Getting High

The graceful Wet Mountain Range of Southern Colorado displays a vast beauty of many things. Bear, Elk, and other wildlife meander among the Aspen groves. Sheer rock faces loom over the highest passes. There are remnants of old homesteads in meadows that are matched only by the splendor of a Scottish Glen. Speaking of Scottish; there is also a castle right there in Colorado; Bishop’s Castle to be exact, and it is nestled near the road at over 9000 feet.

One would think a castle would not fit in, but with its towering stonework and cathedral type architecture with incorporated ironwork; it fits rather well here, so high up. The castle itself ascends to 160 feet at its highest tower, which is comparable to about a 16-story building.

My daughter, Amber, was with me on this adventure and I think it is fair to say that the two of us were baffled from the time we arrived until we departed. We entered through a massive arch into the courtyard. We then circled the entire complex, searching for the best photography opportunities, but that did not last long. Our inner children could not resist for long to enter the castle through the nearest opening and begin climbing about with the rest of the children.

We clamored up to the Grand Ballroom, which is the main level at several stories high. It has a large wooden floor with various doors to iron catwalks which surround the outside. A high-pitched ceiling slants to either side, with huge stained-glass triangular windows at either end. A goliath, but sleek, iron dragon head extends from the eaves. One could marvel for hours in this room alone. There are chairs strewn randomly about for those that are tuckered out from exploring, but Amber and I were just starting. On either side of the Grand Ballroom were entryways to the spiral stone stairs leading up into towers, spires and labyrinths of iron walkways and bridges.

On the way up we would often pass through small rooms with arched windows and more iron catwalks or a rampart. There were also old school bells and other relics along the way. At last we emerged into the open, surrounded by ironwork. But the stairs went further, and we crept up, on vibrating stairs into a round enclosure, much like an oversized medieval cage.

From this vantage point we could see most of the workings below, the dragonhead, the courtyard, the road and even the tiny black square that was my car. The trees, as well, were below us. Only the square stone tower at the opposite end of the castle was higher. We did not stay long, as the iron supports were shaking and swaying, causing equilibrium issues. Before descending, we took photographs of the stone and ironwork below. It is a most incredible structure.

 

A Definition of Perseverance

But this is not so much a story about a castle, as it is about a man.  In fact, the castle is not some age-old relic built by some mining or railroad tycoon 150 years ago. The man who built this is still alive, and he is still building it! Jim Bishop has been building this castle, piece by piece, for over 50 years.

Bishop has owned the two-and-a-half-acre parcel since 1959, and for the first 10 years it was a family camping spot. During this time, he worked his father’s ornamental ironworks business in nearby Pueblo. And at age 25, he and his father decided to build a one room cabin on their camping spot. The work ensued, and while doing the stonework for the cabin, Jim got the inspiration of building a castle. His father, claiming a castle was too much work, would not be a part of it.

Ton after ton of stone and iron

Jim Bishop not only began the life-long project all alone but has since been the sole workman here for all these decades. He hauled stone and rock from drainage ditches, gathered scrap iron and rebar He dug by hand 12-foot-deep ditches to lay the foundation of his vision. Every stone, piece of iron, glass and wood was hauled on his back or hoisted alone. He has said every stone was handled six times by his hands to get it where it is today.

Keep in mind; this is all at 9000 plus feet and there are but a few months of good weather to build in. The Wet Mountains, a part of the Southern Rocky Mountain system, is so named for its heavy snowfall. Snow is usually not melted off until May or June, and snow season begins in October or November.

But Bishop persevered, and year by year his creation grew. So did its popularity. People started suggesting he could make some money from charging an admission price. But Jim wanted everyone to experience his castle, whether they had money or not. It is still a free attraction to this day!

Bishop is now in his mid-70’s and there are no plans to stop the building. This mammoth project will continue until his last breath is drawn. That day may still be far off. With over 1000 tons of stone in place and untold tons of iron, the work continues. Not all of Bishop’s feats have been physical. He has come out on top of a 40-year fight with Washington bureaucrats, who wanted to charge him for the rock he extracted from the surrounding National Forest. He also wrote a book entitled, “Castle Building from my Point of View.”

Jim Bishop was on site and I was eager to interview him. However, my timing was bad, as he was not in a good mood. He can be a little loud and foul, and he was on a political rant. I left him alone. However, this does not change, in any way, my admiration of his work.

 

Coming Down

Amber and I descended the narrow stone steps and meandered out into the courtyard. There we found a gift store and a snack shack. We both got a snow cone and took more pictures from this, rather unique, vantage point. By this time, we had been up and down several parts of the castle and our legs were getting tired.

Intricate stone stairway with iron railings

We looked out at this incredible spectacle. Its vast beauty truly does add a unique characteristic to the surrounding mountains. However, more than anything else, it is a testament to perseverance. If you ever wonder what one person can accomplish alone, go to Bishop’s Castle. An army of stone masons and iron workers could have done no better.

For more information and directions visit  http://www.bishopcastle.org/about/. To access another castle post on my blog, go to https://outerrealmz.com/hermitage-castle/.