PDA

View Full Version : I'm not tellin'....You'll have to ask rbaileydav



ksbioteacher
01-29-2010, 09:05 PM
Here's a story I posted on a local, club site towards the end of summer. Thanks to rbaileydav for the inspiration.

Last year on smallstreams.com I came across a great trip report by a guy with the internet id of "rbaileydav" who also happens to call the Creede area his home base in CO. In this report he described a fabulous backcountry trip but of course did not hotspot the location. However, no matter how careful you are when reporting trip reports, someone is going to figure out where you are talking about. His report haunted me for an entire year. Rbaileydav talked about being in a beautiful wilderness valley with a creek teeming with really good sized cuts, rainbows, browns and a few brooks. I'm been pondering, looking for clues, wondering if he might have flipped his photos so to throw off the readers that wanted to locate this fishing paradise. He did mention that the hike in and out was pretty tough. I scoured my maps and Google Earth. Eventually I found enough clues that I was able to offer up two or three different candidate creeks. Number one on my fishing agenda this summer was to find this place where one could experience the old time Colorado fly fishing experience. Early on this trip I suddenly remembered another creek that I had always wanted to fish. Searching for a trail in, I suddenly realized that I had found the secret location.....

No, I'm not going to tell you where it is. I might take you there if we can work out a schedule--blindfolded of course. I will tell you that it's pretty silly to do what I did--hike in and out in one day (about 12 miles)--you just don't get to fish as much as you should for an area like this. This is a place to be savored and not a place to rush in and out. Here's a short account of my trip but you'll want to read rbaileydav's report (http://forums.flyfisherman.com/forum/rocky-mountains/high-country-snow), too

I left the cabin by 7 in the morning and made it to the trailhead at 8:00. On the way up to the trail head I encountered a mature bull moose in the road that jogged in front of my truck for about 1/2 mile. Great way to start the morning. The particular hike that I faced had me a bit concerned. A couple of years ago, my niece, out climbed me on a 14,000 ft. peak nearby, serving notice that I was not getting any younger. Five years ago, I would have had no concerns about this hike but I hadn't tried anything quite like it over the last couple of years. The hike starts at about 10,500 and goes mostly downhill to about 9200. I hate downhills but I knew I could do it. I was more concerned about the hike out after a day of fishing. Turns out I didn't have anything to worry about--the hike in took about 2 hours and the hike out took 2 1/4 hours--but it was still tiring.

Most of the first half of the walk goes through this high alpine meadow following the headwaters of a small creek. Here's the start of the trail.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2578/3793298010_a8af4ebb65.jpg

I should have taken time to fish this creek--I saw fish but don't know if they are cuts or brooks. I'll find out next year.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2432/3793298210_62edede033.jpg

Here's about half way in. The problem is that most of the elevation change takes place over the next mile.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2506/3793298642_8a1f10a51c.jpg

The creek has a lot of different habitat. Here's one of the holes in the canyon section.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2443/3792484171_d85ec8a25d.jpg

Here's what the creeks looks like in the meadow section.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2466/3793299098_63ec2b0d47.jpg

Here's what you find.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2538/3793299262_124c4599b1.jpg

In this pool I had a large rainbow take my EHC drifted in front of this boulder. She immediately went into serious acrobatics with 3 quick leaps completely out of the water--you know the rest of this sad tale.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2571/3792483971_54e6476e6d.jpg

One more.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3488/3792483321_b91f1f51f4.jpg

I do worry some about this creek. There was an outfitters camp right in the heart of the place. I started fishing there because I wanted to see if the camp had an impact on the fishing. I've got to say that I found the fish widely separated, spooky (to be expected), but consistently on the large size. I left after only 3 hours of fishing so that I had ample time to hike out. If I'd known how long the hike out was going to take, I'd fished a couple more hours.

Next time, I'm camping for at least one night.

BW

Satoshi
01-31-2010, 07:06 PM
So, you have been to the heaven too!
It's almost unbelievable there is such a place on earth.
Thank you for sharing.

wrknapp
01-31-2010, 08:21 PM
Very nice. There are places in Idaho just like that. Only a two hike in. Not bad. A few days next summer should reveal many of its secrets. Have fun and take pictures.

Randy

ksbioteacher
01-31-2010, 08:50 PM
rbaileydav has a very interesting follow-up to his trip to this creek.....perhaps he'll share it.

BW

gusstrand
02-01-2010, 12:48 PM
Dick has LOTS of interesting follow-ups... LOL... :lol:

Where has he been? Haven't seen him here lately...

Brooktrout
02-01-2010, 01:17 PM
that's cool, and some nice pics too.

there is an awesome high country native cutthroat stream that a local guide takes people to in an area i fish. i have been trying to figure out where it is for a couple of years now, with no success. i guess i will just have to have him guide me there once so i can learn where it is.

rossa
02-01-2010, 03:31 PM
Some lovely photos, not what you want to be looking at when you're stuck in an office.

jmp
02-01-2010, 09:37 PM
Amazing! I've always wanted to fish the Colorado high country. Thanks for sharing the pictures.

ksbioteacher
02-02-2010, 01:36 PM
Thanks for the kind words....

