Thompson Creek, near Carbondale, Co

[gnwatts]

I decided to to do a day hike into the Thompson Creek area above Carbondale, It is about 7 miles from Main Street to the trailhead. It is known for it's rock formations and for climbing. Head up 133 to the 7-11, turn right. You pass Colorado Rocky Mountain School in about a mile on your right, cross over the Crystal river and head up on to the mesa above on Co Rd 108, In about 6 miles you pass the Spring Gulch Xcountry area, immediately after the parking area for Spring Gulch you turn left onto a good dirt road, that is virtually impassable in the rain. Park at the bridge over Thompson Creek. The hiking trail is pretty short heading down canyon along the creek, maybe 2 miles, but the excursions up the side of the steep canyon is what attracts me. Long, straight stone fins, 12" to 75' high, running parallel to each other down the hillside and up the other side of the canyon. I usually start up the hill before the fins start, about a mile from the trail head, and reach the ridge and work my way down.

These 3 shots I took at various spots along the creek, all looking back towards the trailhead:



http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5312/5817424658_16ca692242_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817424658/)
ZC0D5747 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817424658/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2430/5816859021_0e5b35edb6_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5816859021/)
ZC0D5745 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5816859021/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr



This is where I start up the hill, where the first stone wall intersects the trail:


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2542/5817424510_07d011b442_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817424510/)
ZC0D5749 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817424510/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr



The pinion pines here are unsurpassed, growing out of the rock. You could spend years photographing them.



http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3639/5817425582_527f622429_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425582/)
ZC0D5653 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425582/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2097/5817425098_1fd73275da_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425098/)
ZC0D5705 - Version 3 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425098/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2202/5817425520_225eb8e7ac_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425520/)
ZC0D5660 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425520/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3401/5816859737_3f116fd2f6_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5816859737/)
ZC0D5661 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5816859737/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5265/5817425364_94164d210c_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425364/)
ZC0D5674 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425364/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2719/5817425244_4a748edae4_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425244/)
ZC0D5684 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425244/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


As I was threading my way down between the stone walls I heard voices, and found some climbers. This is an amazing spot, in the cool shadows between the stone.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2039/5817424912_f29c000242_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817424912/)
ZC0D5731 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817424912/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2673/5817425014_26c0b67db7_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425014/)
ZC0D5730 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5817425014/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3357/5816859123_1916df103a_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5816859123/)
ZC0D5740 (http://www.flickr.com/photos/63645185@N06/5816859123/) by g n watts (http://www.flickr.com/people/63645185@N06/), on Flickr

As a side note, the natural gas industry is attempting to drill in the area, check out the link for additional info.
Thanks

http://www.aspendailynews.com/section/home/147356

[bowjunkie]

cool pics and a nice place for sure !!! Is the road past the old coal mine still on fire ?

[gnwatts]

Not familiar with that one. I know there are seams that are still burning...which road are you referring to? I have only gone as far as the bridge over Thompson Creek, Haven't explored further.

[bowjunkie]

used to drive past the school and up past a bunch of white corrals maybe not the same place ,It has been 25+ yrs since I've been there ..

[gnwatts]

The corrals could be Crystal River Ranch, they are nice and white, pretty fancy. 25 years has a way of messing with your mind.

[bowjunkie]

yup I bet that is the place.. Seems they were on the right hand side of the road, place back there we ran cows on belonged to a guy named Arbany !!

[MPH]

Any nice, dispersed camping in the area of Carbondale?

[gnwatts]

Any nice, dispersed camping in the area of Carbondale?


Carbondale is surrounded by National Forest Service, Wilderness and BLM land. Too broad of a question to answer really. There is car camping at the Thompson Creek Trail Head.

[MPH]

Carbondale is surrounded by National Forest Service, Wilderness and BLM land. Too broad of a question to answer really. There is car camping at the Thompson Creek Trail Head.


I will look at Thompson Creek...Thanks. Yeah, I was asking because I have a funny story when I tried finding dispersed camping outside of Basalt. I ran into Bill Clinton...Crazy...It just seems like I have found mostly campgrounds. The ones along the Frying Pan, Redstone Area, and Aspen.

[gnwatts]

There is Avalanche Creek, about 8 miles outside of Carbondale, camping in areas along the creek in a beautiful valley. Lot's of camp spots above Lenado, which is at the end of the Woody Creek valley. I don't do any car camping here, so i am probably not the right person to ask. The Forest Service in Carbondale might be able to help.

[accadacca]

Nice pix. :cool2: