1) Mud Lake, Boulder County Parks & Open Space, Nederland, CO, January 1, 2022 - What a way to ring in the New Year - by going on a little snow hike with our favorite "surrogate daughter" Julia. After a much anticipated snowstorm dropped about 6" of snow in the mountains overnight we had clear blue skies in the afternoon in which provided sunshine to light up the snow-covered landscape. We did the short loop at nearby Mud Lake so not a particularly long walk but it provided both beautiful surroundings and lovely company with which to start off 2022. A meandering 1.4 mile loop with maybe 75 feet of elevation gain.
2) Ralston Roost, Black Bear and Horseshoe trails, Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Golden, CO, January 7, 2022 - Want to celebrate a birthday the Colorado way? Get out an hike! So after a snow storm dumped a foot of fresh snow on the mountains it was time to get out and enjoy a landscape the like it was covered in cake frosting to celebrate hiking buddy Lyle's birthday. We headed over to Golden Gate Canyon State Park to hike one of our favorite loops. We parked at the visitor center and hiked up the Black Bear trail to Ralston Roost. The trail was slippery since the sun was shining down and starting to melt the snow on the south face of the ridge. However, that sunny sky provided a breathtaking view from the top of Ralston Roost looking up the Ralston creek valley and onto the snow covered Continental Divide further west. There was a bit of wind at the top and a lot deeper snow on the north side of the ridge so continuing the loop over to Horseshoe trail meant strapping on the snow shoes. Once we got over to the old road that drops down from Greenfield Meadows the snow was packed so we took the snow shoes off and hiked the rest of the way. Hiking in the snow was a workout but it was fun to get out and honor Lyle's birthday! A 5.3 mile loop with 1,300 feet of elevation gain.
3) Bluebird Mine, Caribou Ranch Open Space, Boulder County Open Space Parks, Nederland, CO, January 9, 2022 - Jonna and Alan got out to enjoy some of last week's snow. Knowing that the large numbers of weekend hikers would pack down the popular trails we left the snowshoes at home and just laced up our hiking boots. Sure enough, the Bluebird Loop Trail at nearby Caribou Ranch Open Space was tromped down into a snow & ice bridge so we could just walk in our boots (while puzzling at all the eager snowshoers scraping along on the hard packed snow). It was beautiful out with bright white snow all around contrasting against an equally bright blue sky. We walked over to the Bluebird Mine before turning back to the trailhead. A great way to get some exercise and to enjoy the beauty of our area. A 4.3 mile loop with 250 feet of elevation gain.
4) Sourdough Trail, Roosevelt National Forest, Nederland, CO, January 10, 2022 - This really doesn't count as a hike but Jonna and Alan decided to get back out to enjoy the snow for a second day in a row but this time decided to give cross-county ski'ing a try. We dusted off our skis, which haven't been touch in a couple of years, and drove over to the Sourdough trailhead. Despite the trail being well packed down we still slid and scraped our way far enough down the trail for Alan to get over his initial "I really suck at this" feelings. We were both shaky using muscles we haven't used in a long time but it was a useful outing to remember which end of the skis go forward and for our bodies to figure out how to balance on two skinny, slippery boards. 1.2 mile out and back with 300 feet of elevation gain.
5) Betasso Preserve, Boulder County Open Space, Boulder, CO, January 11, 2022 - Getting out in nature three days in a row is fantastic but it also allows you to see how trail conditions degrade after a snow fall due to the daily thaw/freeze cycle. Steve and Alan met up at the Betasso trailhead on Tuesday afternoon for some "catch up" time and found that the previous week's snow had been packed down and frozen into a super slick ice run worth of ice skates or a bobsled. We hiked the main Betasso loop anyway enjoying the views, the beautiful weather and the solitude (we only saw one other hiker - a rarity on what is normally a very popular trail!) A great way for two friends to re-connect after not seeing each other in person in about half a year! A 3.6 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
6) Ellsworth Creek trail system, Rollinsville, CO, January 16, 2022 - We did another hike with friends to start out the new year, this time with long time friends Holly, Rick and Pokey the pup. In an effort to avoid the weekend crowds and to find some non-packed down snow we headed to one of our usual "locals" trails. Fortunately, we were successful on both accounts. Some 4 wheel drives had churned up the snow recently but the trails were empty and the snow was still soft enough to float snow shoes. Just wandered the familiar trails enjoying the sunshine, the pristine snow off-trail and blue sky overhead. A good afternoon spent with good friends! 2.5 miles with 450 feet of elevation gain.
7) Ellsworth Creek trail system, Rollinsville, CO, January 22, 2022 - Our second cross-country skiing outing of the year was a glorious one. Our friend Julia joined us so we all hoped for good trail conditions. We had a snow storm roll through on Friday which dropped a fresh 5" of powder on top of the compacted base of the previous week's dump. This made for perfect ski'ing conditions so we headed back to the Ellsworth Creek trail system hoping to avoid the weekend crowds. Success! We got first tracks on the trails and enjoyed the pristine forest conditions - fluffy snow covering the tree limbs with clear blues skies and a bit of warm sunshine. We had a great morning breaking trail and gliding through the champagne powder. By the time we returned to the trailhead the sun was starting to create sticky snow so we timed it perfectly. This was just the kind of day you hope for when getting out with a friend to enjoy the mountains in the winter. 3.2 miles with 400 feet of elevation gain.
8) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, January 23, 2022 - Day to day some things change and some stay the same. What is the same is that we are continuing our enjoyable trend of getting together with friends to share the great outdoors here in Colorado. Today it was a hike down in Boulder with our friend Desiree who is just recovering from COVID. What was different was the weather. We went from cold and snowy to warm and dry, just by waiting a day and then driving down out of the mountains. We did an old favorite...in fact we hiked this same trail with Desiree at this same time last year! Once again we were able to catch-up with Desiree and get some much needed vitamin C, all while enjoying the beautiful views of the Flatirons from the Homestead and Towhee trails. A 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
9) Mud Lake, Boulder County Parks & Open Space, Nederland, CO, January 24, 2022 - Our joyful tradition of hiking with friends continues! Our friend Krista was in town for work and stopped by Nederland for the evening en-route from the airport to Breckenridge. In addition to spending the evening with us we also had time to get out for a short hike at the neighborhood Mud Lake trails. The snow was all packed down and thus slippery but the landscape was still covered in white and the lake was frozen over so we got to walk out on the ice as well. Hopefully, getting her back out in the mountains will help tempt her to return to Colorado! An easy 2 mile loop with a mild 75 feet of elevation gain.
10) Monument Hill and Bluff trails, Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site, Eads, Colorado, January 30, 2022 - At a time when confronting history directly (in addition to science!) Jonna and Alan decided to make a weekend trip to Southeastern Colorado to learn more about two very painful times in Colorado history. On Saturday we visited the Granada Relocation Center (also known as the Amache Concentration Camp) a WWII internment camp for Japanese-Americans built just outside Granada, Colorado in 1942. No real hiking but a very interesting, if sad, driving tour with stops to see a dozen different highlighted locations. Then, on Sunday, we visited the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic site northeast of Eads, Colorado. Here there were a couple of short trails that we could hike to learn about the horrible attack by US Calvary on peaceful Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes that were camped here in November of 1864. There was an excellent ranger talk and then we had a peaceful walk along the top of the bluff overlooking the Sand Creek creek bed. A hawk lazily circled the valley in a cloudless sky and dry grass waved in the cold breeze. It was a calm but bleak view and the history of the area could almost be felt in the air. A challenging but fascinating weekend trip for both of us. Around 3 miles and almost entirely flat with only a 30 foot high bluff to climb.
11) Peak To Plains Trail, Gateway Segment, Clear Creek Canyon Park, Golden, Colorado, February 5, 2022 - One of our happiest hikes so far this year was getting to re-connect with our good friends Nancy and Drew who have moved back to Colorado after a decade of living on the east coast. We are so excited to have them back "home" and we had a fantastic day visiting with them in Golden, including a nice walk along the Peak To Plains trail that runs alongside Clear Creek. We had originally planned to hike South Mesa but when we arrived at the trailhead it was cold and very windy so we all agreed that wasn't conducive to conversation so we moved a couple of miles west and parked at the mouth of Clear Creek Canyon instead. It was a perfect decision because the weather was much calmer and we were out from underneath the clouds which meant we had warm sunshine for our hike. The ice covered creek and snow covered mountainsides were all lovely but really the morning was all catching up with our long lost friends and that made for a fantastic day. 3 miles with 75 feet of elevataion gain.
12) Mt. Sanitas, Boulder City Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, February 7, 2022 - Having just passed Groundhog Day this posting may at first seem like deja-vu but you aren't reliving the past over it again, it is just time once again for the annual Spring Training hikes. Today, Lyle and Alan met up in Boulder to start the first of five hikes we do every February/March in order to get in shape for the coming summer's hiking. Today was Mt. Sanitas and in true Groundhog Day fashion we started at the same place as always and hiked it the same route as always. We parked at the People's Crossing trailhead (recently renamed from the previous "Settler's Park".) From there we went up and over the ridge on the Red Rocks trail to the Mt. Sanitas trailhead. We took the Dakota Ridge trail north before turning west to climb the east face of Mt. Sanitas. Most of this was compressed snow but as we neared the top the warm sunshine started to melt it into slush. We had a beautiful out over Boulder from the top. After warming up the sun and eating a snack we started down the south ridge trail. There was definitely some sliding around as the trail down was a mix of slush, compressed snow, ice and bare ground. We managed to get down without incident and then returned over the Red Rocks ridge via the Anemone Trail. As always, this first training hike of the year is a good one to work the legs going up and the knees coming down. One down, four to go! 4.5 miles with 1,500 feet of elevation gain.
13) Flagstaff Mountain, Boulder City Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, February 15, 2022 - Lyle and Alan checked off the second of the annual Spring Training hikes with a climb up Flagstaff Mountain. A few warm days had melted out some of the snow but enough was still on the ground that we avoided the sticky mud we slogged through on last year's hike up Flagstaff. It was icy for the climb up the Panorama Point trail from Eben G. Fine Park but the trail was mostly dry from there to very near the top. Once we made it to the peak we hiked the Rangeview/Ute trail loop and found it was mostly snow covered but the warm mid-day sun was turning it into easily hike-able crunchy snow crystals. It was cloudy over Boulder but had mostly blue skies to the west so we got to enjoy the view onto the snow-covered Continental Divide from the western end of Rangeview trail. We planned to return the same way but Alan missed a turn near the bottom which resulted in an extra 1/2 mile of hiking through a neighborhood to get back to the parking lot. On the positive side, we got to hike a new trail. We'd always seen the side trail coming onto Panorama Point trail from 5th street and now we know where it starts. A 7.1 mile hike with 1,750 feet of elevation gain.
14) Arykanda Antik Tiyatosu, Arif, Turkey, February 22, 2022 - Wow, this make have been our most spectacular hike ever. We spent two hours wandering through the ruins of the ancient city of Arykanda. The gate was open so we drove in but the place was deserted. The only other person was an elderly shepherd from the nearby village of Arif grazing his five sheep among the ruins. We wandered up the terraced hillside going into the old temples, administrative buildings, shops and houses. The highlight was the temple high above the rest of the city and the stadium above that. The views down the valley were beautiful and snow covered peaks seemed so close overhead we could almost touch them. The atmosphere was completed by the tinkling of the collar bells on the sheep and then then the afternoon call to prayer echoing off the valley’s steep walls. Wow! A meandering 1.7 mile hike with 500 feet of elevation gain.
15) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, March 20, 2022 - For our first hike now that we are back in Colorado after our trip to Turkey we got together with our friend Desiree to hike what has become our "usual" loop - The Homestread and Towhee trails from the South Mesa trailhead. We managed to find a parking spot in the trailhead parking lot despite the normal weekend craziness. We actually got there early so we could have a take-out lunch at one of the picnic tables and then meet up with Desiree when she arrived for the hike. During our short picnic the sky turned from sunny to overcast as the evening's forecasted snow clouds started arriving early. The trail conditions were muddy as the snow from last week's snow was melting from the day's sunshine. Despite the mud we made the usual loop climbing up the Homestead trail to where it connects to the Mesa trail, then coming back down via the Towhee trail. It was great to catch up with Desiree and also to get out again to stretch our legs. A 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
16) Green Mountain, Boulder County Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, March 22, 2022 - The tradition for the third of the Annual Spring Training Hikes is to do Green Mountain on St. Patrick's Day as The Hikin' 'o The Green. However, this year that would have been the Hikin' 'o The White as a big snow storm hit which dumped 1 1/2 feet of snow in the mountains. Lyle and Alan had a very brief consultation the morning of the hike and decided to break tradition and delay the hike. So five days later, despite another smaller snow storm that hit the day before, we rendezvoused to make the climb up Green Mountain. We started at the Gregory Canyon trailhead and went up via the Amphitheater, Saddle Rock and EM Greenman trails. From the trailhead all the way to the summit we were hiking on packed snow so microspikes for our boots were a requirement. So were winter coats since it was overcast and windy with the temperature just a few degrees above freezing. Brrr! Despite the clouds the views from the top were still excellent. In fact, there were pockets of low flying dark clouds with visible snow falling out of them and other spots where windows of blue sky were letting sunshine light up the freshly fallen snow. We briefly enjoyed the panorama of the big mountains to the west and all the pockets of snow showers but the windchill was too much to tarry for long on the summit so we headed down via West Ridge trail to the top of Ranger trail and then made the steady decent down from there. Once we were over to Flagstaff Mountain we made our final drop down Gregory Canyon or, as I prefer to call it, Knee-killer Gorge. Another mini-adventure and another good training hike in the books. 5.2 miles with 2,500 feet of elevation gain.
17) Mesa Trail, Chautauqua Park, Boulder City Parks and Recreation, Boulder, CO, March 27, 2022 - Despite a forest fire burning in Boulder County Open Space a few miles south of Boulder we joined our friend Desiree for an evening hike at Chautauqua Park. The smell of smoke was strong in the air which was a stark reminder of the fragility of the woods we were hiking through. We took the Mesa Trail south from Chautauqua Park all the way to the junction with Skunk Canyon trail. At that junction Boulder County had closed the trail to keep hikers out of the fire zone about a 1/2 mile to the south. We turned back on Mesa Trail but then turned off on McClintock Upper Trail and took that down into the cabins on the western edge of the Park. We ended the hike strolling through the quaint Chautauqua neighborhood back to the trailhead. A 3.2 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
18) Bear Peak, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, March 31, 2022 - I was afraid that the spring hiking schedule was going to be delayed when a forest fire started burning in south Boulder which closed all the trails in that area. Fortunately, a mid-week rain storm extinguished the fire (Thankfully, before it burned any structures or harmed any people but sadly after it burned 190 acres of forest along the front of Bear Peak.) The day after the rain Boulder County re-opened the trails so Lyle and Alan immediately headed down to complete the 4th of the annual Spring training hikes. We started at NCAR and made the now very familiar hike on the NCAR trail that climbs over the water tank ridge and connects up with Mesa Trail. We hiked south on Mesa Trail, past the edge of the forest fire's burn area, until we reached the bottom of Fern Canyon. From there it was up, up, up! Fern Canyon is a 2 mile long natural StairMaster which steeply climbs all the way up Fern Canyon and then transitions onto the north ridge of Bear Peak. The last half mile is very arduous as it ascends a knife edge spine all the way to the summit. We were lucky to have perfect weather at the peak. Just the mildest breeze, warm sunshine and only a few clouds in the sky. This is my favorite of the Boulder area peaks so we spent some time at the summit enjoying the incredible panoramic view of the Continental Divide, the bird's eye view over Boulder and looking straight down onto the dark scar left below by the forest fire. Break over, we started the long descent down via the Green-Bear Trail to the Bear Canyon trail and then down that until it reconnected with the Mesa Trail. Trail work on this section of Bear Canyon Trail has lengthened it by a few tenths of a mile so we got some extra training in... Once on the Mesa Trail we reversed our morning hike taking the NCAR trail back to the parking lot. A gorgeous day of hiking and plenty of good exercise as well. A big 9 mile loop with 2,700 feet of elevation gain.
19) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, April 5, 2022 - We have hiked the trails at the South Mesa Trailhead so many times over the past couple of decades that my boots can practically walk them without me needing to guide them. However, it is still an old stand-by when it comes to sharing a scenic loop with a friend without being so strenuous that you can't talk while you walk. So once again we returned the often tread loop of Homestead Trail, Towhee Trail and Mess Trail but this time with our "almost" daughter Julia who we haven't seen in over a month. Snow was falling just a few miles to the west but we were on the edge of the storm clouds so our hike was a mix of sunny and overcast. Blue skies to the east and misty low-flying clouds to the west. Thankfully, the trail was dry and ground was covered with the fresh green shoots of spring grass poking up through last year's dead and dry ground cover. But the real joy was in sharing stories with Julia, something we continued by going to dinner after our hike. A 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
20) East Boulder-White Rocks Trail, North Teller Farm trailhead, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, April 17, 2018 - The Easter holiday really isn't our thing but hiking with our friend Desiree on Sundays definitely is our thing and the fact that this particular Sunday was Easter just meant we had an excuse to go have a nice meal afterwards. It was a blustery day with rain, sleet and sometimes snow falling in the mountains so we headed down to Boulder to doing stroll the easy East Boulder/White Rocks trail. This wide, flat path runs alongside a little stream and in places it twists around various fields and ponds so there is always a nice vista to enjoy. There are also lots of old cottonwood trees which normally look weathered and worn but without any spring buds yet appearing looked particularly bony today. There were a few water birds in the ponds but the gusting wind was keeping most of the water fowl tucked away in the relative calm of the tall grass. A nice chance to stretch our legs as well as to work up an appetite for a nice lunch afterwards. 2.5 miles out and back with basically flat 50 feet of elevation gain.
21) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, May 15, 2022 - We have turned hiking the Homestead and Towhee trail loop with our friend Desiree into a regular event. With Gaelin back in town for summer break from college he joined us as well. Hiking from the South Mesa Trailhead on a weekend is usually a bad experience because of how crowded this parking area can be but Desiree has turned us onto hiking these trails in the evening instead and it was once again a great choice. The evening sun provided perfect "Golden Light", spring flowers dotted the landscape and we only saw a handful of other hikers on the trails. A lovely setting sun capped off the hike and we then followed that up with nice dinner in Boulder. Fantastic! A 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
22) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, May 22, 2022 - Another Sunday evening hike with our friend Desiree and again doing what has become our traditional loop made up of the Mesa, Homestead and Towhee Trails. There was snow in the mountains just to west (we'd had over a foot of heavy, wet snow at our house within the past 24 hours) so it was nice to see the sun breaking through the clouds down in Boulder. There were also the first hints of wildflowers starting to peak out through the bright green grass along the trail...an early glimpse of what the summer sun will hopefully bring out. Colorado is so dry right now that we could still little spots of snow in the shade of thick ground cover but the trail was dry as a bone in many areas. All the recent moisture just soaks into the ground or evaporates into the air. Hopefully, some of it is watering the wildflower seeds so we'll have a colorful crop in a month! The same 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain that we've done many times this year.
23) Green Mountain Falls Trail, Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest, Encampment, WY, May 26, 2022 - Jonna and Alan headed out in our RV for a two week exploration of southern and western Wyoming. Our goal was to see some parts of our neighboring state that we've previously only passed by on I-80. In addition to driving and camping we also got out for some hikes to enjoy the scenic beauty that Wyoming has to offer. Our first hike was in the stunning Medicine Bow National Forest. Near where we were camping was the Green Mountain Falls Trail. The trail follows the North Fork of the Encampment River up a lovely aspen and pine filled valley. Near the end of the trail we started to encounter snow pack and fallen trees on the trail which turned it into a bit of a slog. Due to the difficulty of the trail we ended up turning back just short of the falls but still enjoyed the hike and were happy to see our first wildflowers of the summer. 5.2 miles with 600 feet of elevation gain.
24) Historic Fossil Quarry Trail, Fossil Butte National Monument, Kemmerer, WY, May 29, 2022 - One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to Fossil Butte National Monument. We arrived early in the morning and decided to do a hike before visiting the museum. This hike was a stark contrast to the previous hike which was up in the mountains. Fossil Butte is a dry landscape covered with sage brush and cactus. The Historic Fossil Quarry loop climbs from the parking lot up to an old quarry where 60 million year old fish fossils have been dug up for over 100 years. The views from the quarry were panoramic looking out across a large valley. It was also possible to spot discolorations in the rock where fossils still hide in the quarry awaiting future excavations. The final landmark on the hike was a tiny, 80 year old cabin that had been built and used by one of the early fossil hunters who lived in the area. 30 minutes after we finished the hike it started to snow heavily as we drove to a nearby picnic area to have lunch. Perfect timing! A 3 mile loop with 700 feet of elevation gain.
25) Periodic Spring Trail, Swift Creek Drive Trailhead, Afton, WY, June 1, 2022 - As we moved north up the western border of Wyoming we stopped to check-out a special geological feature - the Periodic Spring in Swift Creek canyon. This is a cold water geyser - A spring that flows out of the wall of a side canyon but which stops flowing approximately every 20 minutes for about 15 minutes and then starts to gush back out again. The hike is really just a stroll down a 4X4 road and there is a small picnic area at the mouth of the canyon from which the spring cascades down. We arrived to find the spring flowing but within 10 minutes it trickled down until it stopped altogether. Then, about 15 minutes later, it suddenly gushed back to life. Fascinating! In addition to seeing this amazing and unique geological phenomenon the trail runs alongside scenic Swift Creek so it was a pleasant little hike with which to start off the day. An easy 1.8 mile out and back with a mellow 250 feet of elevation gain.
26) Cache Creek Trail System, Cache Creek Trailhead, Jackson, WY, June 1, 2022 - The day that started with seeing the Periodic Spring ended with another short but peaceful stroll along a different creek. After a quick visit to tourist crazy Jackson, WY we decided to get out for quiet hike to finish off the day. We found the Cache Creek trail system recommended on the 'net and found a mostly empty parking lot despite being within the city limits of busy Jackson. We created a short loop by stringing together the Cache Creek Road, part of the Hagen Trail, the short River Trail and the Hagen Connector Trail. Part of the trail ran alongside Cache Creek which isn't the most scenic looking but provides an atmospheric rushing water sound track. Fortunately, near the end of the trail we got a panoramic view of the snow covered Teton Mountain Range which added the scenic beauty we'd been hoping for. A 2 mile creek-side loop with a rolling 300 feet of elevation gain.