Satoshi...This stream's headwaters are truly spectacular. Perhaps I'll head up that way next summer. There's another high country stream that is a bit closer to heaven at least to me (sentimental reasons)...the fish are native cutthroats, very willing to come a dry fly, but they run smaller than this stream.

Brooktrout....you could pay the guide but I suspect you'd have more fun if you searched and found it, yourself. I've recently figured out another stream that I will definitely fish, next summer---one I had heard about like your cutthroat stream but couldn't quite place it. I can hardly wait but I have to since it is under several feet of snow right now.

rossa---sorry about the office problem. I'm in the same boat.

rossa
02-02-2010, 02:56 PM
Are little streams like that abundant, in the sense that if you went somewhere new that you'd likely find fishable streams.
Something like your post is my idea of a great fishing trip, I especially like the look of that pool with the rock.

ksbioteacher
02-02-2010, 06:01 PM
Rossa...

There are others here infinitely more qualified to answer your question than me. However, I'll share my thoughts on your questions as they pertain to this country. Perhaps get a discussion going.

Except in marginal trout areas I would say that in my experience streams with at least some of the qualities that this one have are very abundant--more than can be fished part-time. Generally, though, I think you have to seek out wilderness areas or remote areas to have the full complement of qualities that this stream has. While I don't want to hotspot, the Creede area is the headwaters of the Rio Grande on one side of the divide and then there are two other watersheds on the other. There are at least 4 wilderness areas within 50 miles. With all that water there are dozens and dozens of small potential streams--some with road access, some with 4WD access, and some you have to hike or horseback into. The amount of effort required to reach a stream usually correlates with the quality of the experience. (larger fish, dry flies, few if any other anglers, etc.) I figure I could spend a lifetime and not really explore all these streams in that area of Colorado/northern New Mexico. I have found similar situations in other areas that I've explored---northern Colorado, the driftless area in the upper midwest, the Shenandoah, upstate New York and Missouri....

I am a information nut and a map fanatic. I find it easy to spend hours on Google Earth looking for potential new fishing areas/streams. A trip report on a forum with only a few clues will send me on a virtual exploration that can last for hours. Likewise, I'll scour all the books, magazine articles, conservation dept. sites and any web info that I can find about an area to plan my trip. Public access is really important. I find that some of the famous rivers and destinations often have great and more isolated fishing in their headwaters. If you are exploring out west there are a couple of situations that can limit the exploration experience. Some watersheds are simply not productive or perhaps there is damage due to mine leaching in the watershed and the other is that some watersheds were decimated by whirling disease.

Since you are part of this site, I'm guessing that you spend quite a bit of time thinking, researching destinations---the biggest barrier (for me anyway) is just getting the wheels in motion. There are no secret, large watersheds. Pick one that has a good reputation for fish---likely the tributaries and headwaters will also. I'm not aware of many large river systems in a wilderness area in Colorado--in fact the larger rivers often define the boundaries of the wilderness. If there was one then I imagine the fishing could be fantastic---like the Gunnison in the Black Canyon. Find a camping area or small town---put up a tent or rent a cabin for a week and start exploring. Know your limits. I've got to admit, I do way too much exploring alone and it would be better to find a partner. I take a number of extra precautions when I'm alone. Hence, the decisions explained in the trip report. At my age, though, I'm finding fewer folks, willing to 4 wheel for 2 hours and then hike for 3-5 hours just to see how the fishing is. If you are not comfortable and experienced in the back country then focus on streams with some degree of road access. The biggest brown, I've caught was caught next to a busy highway on public access.

Sometimes the local flyshops will help out with some clues to good candidate streams but in general I find that their advice (unless you are often returning customer) is pretty generic and targeted to the well known public waters. However, I've also found that when you ask a specific question about a given stream (no matter how remote) you know you are going to try---they'll some times offer up a little jewel of advice. They or their guides have fished most of the water in the area--if they haven't they aren't going to be in business long.

If you are like me, after your first trip to such an area, you will have gained so much first-hand knowledge of the area that you'll be faced with a conundrum---come back to this area and explore it more thoroughly to branch out to new areas. You'll just keep adding must-fish streams to your list. I fish a lot with one guy (not on this list). He and I try to spend each summer camping our way through some part of Colorado---trying all kinds of streams in various watersheds. With a limited time available to us we have to stay flexible---the weather might create a situation where one watershed is blown out and we'll have to move to another---or we may try and follow a greendrake hatch upstream. But there are some streams/areas that we cherish---I can't wait to get him out to this stream next summer, if his knee continues to hold up.

BW

fisheatflies
02-02-2010, 08:50 PM
Those pictures made my heart race! Thank you so much for sharing (and also rbailydave). I hope to find some gems this summer in my area to get away from the hussle and bussle of the daily grind. The pictures remind me of hiking the uintas in NE Utah when I was younger. Make's me mourn for the summer to come.

