Colorado's posting draw results

labgrade · May 31, 2001, 01:01 PM

http://wildlife.state.co.us/database/index.html

Hyped! I am. The Wife & I both drew our preference for elk & deer. Just have to settle down till I can call my bud re his luck AND wait for antelope results.

Elks for cows (they eat real nice) & in a beautiful area which will have only had bowhunter pressure prior to the hunt. Deer is private land with very limited access.

Did I say I was hyped?

JohnDog · May 31, 2001, 10:52 PM

labgrade,

We missed out on our (second choice) on elk, but added another preference point (up to 8 now) to my licence. CDOW is going to send me an over the counter permit - looks like we will have to go to our regular elk camp. Where we have had a bit of success in the past few years <grin>.

Some friends of mine talked me into applying for a archery deer license - which we got with a secong choice application!! So now it looks like I have to become arrow boy! It's a big combo area including the Wet Mountains southwest of Pueblo and the east side of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Within an hour and a half trip from the Springs - so I might not be back from lunch a few times in the month of September!

JohnDog

Dan Morris · June 1, 2001, 06:58 AM

Congrats, we didn't get deer but drew cow. Will be back up by Steamboat Springs.
Dan

labgrade · June 1, 2001, 08:15 AM

JohnDog,

Have taken many a trip to the Wets & Sangres - nice area for turkeys.

BTW & as an aside, if you get a chance, try a backpacking trip up to Brush Lakes in the Sangres (east side & out of Hillsdale). Beautiful & the lower Brush is a killer trout lake early July. Be prepared for a goodly hike.

JohnDog · June 1, 2001, 12:13 PM

Labgrade,

I've hiked and climbed in them Sangres quite a bit, this will be my first time hunting there. Pulled a fish or two outa Brush Creek lakes myself. My personal favorites are Macey lakes - good fishing, great scenery, and a 12 mile hike to keep the rif-raf down.

JohnDog

KeithL · June 2, 2001, 09:27 AM

Johndog/labgrade- I have not dug out my maps yet to check out your information, but I will be doing a couple backpacking trips with my kids this summer. Any suggestions on trailhead location(s)for Brush & Macey lakes? Appreciate any suggestions!

labgrade · June 2, 2001, 08:05 PM

KeithL,

Start as high up as you can. Especially with kids - 'course, depending how old they are & how likely they are to keep pickin' 'em up & puttin' 'em down. The Sangres do get steep ...

Closest trailhead I know of to (lower) Brush Lake (upper lake is about another 1/2 mile or so + ~200+' higher) is a 4 mile hike & gets pretty "serious" the last mile. Nothing technical, but steep.

The town is Hillside (not Hillsdale - I always get it wrong) - first paved road west just south (~1/4 mile). Gets "stranger" from there ....

Can't find the map right now to put you on the right forest roads to get to the trailhead - will see if I can dig 'em up 6/3. Easy once you've been there but can be a bear if not - miss a turn or the FR sign has been removed & you get to drive around alot.

... nice woods though.

The Wet Valley isn't called that for nothin'. The Sangres can generate some terrific weather. Expect a hail storm every day about 1PM that last an hour w/attdendant thunder-boomers. These can be pretty ferocious. Won't necessarily happen, but expect it.

We've had to plow through 12-15' (yes, feet) snowdrifts in the middle of July the last 1/2 mile. Spent a week up there once in 50+ MPH winds (cast WITH the wind if you fish

) & quite a few mature trees got blown over.

Do be prepared for any type of weather - especially with kids.

Great lake (lower) to fish though & I swear we have gotten sick of catchin' 'em - 50+ a day per liar.

JohnDog · June 3, 2001, 11:26 PM

KeithL,

To get to Macey Lakes, you need to get to the Horn Creek trailhead. Go south out of Westcliffe on CO69, and just south of town take the Hermit lake road west. (this is the same road that went to the ski area if I remember). After a mile go south on Macey Lane. Go 5 miles south to Horn Creek road, and then take a right (west). Drive past the ranch and cabins to the trailhead. About a mile from the TH to the Rainbow trail, then about 2 miles south to Macey creek, and the up the valley to the lakes. Some of the other valleys, off of the Rainbow trail, have lakes that have shorter hikes to them, make sure you have a topo of this area before you go up there.