27) Half Moon Lake Trail, Pinedale, WY, June 4, 2022 - One of the highlights of our hiking in Wyoming was the Half Moon Lake trail. We drove our RV down a 4x4 road that was really a bit too rough for our camper but luckily that poor decision didn't break anything. The trail was a rolling, winding path that was sometimes right along the shore of beautiful Half Moon Lake and other times up on a hillside above the lake. There were quite a few wildflowers in bloom which made for a colorful tapestry blanketing the hills. We stopped a few times to sit on rock outcroppings to enjoy the panoramic views across the lake and to soak up some warm sunshine. At the end of the trail was a large marshy field at the head of the lake which was fed by two different creeks. A very nice hike! A 3.3 mile roller coaster along the side of the lake with 400 feet of elevation gain.
28) Popo Agie Falls, Middle Fork Popo Agie River, Sinks Canyon, Lander, WY, June 7, 2022 - The final hike of our Wyoming trip was the best of them all. Our final camping spot was in the Sinks Canyon just outside Lander. This is the river valley of the Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River and contains another interesting geological feature - this substantial river goes into a cavern (the "Sink") and disappears underground for 1/4 mile before re-emerging to continue flowing down the canyon. However, a few miles upstream from the Sink is the Popo Agie Falls trail which goes up into the Popo Agie Wilderness. If we thought the wildflowers had been impressive on our previous hikes we were blown away at what we found in the Popo Agie river valley. Bright yellow sunflowers, purple lupine, snow white flowery phlox, red indian paintbrush and dozens of other colorful blossoms. In addition to the stunning palette of flowers there was also the impressive Middle Fork of the Popo Agie River which cascaded down the steep, rocky valley. Large granite cliffs towered over the trail and dark rain clouds blanketed the sky. The higher up the valley we hiked, the darker the clouds became and eventually they started to drop first rain drops and then snow flakes. Fortunately, the snow stayed intermittent as we reached the Popo Agie Falls so we could enjoy the view for a few minutes before rushing back down. The Falls were quite impressive as well. The river crested a cliff and then split into three different channels to cascade down into the valley below. In the summer it is supposedly possible to hike down and slide down one of the waterfalls but with snow falling we skipped that experience. We fast walked back down the trail and about 20 minutes later emerged out from under the edge of the dark clouds. We ended the hike back in bright sunshine which completely dried out our wet clothes. A beautiful and exciting wilderness hike that was a perfect way to cap off our exploration of breathtaking Wyoming. 3.5 miles up and back down with 750 feet of elevation gain.
29) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, June 19, 2022 - This will be a year where Jonna, Alan, and our friends Desiree and Gaelin, will watch the same trail change throughout the year. Today was the sixth time this year that we've hiked the Homestead Trail on a Sunday evening and a wide variety of wild flowers were blooming this time that we haven't seen on our previous hikes. The most striking were the yellow Prickly Pear cactus, the white Mariposa Lilies and the white Crested Prickly Poppy but there were loads of other flowers popping up as well. We once again had a nice hike filled with lots of good conversation but this time with the addition of all the colorful trail-side blossoms all bathed in the muted light of the setting sun. A 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
30) Bristlecone Grove Trail, Bristlecone Grove/Alpine Lakes Trailhead, Great Basin National Park, Baker, NV, June 23, 2022 - Just a couple of week after we got back from our Wyoming Rv trip Jonna and Alan loaded up the camper and headed out again this time bound for the Sierras in California. Enroute, we stopped at Great Basin National Park to tour Lehman Cave and to hike on Wheeler Peak. It was baking hot down on the Nevada desert floor but nice and cool up on the mountain peaks. The cave tour was excellent and afterwards we drove the long, snaking scenic drive up Wheeler Peak to the Bristlecone Grove/Alpine Lakes trailhead. Despite the ominous clouds moving in from the west we hiked up the Bristlecone Grove Trail to just below treeline where there was a small gove of Great Basin Bristlecone pines (Pinus Longaeva). These weathered, gnarled pines are among the oldest trees on the planet with some of the trees in this grove as ancient as 3,000 years old! We walked the short loop through the trees and read the interpretive signs that highlighted certain trees and talked about their unique ability to survive in such harsh, high-altitude conditions. As we started back down the trail to return to the trailhead there was thunder rumbling close by and just before we got back to the parking lot it started to rain. We jogged to the RV and got back inside before we got too wet but I suspect the eldritch bristlecones up on the mountain were happy to get as much moisture as the rainclouds would provide. A 3.1 mile up and back down trail with a climb of 700 feet.
31) Long Lake and Silver Lake trails, Long Lake & Bear Lakes Loop Trailhead, Plumas National Forest, Graeagle, CA, June 25, 2022 - The reason for our California trip was to spend a week with Jonna's brother Jamie and his family at a cabin in Graeagle, CA. On our first day Jamie, Jamie's nephew Gus, Jonna and Alan all drove to the Long Lake/Bear Lakes Loop Trailhead and did the hike over to Long Lake. We'd done this hike a couple years ago and once again enjoyed the views of Long Lake and all the wildflowers blooming in the alpine landscape. This time we added a side trail that went over to Silver Lake and was equally enjoyable. Jonna, Jamie and Gus all went swimming in Silver Lake but Alan stayed in the warm sunshine (and out of the cold water!). A meandering 4.8 mile loop with 750 feet of elevation gain.
32) Unamed/Nonexistent Trail, Plumas National Forest, Graeagle, CA, June 27, 2022 - One afternoon Jonna, Gus and Alan all headed out to explore some of the trails and old logging roads that spiderweb out from the town of Graeagle. We started by walking over to the Graeagle hydro-electric and water processing buildings. From there we found an old logging road that went straight up a ridge. We climbed up to the top but by then were running out of both hike-able trail and time so we turned around and descended back down. It was nice to see a little more of the landscape around Graeagle. A nice little ramble that started at the front door of our cabin. 3.4 miles out and back with 800 feet of elevation.
33) Ellsworth Creek trail system, Rollinsville, CO, July 9, 2022 - In recent years it has been rare for Jonna and Alan to be in Colorado during peak wildflower season so with us being home in July means we need to get out into the mountains to enjoy the colorful carpet that blankets the high country this time of the year. We also often avoid the trails on weekends but we have a few "secret" trails that are usually empty even on a fine summer day. Jonna and Alan headed to one of those, the Ellsworth Creek trail system, and were richly rewarded in our quest to find wildflowers. The columbines were popping in all the marshy areas and the meadow above the old Ellis Lode Mine was absolutely quilted with flowers. We only saw one other couple (who were riding an ATV) over the entire hike so relying on the local's only trails paid off again. The only bummer of the hike was coming across a huge pile of spent shells in one of the camping areas. We ended up lugging a couple of pounds of brass out in our effort to keep these trails clean. 4.3 miles up and back down with 800 feet of elevation gain.
34) Bluebird Mine, Caribou Ranch Open Space, Boulder County Open Space Parks, Nederland, CO, July 10, 2022 - We continued our tradition this year of hiking with our friend Desiree on a Sunday evening. This time Desiree, Gaelin, Gaelin's friend Annabell, Jonna and Alan all met up in Nederland before driving over to the Caribou Ranch Open Space. Despite intermittent dark rain clouds and even periodic rumbling thunder we managed to hike the entire Bluebird Mine loop without getting wet! What we did get to enjoy were fields of wildflowers, the historic sites of the Bluebird Mine and the DeLonde Homestead, the rush of North Boulder Creek and a lot of fun conversation. 4.2 miles with 250 feet of elevation gain.