Mike

ofuros
02-03-2010, 05:07 AM
Nice piece of detective work.....all part of the anticipation/build up for that future fishing trip.
Beautiful area.My heart is full of longing......

rbaileydav
03-28-2010, 03:46 PM
Somehow i missed this when it was first posted and yes it was a great piece of detective work and non of us mind a guy finding our seceret spots as long as they do the home work and the leg work to get there. Here is the original that started this thread and be sure to skip to the next one for the exciting conclusion that is too wierd to be true ....... but is

High Country Snow

Some of the world’s greatest fishing trips start as a vague rumor, big trout in the headwaters of XXX stream right above the lake… those streams you always hear murmurings about but can never get details or exact locations. When I asked direct questions I always had someone look away from my eyes and then say “try that other stream it seems to fish better”… or “such and such stream is an easier hike” … or even the dreaded “I never heard of that stream” … from a guy who knows every trickle of water and mud puddle in the four county area. So I spent hours pouring over the Delorme trying to pinpoint the exact trail and location. As I studied and planned the excitement and buzz begins to grow, till soon the anticipation of the trip far exceeded the potentially exaggerated size of the trout in the rumors. By the time I actually got the trip scheduled it felt like my anticipation would cause me to explode. The surge of desire to be in the woods grew to the point that my work actually suffered from neglect as fishing lust took over all of the limited space in my poor fishing infected brain. It seemed like years before I finally found myself with all of my camping stuff spread out all over the couch, the tent set up on the living room floor and fly lines stretched out all over the kitchen table… wondering how I could ever get all of this “stuff” stuffed into my backpack. If you’re from the south you know what they say about trying to “shove 10 pounds of “stuff” in a five pound bag”. Yet somehow you work with it and rearrange it 5 times before eventually you get it all stuffed in there, there is nothing better than that freshly organized and well packed backpack……… with me the awe of a well organized backpack ends at the living room floor because I know that by the time I hit the trailhead I will have suddenly remembered something critical that will require me to go digging through my pack only to find it at the very bottom after trashing any traces of a well organized and balanced pack.

Yet against seemingly astronomical odds, I eventually found myself sitting on a plane high above the clouds feeling that rush of just beginning a fishing adventure in route to “Cool Colorful Colorado”. Anytime I get to return to the Creede area it is magical for me, I have been returning to this section of Colorado for 43 years. As I the turn at South Fork and start up the road through Wagon Wheel Gap and the Rio Grande river my blood pressure drops twenty points, my casting arm begins to twitch uncontrollably and my driving becomes more erratic than a 90 year old lady as I can barley look at the road for staring at the beckoning beauty of each hole and pocket of water in the river. Somehow I managed to safely arrive at my destination on the river, practically bolting through the family cabin and knocking my mother aside until I reached the back porch, standing in the glow of the mountains and listening to the roar of the river below. Standing at the one spot in the world I dream about day after day……..

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/41471/2397603870038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/24754/2624688090038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/43510/2841954190038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

That sight of the snow pack seeps slowly into my soul replacing the heat and pressure of my daily life in Atlanta. I am finally home……. At least for a little while.

This is a weird year in that I am planning to spend most of my time in Creede on a backpacking adventure. A friend I first met at freshman orientation at the University of Arkansas 30 years prior had happened to call me while I was at freshman orientation at Georgia Southern University with my oldest son and wanted to go fishing together like old times…….. well with a coincidence of that magnitude and the chance to go fishing I had quickly invited him to join me on my journey to find my rumored mystery stream. He had agreed and flown into Colorado and was going to meet me at the cabin. Soon enough we were at what I hoped upon hope was the correct trailhead. Struggling into our packs.

http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/43594/2728346890038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Which clearly shows that you can’t really fit that 10 pounds of stuff into a 5 pound bag …. You just have to strap it to the outside like a true redneck. Just as I predicted, I did have to dig through my pack and screw up the whole thing … note to self never pack your camera at the bottom of the pack. But the scene at the top of the trailhead was too spectacular to resist.

http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/40322/2325494020038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

The first part of the trail was a soft gentle slope downward and showed promise of a nice easy stroll … just like a baby grizzly looks cuddly and gentle till they grow into man eaters…….. I headed out first making good time, leading the way

http://inlinethumb52.webshots.com/41011/2338198980038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

For ……… oh about a hundred yards or so before my in shape 10k running friend passed in a blur and left me hiking down the trail with only the rasping of my ragged breathing for company. The trip through the open parks wasn’t that bad though and I was feeling really confident, although feeling a lot out of shape and out of breath by the time I had completed the first 3 miles to a cut off that I thought signaled that we were almost there. It was beautiful.


