Outdoors

Descent into Dark Canyon: Kids Wild Fishing in Colorado’s Raggeds Wilderness

The trout literally leaped to snag our hooks as we cast them again and again into the small pools of Trout Creek as it cascaded down through the brush, waterfalling from rock to rock. No, really, that is one of those rare memories from childhood that stands out as a boggling phenomena, one of few that I clearly recall. Beyond that I dont bank a lot on my abilities to recall a lot from years past, and this trek into the Colorado backcountry almost seems like a journey to OZ.

Trout Creek was a small side creek to the Anthracite in western Colorado between Paonia and Crested Butte up on Kebler Pass. I was 13 years old, and trekking into the Raggeds Wilderness with my buddy Steve, his dad and brother. We followed an obscure overgrown trail around Marcellina Mountain down into the fabled Dark Canyon to fish and camp, following Anthracite Creek out to the other trailhead.

My family had driven over Kebler Pass many times, and Marcellina Mountain stood tall and daunting right near the road, jutting up in the Colorado backcountry to a lofty 11,348 feet within the Raggeds Wilderness. That we were actually going to backcountry trek around that peak, hiking through the Raggeds Wilderness and down legendary Dark Canyon – a childhood dream come true.

To get there, we followed Highway 133 around 16 miles east up the North Fork of the Gunnison River from Paonia, Colorado to the road fork below Paonia Dam. Turning right the road leads up Anthracite Creek 5 miles to Erikson Springs Campground and a switchback, the road leading up Kebler Pass. Around 5 miles past the switchback, forest Trail 836, leads east into a tall stand of aspens. Trail 836 leads to Trout Creek following it down to Anthracite Creek and the heart of Dark Canyon, connecting with Trail 830.

Our trail circled Marcellina Mountain looming tall south of Dark Canyon. North of us, the Raggeds Mountains rose tall and inaccessible as we worked our way down toward Anthracite Creek. Herein lay the wonder of the trek into this rugged backcountry. Crossing into the Raggeds Wilderness, we hit Trout Creek, receiving our fishing instructions from Steves dad. Issuing each of us a small barbless hook, we tied them to our lines, and were then instructed to enjoy.

Never since have I experienced such amazement. Trout Creek, true to its name was teaming with trout as this wild little stream crashed through the brush . With no fly or bait on the hook I expected nothing. Instead to my disbelief, every cast into a pool below a rock prompted a rush of trout, all fighting to grab that shiney treat hitting their waters. Every time – boom – a set of trout would strike, one of them seizing the prize and the point of a hook. The majority of course, were far too small to be of any use whatsoever and were all tossed back – hence the barbless hooks. As Steves Dad pointed out, we would catch more than enough for our dinner and breakfast down on the Anthracite.

We boys whooped and hollered at cast after cast. It was beyond unreal, falling into a category of sport fishing I had never encountered before. Working our way down the small creek through the brush we finally hit Anthracite Creek, and headed down through the fabled Dark Canyon, a deep and mysterious gorge through surrounding benchlands of aspen and spruce. The canyon narrows with rimrock cliffs and caves in the outcrops above. The narrow valley and the walls of Dark Canyon close in high above, casting deep shadows as the rock cliffs rise 1,700 feet above the river in the darker stretches. As the day waned, the trail grew dark and narrow, as it led through a deep forest of aspen and enormous spruce trees.

Following our narrow trail around 5 miles from our beginnings up on Kebler Pass road, and down into Dark Canyon, Steves dad knew the perfect place to set up camp on the banks of Anthracite Creek. We set up our meager sleeping quarters in a park-like setting under the towering spruce. I strung my best tarp between two trees, staking the corners and figuring a good spot to sleep on the ground with a couple of wool blankets Mom was able to spare for this adventure. Within minutes after hitting the nearby pools of the Anthracite, we had more than enough fresh trout to ccommodate our evenings dining pleasure. Fortunately for us boys, Steves dad was skilled at wrapping the trout in foil with butter, quickly cooking them in the campfire coals to nothing short of gourmet erfection.

The shadows grew longer with a deep, dark night settling upon us, far down in Dark Canyon, a prime Colorado habitat for bears in the heart of the Raggeds Wilderness. Despite that brief concern, our exhaustion from the days journey and excitement brought a deep, restful sleep to the bunch of us. Dawn came early even as the sun seemed to take forever to pierce into the canyon and warm us. As another of those wonderful memories of this journey into Dark Canyon, Steves dad had rustled up a morning catch of trout, and was again foil cooking a mouthwatering breakfast on the campfire to start our day.

We packed our gear and later that morning hit the trail for the next 6 miles of trail to follow the rest of the way down through Dark Canyon. As the day progressed we paused along the trail to pull in yet more wonderful trout, filling our limits working our way down stream. The canyon and the surrounding forests were a wonder as we worked our way through old-growth spruce and aspen, with views back up the small side canyons toward the surrounding peaks. Finally in late afternoon we straggled out the other end at the trailhead at Erickson Springs Campground where Steves Mom picked us up.