35) Unnamed mountain trail, National Forest, Roosevelt National Forest, Pinewood Springs, CO, July 11, 2022 - Alan had borrowed a hitch carrier from Todd and drove over to Todd's house to return it. While there we headed out with Rusty the wonder pup to hike up the mountain that overlooks Pinewood Springs via some neighborhood trails that Todd hadn't hiked recently. It was a short hike but thanks to a series of steep trails that climbed quickly we got up high enough to enjoy great panoramic views out over Spring Gulch, Rabbit Mountain and the Little Thompson River basin. We all had a chance to stretch our legs, enjoy some warm sunshine and check out some little used trails. A 3.3 mile trail with 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
36) Lost Lake trail, Hessie Trailhead, Roosevelt National Forest, Nederland, CO, July 14, 2022 - Jonna and Alan got up early, always a challenge for Alan, and headed to the consistently busy Hessie Trailhead to try for a quiet morning mid-week hike. Even early in the morning we ended up getting the last legal parking spot along the July 4th Road but surprisingly didn't find the trails as packed as the parking situation might have indicated. What we did find is a mirror calm beaver pond at the trailhead where industrious beavers had dammed the fast flowing South Fork of Middle Boulder Creek to create a chain of ponds. This made for a beautiful view with the mountains reflected on the surface. Further up the trail there were wildflowers poppin' at the lower elevations. Up at Lost Lake the entire valley was filled with lush grasses. Clearly there has been plenty of moisture in this area which is a big relief for those of us who live in the fire-prone mountains. A nice hike with plenty to enjoy and not too crowded for such a popular destination. A 4.5 mile up and back hike with 870 feet of elevation gain.
37) Arapaho Glacier trail, Rainbow Lakes Trailhead, Roosevelt National Forest, Ward, CO, July 16, 2022 - We are definitely maximizing our wildflower viewing this summer! Jonna and Alan got up early (Note: this is the second time Alan got up early for a hike in the last three days!) and headed to another always crowded trailhead - this time the Rainbow Lakes trailhead at the end of NF-298 (aka The Rainbow Lakes Road). We got there at 8am on a Saturday morning and all the trailhead parking spaces were already full! Despite the packed parking lot the actual trail we chose, the Arapaho Glacier trail, wasn't all that crowded so we enjoyed a quiet morning hike. The previous night's rain left the trail wet and mosquitoes buzzing in the forested areas. There weren't many flowers in the trees but as soon as we got above treeline the tundra was covered with wildflowers. What blew me away was the variety of wildflowers. In one little 3 square foot section of tundra I counted 10 different types of flowers. The refrain of "The hills are alive..." was definitely ringing in my ears. We stopped at the lakes overlook to enjoy the spectacular view but dark rain clouds were sweeping over the mountains so we turned around immediately to beat the coming storm. We made it back without getting wet and were back home with time for a nap to make up for the early start. 5.4 miles up and back down with 1,100 feet of elevation gain.
38) Forest Lakes trail, James Peak Wilderness Area, East Portal Trailhead, Tolland, CO, July 18, 2022 - In keeping with our recent efforts to hike every few days, Jonna and Alan ahead hit the trail Monday afternoon. This time, we started from the East Portal trailhead and headed up to the Forest Lakes just below the Continental Divide. We rarely hike in the high country on a summer afternoon because historically that meant getting dumped on by afternoon thunderstorms but the past few years have been different and the weather forecast for today said no rain. ...and so we started from the trailhead at 2pm and got to experience a mostly empty parking lot for a change! The trail up to the meadow was lined with a variety of wildflowers but the Columbines and the Daisies were the stars of the show. Once we turned onto the Forest Lakes trail and started to gain altitude the flowers changed. The yellow Sunflowers were already wilting but the red Indian Paintbrush and little purple Bluebells were exploding. With all the recent warm weather in the mountains Arapaho Creek was raging so we had a nice soundtrack for the first part of the hike up. As we got to Forest Lake #1 some low lying clouds started to spit moisture so we turned back there. Thankfully, that only lasted for a couple of minutes and we were back under sunny skies just a little ways back down the trail. This is the longest hike we've done together in quite a few years so clearly all our recent hiking is paying off! 7.3 miles roundtrip with 1,500 feet of elevation gain.
39) Mt. Flora, Continental Divide Trail, Berthoud Pass Trailhead, Winter Park, CO, July 23, 2022 - We hit the wildflower jackpot today! In addition we spent around five miles hiking in the tundra above treeline up on the Continental Divide. Normally, we shy away from busy trailheads on weekends, and the Berthoud Pass Trailhead on a Saturday is about as busy as it gets, but this was a specific occasion that called for it. Our almost-daughter Julia wanted to do an overnight hike on the Continental Divide Trail and we wanted to do some hiking with her so we were up early and lucked out to grab one of the last semi-legit parking spots in the huge Berthoud Pass Trailhead parking lot. The hike was a steady, and at times steep, climb that broke through treeline just a half mile from the trailhead. Immediately, the mountainside was covered in colorful wildflowers. There were probably two dozen different varieties. It was stunning! Another half mile and we were up on the Continental Divide with a bird's eye view own onto Blue Lake to the east and a panoramic view across the mountains to the west. We were slowing Julia down so we split up at this point so she could make time heading north while we continued at our more leisurely pace. As the trail continued to climb the southern side of Mt. Flora the landscape changed to classic high altitude tundra with spongey moss, small succulents and tiny little flowers. We capped off our climb with a spectacular 360 degree panorama from the top of Mt. Flora. Beautiful! We returned the same way and were back on I-70 heading east by noon. 6.6 miles up and down with 1,900 feet of elevation gain.
40) Arapaho Pass, Indian Peaks Wilderness, Fourth of July Trailhead, Eldora, CO, July 25, 2022 - How to celebrate my birthday? With a hike, naturally! We got up early for a birthday breakfast and then Lyle joined us for the birthday hike. We drove up the bumpy 4x4 road to the Fourth of July trailhead and were happy to see the trailhead parking lot wasn't packed to capacity. What was packed to capacity were the mountainside with wildflowers. I know I've been raving about the wildflowers this summer in all my hiking posts but once again it was deserved. The open areas were just packed with colorful blossoms in red, yellow, white, purple and pink. There were low lying clouds up on the pass but as we climbed up about of the North Boulder Creek valley to the Fourth of July mine the clouds started to break up and by the time we got up to the pass the view was gorgeous with just big puffy clouds in the sky above. This was a great birthday party with wildflowers, waterfalls, alpine lakes and panoramic mountain views for gifts and with fuzzy bees, flitting butterflies, frantic pika and whistling marmots as surprise guests. A lovely celebration of completing another lap around the sun. 6.8 miles up and back down with 1,900 feet of elevation gain.
41) Ellsworth Creek trail system, Rollinsville, CO, July 30, 2022 - Todd and Rusty Wigglebutt the Wonder Pup drove over to our neck of the woods to join Jonna and Alan for a Saturday hike. Since the mountains have been so busy on weekends we chose our old standby "local's only" trail - The Ellsworth Creek trail system. Once again it worked - we had the whole trail to ourselves. While the peak of wildflower season is past in these parts there were still quite a few flowers hanging on in the open areas. The meadow up above the Ellis Lode Mine was still filled with red Indian Paintbrush and purple Harebells. We made it up to the Continental Divide lookout where we enjoyed the expansive view northward and took the time to appreciate a bright yellow mushroom that was just pushing up about of the moist ground. I spent the hike back down trying to get micro photos of the smaller wildflowers with my cell phone but it was mostly a frustrating experience since the iPhone just wouldn't focus on small foreground objects when there were vertical-ish lines, like blades of grass, in the background. Oh well, at least I got to appreciate seeing them in person and maybe next summer I'll go back to hiking with a bulky DSLR camera... 4.5 miles up and back with 900 feet of elevation gain.