http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/19165/2139547160038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Until I realized the obvious that any stream I was looking for wasn’t gonna be up here at the top of the pass it had to be way down there at the bottom. And in fact the stream was at the bottom and even fairly close … if you are dealing with distance as a bird travels but the 19 switch backs along a 3 mile decent combined with the 1300 feet drop from 10950 at the top of the mountain to 9650 at streamside almost killed me. I still say going down is harder than coming up…….. at least that is what I kept telling myself so the thought of the climb out four days from now didn’t cause me to commit suicide. But I couldn’t focus on the beauty all I could think about was that quarter of an inch of blue ink that looked so simple on the Delorme that now threatened to send my leg trembling self, plummeting down the mountain in a tangle of legs, arms and pack. And unfortunately I actually thought that would be better way to accomplish this descent than the way I was currently stumbling and inching downward ….. I don’t think this guy knew how close he came to getting mugged by being beaten over the head with a Schaaf rod tube and his horse stolen to carry me to the bottom.

http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/13143/2226699770038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Why do guys on a horse always say “about two more miles but it should be an easy hike”.

Eventually I stumbled to within ear shot of the sound of the stream far below me lost in the firs and willows. My heart and mind finally regained hope that I might actually make it and I went into auto pilot that lasted till I had my tent set up and we had camp secured. We had been too tired to scout around much but we did find a small bench of fairly flat land right next to the stream, way off the trail, sheltered in a stand of beautiful tall firs and surrounded by rocky canyon wall on all sides. It was truly a stunning camp sight

http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/24969/2122830600038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

But as beautiful as our surroundings were and as beautiful as the stream was I couldn’t stop that nagging worry that niggled at my brain… … MAYBE THE RUMORS ABOUT THE FISHING WERE FALSE … MAYBE THERE WOULDN’T BE ANY FISH AT ALL. It would be just my luck to practically kill myself hiking down into a stream valley without any fish. My friend Monty, the one who is in shape, said this water didn’t look all that good to him and maybe if it wasn’t any good we could hike out tomorrow and look for another place…….. my legs and brain laughed hard, as there wasn’t anyway I was hiking out of here for quite some time. So a few minutes later my fingers were practically trembling as I strung my Schaaf Creede 4 wt bamboo, or maybe that was the leftover oxygen depravation from the hike. I stepped out past the tents into a beautiful shoot of water that rushed next to a steep sheer canyon wall. The light was already starting to fade here at the bottom of the valley.

http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/5078/2654097780038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

The first few casts as always were awkward and clumsy... … but soon enough I found a rhythm and began to feel my heart rate and my worries subside and calm … the best part of the trip had finally begun. About four casts later I saw a dark shape detach from the bottom and trail my stimulator for a foot or so before gently sucking it in with a soft swirl. I set instinctively and smiled to myself as the rod came up tight and fast to the first fish of the trip, less than 5 minutes into our fishing. My congratulatory thoughts were cut short as the fish nearly ripped my little blonde rod from my hands as she made a mad dash to the fast water next to the rock wall, stripping line in great bursts as she bulled her way back upstream……… hold on tight …… game on…….. My little blonde was tougher than the rainbow so soon enough I held a gorgeous dark colored rainbow with red gill plates that were so garishly painted with large bright red cheeks she looked like a hooker from New Orleans. She taped a little over 16 inches…… from a small Colorado back country stream……….

http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/19086/2432466020038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

I thought of the rumor of big beautiful fish in this particular stream and a single response formed in my brain … immortalized in the classic cinematic drama known as “Blazing Saddles” in response to another of life’s great rumors………. “IT’S TRUE … IT’s TROOOOOOOOOO”

I fished for about an hour till darkness and the chill finally chased me off the water. Each new bend of the river brought more beautiful water and more beautiful fish. About ten more fish completed my warm welcome to their valley, including a Colorado slam of bow, brown, cutthroat and brookie. All were larger than expected and gorgeous. I was practically floating as I hit camp and got dinner on the grill. The smell of a campfire, great steaks, a little bourbon, a great cigar and a long hard hiked combined with a few good fish soon enough sent us to our tent with visions of rising trout dancing in our heads while visions of diamond like stars cast across the heavens blinked above, we hit the tents for a much needed night of rest.

The next morning dawned cool, clear and gorgeous. We ate a hurried breakfast eager to start the days fishing and exploration. We knew we had about 8 miles of water to choose from and only the two of us to share it which is one of life’s greatest luxuries. So we split up and Monte staid down and fished the canyon section and I hiked upstream from the camp not sure what I would find but confident it would be wonderful…. Little did I know…

The trail led up over a beautiful canyon that afforded a perfect framable view of the white water pocket water below.
http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/42986/2693347080038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Leading to a first glance at one of the prettiest stretches I had ever seen

http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/43535/2680769020038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

And a few seconds later to a view of one of the prettiest valleys I had ever seen

http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/28135/2383258770038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

I just stood there drinking in the view, it was like cool, cool water running into the well of my memories helping me store the calm and cool that are needed to help me get through my daily life in the years to come. No matter how beautiful the pictures are the memory that is burned into my head and heart is brighter and sharper than anything film can capture ……. To my dying day the first site of that valley, the open glittering of the ribbon of stream water and the cooling effect of the high country snow cap at the head of the valley will forever be a vital part of me. That snow cap drew me toward it and held my mind and my heart……….. a vision that even weeks later hasn’t receded or dimmed in the slightest.

