May 22, 2012

Toward Leidy Peak

We drove into Ashley National Forest along Ashley Creek, and toward Leidy Peak.  We were checking out the road to make sure the snow is gone before we try to get up there with a horse trailer. 
The last 10 miles of the road to Leidy Peak trailhead is still blocked off with an avalanche gate.  We parked and took a 6 mile walk along the creek. 
Daisy was there, on the lookout for elk.  We didn't see any,
but we saw and heard bluebirds.found a few early wildflowers,
such as violets
and Marsh marigolds. 
We made a litter survey along the road and found that beer cans outnumber soda cans 12:1.  Usually we travel on hiker or game trails, avoiding the leavings of careless litterbugs. 
Part of our walk was along the old Carter Military Road, traveled from 1881-1884.  The road was used to bring supplies between Fort Bridger in Wyoming, and Fort Thornburg near Vernal, Utah.  This was just after the Utes were moved to a reservation in the Vernal-Roosevelt area.  Settlers were concerned there might be an uprising such as the 1879 Meeker Massacre (11 men killed by Ute Indians) in Colorado.  Of course, the Meeker Massacre probably happened because the Utes feared their grasslands were going to be taken away from them by a huge influx of miners to the region, and they feared that U.S. soldiers moving into the area planned something similar to the Sand Creek Massacre, where 70-163 Indians, 2/3 of whom were women and children, were killed. 
On the old military road, you can still see the boulders that were moved out of the road bed and piled along the sides to make way for wagons.

20 comments:

  1. Nice pics of desert country ! The snow capped Leidy peak is marvelous.

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  2. That's certainly not the kind of Bud one wants to see in such gorgeous country.

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  3. what a pretty day for a walk in the mountains. I love how the bluebirds stand out, their color is amazing.

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  4. You had quite a hike in a beautiful area. I like your photos of the bluebird and flowers. I'm impressed that you can avoid litter by sticking to hiker trails. We still find way too much litter on many of our hikes.

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  5. Interesting and historic hike. Lots of work involved in moving those not so small boulders.

    Increasingly we are finding out about both sides on the massacres, and finding out both sides is a good thing.

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  6. I enjoyed the the history, beautiful flowers and bluebird.
    Nice shots of Steve and his sidekick Miss Daisy.

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  7. Wow, what a gorgeous hike with the colorful bluebirds and wildflowers. Also interesting to see the old road and learn some of the history.

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  8. Oh - there Daisy is! I saw Marsh Marigolds in Breck last week. Am waiting for the Calipso Orchids. UT was so beautiful when I visited.

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  9. Daisy always makes me smile. That last image of her with Steve - too cute!

    Beautiful scenery and vegetation. Thanks for sharing the history.

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  10. This area is so rich in history....love that.
    Litter bugs? I loathe them!!
    The photo of Steve and Daisy? so cute!!!

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  11. Marvellous photos of marvellous country - your header is wonderful.

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  12. Marvellous photos of marvellous country - your header is wonderful.

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  13. Despite the moving of the boulders, it was undoubtedly a pretty rough ride. Make you appreciate the suspension system.

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  14. lovely colorful outdoors....love the first image :)

    http://sushmita-smile.blogspot.in

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  15. I'd love to see a Mountain bluebird. Maybe this summer as we're plannng a trip to southwest Montana....

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  16. It such a lovely place to walk or ride.

    I always feel sad when I think of how settlers moved Indians off the land that belonged to them.

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  17. It is so hot down here in Florida that looking at that snowy mountain makes me drool!

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  18. Six mile hike????? That's alot!!!! We took a 4.3 mile hike last week --and I thought that was pretty good... ha...

    Great pictures...
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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