Lost Creek Wilderness Area (LCWA), COBy, Paul Signorelli, W0RW

Operation from the Lost CreekWilderness Area (LCWA), CO.Elevation: 8200 - 8800 feet. NoSOTA's, this is a deep canyon trail.You can drive to this area, park andhike or camp along the trail.There is also a cool Dude Ranch calledLost Valley Ranch,They will get you vittles and a bunk

bed, then take you around thewilderness area on horseback.

See: http://www.lostvalleyranch.com/

This is a cool deal, you and your XYL can go off into the wilderness area and see the sightsand you can operate from the scenic areas . If you have to go in on foot use the Goose CreekTrail Head (Forest Service Trail # 612).Google Map Link: <http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=39.2,-105.4&ie=UTF8&t=h&ll=39.20744,-105.397543&spn=0.001509,0.002516&z=19&iwloc=addr>

In this map you can see the old Shafthouse log cabins, If you zoom out you can see the trailto the north and to the east. The Shafthouse Winch is just to the northwest. These photosshow everything being flat but these granite rocks are not flat! You can select the 'Terrain'map and see that Goose Creek is in a deep canyon surrounded on the east and west with10,000 foot ridges. I fell into a waist deep pool in Goose Creek on one hike, it was very coldand I got wet but my radio is submersible. It's pretty easy to use a cell phone or a computernowadays to contact your friends but not from Lost Creek.

Site History: About 100 years ago, The 'sand box' (civil) engineers built a camp here. Theytried to dam up the underground Lost Creek (in Reservoir Gulch) with a vertical mine shaftbut the underground river just took another path. Lost Creek becomes Goose Creek when it isnot lost.

You can see pictures and maps of the area at:<https://www.google.com/search?q=lost+creek+wilderness+area+pictures&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=HLEaUozXA5LkqAHKxIH4CA&ved=0CCwQsAQ&biw=1228&bih=746>

I hiked up to Lake Park, in LCWA, in the snow one spring day and the 'Lake Park' trailsign was just sticking above the snow about 6 inches. It was buried in 4 feet of snow at11,000 feet. A fellow ahead of me with snow shoes turned around and retreated. i camped

there and hiked out on top of the snow after it refroze over night. The trail to Lake Parkburned a few years ago but the right fork in the trail to the shaft is still virgin.

Paul w0rw