Del Norte trails

Spring is here; the flowers appear.  The developing trail work by the Del Norte Trails organization continues--opening open space for healthy people to enjoy (and stay healthy). Only 5 of us from South Fork sought healthy exercise today.  More are welcome.

 

Every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday hikers gather at the South Fork Visitor Center and head out into the mountains. Join us at no cost but at your own responsibility.  We'll show you beautiful places that require some exertion to visit.  With warm weather here, we'll work our way up into higher elevations.

 

Note:  Wayne and/or Dennis will have charge of Tuesday hikes for the next two or three weeks.

Judy and I will accompany about 30 on a Haskins Tour of Spain and its religious, botanic, and historic features, plus a bullfight.

 

Also note:  Nancy Lee is organizing interesting programs about the outdoors at the Visitor Center throughout the summer. Watch for her schedule and bring your visitors!

 

--Doug Knudson

 

hikers at base of Lookout Mtn., headed elsewhere.

 

Up there

 

Piñon pine cones in green phase

 

Cactus in Bloom

 

Last year's flowering stems

 

   One of many spp. of aster or daisy 05-'14, Del Norte

 

windswept juniper

 

This is a scenic! trail. Congrats to Del Norte

 

Another flowering Cactus

 

Dwarfed by the scenery

 

Maybe a Wyoming paintbrush

 

Wallflower

 

A Great Work Day

We had a good day on the trail. Found a down tree, some mud, some snow, and some rain. There were some places there was too  much snow and too much mud. The poles are picked up and the lunch was wonderful. Enjoy the pictures thanks to Harolena.

 

George Powell, president

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

Silverthreaders Club

Circumvention of Million Res

We started at Beaver Cr. road below the Million Res. dam and crossed the dam and followed Million Cr. as far as we could. We left the creek bed and went up, up and more up to the saddle East of Million Res. It took us about 1 hour to reach the saddle and then we took off to the South, up the canyon where the headwater of Million Cr. started.  We found LOTS of Elk sign all over the saddle and down in the canyon, looked like a highway instead of just a game trail.  We followed game trails as long as they were heading the same direction that we were, the rest of the time we made our own trails.

 

We made it to the top of ridge in time for lunch, got a few sprinkles while chowing down but not enough for raingear.  We followed the ridge until we thought we were directly above the parking lot South of the res. and then we started down toward it.  We were lucky and came out on the old road South of the parking lot and then on around the West side of the res. and back to the truck, arriving about 2PM.......

 

It was a pretty strenuous hike, Bob & David would both agree;  the Elk have an advantage with 4-legged locomotion while we were limited to 2-legged operation most of the time.  Sometimes we used all 4 limbs to get where we needed to go.........

 

Come to the VC Monday for a great hike led by Wayne Moulds, be there B4 9AM...........

 

Dennis

 

 

Looking for Schrader Creek on Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Six of the bold did look for Schrader Creek--unvisited by any of us until this trip.  We even saw the moon overhead (of David in #1) and a broad swath of mountain land covered with piñon pine and Rocky Mountain Juniper.

We found Schrader Creek; we search for fish with no success.  The creek looks good and very pleasant. The day was perfect for walking--even for climbing up the breath-taking "short-cut" hill.  And we walked less than 5 miles and felt that we were conditioning ourselves quite well, thank you.

 

Remember the next chance is at 9 a.m. on Thursday.  Meet Dennis Shepherd at the South Fork Visitor Center, ready to leave by 9.00 a.m. You'll visit the woods around Million Reservoir, near South Fork.    Then look forward to Monday (relatively easy hike) and Tuesday (a little tougher hike).

Welcome back summer hikers--you are welcome to go with us.

--Doug Knudson

5 headed for Schrader Creek

 

Pinyon-Juniper woodlands

 

Ancient trees

 

Don charging upward

 

It was steeper than it looks

 

Bennett Peak at 13,200+

 

Piñon pine in the vastness

 

A few upper-Upper Alpine Photos

A good group of troopers walked  along the western side of Agua Ramon hill for a couple of miles.  Some carry-on refreshments and stories got us in the mood to go back down. MayeBelle was in the lead.  Wayne picked out this spot and, we hope, he'll be here next Monday for another fine stroll.  (If not, we'll find a wonderful place).

