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Exploring the Lost Creek Wilderness Area

Created by Paul Signorelli, W0RW on 2021-04-12

Exploring the Lost Creek Wilderness Area

 

The Lost Creek Wilderness Area (LCWA), is located in Colorado, between Denver and Colorado Springs. It was officially designated by the Colorado Wilderness Act of 1980. Today it totals 120,000 acres. Elevations range from 8,000' to 12,400' above sea level. LCWA was named after a creek that repeatedly disappears underground only to reappear again further downstream where it ultimately becomes Goose Creek.

   There is not enough space here to show the hundreds of pictures of this amazing area. You can see them by searching for ‘Lost Creek Wilderness Area pictures’.

   My day started travelling 40 miles from Colorado Springs up to Deckers, Then on Fire Road FR 211 to FR 558, the parking lot at the Goose Creek Trailhead. https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/psicc/recarea/?recid=12944

 

 

The Hayman Forest Fire in 2002 destroyed a lot of timber in this area and to the North on TR 630 but the trail I am taking to the Shaft House, TR 612, was saved. Thanks Fire Fighters. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hayman_Fire

 

 

 

   About 100 years ago, The 'Sand Box' (Civil) Engineers built a road and a camp there. They tried to dam up the underground Lost Creek with a vertical mine shaft but the underground river just took another path. If you hike over to the Miners Cabins and then to the Winch, you can see the shaft. A few hundred feet more from the Winch you can see Reservoir Gulch that the new reservoir was going fill. My son is in the picture operating the Winch. The Lost Creek becomes Goose Creek when it is not lost.

 

 

   I always use my PRC319 50W Military Backpack Radio in the LCWA. See Photo. It weighs about 25 pounds with the battery pack. The antenna is a 10 foot center loaded foot whip with a 13 foot trailing wire counterpoise. I use a Li-ion battery, Gorp, Mocha & 2 old goat legs.

 

 

   There are plenty of operating spots in the area but I like the Shaft House trail because it was the miners access road and it has fewer over hanging trees. That makes it good for Pedestrian Mobile operation. As I was hiking across the Goose Creek bridge in the deepest part of the trail I worked N7UN/3 Guy, NJ; WD8ARZ, Bill, IN; and W9JOP Bob, VA on 20 meters CW. DX is difficult because the surrounding peaks are over 2000 feet high but there are SOTA peaks all around.

   The main hiking trail from the Goose Creek Trailhead is a big loop (about 20 miles) around the area and back. It is an easy 2 day hike, or you can hike in as far as you want then return the same way. The distance to the Shaft House is about 3 miles. Runners do the loop in 4 hours. There are plenty of camping and fishing sites but no open camp fires allowed. It usually rains in the summer time after 1 pm so bring a poncho and a ‘Rite in the Rain’ logbook.

   Just off the Goose Creek trail is a trail to one of the rare Colorado granite arches, the 'Harmonica Arch'.

   Once in the spring, I hiked up to Lake Park (The Hankins Pass Trail), Postholing in the snow. When I got there the five foot tall 'Lake Park' sign was just sticking above the snow. It was buried in 4 feet of snow at 11,000 feet. A fellow ahead of me with snow shoes turned around and retreated. I camped there overnight and hiked out on top of the snow after it refroze during night.

 

 

   If you desire first class lodging, try the Lost Valley (Dude) Ranch which is very close to the Goose Creek Trail Head, They can take you into the LCWA on horseback. See https://www.lostvalleyranch.com/.

   I fell into a waist deep pool in Goose Creek on one hike, it was very cold, but my waterproof radio was not damaged. Speaking about water, this is ‘first use’ water from snow melt but it is still a good idea to filter it or bring in your own drinking water (or Mocha).

   When you enter the area the USFS has a little form for you to fill out, They use it as a "Toe Tag" that they can attach to your body, if they find ever find you.

 

 

   Then it started to snow, so I started back to the trailhead. This was my 6th trip and it is one of the greatest hiking trails in the State.

 

Paul, W0RW

 

 

 

KM0U2021-04-19
Exploring the Lost Creek Wilderness Area
Paul, thanks for your adventure stories. I always enjoy reading them!