Hello old friends. If you spent a summer or more with Mission Hills at San Miguel Chapel back in the late eighties and early nineties, this post is for you. Recently, after visiting Crested Butte, my friend Leigh Ann and I took the long way home to check in on “Camp Norwood“. We wound our way along highway 145 scanning the valley for signs of a pull-off and the old motel. After passing the condemned bridge, I knew we were close. But no dilapidated motel was forthcoming… only a few familiar ponds. That’s right, Camp Norwood is no more. The past is past.

After pulling off the highway, I knew we were at the right place. The goose poop ponds were unmistakeable, but there was no sign whatsoever that the old motel had ever existed. I scanned the ground for a brick or even the tracings of an old foundation. All that remained of the motel were a few shards of glass, no doubt the remnants of one of our break-in attempts. A tree had been planted over the old septic tank, the power hook-up was almost obscured by grass. The old clapboard suspension bridge, however, still spans the San Miguel River tenuously. I only wish I knew what had happened to all the Bob Rossesque nature paintings that adorned the walls, with their waterfalls upon waterfalls. Pity to think they’re probably forever lost in a landfill.

Interestingly, and to me poetically, the only real remains of all that transpired there were monuments we had erected. Yes, all three crosses on “Hamburger Hill”, quite remarkably, are still standing tall, as though we had hauled them up there yesterday. The tire swing Jim Kirchner patiently worked at hanging with multiple throws from his QB arm still swings, the rope as sinewy and strong as ever. The fire pit — or confession ring — is still in perfect condition, though lacking the log benches to stay clear of the ants. I almost expected to find a swatch of Malskeit’s old tshirt there, still living in infamy. The pond slough we had lined with rocks and the intake from the river we reinforced remain.

Our nature walk is not yet entirely overgrown, but nature is reclaiming the land. Our volleyball pit and Red Rover field are indiscernible. The Garder snakes, of course, are still everywhere and the rattlesnakes have also made it across the river as I discovered by almost stepping on one. Still no snipes, though.

According to the owner of the hardware store in Norwood, the place was destroyed and removed about four or five years ago. Some faded realty signs are posted on the plot, advertising that it is for sale. Can you guess the price? I’m guessing you guessed low. The asking price, for 40 acres, is $1,650,000. So if you have some spare change laying about… The ad copy goes like this:

An absolutely unique 40+ acres, located approximately 30 minutes from Telluride, with 1,950 feet of San Miguel River frontage, adjacent to public lands. Water rights are included, large ponds are in place: a footbridge across the river provides access to extensive hiking. A beautiful and magical canyon property, just a short drive from Telluride.

So history marches on, receding into our foggy memories. But they are good memories.

This entry was posted on Sunday, August 16th, 2009 at 4:59 am and is filed under Nostalgia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.