ASPEN — The snowshoe hare was way ahead of us.
Literally and figuratively, it turned out, because naturalist Caroline Greene Hunt kept pointing out the tracks as we plodded along in our strapped-on snowshoes, humanity’s attempt to mimic the hare’s hind feet so we can navigate conditions that don’t quite favor our proportionately tiny extremities and vertical body mass.
On the other hand, the hares have to move fast to avoid predators, and as far as we knew, nothing was following to eat us.
In fact, it was the exact opposite — we were snowshoeing in the Castle Creek Valley, 12 miles from Aspen, with the stated goal of eating something ourselves: a gourmet lunch at the Pine Creek Cookhouse.
Along our 2-mile loop, we also were treated to a sunny day, just the right amount of exertion and someone on hand to answer everything we always wanted to know about anything nature-related but were afraid to ask.
“We call it the snowshoe hare, of course, because of its huge hind feet,” Greene Hunt said. “It keeps them from sinking in. They’re mostly nocturnal, so we probably won’t see one, but this is a recent track. Can you tell which way this hare was going?”
It was a little like being in school again, but in a fun way. We guessed wrong at first, but then thought about it and changed our answer. Our reward was a photo, plucked from Greene Hunt’s parka, of a cute, fluffy, snow-white hare.
Half-day tour — with lunch
Periodically along our guided journey, Greene Hunt would test us on our track and scat knowledge, point out interesting sights and initiate water-use discussions. A naturalist with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies, Greene Hunt is one of several guides who work with Ashcroft Ski Touring to offer half-day tours of the area.
What’s unusual — and quite welcome — about this snowshoe trip is the included lunch provided by the cookhouse, an upscale log cabin (it burned down in 2003 and was rebuilt) that serves lunch and dinner daily.
While you dine, the Elk Mountains are impossible to miss through the oversized windows. If you don’t want to snowshoe or cross country ski to Pine Creek, you can take a horse-drawn sleigh — but with dishes such as buttery grilled cheeses filled with brie and peach chutney and Jack Daniel’s- marinated caribou, the extra exercise can’t hurt.
At the beginning and the end of our snowy trek, the ghost town of Ashcroft, named as a mining camp in 1883, sits silent. The snowshoe guides can often let you take a peek inside a few of the 15 buildings, 12 of which are still in their original condition.
According to the historians who have studied Ashcroft, the town was abandoned by the estimated 2,000-5,000 who lived here during the boom days because the railroad never made it up to the tiny town, Aspen prospered, and the silver market crashed. Ashcroft’s residents were never able to adapt well to the harsh weather.
The snowshoe hare, on the other hand? It hasn’t missed a step.
Kyle Wagner: 303-954-1599, travel@denverpost.com, ,
Ashcroft snowshoe tour insider’s guide
You can book a snowshoe tour through Ashcroft Ski Touring (970-925-1971, ) or the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (970-925-5756, ), which does guided snowshoe tours on Aspen and Snowmass mountains, as well.
COST: $100 per person for a four-hour tour, which includes a three-course lunch at the Pine Creek Cookhouse, snowshoe rental and the required Ashcroft trail pass. For $65 per person, you can order off the Pine Creek menu u la carte and pay for your meal separately.
GET THERE: Ashcroft Ski Touring operates a Nordic Center — complete with snowshoe, cross-country and skate ski rentals, hand and foot warmers for sale and group or individual lessons — out of the King Cabin at the end of Castle Creek Road.
From Aspen, take Colorado 82 going out of town toward the Aspen Airport. At the roundabout, exit onto Castle Creek Road and drive for 11 miles to the road’s end. King Cabin Nordic Center will be to your right. Driving time is approximately 30 minutes.
There’s also a shuttle from Aspen that leaves the Wheeler Opera House (320 E. Hyman Ave.) daily at 10 a.m.; cost is $35 per person round-trip, with a two-person minimum. It picks up again at Ashcroft around 3 p.m. You will see info in Aspen magazines and online that makes it sound as though this shuttle just appears each day regardless of whether anyone’s headed to Ashcroft, but that’s not true; the shuttle drivers say that someone from Ashcroft or ACES has to call them to say there’s a pickup (we found this out the hard way).
THE EXPERIENCE: When you arrive at the Nordic Center, which takes about 30 minutes from Aspen, you’ll pay for the trip and bundle up. The guide will help you into your snowshoes and discuss what kind of trek you’re looking for in terms of skill and effort level. The trip will be tailored to your experience and interests.
WHAT TO WEAR: Head covering (hat, headband, ear muffs); snow pants; polypro layers (you get quite warm when you snowshoe, especially if it’s sunny); parka or other insulated winter coat; sunglasses or goggles; warm, waterproof gloves and boots. Gaiters are nice but not crucial; most of the trails are well groomed, with the exception of the paths leading to the buildings in the ghost town. Avoid cotton; it doesn’t insulate when it gets wet.
WHAT TO BRING: Water in a bladder with an insulated hose or water bottle that you can carry in a pack to keep it from freezing. And even though you’ll have a guide, it’s always a good idea for every person in a backcountry party to have “the 10 essentials” along. At the very least, it’s smart to carry toilet paper in a zip-lock bag; waterproof matches and a lighter with commercial firestarter; a granola bar; a thin piece of foam to sit on; a pocket knife; a small flashlight; and a basic first-aid kit. Apply sunscreen ahead or have a small tube along, and take a lip balm, preferably also one that has sunscreen.
Kyle Wagner