Eventually even the beautiful scenery couldn’t hold me and the fishing lust drew me down the slope to the stream below. The sunlight glittered on the water as I stepped into the icy crisp current for the first casts of the day.

http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/19808/2202881500038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

The anticipation and build up wasn’t even close to the wonders that the scene from the top promised……. The actual fishing far exceeded my wildest hopes. The first few holes were yielding two to three fish in the 15 to 18 inch range per hole. All rose out of a cobbled colored bottom rising through gin clear water with a slashing predator’s vengeance at my big yellow stimulator. I took pictures of the first few taking time to get just the right pose of fish, scenery and the beauty of my little blonde bamboo. But eventually I was catching so many fish pictures seemed to be pointless and I put my camera away and focused my memories on creating the images. The stream was so open that casting was a thing of beauty even with the slight wind that blew off the snow cap. The columbine and Indian paint brush were in bloom and hundreds of other wild flowers…… leaving the surrounding green of the valley dotted with patches of color, the blue spruce were prevalent casting that cool bluish green that just send peace and calm through out a man. Yet my eyes were continually drawn to the majesty of the peaks rising out of the head of the valley and the snow caps resting on their crown, the mother of this wonderful stream, the source of all the color and beauty that was the valley floor. I was catching so many fish that the strikes that I missed because I was watching the beauty of the world around me more than the fly weren’t even mourned. The fish were so eager that the next or even the next good cast would bring a second or third chance. It was a day of catching ……. Some of the best catching I have ever had the joy of being part of ……. but the star of the day was the stream and the scenery. I took hundreds of pictures thinking each one to be a masterpiece, content that my memories were captured in pictorial splendor. The valley was fading into twilight as I finally headed back to camp. The campfire was blazing and the brawts were sizzling ….. Monte and I spent the evening talking and catching up on each others lives re-connecting in a way only a campfire can bring about.

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/40375/2212719020038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

When I woke up the next morning the rising sun was already pinpointed on the stream. The river was in spectacular color and scenery….. these were classically beautiful holes.

http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/19669/2824983110038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/10918/2242702170038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/19536/2409508260038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Monte had caught some fish with his spinning rod the previous day but was now ready to do some fly-fishing. He had done some fly fishing before but was not as comfortable with a fly rod as with a spinning rod so it was time to change that and convert my good friend to the most wonderful addiction I knew of. I knew that the fish were willing, the stream accessible and open…… what more could you ask for in a fly fishing training ground. I passed on a few pointers and settled back into a coaching roll. Fortunately, I didn’t have too long to wait as soon I saw his big stimulator disappear in a virtual geyser of white and heard him whoop with delight. His rod bent nearly double and a look of concentration filled his face.

http://inlinethumb36.webshots.com/42979/2829970220038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

His determination paid off as he finally landed a beautiful cutbow

http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/42206/2675346180038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

And the look of triumph on his face left little doubt in my mind that Monte had a lot of fly-fishing in his future.

http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/15606/2604967090038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

About that time disaster struck, I had his camera and my own in my hands trying to snap the pictures and in my usual state of grace and coordination stumbled in the white water I was standing in. The cameras juggled and fell but I deftly managed to grab Monte’s only to watch mine plummet into the foaming white water. I felt my stomach drop, as I crossed the few feet to hand Monte’s back to him and dashed back to plunge my arm into the icy depths where I had last seen mine. As you may have already guessed the fast white water current dominated the next 100 yards of stream and the camera was swept to a hiding place under a rock somewhere in that boiling mass of water never to be found by me. Strangely enough my first crushing feelings of loss weren’t for the expensive waterproof digital camera, which had only been purchased a few weeks prior …… but for the hundreds of pictures that I had already spent hours trying to craft to capture the various sights and memories already created in this adventure……. All gone and lost at the bottom of the stream. It made me want to cry, not the camera but the missing pictures … I use those pictures to capture the trip and to sustain me in the year ahead so I can look at my screensaver and my computer in the rush and blur of a busy day and feel just a momentary sense of the calm and beauty of this wonderful valley … yet those pictures were gone…… or where they…. I finally realized that the camera was gone but the memory of those sights and sounds was still in my heart and mind…… and fortunately for both of us I had only been stupid enough to drop one of the cameras not both so I still had Monte’s pictures to help trigger my memories and to fill the pages of this story……. Yet somehow it isn’t quite the same…… but almost…… thanks Monte for going back and recreating some of those pictures with me.