42) Hanakapiai Beach, Kalalau Trail, Kauai, HI, August 5, 2022 - We have had a change of scenery for this hike. A big group of family, spanning both Jonna and Alan’s families, converged on Hawaii's "Garden Isle", Kauai, for a joint vacation. While there we had to get out for a hike on the famous Napali coast. 10 of us took the shuttle from Waipa to the trailhead and arrived at the same time as an afternoon rain shower. We all got soaked which actually felt refreshing but the trail also got drenched which made for slippery conditions. We made the two mile jungle hike in to Hanakapiai Beach enjoying the moody views with soaring volcanic mountains topped with low lying dark clouds. By the time we reached the beach the rain had stopped and the sun was breaking through. Can humidity exceed 100% without actually raining? Whew, it was steamy! The hike back was under bright sun which made the tropical flowers pop, sun beams glisten off the rain drops on the lush jungle trees and lit up the aquamarine water off the coast. The best part for me was hiking with my 78 year old father, recreating this same hike that we did together some 40 years ago. A challenging but fascinating hike for us all. 4.4 miles with 1,600 feet of elevation gain.
43) Willow Creek Trail, Steamboat Lake State Park, Hahn's Peak, CO, August 19, 2022 - Jonna and Alan took the RV out for a quick weekend trip to check out Steamboat Lake State Park in the northern part of the state. We arrived Friday afternoon and decided to walk part of the Willow Creek Trail which started at the Marina, near our camp site. The trail ran on the northern edge of the lake with nice views of Hahn's Peak and out over the lake. There were still some late season wildflowers in bloom including some beautiful purple Northern Gentian, White Yarrow, purple Aster and yellow Aster. We hiked most of the way to the Visitor Center but turned back when the trail turned away from the lake and towards the road. It was a short hike but still gave us a glimpse of Steamboat Lake which is why we chose to camp here in the first place. 2.6 miles out and back with 60 feet of elevation gain.
44) Pearl Lake Trail, Pearl Lake State Park, Hahn's Peak, CO, August 20, 2022 - Despite some dark clouds passing through the area we got up early the next morning and drove to nearby Pearl Lake State Park to hike around that lake. Pearl Lake smaller, higher in elevation and more forested so it has a very different feel. (Both are man-made lakes rather than natural alpine lakes...) The trail around Pearl Lake runs right on the shore - in places it is even collapsing down into the lake - so it provides nice lake views the whole hike. It would normally have been a peaceful hike but there was some sort of Stand Up Paddleboard class going on with lots of young people whooping and hollaring for the entire time we were hiking. It definitely broke the spell of a peaceful mountain lake. What we did enjoy were seeing different wildflowers as well as finding four different geocaches that were placed in various places around the lake so we not only enjoyed a scenic (if noisy) hike but also got to search for geocaches while doing it. Those dark clouds broke just as we started back to the car so the second half of the hike had us putting on and taking off our rain jackets as intermittent light sprinkles came and went. 3.5 miles out and back with 75 feet of elevation.
45) Willow Creek Trail and Tombstone Nature Trail, Steamboat Lake State Park, Hahn's Peak, CO, August 20, 2022 - In the afternoon, after our morning Pearl Lake hike, our friend Jean drove up from Steamboat Springs and joined us for another hike at Steamboat Lake. This time we started at the Visitor Center and hiked two different trails - First the Tombstone Nature Trail and then the southern half of the same Willow Creek Trail we'd hiked part of the day before. In addition to seeing more of the late season wildflowers we also saw a pair of Sandhill Cranes which was a highlight of all the hikes. We had perfect weather - sunshine and blue sky - which was quite the contrast to our morning hike which was done under threatening skies. We hadn't seen Jean in four years so it was great to catch up, as well as to tap into her professional knowledge as a naturalist and guide. A meandering 4.2 mile hike with 250 feet of elevation gain.
46) Mud Lake, Boulder County Parks & Open Space, Nederland, CO, August 24, 2022 - Jonna and Alan headed over to nearby Mud Lake to take an even stroll and to check out the mirror perfect surface of the lake which was reflecting the mountains and the evening sky. There were a few late summer wildflowers still blooming but the crisp air and the scant number of flowers showed that Summer is coming to a close and Fall is on the way. Early in the spring there was a mother duck with a big brood of ducklings and now the babies have all grown up. One of the yearlings swam over to check us out (and probably see if we were suckers who would feed it!) while we were enjoying the view. An easy 2 mile loop with a mild 75 feet of elevation gain.
47) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, August 27, 2022 - For the seventh time this summer we met up with our friend Desiree on a weekend evening to walk the trails at the South Mesa Trailhead. We've literally watched the seasons come and go by hiking the same trail at the same time starting in January and almost once a month so far this year. Now there leaves starting to change color, the shrubs and trees are starting to bear fruit, birds and deer are starting to gorge to get ready for winter and the grasses are starting to dry out. We hiked the usual loop that includes the Homestead and Towhee trails. The sun had already set behind the Front Range mountains but there was enough light that we could enjoy seeing the last few wildflowers and the variety of colorful berries on the bushes. There were even little plums that were just about to ripen - which will surely bring out the bears so maybe we'll see those on our next evening hike. Something to look forward to as we continue this fun year long tradition. A 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
48) Caribou townsite, Nederland, CO, August 28, 2022 - It has been five years since we last visited the Caribou ghost town town site but despite it being a weekend (which means crowds at the trailheads) Jonna and Alan met our friends Holly and Rick and their friend Sandy for a short afternoon loop there. We had great weather - blue skies, sunshine and a breeze to cool things off and despite the packed parking lot didn't see nearly as many people as initially feared. The hike was a quick one just climbing over the shoulder of Caribou Hill and then picking up the 4X4 Forest Service roads to swing back around to the trailhead. There were still the late season wildflower stragglers so we got to see pockets of purple Asters, white Yarrow, red Indian Paintbrush, purple Gentian and lots of LYF (Little Yellow Flowers) that I couldn't differentiate. It was a nice chance to stretch our legs, to get re-acquainted with a place we haven't visited in while and to catch up with friends we haven't talked to in a couple of months. A 2.5 mile loop with 450 feet of elevation gain.
49) Flatirons Loop Trail, Chautauqua, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, August 29, 2022 - Jonna and Alan had an errand to run in Boulder so took advantage of our time "down the mountain" to do a hike in Boulder. Our original plan was to hike Royal Arch so we started out hiking Bluebell Road south from Chautauqua but then found that the Royal Arch trail was closed for repairs. Rather than bail out completely we instead made a loop by hiking up the Flatirons Loop to the base of the Flatirons and then hiking back north up at elevation before dropping back down on the very busy Chautauqua trail to get back to the car. It was a shorter hike than we'd originally planned for but the steep climb up to the Flatirons at least made it a work out and the beautiful weather made for nice views out over Boulder. A 2.2 mile loop with a surprisingly steep 700 feet of elevation gain.
50) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, September 5, 2022 - We switched things up in our frequent hikes with our friend Desiree and this time met up with her, and her friend Lija, for a Monday evening hike rather than our usual Sunday evening schedule. As always, we met up at the South Mesa Trailhead and hiked the usual Homestead and Towhee trails. We were hiking just a little bit later and it was a couple of weeks later in the year which combined to bring about sunset while we were on the hike. We got some nice setting sun rays reflecting off the clouds over the mountains which was a highlight. The wild plums were closer to ripe but the bears still haven't started harvesting them. Most of the other berries that has just fruited a couple of weeks ago were now starting to dry out and the signs of Fall are peeking out a little more with every hike. The usual 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
51) Como Creek trail system, Nederland, CO, October 5, 2022 - Jonna and Alan made it back from our Colombia trip at the tail end of the Fall colors in our neighborhood in Colorado. We avoided the trails over the weekend because of the crazy crowds packing the mountains leaf peeping but did go out mid-week to see whatever remains of the aspen leaves. Como Creek, just a couple of miles from our house, is one of the best places to see the leaves but it was a week past the peak. Most of the trees had already dropped their leaves. However, we did take a small trail we'd seen in the past but had never explored so since we weren't going to bask in the golden aspen leaves we instead followed the trail along Como Creek and enjoyed the other Fall colors. The wild rose plants had leaves that were bright red. Other ground cover plants were yellow, orange and pink. The kinnikinnick plants were covered in red berries. The best Fall moments were seeing yellow aspen leaves floating down the creek and floating in the calm pools. It wasn't an ideal Fall hike but it was still relaxing to get out in nature after three weeks in a big city and it was nice to see a little of the autumn colors. A short 2 mile out-and-back with 250 feet of elevation gain.