 

Tomorrow (Tuesday) we'll have a similar hike to a creek unknown to most of us.  I got some advice and alternatives from Ronnie Day of the Forest Service.  We'll get to know some close-in but little known land to the South of the River Grande.  We meet by 9 a.m. at the South Fork Visitor Center.  I hope to see you there--I don't think it will be "really a tough hike."

 

On Thursday, Dennis has plans for a wide circling of Million Pond.  If you haven't seen that place recently, it's worth a look at what time and people can do to heal after a dramatic fire (2002).  We'll have a new couple with us on Thursday--maybe with gold-panning equipment

 

--Doug Knudson

 

It was mostly up the road, but only one way.

 

Big group--18 I think

 

Great view

 

Piñon starting the nuts for fall

 

more views

 

leaving the  luncheonette

 

ATV Trail Work Day

We found down trees, mud, and snow. It was a good day. We went from Shorty Springs to La Garita Creek and then Perry Creek.

George Powell, president

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

Silverthreaders Club

2 hikes--thanks Bob!

Interesting--2 hike dates (Tues. and Thurs.); 2 hikers (Thurs.). Tuesday was one of the most beautiful days of the year, with 8" of new snowfall, which may have suggested to snowshoers that they should wait for deeper white stuff. 

 

By Thursday, snow was mostly gone, temperature was up, but hikers were scarce.  So, Bob and I made a quick tour of the southern (lower) end of Sentinel Mountain, without even picking up snow on our shoes.

 

We'll try again next week with our full schedule:  Monday--easier hikes; Tuesday--tougher destinations; Thursday--other places. 

All are free, open to those responsible for themselves, with different routes that give you 45+ different experiences.  You will see "low country"

and "high country" and places in between. Some of us will climb tall peaks--at least one or two 14,000' hills in Colorado and New Mexico's highest at 13,000'+.  Those folks will get some rigorous conditioning for high elevations.

 

There's also a a small group of soldiers marching through our territory, on the Continental Divide Trail. They started in southern New Mexico in mid-April and expect to be on Wolf Creek Pass by May 31. They will be picked up by Pagosa Springs veterans for a night in hot water and a good dinner.  (We didn't win this one, but we may next year.)  I plan to go up to Wolf Creek Pass and hike along the trail to walk away with them on the 31st.  There will be some chance to greet them at Spring Creek Pass above Creede later in June.  We'll try to coordinate a hike up there to meet them and hike back a ways.  We don't yet know if they will want a ride to Creede for a little recuperation.

 

Wayne, Dennis, and/or I will be waiting for you each M, T, & Th at the South Fork Visitor Center before 9 a.m.

These hikes are your least expensive form of health care, in addition to acquainting you with the nature, history, and scenery of this beautiful land.

 

--Doug Knudson   719-873-5239

 

May 13, 2014  8"

 

May 13--no hikers appeared

 

May 15, 2014 Beaver Mtn. from a ridge of Sentinel Mtn.

 

Susan's estate on the South Fork--It's still there, intact, Susan.

 

Stone walkway  on Sentinel Mtn.

 

End of a nice May 15 morning--yes, the grass was green and the cactus beginning to bloom under the earlier snow.

 

ATV Trail Work Day

We will have an ATV trail workday on Friday, May 16th. Meet at the visitor center at 9 AM.

 

George Powell, president

late Spring hike

Snow greeted us on our first "summer" 9 a.m. hike.  The forecast was for lots of snow, so we took a short but beautiful one.  The temperature was reasonable. Serenity ruled.  For a group that has literally faced blizzard conditions and 6-foot drifts, the thought of snow in May (pretty normal here) seems to have been too much of an anomaly.  Yet, none of the six of us were frost-bitten. Only Roxie and Connie got wet by greeting each other enthusiastically.  No slipping or sliding. A nice tour of the golf course setting.

 

We'll offer another nice hike tomorrow (Tuesday) at 9 a.m.  Target # 1 will be the Del Norte new trail South of the hospital.  We can make that short or a little longer, depending upon your comfort and the weather conditions.  I have a couple of alternatives ready if conditions require a change.

--Doug Knudson    873-5239

 

 

Good morning, May 12, 2014

 

Alder Creek was happy water, in abundance.

 

Karla's Roxie made new friends.

 

Half-way through an easy asphalt hike

 

DSC07559

 

Spring leaves refresh in snow

 

Looking across the Rio Grande