The Journey to the Top of the Mountain and Beyond.....
Southern
Colorado
.... Now a flatlander from Missouri who looked at the great Spanish Peaks daily for nearly twenty years.
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San Luis, Colorado San Luis, Colorado
Seeing these mountains for the first time and from a distance must have been quite an experience for Folsom Man of 20,000 years ago, for later Native Peoples, for the Spanish explorers, for the Anglo wagon trains or today for the flatlanders from Missouri or other points east.
Looking
South
The Spanish Peaks are part of the Sangre de Cristo Mountain Range of Southern Colorado. What does Sangre de Cristo mean? What prompted the Spanish explorers to choose this name? What did the Native Peoples call the mountains? [The answer will be found at the bottom of this WEB page ...Look at the bottom of the page.]
Can you imagine climbing this mountain? It looks as if the trail [if we can find one] will be straight up. The supply of oxygen will be limited....especially for flatlanders of Missouri!...13,500 feet above sea level! What is the elevation where you live? With everything else being equal, what will the temperature be on the top of the mountain if temperature decreases 3 degrees per 1000 feet. The temperature today in Los Angles and sea level is 90 degrees F.
We are going to climb to the top of that rock pile? You're crazy! No way we can make it up that barren and loose rock!
Rob and Erik made it to the top in 1989......two Eagle Boy Scouts on the top of the world. Meeting the challenges of the West Peak is like life---though tired and ready to quit, one continues on up the mountain until the top is reached. Reaching the top is worth the effort. .....Eleven years later Rob is a Systems Engineer working for Dell Computer in Austin, Texas. Erik is an FAA certified instructor pilot who has been preparing cadets at the U.S. Air Force Academy for their careers in the sky. Currently he is working with young people who have hopes of becoming pilots for the Republic of Korea. The challenges of going to the top of the mountain and becoming an Eagle Scout helped both Rob and Erik move to the top of the mountain in their professions. Every young man should have such a challenge! ....January 2002. Erik is a First Office for Northwest Airlines and Rob is now Global Relationship Manager -- Communications and Marketing-- eBusiness and Front Office Applications --- Advanced Micro Devices Rob and Erik Today
Photograph of Jerry "on the top" of the 13,500 foot peak....The first Eagle Boy Scout of the family. This was in July of 1965.....looking "down" on the world is quite an experience...During the late 1950's Jerry climbed a number of Colorado's mountains ..... today he only sits at the computer!
Erik is thinking about climbing again in August 1996....it is a long distance!
Mike and Erik make it to the top---quite an accomplishment for two lads who the day before were living in Los Angles and at sea level! They are now ready to climb the mountain of life....
Walking on these rocks is a little difficult than walking on the sand at Santa Monica Beach, California.
As he made it to the top of this mountain, Mike will make it to the top of the mountain in the music industry.
Mike might want to stay here for several more weeks---it is a long journey back to the car but the view is spectacular. Look at the loose rock that Mike is climbing... not very easy. It takes courage and determination to make it to the top.
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Quite a sight looking down the mountain......
Early Morning Snow--Cordova Pass [formerly Apishapa Pass]
photo taken by Arla Aschermann May 2001
Looking down on the top of the mountain gives one a completely different view point of the world. The power of nature!
On a clear day the Spanish Peaks can be seen as far away as Pueblo and LaJunta.
Photos Taken with J. Ronaldo Sautter, Pilot in Command
The Legends
Majestically the Spanish Peaks rise over the plains---West Peak towering 13,626 feet into the sky and East Peak 12,683.
Officially, the twin mountains are called Huajatolla, which means breasts of the world. [Doesn't take much imagination to figure out why the name.]
Legend has it that an old Aprapahoe Indian chief named the mountains for his favorite wife, Wahatoya.
The Native Peoples believed the mountains to be magical and worshipped them.
The land of the Huajatolla became known as far south as Mexico City, where tales were told about the mountain's endless supply of gold.
The Indians believed the Sun God, giver of all life, lived in the mountains. A hidden canyon at the base of the mountains was believed sacred and the home of the Gods.
Another Indian legend tells about El Grandote, a prophet of the Taramuhare Indians. El Grandote and his brother-in-law were looking for gold at Huajatola. During a restless night of sleep El Grandote dreamed that his beautiful wife, Nina, was dead.
The two immediately returned to their home to find the dream was true. Nina had been poisoned.
Declaring undying love and faithfulness to Nina, El Grandote returned to Huajatolla, where he dreamed of Nina every night. he remained in the mountains for the rest of his life, acting as a prophet for the Tarahumares.
The Spanish conquistadors also visited Huajatolla.
Coronado reportedly entered the region in 1540. It is known that an Uribarri expedition passed between the peaks and the Sange de Cristo range in 1706, passing through what is now Cuchara and La Veta.
In 1779, de Anza traveled by the Huajatolla in his search for the great Indian Chief Cuerno Verde, ending his pursuit at Greenhorn Mountains.
Hyperlinks Below Will Tell More About the Peaks Spanish Peaks Photos
Spanish Peaks History
Spanish Peaks Colorado
Spanish Peaks Photo
Spanish Peaks Photo
Spanish Peaks Geology--Great Dikes
Spanish Peaks and Sand Dunes
Spanish Peaks and Sand Dunes by Air
Pueblo, Colorado
Spanish Peaks Boy Scout Ranch Walsenburg, Colorado---40 miles south of Pueblo and 50 miles north of Colorado /New Mexico border. Has some great photographs!
Pueblo County Historical Society
Southern Colorado is noted for its Hispanic culture--- which almost predates most of the settlements and culture of the US Eastern seaboard. When the English were thinking about getting on the boat to come to America the Spanish had already established Santa Fe, New Mexico. Twelve years before the first "Thanksgiving" the Spanish peoples were already living as far North as Santa Fe, just a few miles south from San Luis, Colorado.
San Luis Colorado Church
La Capilla de Todos los Sants
Hispanic Cemeteries of Northern New Mexico/Southern Colorado
Early Hispanic Adobe Brick Construction
Pueblo, Colorado.....
if you are familiar with the city, then you know what you are looking at!
November 1999, rev--- January 2002 [sorry for all the big photo files... when I retire and have time I will make thumb size photos that have individual webpages.... until then, do be having a great day.] Dr. Jerry R. Aschermann
Department of Education
Missouri Western State College
4525 Downs Drive
St. Joseph, Missouri 64507 EMail: Jerry Aschermann
