The Pole Mountain area, now a scene of play and renewal, has a history of struggle and tumult. Civilian Conservation Corpsmen sweat and labored, building roads and planting the forest we enjoy today. Miners blasted the rocky knobs of quartz for uranium, trucking it off in growling low gear.
Considering all this activity it is surprising how rare are the remains. Frankly the military and the forest service have done a thorough cleaning up. But they missed a few things. While discovering these sites please remember to preserve them in every way, leaving every rock and stick in place. Most of these are especially fragile. Unexploded munitions could render you the last casualty of WWII.
FS north. Left on Right on Open the gate, continuing on They are at a high point on the grassy hill just off on the left, pointed at Eagle Rock. Image laying in one of these as shells whistle overhead, your field glasses trained on the clouds of dust and smoke that note impact, radioing the results back to the big guns.
On the south side of the road at the high point of the ridge. A limber pine now grows from the south end. Here is a refreshing spigot of cool, clear, ever-flowing water. Walk west along the south side of the creek until you can follow an old overgrown road cut into the aspens into the second draw. As you enter the trees about a tenth mile from FS listen for the sound of water. Above the pipe is a large concrete collecting tank with lid.
High above the old military headquarters is a prominent point. Just behind the top are the remains of some little building or privy. While the archeology is minimal the view is maximal. Hike up the trail. Steven Whittenberger of Laramie told me about these old iron steam tables and ovens, left behind well off the beaten path. Take Happy Jack to FS , then 3. Go south. Then east. As the road turns to the right look for an opening on your left. Park here and follow the very faint remains of an old road to the north on foot.
