Fox Mountain

We found our way to the top of Fox mtn., found some chanterelle mushrooms on the way and didn't lose anybody in the timber.....

The trip over was 2.9 miles and 2.6 miles coming back, had our lunch with some terrific views at hand and everyone was reluctant to leave the top. Had some delicious Kansas watermelon when we got back to the truck, sure tasted good after the workout.

The metal cage in the meadow is a device to compare the amount of graze being done versus the ungrazed area inside the cage. This gives the Forest Service info to determine the number of cattle allowed in an area.

Next Thursdays hike will be to a lime kiln and then to a gravesite on top of the hill about 2-3 miles to the North. We will leave the VCPL about 9AM, bring your lunch, water, ORANGE VEST and a couple of friends.........

Dennis

Tuesday ATV Ride

The Silverthreaders are having an ATV Ride Tuesday, 9/27/11 to go over Blow Out Pass, down to Jasper and around to Summitville, around by Gray Back Mountain and back to Elk Park on Count Road 14 out of Del Norte. We will have a hamburger cookout on the Alamosa River at noon. The burgers and trimmings will be furnished, so just bring chips, dips, or something sweet. We will meet at the visitor center at 9 AM. It might cost you a dollar or two for the burgers. Be sure and let me know if you are going, so we will have enough burgers.  

George Powell, president

 

Handies Peak

The last days of summer brought snow, then melting, to Handies Peak. Two grandmothers and a retired Kansas couple made it to the 14,048' top.

Spectacular wild scenery, black, russet, outlined in white, Gave us views different from the flower time of late July.

Congratulations to the "tough" hikers of Tuesdays this summer. You put out extra efforts and worked on conditioning. You conquered 10,000', 11,000', 12,000', 13,000', and two 14,000' peaks in one season. You trained on some long hikes at altitude, as well as some short, steep ones.

We've planned several autumnal hikes at somewhat lower exertion levels, probably shifting the times toward Mondays in mid-October. Later, we'll look for deep snow to challenge our snow shoes.

Next Tuesday, how about an auto tour of Fall colors. They are coming fast this week so we may catch them at their peak. Start at 9 a.m. at the Visitor Center in South Fork.

Buy lunch at Platoro's Skyline Lodge (bring your own if you eat sparingly). Then more color on the way home. We'll try to be back by 4 p.m., but you can come at your own pace.

Bring your cameras.  We'll give you several opportunities to make excellent, memorable, photos, even if it's cloudy.

Handies Trail--to the wall

 

Barb, Linda, Marilyn at the lake

 

High country Sloan Lake 

 

Zig-zag up to Handies Peak

 

Wayne&Linda nearing the top

 

Marilyn & the S. Wall

 

last flowers of summer Handies

 

red trucks look mighty good

 

Linda Treibly's pictures from Handies

BIG, BEAUTIFUL country. Awesome is a word used appropriately here. A look at these scenes suggests that we humans and our machines may not be in charge here. We can tear things down, but can we build it up?

 

A few of Barbara's photos from the top of Handies Peak

It's wonderfully alpine up here!  And refreshingly cool!  Top picture looks N toward Uncompahgre Peak just over Linda's head. Nearby  Red Cloud and Sunshine Peaks are featured in the fifth photo (also 14ers).         --DMK

Tuesday ATV Ride

There will be an ATV Ride Tuesday, Sept. 20 to go on Rat Creek. Meet at the visitor center at 9 AM.

George Powell, president

 

Poage Lake Hike

Four of us braved the wet morning and headed out for Poage Lake. It was a nice gentle hike along an old logging road. Linda found lots of mushrooms to pick along the way, Pat found sunshine now and then and Wayne found lots of mud to walk in.

View of Poage Lake and mountain in background with snow on it.

Linda, Pat and Wayne. Linda was grocery shopping.

Mushroom hunting.

Chanterelle Mushrooms

It snowed a little while were hiking.

That was about it!

ATV Ride Friday

There will be an ATV ride Friday, Sept. 16, 2011. The plan is to go to the Shorty Springs Area. Meet at the visitor center at 9 AM.

George Powell, president

Silverthreaders Club

Silverthread Outdoor Recreation Club

Crystal Lakes Road Hike on Tuesday

Yes, we walked a road--a very nice, smooth, scenic road. But it tested our lungs and legs with it's long ups and downs. High in the watersheds of Beaver Creek and its Race Creek, Two pretty lakes called Crystal attracted six of us. We lunched at one and watched ice and rain dance on its surface. Then headed back through splendid, soaring scenery. The noon-time rain let up; rain coats and pants came off. We discussed the difficulty of scaling these peaks and the still-vigorous young spruce-fir forests, where our friend John Graeser once felled timber and roughed in the roads which we followed. The 4.75 miles seemed quicker on the return trip.
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The ladies spent the refreshment time debating next Tuesday's starting time.The goal--another try at Handies Peak, weather permitting. The vote--leave the S. Fork Visitor Center at 6:00 a.m. Tuesday for Lake City and American Basin. We'll pause for Creede folks to join us at 6:25 on the Deep Creek cutoff if they will leave a message at 719-873-5239. The hike is only 3 miles and the trail is good, and all upward. If the weather's bad, we'll adjust Handies to a later date and probably do Del Norte Peak for those who missed it earlier.
--Doug Knudson

Happy Hikers,Linda M., Marilyn, Wayne M., Linda T. Barbara, Doug photographer.

Ups, We’ll be walkin’ around that mountain.

‘n downs, Crystal Lake Road

Fir trees, (cone cores)

Upper Beaver Cr. Crystal L. Rd.

Rain at Crystal Lake

Grass at Crystal Lake

Multi hued hikers scared off the rain.

A few more photos of Crystal Lake Hike

Turn around, it’s photo time!

It rained the whole time we were at the lake having lunch.

Marilyn and Linda T. a little wet and cold.

Doug staying dry!

Wayne and Linda also found a dry spot.

Wayne having a little help getting out of his rain pants.