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.
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