“Evil is unspectacular and always human.” – W.H. Auden

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Cabin Day 5, 2013 - History

For years, Lynne and I had frequently ventured up Larimer County road 80C west of Highway 287 just north of Livermore, Colorado, also known as Cherokee Park Road. It is a dirt road that goes west to an intersection called Cherokee Park. From there it goes up toward Iron Mountain and the headwaters of the Poudre River. After a while it drops down to Sheep Creek and finally over Boulder Ridge and into Sand Creek Park.

A mountain "park" is a large open valley nestled in among mountain ranges or ridges and you'll hear the word used often in the mountainous areas of the west. Winter Park, Estes Park, South Park, are well known examples.

The view from Sand Creek Park north toward Laramie, Wyoming:

Sand Creek Park is no different, nestled between Boulder Ridge on the east and Bull Mountain to the west, it is a wide open expanse of high prairie grasslands with expansive views north of Wyoming. The average altitude is probably just above 8000 feet. Sand Creek runs through it northwards to join the Laramie River (although I'm not exactly sure where).

We loved to camp along Sheep Creek. It was quiet--not as busy with traffic and people as more popular spots closer to town such as the Poudre Canyon or the Big Thompson Canyon, both recently in the news because of the disastrous flooding. There were numerous camping spots in the Roosevelt Forest along the creek and opportunities to hike and fish.

And, in the fall we'd drive a big loop up Cherokee Park Road, over Sand Creek Pass, down into the Laramie River Valley along the Diamond Tail Ranch. Then, north on Laramie River Road along the foothills of the Rawah Mountains to join Colorado Highway 14 near Chambers Lake. A left turn on a paved road (well, it wasn't paved in the early days) and down the Poudre Canyon back to home in Loveland and later Fort Collins. We'd make that drive to see the aspen trees changing colors. There were hillsides, and ridges lit bright yellow, and sometimes with a tingle of orange or red. The aspen season only lasts a couple of weeks and we made the trip annually trying to catch the peak of the season.

Aspens so big, I can't wrap my arms around them:

So, we were familiar with the area when Lynne--who had a desktop publishing business at the time--took a job to create a newsletter for the Sand Creek Park Landowners' Association in 1986, or maybe it was 1987. They published and mailed a newsletter a couple of times a year. And, through that newsletter we not only learned of a land development called Sand Creek Park, but also of the true community of landowners. The newsletter advertised fish stocking events, annual picnics (held at the top of Bull Mountain, at the time) and other association news and activities.

Rick and Lynne, with Bella and Hailey on Picnic Rock:

Learning of land for sale in an area that we loved stirred us to call Angie at Cabin Country Realty and inquire about property.

More...

Tags:  cabinthoughtsnatureother-wildlifephotos
Posted under: Cabin News • by Rick on 09/25/2013 at 06:00 AM
Permalink • eMail this article