Wednesday Hike Photos

A pleasant Wednesday with bright sunshine and deep shade took four fortunates up a remote road for a couple of miles. The ladies led out with vigor and caught up on their current events reports, with no huffing, puffing or stopping.  On the return, scenery and trees and special colorful sunshine effects got our attention and several attempts to record the multi-colored "rings around the noon-day sun."

(This area produced the Christmas trees for the Chapel of the South Fork—to be put up on Saturday morning.)  The diversity of various tree species side by side got our attention on the hike.

 

 

Nice, wide path

 

Clear sunshine lit up the aspens

Nice views of distant westerly peaks

 

Same peaks with a better frame, said Marilyn

 

Sun and clouds played rainbow-type tricks; we had to stop down the exposure, as in the next two photos.

 

Sometimes we could see three sun circles

Then along came a  transportation vehicle high in the sky.  We wondered whether the passengers could see the colors.

 

We wish you all a blessed Thanksgiving.  There is a special community Thanksgiving service at Emmanuel Chapel at 7 p.m. tonight.

We'll start hiking again on Monday at 10 a.m.  Could be snowshoes or hiking boots. 

--Doug Knudson  873-5239

Hike Schedule

After Thanksgiving, we'll switch to 10 a.m. start time on Monday.

--Doug Knudson 873-5239

Farmer's Creek Hike

We were an even dozen who trod along the lovely Farmers' Creek Trail, near Creede.  It was a crisp, clear day. Numerous jets left attractive vapor trails across the blue sky. Black cows and a few muscular bulls walked the shores of the Rio Grande, across from our trail.  We paused for lunch at 9,200' elevation, sitting on dry ground, surrounded by light snow cover in the shade.  Plenty of bristlecone pines beautified our passage.  Our machine experts claimed a round trip of 4.8 miles--each of them pleasant. Thanks to the hikers who cheerfully followed this narrow trail and said they hope to come back.       

 

Next week:  Monday at 9 a.m. (maybe snowshoeing if we get more snow: otherwise hiking boots will do).  Wednesday at 9 a.m. (same thing, different place).  If forecasts are correct, we may have no new snow for the next week. We plan to switch to Mondays only and 10 a.m. start time after Thanksgiving. --Doug Knudson 873-5239

 

11.5 of the 12 appear here

 

Rio Grande from the trail

 

The Sparkling Rio Grande from a little farther from the trail.

 

Once in a while we got separated by a few yards.

 

Ozzie found his way to the lunch stop

 

One of the formations above our trail

 

Things are calm and pleasant for the cattle lying in the snowy grass--it's amazing how much these animals bear the cold of winter.

 

Back to the cars, still with enthusiasm!

 

Meeting Minutes

Click link below for October meeting minutes

http://www.silverthreaders.org/Pages/MeetingMinutes.aspx

1st snowshoe hike of the season

Monday, November 17: Eleven of us had a rolling hills hike in fresh snow, a route packed down a little by snowmobiles. Our snowshoes seemed to function efficiently, even though some were old and others were new and untried.

 

Wednesday, Nov. 19, we'll go back to simple hiking shoes at a lower level.  So far, two voters have selected Farmer's Creek Trail, near Creede.  Meet before 9 a.m. at South Fork Visitor Center.  Creede hikers can join us at the trail-head at about 9:30. --Doug Knudson  873-5239

 

Mush, ye huskies!

 

Sparkling snow, 2 feet deep--fun for walking; beautiful to behold

 

View from our trail on the Western Slope 

 

This is the turn-around spot, he said.

 

We walked in the high watershed of Wolf Creek, where it is still a series of rivulets

 

More of the Wolf Creek high watershed. The creek collects, plunges over several falls, then joins the San Juan River

11 snowshoers got to try out their well-rested equipment. Remarkably, it all functioned properly after a little organization.

 

 

Monday hike

There is snow on the Continental Divide.
Let's try out our snow equipment (snowshoes)!

Wayne Moulds is hoping that we'll have a group equipped with snowshoes for tomorrow's (Monday) hike.

He wants to challenge the new snowfall before the place gets too crowded with skiers. We'll park on or near the Great Divide on U.S. 160.

So--get your long johns and ski pants on and polish up your snowshoes. We'll then start working on our big-foot techniques.

Monday at 9:00 a.m.— departure from the Visitor Center in South Fork. We'll greet the new/ancient mode of travel.

(Wednesday, we'll plan on a return to hiking boots for a lower altitude easy hike--unless we get snowed in unexpectedly.)

--Doug Knudson

November Silverthread Club Meeting

The Silverthread Club Meeting will be Tuesday, Nov. 18, pot luck meal, 6;30, Meeting 7 PM. This will be the last club meeting this year. We only have the Christmas Party in December. Hope to see you there.

 

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

 

 

Agua Ramon

Six smart people took advantage of a nice hike from the village church of Agua Ramón up to the "Easter Cross" where South Fork church members traditionally greet Easter morning sunrises.   It was a beautiful, somewhat blustery day. All around us, we watched storm clouds of the statewide arrival of winter ice and snow, while we enjoyed sunshine and relative warm (40 degrees). 

The smooth hiking on a nice road enticed Judy to join us after a long absence.

