Vistisen Gravgaard

through the wilderness

I still cant believe it. Its been 4-0 or so years since that fateful summer. This splendid mera peak link has several lovely cautions for where to recognize it. My buddies Steve and Larry and I were around 1-2 years old when we were dropped off early in the day on a wet, dirty little path of the street off Highway 135 north of Gunnison, Colorado up toward Kebler Pass.

The mission: follow tracks up Pass Creek through the West Elk Wilderness Area, combination Castle and Swampy Passes at 11,086 legs, finally being released o-n the other side following Little Robinson Creek down returning at Coal Creek just up from the Paonia Reservior and Anthracite Creek.

I wonder and wonder to this day, what were these boys parents thinking? What could induce them to show 3 twelve year olds loose to get a trip through the West Elk Wilderness? We were on the trail way back in the back-country of Colorado for 3-days and nights, establishing camps, holding and fixing meals, fishing, cutting wood and fretting about bears and being lost. I and people I know with children that age today are not sure we'd even consider dropping them down on a wilderness path, seeing them 3-days later in problem at the other end.

On the years Ive wondered friends and family and the solution often comes home - its an alternative world today than it was 40 or 50 years ago. Kids will vary. At that age, we were outside constantly, leaving the house each morning and only to arrive when we were hungry or it was sleeping. On our bikes, we investigated the whole area, the river bottom on the North Fork of the Gunnixon, regional creeks, mountains and brings around Paonia, Colorado, day after day. Our parents seldom had a clear idea where we were. It was another world absent fear of kidnappings, only the beginnings of awareness of the problems of games, only occasional records of young ones dying in accidents and the like. A far more naive world probably, with less media hype of each and every single event.

Needless to say, Steve was a seasoned backpacker (at age 12?), experienced in moving paths, campsites and so on. The parents obviously thought we would be great. Or they just never told us and worried them-selves sick.

The three day journey started off on the right foot. Both legs in-fact were soaked as were the pants up to above the knee