Old Spanish Trail hike

Eight wise people accepted a windy, cool start; they enjoyed beautiful clouds, sunshine, fresh air and 8 miles of good walking. Historic journeys brought many people up this long road--some to to wander to places hundreds of miles away and others to settle nearby.

The immensity of this great valley's floor is rimmed by rugged mountains, still holding some of this year's scanty snows. Tiny lichens of at least five different colors are a result of symbiotic union of fungi and algae; the blue hue is unusual.

Next Tuesday, 9 a.m., we'll leave the South Fork Visitor Center for the Alamosa National Wildlife Refuge. Bring along your binoculars and zoom camera for bird and animal spottings along the 4-mile (each way) trail beside and beyond the Rio Grande. Bring a good field lunch; we may be home a little later than usual.

--Doug Knudson 873-5239

At the wagon ruts--OST

Man in a rut--Old Sp Trail

Rugged mesa-tops

Strolling among the prairie hills

What a view!

Blue lichens OST WFk

Multi-hue lichen OST RGCo

Beaver Mountain

The day after the April full moon was pleasant but windy. E-hike #2 took 11 of us up a closed road. We studied the 2002 burn from afar, wondering how long it will take to heal. Views in all directions were splendid. Up close, the discards of thoughtless citizens were too evident to leave them lying. It seems that most are related to those who chew, drink intoxicants, and/or have feeble concern for keeping places of common use neat. One of them owns a big Buick. The T-hike (tough but still training) on Tuesday will leave the Visitor Center tomorrow at 9 a.m. Bring rain gear.
Next Monday, 9 a.m. for an easy one, same place.

 

10 of 1:Linda,Bill, WayneX2,Pat,Mayebelle, Kevin, Gail,Connie, Marty

N Beaver Mtn to S of Willow Pk subdiv.

Up road hiking

Discards on a closed road.

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.

5 Penitente Canyon Photos

Harolena,Connie,Sally, Linda&Wayne M., Harry&Pat,Marilyn, Bill K,
Mayebelle, Gail, Wayne O., Bill L.

East Bear Creek ATV Trail Work Day

 

There were seven of us who worked on East Bear Creek Trail Tuesday. We moved some rocks, some timber, replaced a sign and found some trash to haul out. We also found the snow about four miles up the trail. We had a wiener roast past the fence and had to turn around because of the snow. It was a fun day and the weather was beautiful. Come and join us next time.

George Powell

Elephant Rock Hike

Thirteen of us enjoyed a leisure hike through the Elephant Rock formations on a beautiful, sunny day. This was a new area for many of us. We want to thank Wayne Moulds for being our leader today. He did a fantastic job. Don't forget that we will begin our 2 hikes next week. Hope to have a good number for both of them.

Harolena

San Luis trip March 28

Seventeen climbed the hill of the Stations of the Cross, visited the beautiful chapel, saw the Monument of the Mexican Martyrs, ate lunch at Cafe Mystica Rosa, visited the oldest store in Colorado, studied the Sangre de Cristo Parish church, saw the Commons, saw the state's first (we think) acequia (ditch), visited the outside (sorry about the lock) of the old San Acacio church, looked at the Rio Grande, gestured at the statue of Jack Dempsey, and ate a few blizzards in Monte Vista.

Thanks for the collaboration and the company.

Next Monday, we'll take a more typical hike--it will be beautiful and wonderful, I hope. Leave Visitor Center 9 a.m.
--Doug Knudson

Hike 616-617A

With 3 seasoned hikers inspiring us, ten folks went up road 616, which somehow turned into 617A and took us through the Piñon-Juniper forest above Alpine. We got into an ecotone with the appearance of Douglas-fir and Ponderosa pine and aspen.
he views were vast. Someday, we'll keep going long enough to find the end of this road/trail. Presumably it's somewhere near Bear Cr.

NEXT WEEK SPECIAL TRIP!
We plan to go to San Luis by car-pool, leaving at 8:00 a.m. on Monday. Meet at the Visitor Center before 8:00. We'll climb the trail with the Stations of the Cross sculptures, visit the beautiful chapel overlooking the oldest town in Colorado, and see several other features nearby. It seems that some of our members want to eat at a restaurant, so we'll explore the possibilities. We also hope to visit the oldest standing church building in the state--at Old San Acacio. I'll contact a couple of friends who may be able to talk with us or show us special things.

As you may know, the Old Spanish Trail (east fork of the North Branch) goes through San Luis; we see this town as a major cultural preserver of ancient Hispanic traditions. It's a town of special character. Somehow, as an 8 year resident of two towns in Latin America, I feel quite comfortable in this place. It has a most interesting history and some fine citizens.

Due to the distance, please plan on a longer time than normal.
--Doug Knudson

Octogen hikers 3-11 Mayebelle Gilfillan, Ozzie Wells, Wayne Odom

Linda,Wayne,Eve, Ozzie, Marilyn,Mayebelle,Wayne O., Lloyd/Barbara

Lunchroom

Piñon cones March 2011

617A /D.Norte Peak

Lookout Mountain (a.k.a. D Peak)

Sometimes things we see often Can become something special.

Thanks to the Del Norte Trails Organization, eight of us enjoyed the beauty of Lookout Mountain.

Often bypassed with but a glance, this place has 3+ miles of admirably built foot-trails winding around the base and to the rocky top, revealing splendid views in all directions.

Congratulations and thank you to the team that conceived this and to those who diligently and expertly built the secure trails. Our hikers, from South Fork and Monte Vista, admire your work.

We appreciated the six deer that showed us part of the way.

Thanks to Barbara Graham who resumed her regular ascents and graciously greeted us at the top (our condolences to her).

Next Monday at 9 a.m., we'll leave South Fork Visitor Center for another beautiful place. If the predicted "no snow" weather continues, we'll hike for 3-5  miles. Believe it or not, that will take us 3-5 hours, so bring a snack or sandwich, water, and a friend or two.
--Doug Knudson 873-5239

Lookout Mtn

Two teachers assess the grade

Bennett PK fr D Mtn

•Good trail bed work D Mt

Going down Lookout Mtn.

Monday hike March 7, 2011

Nice Hike. Great views of South Fork. We beat the snow flurries, not the clouds. Mayebelle declared the route was "almost" flat, yet we were above the cliffs. Everybody passed the tree ID test, until we came upon a pinyon pine, only slightly out of place, ecologically.

Next week we may hike with regular boots or we may don snowshoes--depends on the weather. Meet before 9 a.m. at the visitor center in South Fork. Anyone is welcome;come warm and walk safely.
--Doug Knudson 873-5239