The Phantom Terrace!!! Gives Me The Willies!!!

Hike Rating

This hike has been rated B by the American Professional Hikers and Climbers Association. Not recommended for sour pusses or professionals without a sense of humor......



B for more bull, than a Kansas City meat packing plant.

Neither Rain, Sleet Or Snow

Thursday, October 30th.

I was starting to get a little anxious. It was after one in the afternoon and the mailman hadn’t brought this weeks “Wet Mountain Tribune”. That would be the local newspaper. With tomorrow being Halloween, I knew the paper would be loaded with lots of fun things to do. The City of Westcliffe is one major happening place on holidays. We have a parade for just about everything. Wouldn’t live anywhere else in the world.

I kept looking down the street with expectation and finally, what seemed like an eternity, the mailman came around the corner. I didn’t even wait for him to open the mailbox. I just shoved my hand inside the truck and smiled. There it was.. My ticket for fun.

The Phantom Terrace

I looked through the pages and came across an announcement that the annual Rainbow 100 finish line was being held at the Comanche-Venable Trailhead, located about 8 miles southwest of town. How perfect! I could go watch the race, then take a haunted hike up to the Phantom Terrace. A narrow ledge a thousand feet over a sheer drop that connects the two trails together. Could I get there before it disappeared under the winter snow. I had to try.

Here’s a picture of part of the Phantom Terrace. Taken during the spring months. Currently, there are some large patches of snow and ice. Gives me the willies just looking at it!

The Rainbow 100

Now, for those of you unfamiliar with the Rainbow 100. I’ll explain what it’s all about. Besides being the biggest thing to hit Custer county, it’s about the most action packed day anyone could ever imagine! First, the Rainbow is the name of a trail that runs for about a hundred miles. It starts just northwest of the town of Gardner, Colorado on the south and ends near the town of Salida, Colorado to the north. The forest service allows atv vehicles on it, so…. this makes for a wonderful opportunity to use for this particular race. This year was going to be the 25th anniversary. And, I didn’t want to miss it for the world!

Very few places in the world experience anything like the Rainbow 100.. Nearly a thousand entrants, mostly men, and a few women dress up as jackolanterns, because of the Halloween season and carry high powered rifles. Load up their atvs with cases of Colt 45 or Old English 800 and drive up the Rainbow trail at almost supersonic speeds.

The object of the race is to fire off as many rounds as you can before you pass out. Sheer excitement abounds! And, since no one has ever made it more than about 15 miles, they decided to move the finish line from Salida to Westcliffe. How cool is that.. And, I’ll be able to tell my grandkids, I was there!!

What To Do With Junior

All of a sudden, reality kicks in. “Oh man”, I said, “the ex wife has gone out of town and taken the girls, but left me with Willie Jr. I can’t take him hiking.” Everytime she takes off and takes the girls with her, she gives me some mumbo jumbo about the boys staying home and male bonding. In reality, Jr is the only one who still spoils his didys and she can’t handle changing them. so she gives me some bunk story, so I’ll keep him.. How stupid does she think I am?

Well, I imagine, most of you have met Jr before, but just in case you forgot what he looks like, here’s a picture of him.



October 31. Halloween

So, now I frantically start calling all over the valley for a babysitter. And my luck, no ones around to watch him They’re all heading out to the race and the contest that is going to be held at the trailhead. “Ok, I’m not going to panic here. I’ve been in this boat before.” So, I decides that I’m going to do it again. So I go in the garage and grab my fishing tackle box and a little crazy glue and slap one on my flies on Jr’s nose. I figure that will keep him busy for a good nine or ten hours. Gotta understand, us Westcliffe folk are a simple folk.

Then I grab an umbrella, some food and some water and slip Jr out on the back deck.



Oh sure!! Now I can hear it. “What a lousy dad he is.” “He shouldn’t be allowed to have kids.” “He should be thrown in jail.” Yea, Yea, I’ve heard those before. What about that kid left home alone in the movies?. He didn’t have no problems.
And besides, I love Jr. I just love hikin, just a teenie weenie bit more and besides I’ve never had a problem leaving him alone for that long and….. it’s not like I left the hook in the fly. Well… there was that one time I left him alone for almost a day. He tried to eye down that fly so hard, it kinda puckered up his face.

Told the wife I spent all day telling him jokes and he just laughed to dang hard. Whew! Good thing Westcliffe women are simple folk, too. Otherwise, I’da been never able to hike agin.

A Shoe In

So, now, Jr’s set and I’m set. I’m off to the trailhead. First stop, the “Uni-Bomber” look alike contest and I’m s shoe in.

That’s me. First place.



I start thinking about the distance I’ve got to cover. About 15 miles on the loop up the Venable and down the Comanche trail. I decide, the Rainbow 100 will have to continue on it’s own. So, I set off towards the Venable trailhead.

The Venable Side

I walk about a half mile and reach the Rainbow. Fortunately, the race hasn’t started yet, so there’s no lead flying. I literally run to the register and sign in. Just so I can get as far away from the race as possible. Nothing scarier than a trick or treater with a high powered rifle, who doesn’t get any candy…

Just above the register, I come to a corner and spot Horn Peak in the distance.



A couple miles up the trail, you hit the short split to the Venable Falls. A forest assistant is always happily, waiting to point you in the right direction.



A short walk to the falls and I don’t understand, but I always get a lousy picture of a half frozen water fall.



