Montrose - Daily Press

It's easy to understand why Kale Deutsch loved Kebler Pass so much. The scenic 30-mile drive between Paonia and Crested Butte is bordered by two wilderness areas--the West Elks on the south and the Raggeds to the north and is well-known for its thick groves of quakin' aspen, towering spruce and lush alpine meadows filled with wildflowers.

One of the largest contiguous stands of aspen in the world is located along this route. Extensive wildfires in the 1700s wiped out the black timber conifers native to the area, allowing the aspen trees to grow in profusion. Today, the aspen groves of Kebler Pass extend for miles, lining both sides of the road. Many of the trees still bear the carvings of sheepherders, cowboys, miners and hunters who passed through the area over 100 years ago. The pass regularly receives some of the highest snowfall depths of any place in Colorado, making it a summer-only drive. The pass is named for Julian Kebler, a brilliant MIT engineer and president of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company of Pueblo who helped bring prosperity to the area in the late 1800s.

"Kale was an old-time outfitter and longtime member of the Lariat Saddle Club," Pat Shank stated.

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Pat, along with his wife by the same name (who happens to be a local veterinarian), are active members of the trail riding club based in Montrose.

Although Kale passed away several years ago, his legacy has been kept alive. Recently, Pat stepped in and took over the reins of leadership of the annual trip to Kebler Pass, which involves sponsoring and organizing the three-day camp-out and ride.

"I want to do this for Kale," he said.

Kale's widow, Shirley Deutsch, also remains an active participant in the trail riding club.

"We joined the Lariat Saddle Club in 1970 and started the ride about 10 years later as an 'around the 4th of July' outing," Shirley explained. Her husband grew up in the Crawford area and was very familiar with the surrounding high country, including the Smith Fork and West Elks.

While Kale had grown up around horses, he preferred to ride a mule.

"It took him a long time to get me on a mule," Shirley said with a laugh. "We finally ended up trading for a mule named Mabel (for me to ride). She was homely!!"

For 25 years, the couple sponsored and organized the club's annual ride from one of the most easily accessed trailheads along the Kebler Pass route--Horse Ranch Park.

Over a century ago, the large open meadow served as a grazing area for teams of horses used in nearby mining operations. One local legend tells how several horse thieves scoped out the area and waited for the perfect opportunity to round up as many horses as they could from the park. The group headed for Erikson Springs (near the Paonia side) only to meet an angry posse that had obviously been tipped off to the horse thieves illicit activities. A shootout ensued during which two of the horse thieves and one deputy were killed. The horse thieves were buried on the spot, in unmarked graves.

One of the shorter trail rides in the area takes off to the south of Horse Ranch Park, heading towards the foot of East Beckwith Peak. The route, which climbs to nearly 10,000 feet in elevation, actually follows three separate trails. The first 2-1/2 miles climb the Cliff Creek Trail, which follows Anthracite Creek. At the junction with the Beckwith Pass Trail, riders can continue north for approximately three miles through spectacular high mountain meadows. As many as 70 different species of wildflowers can be viewed during July and early August, including Colorado's state flower, the columbine; wild roses; tall spires of purple lupine; Jacobs-Ladder; coneflowers; and daisies. The Beckwith Pass Trail eventually intersects with the Three Lakes Trail, which encircles Lost Lake Slough. Lost Lake and its smaller companion, Dollar Lake, sit in tranquil alpine settings near the base of East Beckwith Peak. The newly-published equestrian trail guide, "Saddle Up, Colorado!" by Sherry and Scott Snead, rates this particular trail ride as moderately difficult (especially in wet conditions) and a true "high-altitude jewel."

Although club members find many lasting friendships along the trail, it's not uncommon to have a little friendly rivalry over who has the better mount--those riding mules or those on horseback.

Mule enthusiasts, like Jack Beck, attest to the animal's easy gait and sure-footedness on the trail.

Jack is a veteran of the saddle club, and at age 70, is one of the "senior" riders in the group. A retired lieutenant colonel, Jack now spends a great deal of his retirement overseeing Division of Wildlife (DOW) volunteers on the Western Slope. But his other passion is trail riding. On this particular trip, Jack rode his young mule, "Gus," who's just learning the ropes of trail riding.

"I bought him at the mule sale (in Montrose)," Jack said, adding that mules have two temperaments: good and bad. The most expensive mule can have a bad temper, and it will never change. Unlike horses, it takes a good deal of time and patience to bond with a mule.

The Shanks, on the other hand, are equally proud of their well-conditioned trail horses.

"These horses are used to going 20 to 30 miles a day," Pat said, adding that he and his wife have taken them on several pack trips in Yellowstone.

One thing trail riders do agree on--you never forget a horse's (or mule's) name. Gus, Birney, Scooter, Ed and Norton hold a special place in their owner's hearts and will continue to help establish a trail-riding legacy.

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