Tag Archives: Camp Hale

Road Trip 2025 – Day 6 – Colorado

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We were on the way home after the stop inTrinidad Friday and Saturday. We spent Saturday night with Dan’s brother and SIL in Colorado Springs.

Two men and a woman standing in front of a seascape painting.

We had brunch with Dan’s sister, also in Colorado Springs. This is Dan and his two Colorado based siblings, Rob and Sally.

View of the highway where a road turns right. Clouds in a blue sky.

We headed west and planned to turn north to go through Leadville. We had thought about this on last year’s trip, but this intersection (or was it the next?) was blocked due to a fatal accident and we made a big detour. No such problem this time.

Sign about bighorn sheep horns with the title Sheep Shapes.

Somewhere along the road we stopped at this sign. I am interested that bighorn sheep horns are classified based on where the tip of the horn is in relation to the ear and the eye. I wonder if that could apply to Jacob sheep.

Dan standing next to a gravestone that says McKeen.

When we got to Leadville we stopped at the cemetery to look up Dan’s relatives. This is the headstone for Dan’s great grandparents on his dad’s side.

There was a detour driving into Leadville due to an event and we decided to see what was going on. It was the Boom Days Pack Burro Race!

Text about the Leadville Pack Burro Race.

I have decided that I missed out on an activity that I could have really enjoyed had I been able to start years ago. If you’re going to go on a long run why not take a burro? I would have loved to do this.

Burro at the end of a pack burro race with man in yellow shirt.

We got here as the last few competitors were finishing the course. This burro and his handler, in his late 70s according to the announcer, finished the 15 mile course. Remember, Leadville is at an elevation of over 10,000′.

Burro at the end of the Pack Burro Race with handler in blue hoodie.

This mammoth donkey and his handler finished the 22 mile course. I looked up the rules. Burros must carry the pack saddle with some basic equipment–a pick, shovel, and gold pan. The rules state that the burro must be on a 15′ lead and “the runner may lead, drive, push, pull, or carry the burro…may not ride the burro…”

Head view of burro with green halter and handler with blue sweatshirt.

This burro seemed to enjoy being petted after the race.

Sign that says Tennessee Pass on the Continental Divide.

We continued west on Hwy. 24 and stopped at the points of interest.

The story of the 10th Mountain Division and their impact in WW2 is fascinating. It is also interesting that well known ski resorts in Vail and Aspen were started by veterans of this regiment and many were also involved in manufacturing of ski equipment and clothing, trail development, and developing skiing for the disabled.

Large granite pillars that make uptime 10th Mountain Division Memorial.

The memorial for the 10th Mountain Division.

Sign for Camp Hale National Monument on the Continental Divide. Mountains and trees in the background.

Camp Hale is 7 miles beyond the Memorial site. I’d like to return to explore the trails of this National Monument .

Sign about Camp Hale that shows the footprint of all the buildings that used to be there.

There were several signs to explain and point out the remnants of Camp Hale. It is hard to imagine 15000 soldiers and 5000 pack mules and horses in this valley. We read the signs and pondered the impact of this Camp. Then it was time to move on.

Highway winding through mountains on either side.

We drove through some beautiful scenery, eventually making it to Green River, Utah where we spent the night.