Day 41 - 10 miles to Monarch Pass

The day I wanted to climb Monarch Pass but didn't succeed.
US Highway 50, a road I've crossed or traveled on in Virginia as well as in California last summer, took me up the Arkansas River. The first miles through a beautiful canyon, then the valley opened up to some green meadows, pretty much like the day before, paralleling the Sangre de christo range.
I followed the river all the way up to Salida, where it opened up to yet another wide valley after it had formed a canyon again. Canyon, flats, canyon, flats, a common pattern in the rockies. It would have been a easy ride and Monarch Pass seemed perfectly possible in the morning.

Wasn't meant to be. Had a strong, steady headwind all day long and by the time I was starting the actual ascent to the pass it was already late. The summit was covered in clouds, I couldn't expect a nice few. Finally decided to call it a day 10 miles below the summit where I found a nice campground. I could have made it to the top somehow, no question. But at what price? Being worn-out the next day, being up there at sunset when it gets bitter cold? Not gonna do that, ain't a race!
At the campground office I had a chat with the camp host and another guest checking in. Both had German ancestors, it's like every second person here in Colorado tells me that! From the campground website: "Daddy's Grandfather was Johann Adam Gunkel, born in Oberramstadt, Germany (Province of Hessen). [...] He immigrated to the United States in 1831 when he was 9 years old with his father Johann Adam Gunkel. J."

Browsed trough a book about Colorado history they had in the office. Many of the mountain communities share the same story: the silver boom of 1879 led to birth and/or rapid growth of many towns (like the 1849 gold rush of California). Many people made lots of money (most not with silver though, but rather trade, lodging, saloons etc.) but the boom had an early end when the silver market collapsed in 1893. Some places completely vanished from the map, others continued as rural farming communities. In the mid 1900s tourism came to some of the towns. Real estate developers bought huge pieces of land and created ski resorts like legendary Aspen and Vail. The oil boom brought big money especially from south america. Property values grew with no end in sight but we all know it eventually came. And it wasn't the last time... But don't even think about making a hot deal, wiki says: "The median listing price for homes or condos for sale in Aspen is $4,229,558 according to Trulia" (2011)

Enough history lesson for today. They've had a bear on the campground the day before, so for the first time on this trip I put everything with a scent in my bear proof canister. But honestly, black bears are more like big dogs... Extremely unlikely to be dangerous.