The fishing soon enough cleared my mind of the blow of losing the camera and we split up for a while to get some serious fishing in. I was confident that Monte would catch plenty of fish with his new found fly rod skills and as his pictures prove he did. I know you guys always complain that I don’t shoot enough grip and grin fish porn for you so here are a few of Monte’s fish for you

http://inlinethumb04.webshots.com/18115/2335428990038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/27097/2930659040038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/8495/2275225030038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Even a brookie
http://inlinethumb16.webshots.com/41679/2675269770038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

We caught up with each other later in the afternoon and took a few shots of each other fishing in this wonderful scenery.

http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/40709/2915097820038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/12113/2183634780038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

And even a couple pictures of us after catching fish, a feat that wasn’t too hard to do but sure was fun.

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/43647/2727862850038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb55.webshots.com/38838/2832527760038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

After that I had Monte take a few scenery shots that I love so much … ones with nobody in them for my own memories.

http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/15991/2473901890038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/24326/2381983310038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/43776/2039749560038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/28126/2353280250038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

The end of the afternoon found us far up the valley, with storms threatening but somehow I just couldn’t pull myself away from the sight of that high country snow at the head of the valley. I felt like I was in a trance of scenic beauty and natural grace. A trance I didn’t want to wake up from. I though Monte had already turned back to the trail and camp as I focused on one last look. I was trying to burn one last memory of an amazing valley and an amazing trip into my heart and brain.

http://inlinethumb46.webshots.com/27181/2873727340038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/36604/2105100390038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/43993/2543096370038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

The last brushes of daylight found me back at my favorite spot overlooking the valley with a few more of my favorite things.

http://inlinethumb03.webshots.com/43522/2381819230038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

What a way to end the last full day of our camping adventure.

I would love to say that I slept rested and relaxed that night but visions of dying on the hike back out of here and up that mountain did plaque my sleep. We had planned an early start and I had barley fallen asleep when the sun rise and Monte shaking the tent woke me. I took one last gasp of the scenery like a cool drink of water …..

http://inlinethumb45.webshots.com/16364/2844559750038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Strapped on the pack and headed up the mountain.

http://inlinethumb30.webshots.com/13917/2129860470038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

I made progress slowly, very slowly and soon was far behind Monte. My dreams of heart attacks had me moving slowly and stopping frequently to let my heart rate slow back down. I was like the world’s worst football team……… 9 yards and punt……. 8 yards and punt…6 yards and punt…… but somehow …… some way… I managed to make it back up the 19 switch backs, the 3 mile ascent, and up the 1300 feet elevation rise to the 10,950 feet at the top of the mountain. And it wasn’t even that bad……. Maybe because I knew that I had to tell myself it was easy because this was a trip I was going to take again in the future……. No matter what.

From there the hike was a breeze……… well not exactly a breeze but certainly easier as we pushed up through the open parks and back to the trailhead.

http://inlinethumb49.webshots.com/42352/2481622490038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb41.webshots.com/14888/2564491320038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

Soon enough I was nearing the top. Monte had already dropped his pack at the car and had come back to see if I was gonna make it and to laugh at my fat ass……

http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/25936/2578844370038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

But somehow I made it……… alive

http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/40189/2772756310038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

I turned for one last look, watched the far off hills and visualized the valley, the stream and that wonderful snow capped peak rising out of the valleys head. Dan Fogelberg’s “High Country Snow” playing in my head. I silently said thanks to God for all of the things in this life that make it so special. For my family, for starlight, for firelight, for the sound of the rushing water, for unspoiled valleys, for big eager brightly colored fish, for scenery beyond compare, for special friends to share the experience with and finally for that vision of the valley to provide cooling relief to me through out the year when I don’t think I can stand the pressure and stress any more ……… just a thought and a mental picture and I can be back there in the peace and tranquility that is the land of the high country snow.

http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/43294/2518860190038253715S500x500Q85.jpg


Thanks Monte.

DD
rbaileydav

rbaileydav
03-28-2010, 03:47 PM
Somehow i missed this when it was first posted and yes it was a great piece of detective work and non of us mind a guy finding our seceret spots as long as they do the home work and the leg work to get there. Here is the follow up story that was mentioned.

Defying The Odds

Sometimes you stumble upon an event that simply defies the odds and stretching the imagination so far that it simply reeks of fate. My fishing partner Monte and I have been witness to several such occurrences from running into each other at the bar of Harry Cary’s in Chicago when I lived in Atlanta and he lived in Seattle, to pushing a canoe through the grass banks of an Arkansas small mouth stream and having a 15 inch smallmouth literally jump into the canoe. But nothing prepared us for this story.

In July of 2008 Monte and I backpacked and fished a stunningly beautiful stream in the Creede Colorado area. We had a marvelous trip but it was slightly marred when I dropped my new waterproof camera in a white water rapid run and we weren’t able to find it as it tumbled down the stream even though we looked for several hours. Here is what I wrote about it at the time.

