A walk toward the Divide with train viewing at each end
The South Boulder Creek Trail begins at the East Portal of the Moffat Tunnel, an engineering feat that bores under the Continental Divide for about six miles. The Moffat Tunnel story is fascinating but ancillary to the trail that parallels South Boulder Creek. As we got out of the car, we heard the whistle of a train coming up the valley. Of course, we waited, and were rewarded with a trio of Union Pacific locomotives hauling a very long chain of empty cars, heading to reload at the coal fields of northwestern Colorado.
Union Pacific locomotives soon to enter the Moffat Tunnel.
We started out on a blue-bird day with not a cloud in the clear blue sky. The trail, which enters the James Peak Wilderness almost immediately, was once upon a time a wagon road along the creek. It starts out wide and open mostly through a healthy-looking coniferous forest, with the creek audible below. The first mile of so of the trail features occsional creek crossings on sturdy bridges, a few old cabins or ruins and several meadows, and some raspberry bushes. Soon after the junction with the Forest Lake Trail, it re-enters the trees and winds up toward Rogers Pass. Wildflowers include several species of clover, lots of asters and plenty of goldeneye, which at this time of year cover the banks along roads. There were also lots of mushrooms. I’ve posted many plant pix this summer, so here are a few images of different subjects:
After the junction with the Forest Lake Trail, the South Boulder Creek narrows and crosses a lovely open meadow before re-entering the trees.
I can never remember what this plant is, and I can’t find it in my flower book. It is a low bush with willow-like leaves and these bright red berries hanging down from them. Anyone know?
I couldn’t resist taking this mushroom photo, because three large ‘shrooms were crowded together next to a decomposing log.
We passed the junction with the Crater Lake Trail but continued toward Rogers Pass. The trail is steep and parts with protruding rocks and exposed tree roots most of the way, which makes for slow going. The clouds rolled in after a time, and though we had more than 2 miles to go before we reached Rogers Pass Lake, we turned back.
We don’t like to keep ascending when the sky darkens, but several groups of backpackers were still heading up when we turned back. We heard the first distant thunder clap as we got near the trailhead and the car.
The coal train had welcomed us to East Portal, and Amtrak came by at the end of the day’s hike.