South Park from Kenosha Pass 16 Feb 2010

Tuesday I drove out of the Park to do some shopping, and stopped at the top of Kenosha Pass to take a picture of South Park, with the Collegiate Range of Chaffee County in the far distance. I'll get another one in the summer, for contrast.

Animals and People

At one time, South Park was a favored summer hunting ground for Ute, Arapaho, and other tribes. The Middle Fork of the South Platte River, and the streams that fed it, allowed for lush growth of grasses. Herds of buffalo, elk, deer, and antelope ranged freely and moose lived in the surrounding mountains. These grasslands that supported vast herds of wild animals were also ideal for cattle. When I saw South Park for the first time, from a lookout at Wilkerson Pass, my thought was: “Wow! The first cattlemen who saw this must have thought they had died and gone to heaven!”

Although the land available to both wild and domesticated animals is shrinking, we still have elk, deer, antelope and moose, and there are ranchers raising beef and even buffalo. Bears occasionally wander onto decks (especially if there are bird feeders or other food sources out), and coyotes, foxes and other, smaller animals roam freely. The river has been designated as a “Gold Medal” trout stream. Local hunters and fishermen are still able to supply some of their families’ meat each year.

But of course, nothing stays the same. Rather than miners and homesteaders (although both still exist), South Park is home to people who work in offices and stores as well as on ranches and in the forests. Some commute to surrounding areas, and some work from home, via computer. Many are retired, having moved to the mountains to enjoy a slower paced lifestyle. Others have come for access to skiing and snowboarding, and over time, many of those have grown older, becoming full-time construction workers, rather than viewing their carpentry (or other) skills as just a means of supporting their time on the slopes.

Historic Buildings in Fairplay

To those who live in areas with buildings from the 1700s and earlier, ones built in the 1870s don't seem all that historic. But to those of us here in the Colorado mountains, the schools, courthouses, homes and churches that date back that far are evidence of the enterprise of the first mining settlements in this part of the country.

The pictures here are of the old Park County Courthouse (now the library), the Edith Teter Elementary School (still in use for some classes), and the Presbyterian Church, all in Fairplay.

The Courthouse, with the small jail nearby, was built in 1874.



The Edith Teter School, built in 1880, has been added onto and has had the interior altered somewhat. It originally had two classrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs.



The South Park Community Church was founded in 1872 by famed Presbyterian missionary Sheldon Jackson, with 8 original members. Two years later, in 1874, he returned to supervise the building of the chapel, which is still in use by a Presbyterian congregation. It is believed, though no documentation is known, that it was built from a "kit", probably from Sears, which was shipped out to Fairplay by rail.



At a later date, I'll publish pictures of other historic buildings still in use in South Park. In addition, many historic buildings have been moved from various sites around the area to the South Park City Museum, which I'll profile some time this spring or summer.

Ice/Snow Sculptures in Breckenridge

One of the reasons people move to South Park is the proximity to the Summit County ski areas: Breckenridge, Keystone, Arapahoe Basin and Copper Mountain. So occasionally I'll post something about happenings "over the hill".

Yesterday I went to Breck to do some shopping and stopped to view the results of the 2010 Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championship - the 20th annual contest. The entries were all fascinating, and some were so intricate that it was hard to imagine how they were carved by the various teams from around the world!

Here are a few pictures of some of my favorites, and there are more, including the winners, at 2010 Budweiser International Snow Sculpture Championship

The first one is called The Happy Herdsmen, and was carved by a team from China. The second is The Last Iceberg, by a team from Alaska.

"A Park for All Seasons"

Park County has adopted the slogan "A Park for All Seasons", and it fits! With snow for X-country skiing in the winter, mountains and hills to hike and climb in the summer, gold medal trout streams as well as lakes for fishing (including ice fishing), ranches for riding horses, wildlife to view, historical sites, and pleasantly cool summers, South Park is a great place year-round! There is, however, one season which can be a hassle: we call it "mud season" here in the mountains, though those elsewhere call it Spring.

As I add to this blog, I hope to cover many of the things to do and see, the businesses (including places to stay and restaurants), and people of South Park. For now, I'll be covering winter in the Park, and particularly the area around Fairplay and Alma, since those are the nearest and easiest to cover during the winter. As we move into summer, I'll be getting around to more out-of-the-way places.

If anyone has any questions you'd like to have answered, or suggestions for things to cover, please leave a comment, and I'll try my best to get to them.

"Over 300 days of sun per year"

Many Colorado websites, tourist brochures and real estate ads trumpet the claim that the area being touted gets "over 300 days of sunshine a year." And if you count partly sunny days, this is certainly true of much of the state, including South Park.

Some of our most beautiful days are in the winter, following a snowstorm, when the sun reflects off the new snow; those who want to spend time outdoors need to wear sunglasses. The sky will be a lovely blue, often with no clouds at all - jet trails are the only white in the sky.

During the summer, at least in the mountainous parts of the state, clouds generally do move in some time in the afternoon. In the high country there may be a thunderstorm, sometimes dropping sleet or even snow in addition to rain. But then the storm moves on, and the sun comes back out of hiding. It is something to be careful about, though, if you are hiking in the mountains - lightning strikes are nothing to laugh at!

Ground Blizzards and Whiteouts

South Park doesn't get as much snow as Summit County to the north, but we often get strong winds which can blow snow around and create what is called a "ground blizzard", causing whiteout conditions. Wind gusts up to 50 mph are not uncommon, although 20-30 mph gusts are more likely.

US Hwy 285, which connects Denver with Santa Fe, runs through South Park, and is often closed when these conditions exist. Blowing snow can not only make it difficult or impossible to see what is ahead; it can also cause drifting on the highway and very icy conditions. When this happens, semi-trailers, cars and other trucks can be blown over or slide into other vehicles.

Variable warning signs are changed to indicate the closure, and gates are lowered at Kenosha Pass (east) and Fairplay (west).