52) East Magnolia trail system, Nederland, CO, October 8, 2022 - After our hike earlier this week it seemed like we missed seeing the best of the Fall colors but our friends Holly, Rick and pup Pokey invited us to join them for a hike and they picked one of the places that has always been a favorite for all of us to enjoy the aspen leaves changing during past Falls. We met up at what we call the "East East Magnolia" trail (technically it is Forest Service Rd 357.1) and we were lucky enough to find that many of the aspens still had colorful leaves which painted the forest golden. We hiked in to the big aspen grove that is the highlight of this trail and basked in all the beautiful trees. From there we hiked up to the rocky crag that overlooks this whole area and the view from up there was terrific as well. Holly and Rick had found an unofficial mountain bike trail that had been built recently that takes a back way back to the trailhead so we hiked back out on that rather than returning on the old road that we'd hiked in on. These illegal trails are a headache for the National Forest Service but it does make for a quiet hike through the forest compared to the main road where we'd seen a few groups of people on the way in. Now we feel like we didn't miss *all* of the Fall leaves! A 3.5 mile loop with 500 feet of elevation gain.
53) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, October 9, 2022 - For the ninth time this year we met up with our friend Desiree to hike the same loop starting from the South Mesa Trailhead. The loop strings together parts of the Mesa Trail, Homestead Trail & Towhee Trail which winds along the edge of the foothills. Hiking the same trail nearly once a month throughout the year and at approximately the same time of day and day of the week has allowed us to watch the landscape and vegetation as it changes during the annual seasonal cycle. Now, well into Fall the trees and shrubs have mostly changed and are dominated by red, orange and yellow leaves. The grasses have dried out and so the ground cover is predominately brown, with dried and shriveled seed pods showing where late season weeds had spread their seed before going dormant for the year. The bushes that were loaded with lush berries last month now ave only a few clusters of dried husks left on their branches. Finally, the sun was low and just barely peaking over the mountains to the west despite us hiking a couple of hours earlier in the day that we'd been hiking during the summer. The crisp cool air makes it clear that Fall is here and winter isn't far behind. Having a regular cadence to these hikes (and having a recurring way to stay in touch with Desiree) has been real treat this year and something I hope we will continue throughout the winter. 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
54) Wild Rice and Turtleville trails, Mirror Lake State Park, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, October 16, 2022 - We hopped in the camper and headed to Wisconsin to visit Jonna’s cousin Heath and his family. We had so much fun spending some Fall time with them last year we decided to go back again this year to do it again. Heath and Abby brought us to a new-to-us State Park, Mirror Lake, for a hike along with their kids Brenna, Hudson and Callen and their two pups Sophie and Oliver. With the Fall colors in splendid display we hiked along the edge of Mirror Lake and then through the hardwood forest filled with oaks, birch, poplar and maple. The forests were splashed with green, brown, yellow, orange and red. Birds stalked the lake shore looking for lunch. And the lurking danger of hungry coyotes had the boys clutching sticks to use for self defense should we be attacked. We had some sprinkles of rain at the end but made it back to the van before we got very wet. A lovely way to spend family time while enjoying some fresh air and seeing some colorful leaves too. A 2.7 mile loop with a mild 150 feet of elevation gain.
55) Bluff, Sentinel Ridge, Old Immigrant and Old Wagon Road Trails, Wyalusing State Park, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, October 19, 2022 - We put some dust on our boots today. The day started with us waking up in Nelson Dewey Memorial State Park after camping there for the night. We got out for a short hike first thing in the morning hiking the Mound Point trail up to the highest point in the park where we enjoyed the scenic view down onto the Mighty Mississippi River. After our walk we loaded up and drove part of the Great River Road north to Wyalusing State Park where we had reserved a campsite for two nights high up on Wisconsin Ridge overlooking the Wisconsin River where it joins the Mississippi. Once we were set up we headed our for a longer hike to explore this park. We hiked the Bluff trail west to a couple of scenic lookout points and then climbed up to Treasure Cave to see it. At the lookouts a breeze blowing across the river valley carried a bone chilling temperature drop but when the trail went into the trees things felt a bit warmer. From there we picked up the Sentinel Trail and took that south on a ridge high above the confluence point to where there was a line of native burial mounds. At that point there was also a memorial remembering the last passenger pigeon seen in Wisconsin just before that species was hunted to extinction. After paying our respects to the long dead in the mounds we retraced our steps to the Old Immigrant Trail and took that down, down, down until we were at water level near the confluence point. The oak trees and other hardwoods are a mix of colors. Some are still vibrant green but others have changed into the Fall shades with yellow, orange and brown leaves falling as we hiked. After a long rolling trail along the shore of the Wisconsin River the Old Wagon Road Trail started to climb back up a little valley that split the high stone cliffs. After a steep climb we made it back to the top and picked the Bluff Trail up again to return to our camper. A beautiful hike with a perfect mix of history, culture, nature and physical challenge. Best of all, other than a handful of people at a few picnic areas we had the trails to ourselves! A 5 mile loop with 800 feet of elevation gain.
56) Sand Cave Trail, Wyalusing State Park, Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin, October 20, 2022 - For our second day in Wyalusing State Park we decided to hike another trail, this one looping through the interior of the park to see Little and Big Sand Caves. ("Caves" is a bit of a misnomer as these are really just overhangs in two different creek beds.) The hardwood trees were vibrant in the bright afternoon sunshine. The crunch of dry leaves allowed us to locate squirrels, chipmonks and birds searching for acorns along the sides of the trail. The creeks were just tiny trickles so the waterfalls normally cascading over the caves were just dribbles like gleaming crystals of water being poured off the rock. It was a beautiful Fall hike and a great way to end our time in this Wisconsin State Park. A 2.8 mile loop with 400 feet of elevation gain.
57) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, November 6, 2022 - We once again joined our friend Desiree for a Sunday evening hike at our regular location: The South Mesa Trailhead. The time change meant the sun was setting behind the mountains as we started our hike but heavy clouds to the west meant we didn't actually see exactly when the sun dipped behind the peaks. Instead, we hiked in a silvery light that gradually darkened as we walked the loop. We have already had snow up in the mountains but the trail was dry. All the leaves has dropped off the trees, all the grass has died and all the berry bushes have dried to shriveled twigs. There was a herd of deer trying to find the last of the eatable plants before snow covers it all and a few squirrels frantically collected the last bits of food for their winter nests. It definitely feels like the year is coming to an end. Fortunately, we had a warm conversation hearing about Desiree's recent trip to Nepal so our hike didn't feel as bleak as the landscape might have indicated. The same 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain that we've being doing all year.
58) Ellsworth Creek trail system, Rollinsville, CO, November 13, 2022 - Our friend Holly and her pup Pokey wanted to hike this weekend so we met up with them at one of our "hidden" trailheads for a quiet walk. The trail turned out to be tricky as the previous week's snow had been packed down into ice by 4x4s so not ideal hiking conditions. Still, we managed to make the climb up from Ellsworth Creek, past the Ellis Lode Mine site and to the meadow above that. Some target shooters were unloading a prodigious amount of ordinance into something nearby so we decided to turn around at that point to stay clear of the loud "bang bang" noises in case they didn't have a good backstop for their targets. The temperature was hovering around freezing but the sun was shining so all the snow had melted out once we got out of the trees. This gave us a warm spot to take a break before picking our way back down the icy trail. It turned out not to be as quiet as we'd originally hoped but we still had plenty of time for good conversation. A 4 mile hike with 750 feet of elevation.
