as the factor of a hook. The majority of training course, were much as well little to be of any kind of use whatsoever as well as were all threw back-- hence the barbless hooks. As Steves Papa pointed out, we would catch ample for our dinner and also breakfast down on the Anthracite.
We young boys whooped and screamed at cast after cast. It was beyond unbelievable, coming under a category of sport angling I had actually never run into prior to. Functioning our means down the small creek with the brush we lastly struck Anthracite Creek, and headed down with the legendary Dark Canyon, a deep and mystical canyon through surrounding benchlands of aspen and also spruce. The canyon narrows with rimrock cliffs as well as collapse the outcrops above. The narrow valley as well as the walls of Dark Canyon enclose high over, casting deep darkness as the rock high cliffs increase 1,700 feet over the river in the darker stretches. As the day waned, the route blackened and slim, as it led with a deep woodland of aspen and also massive spruce trees.
Following our slim trail around 5 miles from our starts up on Kebler Pass roadway, as well as down into Dark Canyon, Steves papa recognized the best area to set up camp on the banks of Anthracite Creek. We established our meager resting quarters in a park-like setup under the imposing spruce. I strung my finest tarpaulin in between 2 trees, betting the corners and also figuring an excellent area to sleep on the ground with a couple of wool blankets Mommy was able to spare for this experience. Within mins after hitting the close-by pools of the Anthracite, we had more than enough fresh trout to ccommodate our nights eating satisfaction. Fortunately for us children, Steves dad was proficient at covering the trout in foil with butter, promptly preparing them in the campfire coals to absolutely nothing short of gourmet erfection.
The shadows expanded longer with a deep, dark night settling upon us, much down in Dark sc bike Canyon, a prime Colorado environment for bears in the heart of the Raggeds Wild. In spite of that short issue, our exhaustion from the days journey as well as exhilaration brought a deep, relaxed sleep to the bunch of us. Dawn came early even as the sunlight appeared to take forever to puncture into the canyon and also warm us. As another of those wonderful memories of this journey right into Dark Canyon, Steves father had rustled up an early morning catch of trout, and was once more foil cooking a mouthwatering breakfast on the campfire to begin our day.
We packed our equipment and later that early morning hit the road for the following 6 miles of trail to comply with the remainder of the method down with Dark Canyon. As the day advanced we stopped along the path to draw in yet even more fantastic trout, loading our limitations working our means down stream. The canyon and also the surrounding woodlands were a marvel as we functioned our method with old-growth spruce and aspen, with views back up the small side canyons towards the bordering peaks. Ultimately in late mid-day we straggled out the various other end at the trailhead at Erickson Springs Camping Site where Steves Mommy selected us up.
What an exceptional experience with Dark Canyon! Years later on that journey will certainly be reviewed beginning as well as finishing in the convenience of nearby motel holiday accommodations in Crested Butte or Delta, Colorado. The memories as well as the expectancy come flooding back.
