Away From the Grind

A Pole Mountain Secret: the Hidden Trail to Point Crawford

Roger Ludwig — Sat, 19 May 2012 18:26:38 +0000

The long ridge line of Pole Mountain slopes several miles from the summit toward Cheyenne ending in a distinct point, Point Crawford. From there it cascades down to ever smaller points until the mountain is finished. Long ago a walking trail was made leading up to Point Crawford along the gentlest route, rounding these points. [...]

Spring Break in the Needles

Roger Ludwig — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:28:12 +0000

The Cheyenne, Wyoming winter can needle a person. You know the feeling. Caged and cramped, it seems like everything and everybody is poking and jabbing, random acts of accupuncture. “Give me a break!” Consider a spring break to Utah’s Needles, the southeastern district of Canyonlands National Park. These skyward pinnacles of red rock won’t needle [...]

Snowshoe or Ski In Cabins

Roger Ludwig — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 21:52:02 +0000

Just imagine. Before turning in you step outside. The cold is bracing, refreshing. Listening intently, you quiet your breath. There isn’t a sound, just the faint stir of wind in snow laden pines. As eyes adjust to the night the sky becomes alive, rivers coursing through the pulsating glow of the Milky Way. Orion hovers above, [...]

Chasm Lake

Roger Ludwig — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:52:27 +0000

She told me she wanted one more hike before the snow flew. She wanted to take her friend who wasn’t sold on outdoor excursions. Her criteria were tough: * A destination so stunning, so gorgeous, so interesting, so grand as to be beyond words * A trailhead within two hours drive of Cheyenne, Wyoming * [...]

North Fork Little Laramie River, Medicine Bow National Forest

Roger Ludwig — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:49:48 +0000

North Fork Trail, hiked July 4, 2011. The deep snows of the past winter have delayed entry to the highest of the high country this summer. This mid-level trail opens a way to the snow’s gift: a bounty of wildflowers. On the eastern side of the Snowy Range, the trail, for most of its four and a [...]

Turtle Rock Trail at Vedauwoo

Roger Ludwig — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 03:45:10 +0000

The trail circling Turtle Rock at Vedauwoo is undoubtedly the most popular trail in the Cheyenne, WY, area. And for good reason. It’s close, easy and fascinating in its mix of geological artistry and biological wonder. On any given weekend throughout the spring, summer and fall it’s thrumming with college age kids, seniors and young [...]

Hewlett Gulch

Roger Ludwig — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:32:16 +0000

The word “gulch” brings up scenes from a cartoon. A dry desolate wash, replete with a bleached cow skeleton, where (gulp!) our intrepid hero Goofy is about to be dry-gulched by a gang of stubble-faced villains. Not an inviting picture. And nothing like Hewlett Gulch. Hewlett is an inviting ramble up a pleasant creek, a little [...]

Leapfrogging the Teton Crest

Roger Ludwig — Tue, 10 May 2011 01:11:23 +0000

The Teton Crest Trail draws trekkers from all over the world. It’s one of the top ten alpine hikes anywhere, Switzerland, New Zealand and Patagonia included. But it hadn’t drawn me. Something got in the way. Permits. I’m from Wyoming. I like my freedom. I want to camp where I want to camp when I [...]

John and Annie Woodhouse Recreation and Wildlife Habitat Area

Roger Ludwig — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 19:05:10 +0000

Spring, in our foothills, is the metallic call of the sleek and shining redwing blackbird perched on the flaking old tuft of last year’s cattail. It’s the full out, web-extended urgent brake of the northbound teal throttling down to rest a night in an overfull pond. The nose of a spotted fawn peering up through [...]

Hidden Secrets of Vedauwoo and Pole Mountain, Part 2

Roger Ludwig — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 00:09:24 +0000

The Pole Mountain area, now a scene of play and renewal, has a history of struggle and tumult. For decades warriors trained, grunted and groused; “readied, aimed and fired“, detonating explosives that tore the quite high country air. Civilian Conservation Corpsmen sweat and labored, building roads and planting the forest we enjoy today. Miners blasted [...]