59) Ski Jump, Bluebell-Baird, Mesa and Enchanted Mesa Trails, Chautauqua trailhead, City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, November 14, 2022 - Another day and another hike. This time we mixed things up a little bit. We have traditionally hiked with our friend Desiree on Sunday evenings this past year and we've always done the same loop at the South Mesa Trailhead. However, since we were busy this Sunday, we pushed to Monday morning and picked a different place to hike as well. We met up at Boulder's Chautauqua park for a leisurely climb up to the base of the Flatirons and then back around to Enchanted Mesa on the southern edge of the park. We strung together a few different trails to make up a nice loop: Chautauqua Trail, the newly re-routed Ski Jump Trail, Bluebell-Baird Trail, a short section of Bluebell Road, Mesa Trail and finally finished taking the Enchanted Mesa Trail back down into Chautauqua village. The weather was brisk - colder in the trees and warmer in the open areas. A perfect set of trails for stretching the legs while still being able carry on both a conversation and a tradition of regularly hiking together. 3 mile loop with 650 feet of elevation gain.
60) Homestead and Mesa Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, November 20, 2022 - After a week off, we returned to our regular Sunday hike with Desiree meeting at the South Mesa trailhead just before sunset to hike our usual loop. The past week's snow storm left crusty snow and ice on the trail but it still had enough grip that we could hike without needing traction devices for our boots. It was hovering around freezing and as the sun set the temperature started dropping which started re-freezing where the snow had melted in the sun. However, it didn't freeze the Towhee trail fast enough and when we got there we found the trail covered with four inches of sticky mud. After mucking a tenth of a mile through the mud we turned around retreated back to Mesa trail and then took that back down to the trailhead. Things get dark fast this time of the year so the last bit of our hike was nearly a night hike with just the faintest bit of reflected sunset glow lighting up the eastern horizon. If our last hike on this trail felt like winter had arrived, todays hike backed that up with actual snow and cold weather. This time it was a 3.5 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
61) Homestead and Mesa Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, November 24, 2022 - This may look like a duplicate of the last hiking post from just a few days ago but it is not. During our hike this past Sunday with our friend Desiree we came up with a plan for a mellow Thanksgiving which started with a hike followed by a small Thanksgiving meal at Desiree's house. So just a few days after our previous visit to the South Mesa Trailhead we were back to do the same hike. Thanksgiving day was cool but a few days of sunshine during the week had melted most of the ice off the trail. There was still some crunchy spots in the shady areas but overall it was easier to walk on that what we'd found a few days ago. We got to stretch our legs and work up a bit of an appetite before settling down for an evening eating of food and playing games. Just another thing to give thanks for... A 3.2 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
62) Homestead and Mesa Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, November 28, 2022 - Another Sunday means another hike with our friend Desiree and at our regular spot - the South Mesa Trailhead. We met up in the late afternoon which meant there was some sunshine to take the edge off the chilly wind that was blowing in from the west. We had nice "golden light" at the beginning of the hike and then some colorful clouds in the east with the reflected rays of sunset. We did give this hike a little twist by extending the normal loop with a side hike up towards Shadow Canyon which allowed us to stretch our legs a little more and to enjoy the panoramic view east towards the windmills in the old Rocky Flats land. Another enjoyable evening hike that kept us in touch with our good friend Desiree. An extended 4.1 mile hike with 800 feet of elevation gain.
63) Crosier Rainbow Trail (FS 981), Crosier Mountain (Gravel Pit) Trailhead, Glen Haven, CO, December 9, 2022 - Todd and Rusty-pup invited me to join them for a new hike - Crosier Mountain just outside Estes Park. There are three trailheads with trail going up Crosier Mountain so we chose the Gravel Pit trailhead where the Crosier Rainbow trail (FS 981) climbed up onto a nearby hill before crossing over a saddle to another hill and eventually crossed onto the shoulder of Crosier Mountain. Recent snowstorms had left about 6 inches of soft snow on the trail but the day was beautiful which made for perfect hiking weather. The downside of the sunshine was that the snow was sticky. No problem for Todd and I but it was sticking to Rusty's paws. The higher up we climbed the more stops we made to clear out the ice balls from between Rusty's toes. By the time we met up with the Crosier Mountain trail that came up from Glen Haven we decided to turn around rather than making the final climb up to the summit. The trail was very scenic so I'm sure we'll be back to give it another try...and next time we'll bring Rusty's booties! 4.3 miles up and back with 1,300 feet of elevation gain.
64) Kindred Spirit trail, Johnny Park, Pinewood Springs, CO, December 18, 2022 - Todd, Rusty-pup and Alan headed back into the Johnny Park area to hike up to the overlook on the shoulder of Button Rock Mountain. This is a strenuous hike, especially with snow and ice on most of the trail, but the payoff at the top is well worth the effort. We started off going into Rattlesnake Gulch but then turned onto the Kindred Spirit trail to make the steep climb up the north side of Button Rock Mountain. There are sections of this trail that might make a mountain goat have vertigo! Once up on the rocky peak of Button Rock we were provided with spectacular panoramic views both to the east over the Ralph Price reservoir and to the west onto Long's Peak and Mt. Meeker. With the ground covered in snow and the sun low in the sky adding color to the heavy cloud cover it was a beautiful place to hang out for awhile. We look the long route down following mountain bike trails that looped and switch backed down at a more gradual decline that the "straight up" Kindred Spirit trail we'd used to ascent. A really fun hike highlighted by amazing scenery. A 6.2 mile loop with 1,200 feet of elevation gain.
65) Homestead and Towhee Trails, South Mesa Trailhead, Boulder Open Space & Mountain Parks, Boulder, CO, December 19, 2022 - We are finishing off one full year's worth of hikes at the South Mesa Trailhead with our friend Desiree. Gaelin was briefly back in CO in between graduating with his bachelors in Computer Security from Dakota State University and starting their Masters program so he joined us for the hike as well. The most notable thing for this hike was the wind - the combination of warm sunshine and cool ground temperatures (and probably a low pressure system somewhere nearby) resulted in crazy wind gusts. There were times when we were literally being blown off the trail. Eating lunch after the loop we've done all year. The trail, in the depths of winter, had a few notable differences from the other hikes we've done throughout the year. The first is that Boulder Creek was now frozen over completely turning the creekbed into a snaking avenue of thick white ice. Along the trail all the shrubs and small fruit trees were now just leafless grey stalks and the hillsides of grass are now blank brown canvases giving the area the barren look of winter. There is life though, as the piles of bear scat on the trail atested, though we didn't see any ursids today. We did our best to carry on a conversation over the howl of the wind but the blowy conditions were annoying enough that we unconsciously walked fast so this was the fastest we hiked the circuit all year and we were back at the trailhead before we knew it. This was our 14th time hiking this loop this year and perhaps our last for 2022. If so, it has been a nice tradition to hike the same trail with the same person, usually at the time of day, for an entire year. Maybe we'll continue it in 2023. We were back to the usual 3.3 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
66) Betasso Preserve, Boulder County Open Space, Boulder, CO, December 28, 2022 - A warm few days after a deep freeze and with a snow storm on the way we had a narrow window to get in another hike before the year comes to a close. Our friend Julia was house sitting her friend's dog Ruby and she met us at the Betasso Preserve parking lot for an icy, muddy, windy hike around the Betasso loop. We had a chance to burn off some of Ruby's energy, to catch up on holiday news and to enjoy the views out over Boulder. A 3.6 mile loop with 600 feet of elevation gain.
If you enjoyed these you may also enjoy checking out some photos from our 2021 hikes.
