Hike of the Week: A Snowy Day in Gold Rush Country in Colorado - Gardenista
Photographs by Ella Quittner. That’s why my friend Callie used phrases like “fur-lined” and “rustic-chic” when, a few weeks ago, she pitched a three-day getaway to her family’s remote cabin in Breckenridge, Colorado. But after thawing by the fireplace in Callie’s beautiful wooden cabin–which was, as advertised, totally rustic-chic and–for a full 24 hours, I was ready to give nature a second shot. I was joined by my friend Allegra. I had a flask of diet ginger ale and some Goldfish, which I figured out be enough to keep me alive until the rescue team found me. We set out from the back porch. There are a few paths leading away from the cabin, located on old placer mining claims from the Gold Rush in the 1880s. It hadn’t snowed the night before, so there were a few places close to the cabin where we could see the types of reedy grasses, now frozen, that grew in the area during the other three seasons. As we made our way down the trail, we noticed a huge variety of types and sizes of trees including these blue spruce. About halfway through our hike, we saw tracks leading into the woods. Are you a serious hiker (or camper)? Callie s cabin is in a remote area with only a small handful of others nearby The terrain wasn t too steep... ...but thanks to the altitude we were both wheezing like Old Dan in Where the Red Fern Grows pretty much the entire time We stumbled upon a body of water at one point that seemed out of place in the otherwise woodsy landscape. If you’re ambitious, here’s a longer nearby route via Map My Run; it’s a 9.78-mile round trip starting from the Sally Barber Mine Trail. By the time we turned around to head home, the sun was beginning to set in the White River National Forest. We poured ourselves glasses of the promised wine and sat by the fire–we felt that we had earned it.