Ditto what Labgrade says about the weather! A lot of the high lakes in the Sangres can still not be open on the fourth. One of the worst storms (in any season) I have ever been in was in the middle of August while climbing Crestone peak (about 3 miles south of Macey Lakes). My climbing buddies and I were wearing full Gore-Tex storm gear, yet one friend was showing early sings of hypothermia when we got back to camp. It stormed all night, and we woke up to a foot of fresh snow the next morning. That was August 18th!

Of course I've also taken trips in the Sangres where I just wore hiking shorts and a T-shirt all weekend. Hope you have one of those trips.

Have Fun - JohnDog

labgrade · June 4, 2001, 09:40 AM

Well KeithL,

I can't find accurate directions for you. I'd suggest a new copy of the San Isabel Nat'l Forest map for best starters.

Take a look at Hillside (on CO Hwy 69), take the paved road just south & go west to them thar hills. The road turns to dirt quickly. There's a coupla ranches (across the road from each other) about 1.5 miles in - go past them & up the hill. Take your first left (across the cattle guard & heading directly at the mountains). You travel about 1 mile across private land till you hit another cattle guard & barbed wire fence - it's got a FS sign. Continue on past the turns to the left about another 1.5 miles. You'll come to a fork that backwards for you (you'll need to do a ~270 left turn - if you follow me). Stay on this road (there's a turn-off or two to the right - don't take 'em) & you'll dead end at a creek & ramshackle building. You're there.
This trail starts with a real steep hill for about a 1/2 mile, then you get to go down (lose most all your elevation gain) & start up. Not too bad a trail till the last 1/2 mile or so (second main creek crossing).

Sorry I can't provide better directions.

This is the closest (a 4-mile hike) I know how to do this one. There's another trailhead which starts south of Spruce creek at a horse corral. This one's about a 6 mile hike, though I swear it always takes at least twice as long.

Once you're at the lake, you'll be very glad you made it. Took my kids there a couple times when they were about 8 & 11 & it was (at times) a bit of a chore gettin' 'em to keep walking - but that's kids.

Drop me an e-mail & I'll fix you up with some stuff about the area, what works fishing there, etc.

May 31, 2001, 01:01 PM	#1
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	http://wildlife.state.co.us/database/index.html Hyped! I am. The Wife & I both drew our preference for elk & deer. Just have to settle down till I can call my bud re his luck AND wait for antelope results. Elks for cows (they eat real nice) & in a beautiful area which will have only had bowhunter pressure prior to the hunt. Deer is private land with very limited access. Did I say I was hyped?

May 31, 2001, 10:52 PM	#2
JohnDog Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Co Posts: 134	labgrade, We missed out on our (second choice) on elk, but added another preference point (up to 8 now) to my licence. CDOW is going to send me an over the counter permit - looks like we will have to go to our regular elk camp. Where we have had a bit of success in the past few years <grin>. Some friends of mine talked me into applying for a archery deer license - which we got with a secong choice application!! So now it looks like I have to become arrow boy! It's a big combo area including the Wet Mountains southwest of Pueblo and the east side of the Sangre de Cristo mountains. Within an hour and a half trip from the Springs - so I might not be back from lunch a few times in the month of September! JohnDog

June 1, 2001, 06:58 AM	#3
Dan Morris Senior Member Join Date: March 7, 2001 Location: Littleton, Colorado Posts: 342	Congrats, we didn't get deer but drew cow. Will be back up by Steamboat Springs. Dan

June 1, 2001, 08:15 AM	#4
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	JohnDog, Have taken many a trip to the Wets & Sangres - nice area for turkeys. BTW & as an aside, if you get a chance, try a backpacking trip up to Brush Lakes in the Sangres (east side & out of Hillsdale). Beautiful & the lower Brush is a killer trout lake early July. Be prepared for a goodly hike.

June 1, 2001, 12:13 PM	#5
JohnDog Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Co Posts: 134	Labgrade, I've hiked and climbed in them Sangres quite a bit, this will be my first time hunting there. Pulled a fish or two outa Brush Creek lakes myself. My personal favorites are Macey lakes - good fishing, great scenery, and a 12 mile hike to keep the rif-raf down. JohnDog

June 2, 2001, 09:27 AM	#6
KeithL Member Join Date: October 21, 2000 Posts: 24	Johndog/labgrade- I have not dug out my maps yet to check out your information, but I will be doing a couple backpacking trips with my kids this summer. Any suggestions on trailhead location(s)for Brush & Macey lakes? Appreciate any suggestions!