“About that time disaster struck, I had his camera and my own in my hand trying to snap a couple pictures and in my usual state of grace and coordination stumbled. The cameras juggled and fell but I deftly managed to grab Monte’s only to watch mine plummet into the foaming white water. I felt my stomach drop, as I crossed the few feet to hand Monte’s back to him and dashed back to plunge my arm into the icy depths where I had last seen mine. As you may have already guessed the fast white water current dominated the next 100 yards of stream and the camera was swept to a hiding place under a rock somewhere in that boiling mass of water never to be found by me. Strangely enough my first crushing feelings of loss weren’t for the expensive waterproof digital camera, which had only been purchased a few weeks prior …… but for the hundreds of pictures that I had already spent hours trying to craft to capture the various sights and memories already created in this adventure……. All gone and lost at the bottom of the stream. It made me want to cry, not the camera but the missing pictures … I use those pictures to capture the trip and to sustain me in the year ahead so I can look at my screensaver and my computer in the rush and blur of a busy day and feel just a momentary sense of the calm and beauty of this wonderful valley … yet those pictures were gone…… or where they…. I finally realized that the camera was gone but the memory of those sights and sounds was still in my heart and mind…… and fortunately for both of us I had only been stupid enough to drop one of the cameras not both so I still had Monte’s pictures to help trigger my memories and to fill the pages of this story……. Yet somehow it isn’t quite the same…… but almost…… thanks Monte for going back and recreating some of those pictures with me.”

And that I thought was the end of the story ……… but…………. Monte had the privilege of going back to the same stream for a quick backpacking adventure in late July of this year, over a year since our original trip. He indicated it looked like no one else had camped in our site since the last time we were there as the wood we had stacked for the fire was untouched. He had a great trip and obviously managed a lot of time on the stream. Well amazingly as he was wading the stream through a backwater eddy area his foot kicked a flash of metal out from behind a rock and he bent down reached into the water only to find my camera still underwater and with the strap hung to a stick that had tethered the camera behind the rock eddy pool. Well being the prankster that he is, he simply dried the camera off and mailed it back to me as a surprise when he got home with a note telling me how he had found it. Well you can imagine my surprise when I tore open the package and saw my camera laying there. The metal was unbelievably worn and scratched from a year bouncing along under the water of a cold alpine trout stream at almost 10,000 feet. I was amazed that it was even still in one piece. Well on a whim I opened the camera up and was even more amazed to see that other than a small deposit of river sand the inside looked to be in marvelous shape and the memory card actually looked like it might be okay. I pulled it out and plugged it into my computer and after a lengthy boot………. It came up perfectly and all of the pictures were as clear and perfect as the day I had taken them. All of my lost memories were back in full color and splendor and I was beyond amazed………… but as they say on cheap tv commercials “but wait there’s more” when I charged the battery and plugged it back into the camera ….. it booted up and all functions still worked. The picture quality was reduced from the scratching and dirt but amazingly enough after 13 months of bouncing along the bottom the camera still worked and still took pictures. If that isn’t an amazing testament for the toughness of this camera I don’t know what would be. The camera is a Pentax Optio W20 ………. Need I say more about the toughness of this little camera.

Well since I had taken the pictures originally to share with you guys ….. I decided to share them with you now almost thirteen moths later. Since I told the story the first time I will keep my long winded descriptions to a minimum this time. A minimum for me is still pretty long winded however.

This stream is absolutely gorgeous and getting to relive my trip there thirteen months later was a wonderful way to feel like I got to visit again………and I severely needed that revisit….. even if it was virtual.

Here is the broad view of the valley, quite a site to start a days fishing.

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/43438/2670806200038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/43818/2335069390038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb38.webshots.com/43365/2626976410038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

But as pretty as the valley overview is the fishing is even more amazing. These three fish all three came from the same stretch of water.

http://inlinethumb19.webshots.com/45778/2525632120038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb31.webshots.com/44894/2561434080038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/25771/2263233700038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

And this is the hole they came out of ………. As pretty as the fish

http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/42960/2464658650038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

And that was one of the first holes of the trip which really set the stage of a day of beauty mixed with a day of fish.

http://inlinethumb54.webshots.com/45301/2646744170038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/45564/2265206030038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/43711/2582305760038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb47.webshots.com/36270/2860839970038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/45317/2530508910038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb37.webshots.com/42404/2183783030038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/34464/2704994700038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb22.webshots.com/45397/2942459730038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb08.webshots.com/16135/2031623000038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

But none of that beauty in my opinion compared to the head of the valley and that “high country snow” that cooled and calmed my soul.

http://inlinethumb39.webshots.com/44518/2487939030038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

http://inlinethumb49.webshots.com/4720/2110503570038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

And finally the last picture my camera took as I stumbled and dropped it and it hit the white water below…………. Leading to a 13 month forced underwater hibernation…..

http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/45905/2978218190038253715S500x500Q85.jpg

A product testimonial worth telling ………. Thanks Monte for finding my camera and returning my memories back to me. …..

http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/45537/2682738180038253715S500x500Q85.jpg


DD
rbaileydav

By the way for those of you who might have missed the original story here is a link to it from last year.

jmp
03-28-2010, 09:10 PM
That is a great fishing story. And I can't believe you got your camera back!

