Hermit Basin

Trip Report -September 23, 1997

By Arthur Vyn Boennighausen

It was cloudy at dawn and we could see that there was fresh snow all the way down to tree-line. Our original plan to hike up the five mile trail to Horn Lakes and then to the summit of Little Horn Peak seemed like an outing for a clear day when we could enjoy the views. I never have enjoyed climbing a mountain in the mist where all you could see was in the space of about ten feet around yourself.

After making a breakfast of pancakes covered with butter and rasberry jam we got in the truck and headed for the Alpine skii resort known as Hermit Basin. Once called Conquistodor, the Alpine runs are tall green grass bordered by dark green pine forests interspersed with the bright folage of the Aspen trees in Autumn.

The Alpine runs are quiet in Autumn. Hardly anyone is interested in climbing up a skii run. We pulled into the parking lot of the main lodge to tell the owners we would be hiking on their private property. To our delight, the senior owner, Paul Zeller was behind the reception desk manning the phone on the receptionists day off.

"Good to see you Mr. Zeller" I said. "Why Arthur, good to see you too" Mr. Zeller replied with the twinkle in his eye that told me he really was glad to see me.

"If you don't mind, we would like to spend a few hours hiking up the service road that follows the skii runs on your property. Is is all right with you if we hike on your property?" I asked.

"Sure, go ahead." said Mr. Zeller. "Thanks for asking for permission before heading up the hill. Park your truck anywhere you would like to."

We got our backpacks and hiking sticks and started up the trail where the motors for the chairlifts stood near the parking lot. It was about forty degrees Farenheit and the clouds still looked like they held some snow. We had on shorts with long underwear, turtleneck sweaters and warm hats.

The skii resort is hardly a wilderness trail; but the clearings made for the runs in the trees allow expansive views of the valley as you hike up and the combination of green grass bordered by forest gives the area a park like feeling that is a nice change from the rugged wilderness.

We came to a ten foot by ten foot area of grass that was all matted down and trampled. It was an "Elk Wallow". An area where a bull elk would urinate and then roll in the mixture of urine, grass and mud to give himself an odor irresistable to female elk. My uncle Emile used to wear something similar to keep my aunt Clair away.

Farther up the runs we started to see small coveys of Blue Grouse. About the size of a chicken with dusky blue-gray feathers; they get up almost from under your feet with a loud flutter when startled. All together we saw twenty Grouse in about thirty minutes of walking. Grouse like to fly down hill when escaping from a possible predator. They use the slope of the mountain to pick up speed by accelerating down a steep hill with little or no beating of their wings.

Two hours from the base of the mountain we were at the top of the runs where the chairlifts end and you pick up the Rainbow Trail. We headed North on the trail walking for about another half hour through a forest of Aspen trees. So many leaves had turned gold and red that it was like being inside a candle flame.

We reversed the route to get back down to our vehicle.