After a quick picture and a short break, I start to climb a few switchbacks. Not many on the trails around here. A little higher and I can get a couple of nice shots of the bare aspen and the Wet Mountain Valley.






I continue up. Still in the forest. Most of the trails in this area start near the 9000ft elevation, which is in forest and leaves the trees about 11,500ft. Before I leave the woods, I run into an old lean to. There’s a lot of them around here.



And a glimpse of where I’m heading to. A drainage, just below Venable Peak. There are some lakes as well. That’s Venable Peak to the right in the distance. Spring Mountain is off the photo to the left. Both are easy walk up climbs.



Here’s a closer picture of Spring Mountain.

We're Not In Kansas Anymore

I arrive at the lower Venable lake where an old house has collapsed near the trail. For those of you who have ever watched or read the story of “The Wizard of Oz,” this is the actual house that fell from the sky.



After passing Dorothy’s aunt and uncles house, you start to climb up to the upper (and largest) Venable Lake. If you look back before hitting the upper lake, you can get a good view of the lower lakes. Actually, more like ponds.



A couple of long switchbacks and you arrive at the upper lake. It’s gorgeous and about ¾ frozen by now. Good fishing in the summer.



Just above the lake, you come to a split. If you want to climb to Venable Peak, you take a right. To go towards the Comanche trail and across the Phantom Terrace, you keep to the left. The trail starts to narrow and run along a steep drop off to the Venable drainage below. If you look closely from right to left, in the picture below, you’ll see a faint trail that is what’s known as “The Phantom Terrace”.

The Comanche Side

I arrive at the Phantom Terrace and there are some patches of snow to contend with. I carefully dig my feet into the ground and take one slow step after the other. I’m nervous, but continue to walk across. This is a big step for me. I have problems with sheer drops and this is one hairy crossing. Not too long after that, I’m at the other end and look back to where I just came from.





And I take a long look along the ridgeline that leads back to the upper Venable Lake.



To my right, the west face of Spring Mountain.



And a ton of other Sangre Peaks in the distance, including Comanche Peak in the front/left.




I begin to head across the trail towards Comanche Peak. The trail follows along the west side of Spring Mountain fairly level for about a mile and a half. If you look closely, you’ll see a faint line. That is the trail.



Looking back. Venable Peak at the left and the Phantom Terrace is where the notched part of the mountain is to the right.



I get to the saddle just below Comanche Peak and get a gorgeous view of the two Comanche lakes below. The upper lake is half frozen.



And yet, another happy forest worker standing at saddle pointing you in the right direction home.





It’s at this point, I look at my watch and notice, I’ve left Jr home alone for about 6 hours. It’s a little over 2 hours down to the parking area and another half hour to the house. I figure, I’d better get my butt in gear. So, I start down the long switchbacks that lead to the lakes below. Just before I take more than a few steps, I take a quick look back below the saddle and spot a small wooden cross. I bow my head for a solemn moment and proceed down the trail. All the while wondering who and why it was put there.



Off to the right, another glimpse of Horn Peak in the distance.



I begin to near lower Comanche Lake.



And look back at Comanche Peak.



Pretty soon, I’ve passed the lake and start heading towards the narrow section of the trail to the saddle where several switchbacks take you down towards the trailhead. I take one last look at the lake and continue on. Pushing myself so I can get back home. I’m starting to get nervous. I don’t know why. I’ve left Jr home 100’s of times and never had any problems. So I kick it in high gear and start jogging down the trail.



Soon, I have to slow it down a little, because of a rockfield. Lots of rocks and rockfields in the Rocky Mountains. Go figure….I think there should be a law that says they have to have signs that say, “Warning lotsa Rocks.” But who am I..





I start to pick up speed and come around a corner to find, they’ve installed a skating rink smack dab in the middle of the trail. An I don’t have my skates with me. Will have to tip toe down the trail for a while.

Having A Presbyterian Moment

I get to the car. Throw my pack in the trunk and proceed to drive down the dirt roads for a few miles. Cross hwy 69 and start up the other side of the valley. By now, I’m really getting nervous. I’m starting to get this queasiness in my stomach!

Then I start to get one of those presbyterians. You know, those feelings like you can tell what’s going to happen in the future. I knew something was wrong!

I kept driving. Now, I leave the pavement and have 5 more miles to go on more dirt roads. I’m sweating profusely! I can hardly concentrate! A deer darts out in front of my car! I swerve, just missing it, then another and another. It’s like, the whole world is stopping me from my Jr!

Finally, up the last hill. A quick right and another right!

I’m now driving up my driveway. It seems to go on and on. I’m starting to get sick.

And…….. it’s at this point. I have to stop and say, In order to show the full text of what happened next, I feel, I must include the following photo. Now, I don’t condone profanity, but I feel, in order to complete the story as it should be told, I must include it. Therefore, at this point in time, the hike is no longer rated B. It’s has transposed itself to a PG13 momentarily, with a tad bit of B. And I must also, warn you ahead of time. The next section of the story may not be suitable for adults. So kids, keep your hands on the mouse and get ready to minimize it to an educational website, like Sesame Street if your parents walk in the room. Here’s what happened next.

The Demise Of Westcliffe Willie

I came around the last curb of the drive and standing there with Jr in arms was the wife and spawn of evil next to her. Needless to say. I won’t be hiking for a long, long, long time.

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