Mostyn
03-30-2010, 04:54 AM
OK, These two articles ( the original by rbailydave) and this one (by BW) deserve more than just a compliment!!

Both articles were brilliantly written; and exciting to read! As I read the two articles (and I read the original one a-while ago) I wanted to be with you guys, hiking in to some beautiful country and fishing a totally wild water environment! The photos were absolutely wonderful; but it's the picture you both painted with the written word that drew me in; and I took every step with you! Thank-you!

I'm now in my sixties; and gone through major Heart Surgery! But, that doesn't stop me! I regularly hike to where I love fishing on a mountain stream, it's about a 12, mile round trip with some difficult terrain to walk, especially when your dressed in your waders and wading boots, carrying a back and chest pack and more fishing tackle than is necessary!
The Memsahib worries! But, I just Bug-ger off on my own! And I love it! And I also Loved Reading These Two Excellent Articles!

Regards

Mostyn

garethl
03-30-2010, 07:23 AM
Those posts are simply amazing!!! Jaw dropping stuff, and truly, truly excellent reads. I'm off to read them again...

A huge thanks for posting! :D

Satoshi
04-01-2010, 09:44 AM
I have missed the followup story by rbaileydav, till now.
I remember the story that he lost his camera.
And rbaileydav, you say the camera not only survived spring run-off of snow, but picked up by the friend next year ?!
This is the most amazing story I have heard about small stream fishing. If you tell this to Pentax, they would certainly use this story to advertise their cameras!!
Thank you for the more beautiful pics.
I thought it would be impossible for me to hike in with a heavy backpack to such a place, as I'm in my early fifties and not in a very good shape, but if Mostyn, as he said, in his sixties after a big heart surgery (! :o !) can make such a hike, maybe....
Anyway, it's very nice to know there is still such a place somewhere on this planet. :)

rbaileydav
04-01-2010, 08:37 PM
Satoshi Sir:
If you ever get to America make sure you give me advance notice and me and a few of my friends will find a way to get you into some of the same streams i have been posting about for these past years. That is a guarantee. We might even carry ur pack for you part of the way if we absolutely need too ..... it has been done for me in the past but that was a different story of vertigo. Bye the way this is a serious offer.

Dick Davis
Rbaileydav

ksbioteacher
04-01-2010, 09:59 PM
Satoshi,

I'm not sure that you need a heavy pack. I sleep in a camping hammock--my pack, food for 3 days, sleeping gear and other equipment comes in well under 15 kilos for summer in the mountains.......less than thirty pounds--that's with "luxuries" like camera and fishing equipment. If I want to, I can trim it down more--I can easily get under 10 kilos but I like a bit of comfort luxury such as the hammock--pure sleeping bliss.

BW

Mostyn
04-02-2010, 04:37 AM
Satoshi Sir:
If you ever get to America make sure you give me advance notice and me and a few of my friends will find a way to get you into some of the same streams i have been posting about for these past years. That is a guarantee. We might even carry ur pack for you part of the way if we absolutely need too ..... it has been done for me in the past but that was a different story of vertigo. Bye the way this is a serious offer.

Dick Davis
Rbaileydav

I read that thread on Vertigo you submitted! That was also a cracking article ( I felt quite dizzzzzz-y after reading it) and it took some courage to continue on that trip, but when you were in need! You had a friend indeed!

Keep writing Dick, I've really enjoyed reading your Threads!

Satoshi
04-04-2010, 09:47 AM
Satoshi Sir:
If you ever get to America make sure you give me advance notice and me and a few of my friends will find a way to get you into some of the same streams i have been posting about for these past years. That is a guarantee. We might even carry ur pack for you part of the way if we absolutely need too ..... it has been done for me in the past but that was a different story of vertigo. Bye the way this is a serious offer.

Dick Davis
Rbaileydav

:o :D Dick,
This is indeed the most generous, the most luxurious offer to me in my life.
I would never say yes to such an offer if it's about other things, because it's certainly too much. But I have read your posts, seen pictures of heaven already.... Anyway, I thank you very much even for just saying that to me.
And thank you for your suggestion, ksbioteacher. I think I may be able to handle a 10 kilo pack.
Now, I will plan to go to the US to fish, not right away but at least within several years. I have to train myself for the trip. When I come to the US to fish, I will let you know in advance. Even if I cannnot fish those streams you posted, it would be nice if there is a chance we can fish together.

By the way, I also read your post about vertigo and fishing. The story was also a great read, as Mostyn said, and it reminded me about a friend who went fishing with the other two of us despite the fact that he had a really bad cold and a high fever close to 102 F, and he still caught the biggest fish in the trip! Serious fly fishers seem to be all alike around the world :) .

Satoshi

adam
04-04-2010, 09:26 PM
I have missed the followup story by rbaileydav, till now.

Me too.


All of my lost memories were back in full color and splendor and I was beyond amazed

That is so cool, I totally understand.

My pack is much much lighter and my footfalls are much much heavier...

I am about to embark on a adventurous summer of solo tenkara packing.


Your story is inspiring.



adam