Campbell Mountain Hike

Nine of the "Tough Hikes" Tuesday group took a 4.3 mile "conditioning" walk around the middle of Campbell Mountain, just above South Fork. We saw a great mix of conifers and lots of rocks underfoot as we followed (most of the time) an occasionally elusive stock driveway trail.
Coming down the Alder Bench Trail, we encountered seven or eight big down trees across the trail and a trail surface begging for a crew to even out the tread. It is precarious for foot travel and dangerous for bicycle riders (who may have accelerated the gullying between the rocks).

Next Tuesday, we'll continue the conditioning, starting at the picturesque Old Spanish Trail monument on US 160 (after meeting at the South Fork Visitor Center at 9 a.m. We'll follow the trail route south for a few miles, then probably swing SW, W, and NE to get back to the autos in this series of gullies, ridges, and range plants for pronghorns.

For those of you isolated from our beautiful hikes, I thank you for your comments and continuing interest. We look forward to seeing you this spring and summer. The Silverthread Club has decided to have Gentle Hikes on Mondays (Wayne Moulds leading) and Tough Hikes on Tuesdays. I've made up a menu of some of the "tough" hikes I'd like to go on this summer (attached). These will require vigorous preparation, so do your vigorous diligence at home if you hope to keep up with us on these Tuesday hikes. Your comments on preferences among these hikes will guide our choices.

--Doug Knudson 719-873-5239 89 Fir Drive, S.Fork, CO 81154

Bob,Marty,Bill, WayneO,Gail, Linda&WayneM.,Pat

Bark and wood Limber pine.

Rocky tree

Pine Needle Lunch Room

White rocks on 2nd peak

Alder Bench TR impediment (1 of 6-7)

Am. Pasqueflower--one of the harbingers of Spring in these parts--2
weeks before this year's late Easter.