June 2, 2001, 08:05 PM	#7
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	KeithL, Start as high up as you can. Especially with kids - 'course, depending how old they are & how likely they are to keep pickin' 'em up & puttin' 'em down. The Sangres do get steep ... Closest trailhead I know of to (lower) Brush Lake (upper lake is about another 1/2 mile or so + ~200+' higher) is a 4 mile hike & gets pretty "serious" the last mile. Nothing technical, but steep. The town is Hillside (not Hillsdale - I always get it wrong) - first paved road west just south (~1/4 mile). Gets "stranger" from there .... Can't find the map right now to put you on the right forest roads to get to the trailhead - will see if I can dig 'em up 6/3. Easy once you've been there but can be a bear if not - miss a turn or the FR sign has been removed & you get to drive around alot. ... nice woods though. The Wet Valley isn't called that for nothin'. The Sangres can generate some terrific weather. Expect a hail storm every day about 1PM that last an hour w/attdendant thunder-boomers. These can be pretty ferocious. Won't necessarily happen, but expect it. We've had to plow through 12-15' (yes, feet) snowdrifts in the middle of July the last 1/2 mile. Spent a week up there once in 50+ MPH winds (cast WITH the wind if you fish ) & quite a few mature trees got blown over. Do be prepared for any type of weather - especially with kids. Great lake (lower) to fish though & I swear we have gotten sick of catchin' 'em - 50+ a day per liar.

June 3, 2001, 11:26 PM	#8
JohnDog Senior Member Join Date: January 3, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Co Posts: 134	KeithL, To get to Macey Lakes, you need to get to the Horn Creek trailhead. Go south out of Westcliffe on CO69, and just south of town take the Hermit lake road west. (this is the same road that went to the ski area if I remember). After a mile go south on Macey Lane. Go 5 miles south to Horn Creek road, and then take a right (west). Drive past the ranch and cabins to the trailhead. About a mile from the TH to the Rainbow trail, then about 2 miles south to Macey creek, and the up the valley to the lakes. Some of the other valleys, off of the Rainbow trail, have lakes that have shorter hikes to them, make sure you have a topo of this area before you go up there. Ditto what Labgrade says about the weather! A lot of the high lakes in the Sangres can still not be open on the fourth. One of the worst storms (in any season) I have ever been in was in the middle of August while climbing Crestone peak (about 3 miles south of Macey Lakes). My climbing buddies and I were wearing full Gore-Tex storm gear, yet one friend was showing early sings of hypothermia when we got back to camp. It stormed all night, and we woke up to a foot of fresh snow the next morning. That was August 18th! Of course I've also taken trips in the Sangres where I just wore hiking shorts and a T-shirt all weekend. Hope you have one of those trips. Have Fun - JohnDog

June 4, 2001, 09:40 AM	#9
labgrade Member In Memoriam Join Date: November 29, 1999 Location: west of a small town, CO Posts: 4,346	Well KeithL, I can't find accurate directions for you. I'd suggest a new copy of the San Isabel Nat'l Forest map for best starters. Take a look at Hillside (on CO Hwy 69), take the paved road just south & go west to them thar hills. The road turns to dirt quickly. There's a coupla ranches (across the road from each other) about 1.5 miles in - go past them & up the hill. Take your first left (across the cattle guard & heading directly at the mountains). You travel about 1 mile across private land till you hit another cattle guard & barbed wire fence - it's got a FS sign. Continue on past the turns to the left about another 1.5 miles. You'll come to a fork that backwards for you (you'll need to do a ~270 left turn - if you follow me). Stay on this road (there's a turn-off or two to the right - don't take 'em) & you'll dead end at a creek & ramshackle building. You're there. This trail starts with a real steep hill for about a 1/2 mile, then you get to go down (lose most all your elevation gain) & start up. Not too bad a trail till the last 1/2 mile or so (second main creek crossing). Sorry I can't provide better directions. This is the closest (a 4-mile hike) I know how to do this one. There's another trailhead which starts south of Spruce creek at a horse corral. This one's about a 6 mile hike, though I swear it always takes at least twice as long. Once you're at the lake, you'll be very glad you made it. Took my kids there a couple times when they were about 8 & 11 & it was (at times) a bit of a chore gettin' 'em to keep walking - but that's kids. Drop me an e-mail & I'll fix you up with some stuff about the area, what works fishing there, etc.