Tuesday stroll on the Palisades of the Rio Grande National Forest

Up at the County Line,

we left Colorado 149.

    Climbed up a steep hill

    Saw fresh snow lying still.

We studied the cliffs

for faces and glyphs.

    We found pines that had grown

    Despite rooting in stone.

Twas a wonderful, pleasant, walk

with five people of vigor and talk.

 

Join us next Tuesday at nine! --Doug Knudson

Golf Course Hike

What a great way to start out the day, rainbows all around us!  The weather decided that we would hike around the golf course near town, using a trail, cart path and streets to complete the loop.  About 3 miles total............

All the wildflowers are gone at this elevation, some imported flowers were seen on private property and the shaggy mane mushrooms were coming up.  The shaggy manes don't mind cold weather, I have collected them with snow on the ground around them.

Come tomorrow and find out where Doug will lead you to...............

Dennis

Highway Trash Pickup Pictures

Thank you for your service!  Hamburgers after the Highway Trash Pickup on Friday, September 26, 2014 at the Patterson's Construction Site with President George/Harolena Powell,  Harry/Pat Fluck, David/Rena Fuhr, David/Lisa Hutson, Doug/Judy/Cindy Knutson, Deb Miller, Wayne/Linda Moulds, Bob/Bonnie Munro, Dwayne/Edna Powers, David/Guri Pryce, Lloyd/Barbara Thiesfeld, Frank Walter and others. 

 

Petrified wood hike 9-25-14

Five of us took a leisurely, very observant hike up a canyon near Cathedral Campground to look for petrified wood.  Barry was clearly the most observant member of the group, based on the very nice specimens he collected.  We decided that the "Mother Lode" must be somewhere above the area we covered, will give it another try at another time......

 

There has been a hard freeze up there, the skunk cabbage was flat on the ground, perhaps we will get a frost soon also.  The aspen putting on a glorious show for us to enjoy, get out and enjoy it whenever you are able to.

 

Wayne will be leading another hike Monday, come on out and enjoy the natural beauty of God's earth with us.

 

Dennis

 

Myrna's Trail

Myrna Pillers introduced us to this beautiful hike some years ago.  We've hiked it at least once every year.  Today, six of us thanked Myrna with expressions of admiration for the scenic vistas.

 

The Christianson's from near Bastrop, TX, joined us. They hope to be back with us regularly after retirement plans come true.

 

A 40 degree start soon became pleasantly warm.  Matthew and Bethany Christianson in middle

 

High, wide, and handsome Rio Grande canyon country

 

Aspen turned yellow on Sept. 21--precise!

 

Easy walking

 

Populus tremuloides

 

The yellow is getting yellower by the day.

 

A higher elevation is higher toned yellow,

 

Across the Rio Grande rise the Palisades in tiers

 

Join us on Thursday, Monday, Tuesday for gentle walks in beautiful country.  Don't waste the scenery.

Soon we'll be thinking about finding our snowshoes in their hiding places;

we'll slog and schuss on Mondays at 10 a.m. through the winter. 

Remember the Friday clean-up of downtown South Fork (inform George if you want to eat with the group). Remember the Saturday Wolf Creek Season Pass gathering (you have about a week to get your ski pass at pre-season rates).

--Doug Knudson

Flu Flyer

Susan Stuebs, RN

Rio Grande County Public Health Agency

925 6th St., Room 101

Del Norte, CO 81132

719-657-3352

 

This message and accompanying documents from Rio Grande County Public Health Agency are covered by the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. §§ 2510-2521, and Colorado State Statutes 18-9-301 to 305 C.R.S. and contains information intended for the specified individual(s) only. This information is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient or an agent responsible for delivering it to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this document in error and that any review, dissemination, distribution, copying, or the taking of any action based on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by e-mail, and delete the original message.

Highway Trash Pickup

We will have a work day to pick up trash on our section of HWY. 160 on Friday, Sept. 26. Meet at the visitor center at 10 AM and we will have burgers at the Patterson’s new home afterwards. The burgers and the trimmings will be furnished, so bring something to go with them.

Let me know if you plan to help with trash pickup in order to have enough burgers for everyone.

 

We look forward to seeing you at the Highway Trash Pickup.  Please note that the new Patterson home is a construction site with no water or electricity.  Please wash up and take care of business at the visitor center before coming to the site for the hamburgers.

Also, don't forget to bring your own drinks.

 

Until then...have a blessed week,

Jim & Margie Patterson 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

PO Box 343

South Fork, CO 81154

Home 719-873-5902

Cell 719-850-0080

 

 

Model T Park annual progress

Every year we hike up to see how the Model T touring car is doing--at least once. We also get to see the vegetation recovery process after the 2002 rip-roaring fire that changed our views to the south of South Fork. 

 

Summary report for 2014: 

Aspen are getting a little bigger and more dense;

Conifer regeneration is almost nil, but trees that escaped flames are producing cones = possibility of spotty return;

Flowers are more abundant and varied;

Ground cover in general is continuous;

The trail is pretty good, despite a few ATV incursions;

Dead trees dominate the general scene;

The bull elk are big and (were) apparently healthy.

We aren't sure how the courteous Oregon bow-hunter got his big 1-shot

animal out, but our brief help for him was an impressive experience.

 

--Doug Knudson

 

For Next Tuesday, I'm pondering options:

1.  a long drive to the Dunes and a 3-mile hike up Mosca Pass and back.

   or 2. a shorter (up to 3.5 mile round-trip) closer to South Fork.

 

You may weigh in with your preference at   douglasfir636@gmail.com

 

 

We were but 6 on a 7-mile round trip.  Adios to Patrick for this season; thanks for joining us.

 

Some pretty colors are appearing along the trail

 

15' aspen near the Model T Park

 

Still standing--almost

 

Upper Model T Park and the ridge of Beaver Mountain

 

Tall spruce snags, rising aspen sprouts.

 

DSC08991

 

We met a "local Oregonian" as we went up, right after he shot a large bull elk.  We helped him tie up the carcass as we came back down.  This was a major undertaking that probably kept him busy for 2 days.