 

We'll continue to hike until snowshoeing is required.  Mondays and Wednesdays, leaving at 9 a.m. from the Visitor Center.  When hunting seasons are open, we'll focus on safe places.  When there are in rest days, we'll aim for more forested public areas.

--Doug Knudson   873-5239

 

Note:  If you know Dr. Paul Williams, you might give him a "thanks" for his part of a Veterans Day program about the 10th Mountain Division (US Army).  On Tuesday, he was featured at Adams State University as a member of that military group. After the showing of an excellent film about the Division's ski training (in Colorado) and the group's  decisive role in ending WWII, Paul mounted the stage to cheers and applause.  He answered questions from the 300+ attendees and told several stories of his experiences as a young warrior in Italy. 

 

Part of the Agua Ramón Mountain complex

 

plumed seeds of Mountain-mahogany--long considered as the best firewood of the area.

 

Pinyon pine and the ancient cross--a place for Easter Worship

 

Well-dressed hiker obviously not to be lined up in the gun-sights

 

Cross and beautiful clouds

 

Descending from the heights

West Alder Creek

Eleven hikers set out on a sunny, breezy, cool  Monday in November.  We walked up lively West Alder Creek, the canyon John C. Fremont ascended in December 1848 (according to all but one historian). We had no mules to pull, no wish to get to the top of Pool Table Mountain, nor to find railroad routes.  So, we walked a couple of miles, had a candy bar, and turned around.  It was a lovely day, cool enough and breezy enough to make it sprightly.  

We expect cooler weather in Colorado, but maybe not in South Fork.  Wednesday's hike (9 a.m.) will be a short one with orange (hunting starts again).  We'll walk through a rural area with a few homes and wonderful views, hopefully ending up at the Rio Grande. --Doug Knudson

The intrepid troops

 

Up a hill to the gentle trail

 

Alder Creek and a little beaver pond

 

Three shapes of trees--spiral, leaning, and pretty erect.

 

Looking back upon Del Norte Peak

 

The meandering creek

 

Into the "mouth" of the narrow canyon

 

Drapery of ice

 

Ice teeth

 

The texture of a large cottonwood

 

Mosca Pass hike

Seven hikers strolled through the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve; one explored the lower parts; six retraced up and back of Mosca Pass.

Even though we walked away from the dunes, a great number of photographs were taken of the sands on the way back.  We wandered among steep cliffs and fine pines--Piñon, Ponderosa, Limber, and Bristlecone--plus Douglas-fir, roses, and many other plants prepared for winter.

 

We imagined Antoine Robidoux bringing wagons or mules through this pass in the 1830s, loaded down with supplies from Bent's Old Fort and/or Pueblo, heading around the  dunes, across the SLValley, over Cochetopa Pass and on down hill all the way to Fort Uncompahgre (Delta, CO), where he offered rest, food, and trade goods (plus some "bads") to Utes, trappers, preachers, and Old Spanish Trail travelers.

 

The colors indicate that it was hunting season.  We saw but three at the top (playing horseshoes at their camp) and heard a loud couple more, perhaps directing the movements of each other or of the quarry. 

 

It was a peaceful, calm, sunny day--perfect for hiking in the smallest of our five nearby wilderness areas (what a privilege!).

 

We will do it again next week.  Monday--close to home; Wednesday--9 a.m. in a safe location.  Heavy snow isn't predicted, yet. 

--Doug Knudson    873-5239 for updates

 

Mosca Pass starters

 

Wilderness trail of 3.5? miles

 

Tim holds up rocks

 

David takes in nutrition

Trees of several ages

 

Signs of November--for a few hundred yards at the 9,750' level

 

November colors

 

aspen surrounded by 3 kinds of pines

 

The big valley and the waves upon its eastern shore

 

Sandy waves

 

Christmas Party

The Christmas Party has been set for Monday, Dec. 15, 6:30 PM at the Fire House Restaurant in South Fork.

 

 

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

 

 

Cool hike featuring orange

Here's the big picture.  A group of 7 wearing orange or yellow-green celebrated a new hunting session by walking on the southern edge of our fair community.  A little bit of ice on the road soon yielded to the sunshine.  We welcomed David back from Spain and Barbara back from the flatlands where snow isn't a regular event.  Thanks to all for your lively companionship on this pleasant stroll.

 

Remember to vote tomorrow (Tuesday). Remember that Dennis has gone to Kansas for most of the winter--no hikes on Thursday. 

When snow returns, you will want your snowshoes for Monday hikes--tune them up!

 

Remember Wednesday for the next hike (not Tuesday).  We'll leave for a drive across the big valley at 9 a.m. (from the Visitor Center).  We'll stop at the Great Sand Dunes National Park's visitor center.  Then, we'll probably hike up the three miles to Mosca Pass, have a lunch (bring your own) and go back down.  That's the plan and it appears that the weather will be a little warmer than in South Fork.  If ice prevails, we'll take a lower path and explore elsewhere. 

 

Judy plans going with us and seems to have some alternative hikes in mind, on more level ground.

 

The weather forecast predicts that we'll have a fine sunny day in the 50s.  Hunting is prohibited in the National Park.

 

See you Wednesday     --Doug Knudson

 

November has begun!