What an outstanding adventure through Dark Canyon! Years later that journey will be revisited beginning and ending in the comfort of nearby motel accommodations in Crested Butte or Delta, Colorado found at: /out/state/us-co.html. The memories and the anticipation come flooding back.

30 years in Themed Entertainment : Blooloop talks to Nick Farmer

In November 2007, Nick Farmer will become the first European President of the TEA (formerly the Themed Entertainment Association), a post to which he was unanimously elected. Farmer has 30 years experience of working for theme parks, amusement parks, aquariums, zoos, science centres and other leisure destinations. He advises clients on park, story and brand development and new attraction planning in Europe and Scandinavia. Blooloop talked to him about his 30 year career in the themed entertainment industry and ambitions for his presidency.

Early Career

Farmer started his career in marketing with Palitoy, makers of Action Man, Tiny Tears dolls and Star Wars toys. He then formed his own production display company, Farmer Studios, in 1976 which rapidly expanded to offer full design, production and installation services. 4 years ago, having become increasingly frustrated that the growth of the company meant that his time was spent on management, administration and cash flow rather than design and creativity, Farmer disbanded the production company and established Farmer Attraction Development.

By reorganising and developing a team of freelancers which can be gathered together as needed for projects, Farmer has created a more efficient business model with a lower fixed cost base. This flexibility allows the company to weather the seasonality of the industry, as well as reducing project costs. He is now free to concentrate on attraction concept development, production and consultancy.

Farmers core business involves drawing on his experience in the industry to create and develop attractions. Most of his business is in Europe and Scandinavia and reflects the current state of the European market, with few new parks opening and most work revolving around existing parks by either reworking existing rides or enhancing new standard rides. He particularly enjoys the challenge of working with established venues to develop attractions which will change the direction and the publics perception of the park.

Recent Projects

Farmer worked on seven new rides and several other attractions for the 2007 season.

Recent projects include:
Grona Lund in Stockholm. Farmer developed the name, graphic identity and station design for Kvasten, their new suspended coaster. Kvasten is playing a major park in repositioning Grona Lund within the Swedish leisure market.

Bewilderwood in Norfolk. Farmer provided consultancy to the 50 acre family curious treehouse adventure which opened to such acclaim in May 2007. His contribution was to enhance the original concept and to provide a layer of storytelling engagement on top of the basic attraction to deliver a much richer experience and a highly marketable attraction

Earth Explorer in Ostend. Farmer developed a concept using a standard drop ride to create an educational experience which takes children on a flight around the solar system. In this case Farmer produced a custom video show to integrate with the basic ride, so children have fun at the same time as leaning about space.

In addition to his consultancy business, Farmer is a non-executive director of Wicksteed Park Ltd, Kettering, one of the UKs oldest leisure parks. This gives him the additional benefit of an operators perspective. He finds this useful for an appreciation that operators battle with budgets just as much as suppliers.

Industry Trends

In terms of demographics, the market has now finally realised the long heralded aging population is finally here and Farmer is working with parks to help ensure new attractions are designed to cater for grand parents and grand children. In his own business for attractions aimed primarily at small children he will usually try to add a layer of entertainment, often humour, that will appeal to adults too.

Geographically, he believes that there is still growth available in Europe, although this is largely through updating of existing parks and attractions rather than new projects. In his own business, of the fourteen projects he has worked on this year only one has been a completely new enterprise. As far as industry expansion into India and China is concerned, while these markets are growing at an incredible pace, those entering will need nerves of steel. Farmer recommends the fellowship to be gained by membership of the TEA, as many members are already operating in these regions. Discussion amongst fellow members can often be very helpful when dealing with such critical issues as contracts, terms of payment and business ethics in these regions.

The TEA

Farmer was effusive about his experience of TEA membership saying that it had been an incredible thing and had expanded his network within the industry enormously. The TEA (formerly the Themed Entertainment Association) is an international non-profit organization, founded in 1991, dedicated to connecting around 6,500 creative specialists in nearly 500 firms in 39 different countries. Farmer has been a TEA member in Europe since the association established its European Division in 1998, and has served three years as European President. He is currently in his second term on the International Board and has been a Vice-President for the past five years.

Around 80% of TEA members are based in the US. However Farmer, despite not working in the States, feels that he has learned a great deal from US operators and creative suppliers. Our members in the US have been the driving force behind so many key developments in our industry, he says. Our own European industry has benefited enormously from the work of these pioneers

The TEA exposes you to the worlds brightest people and most exciting ideas, helping to develop your own creative thinking and good business practice.

Farmer hopes to develop two key aspects of TEA membership. The first is to expand membership within architectural and digital production disciplines to better reflect the wide range of skills and creativity now found in project teams. The second is to expand the TEAs horizons by bringing in members from around the world; there are positive benefits of membership where-ever creatives are based.

He sees his tenure as the TEAs first European president as a great opportunity to confirm to the world that the TEA is a truly international association.