Purgatory

Purgatory- a place or state of suffering

My elk hunt began in November, the day before 3rd rifle season opened in the Colorado backcountry of the San Juan Mountains.  I had high hopes but had been cautioned of the rigors of elk hunting on public land, especially late in the season.  I had met some of the other hunters the night before we headed out for a beer in Durango at one of the local brew pubs.  We told tall tales of previous hunts, one hunter had just returned from a successful elk hunt in New Mexico and was looking forward to punching another tag in the upcoming week.  The following morning we all met at a grocery store on the edge of town to load up on necessities before heading into the mountains.  About 1 hour later we were driving through the gates of Purgatory Ski Resort, little did I know that was an appropriate name for what lie ahead.  After an additional drive on public roads we came to a small camping area where we parked our trucks for the week and loaded our gear onto horses.

Trail Ride In

After several miles on trail we arrived at our basecamp near several trails headed out along various ridges.  This location also put us next to a water source for the week.  We unloaded gear and settled in for the night with cold beer and a hot meal.  I left my gear packed in order to head out to a more remote camp site later that evening.

We woke up to six inches of fresh snow the next morning and hoped we would be able to cross some tracks on our way up the mountain.  We spent the first hours of sunlight glassing several ridges of heavy timber and a few openings of aspens.  With only a few cows we kept moving up the ridge, the first day included a climb to over 9,000 feet and just shy of 10 miles on foot with very little to show for it.  The ruggedness of the area and the difficult climbing caused the other group in camp to pack up and go home after the first day, in hindsight those boys made a good decision.

Glass, Climb, Repeat

Days 2 through 4 were more of the same.  We climbed to over 10,000 feet everyday, usually with a total of 10-15 miles on and off trail.  The part my body was not prepared for was the side-hilling.  That is where you walk sideways along a steep hill, usually on no trail.  This causes your foot to slide sideways with every step and results in the most impressive blister collection I have ever had.  Despite well seasoned mountain boots, my feet were shredded by the final day, next time around I will need a more narrow boot for this type of terrain.  Otherwise the gear held up well. I used a combination of Sitka and Kuiu clothing and stayed warm and dry no matter the weather or temperature.  I think both offer excellent performance but Kuiu has better sales throughout the year and has a few pieces that show more thought for the mountains.

Day 5 started well before sunrise in order to get to the top of a nearby ridge before sunrise.  We made it up a slippery, steep incline in the dark as I learned more mountaineering skills, namely how to not slide down several hundred feet of rocky mountain face every time you lose your footing. As we came down the ridge into a flat spot, we heard the startled foot steps of a large group of elk about two seconds before we caught their scent.  Unfortunately, the ground was still hard frozen and our chances of tracking were slim considering it was still dark and the echoes of their departure across the mountain ridges made it difficult to pin point the direction of their exit.  There were no more elk located near enough to make a stalk and I was resigned to eat tag soup for dinner.

The Long Ride Home

The drive home was tough, thinking about the time I spent in the gym preparing my body, the money I spent on the hunt and the gear, and the time I spent away from my family was all frustrating.  I kept coming back to what was my “glass half full” takeaway from this trip.  Oddly enough it was the pain and suffering, or more accurately the challenge that caused it.  This was the hardest I have pushed my body since I was in high school, it was a daily struggle to quiet my mind and keep walking up the mountain.  When my lungs burned and struggled to breathe deeply in the cold air or I could feel a blister pop in my boot as I continued to hike further away from camp, I was satisfied with the mental toughness that allowed me to press on.  I attribute this in large part to the prep from mtntough fitness.  This time that pain and suffering wasn’t rewarded with elk meat in the freezer but I plan to try again in the upcoming years.  Although, I might try in an area that offers a better omen than Purgatory.