We got back on track on Wednesday and camped at the Elk Creek NRA Campground, on the Blue Mesa Res. A mere 50 miles down the road from Black Canyon. Simply because (a) it was open, (b) it had electric hookups and we needed the heat, it was freezing!
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| Friendly looking place |
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| Looks mean, but passed to the North |
Had a nice talk with the ranger, who waved his hand to encompass the campground (open brush and sand) and the reservoir, which we were beside, saying what a lovely campground this was. In the next breath he noted how quiet it was now that the wind had stopped. Then he revealed that it normally blows a gale up the valley and through the campsite. Then he said how warm it was (I was freezing), as normally this was one of the coldest places in Colorado, often recording temperatures of -20F (I think that is about -25C). I then realised that 'lovely campground' is a relative term.
I did get a run in though, about 4 miles up Haystack Gulch. A narrow valley that climbs away into the hills to the North of the campground, with crags on either side. I was pleasantly surprised to see three mule deer sort of running ahead of me, half way up the valley side. All of a sudden a herd of about a dozen crossed my path and scampered away. I realised that if I had disturbed them they would be running away from me, not across my path, so looked up to where they had come from and there up under the crags was a large animal, about the size of a small deer, which is what I thought it was, but no it was dog like, I thought it was a wolf. It quickly ran up to the top of the crag, stopped and looked down at me then disappeared over the horizon. Now very few wolves have been seen in that area, so I must accept that it was probably a coyote, but it looked very wolf like to me. Anyway I had gone two miles and thought it was about time to turn and head back to the trailer.
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