Wheeler Geologic Area

My Labor Day weekend was spent driving from Denver to South Fork, Colorado, hiking, then driving back to Denver. It's a 5 hour drive, so we took a few days to make the journey. The purpose of the long ass drive was to hike into the Wheeler Geologic Area. The area is a National Geologic Area that was at one time a National Monument. Due to the remote location and difficulty of reaching Wheeler, its status of National Monument was removed in 1950. It was initially formed some 25,000,000 years ago when the La Garita Caldera erupted. The resulting ash deposit has slowly eroded over the years. It's situated in the middle of the La Garita Wilderness Area, but there's a Forest Service Road that leads to it. The road is most commonly described as "grueling" or "painful" because it isn't well maintained. 4-wheel drive vehicles are required, and the 14-mile drive usually takes about as long as the 7-mile hike. So Suzanne and I hiked in. We hiked out via a trail that leads to private property, but I know the land owners. Here is a quick journal of our trip. Oh... and we spent Sunday night at The Movie Manor. It's a hotel in Monte Vista that's built with all of the rooms facing two giant drive-in movie creens. We watched Dinner for Schmucks. It was pretty funny.

Rest stop along the trail


The mounds are 6-8' tall


The shelter


Yeah... I defaced a 150-year old shelter in 1999


The "painted" walls are stained with centuries of water drainage

 

Crazy cool symmetry in the erosion


My hiking partner Suzanne


The Cathedral


More Cathedral


Our route brought us in from a meadow to the left of the ones you can see. This view is from atop The Cathedral.

 

Confluence of a couple of creeks on our way out


Suzanne hiking through an aspen stand. I love hiking in aspens.


And we're out.

 

Thanks friends. I had a really great time. Like T.Migratoris said, I live in a great state for outdoor recreation. This hike was a great end to a great summer of outdoor endeavors.