Pictures from Agua Ramon and North

Harolena took these pictures from Agua Ramon Mountain north on FR 630.
George.

Hope Creek Hike

Fourteen hikers enjoyed the beauty and solitude on the hike up Hope Creek.  Weather was great.  Next week we plan on hiking in the Creede area heading toward Miners Creek.  This may change to another close by hike depending on the "colors".  This hike will be led by a Creede hiker.

 

We will meet at Rickles Park at 8:00 am on Tuesday.  Bring water and wear a fluorescent vest, if possible, since it is hunting season.  We shall join up with the Creede forks at Deep Creek trail head at 8:30 am.

 

This will be the last hike for some of the Creede group so join us in saying good-by until their return next summer!

Ivy Creek Hike

Fourteen hikers tackled Ivy Creek on our  hike today, it was a cool beginning but turned out to be a terrific hike.  Great company and a sunny day!

 

Next week we will meet at 8:00 a.m. at Rickles Park and we will hike Hope Creek.  Bring all the necessities and also a fluorescent hunting vest, if you have one.  We are again into the "hunting seasons".

 

The following week we will hike Miners Creek, up by Creede.  Again meet at 8:00 a.m.  at Rickles Park.  We  will meet the Creede folks around 8:30 a.m.    We hope to have a beautiful display of Fall colors!

 

Nancy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beaver Mtn. Hike

On Labor Day, 5 hikers went atop Beaver Mtn--the long 11,500' ridge SW of South Fork. We went up the heavily forested E side, enjoyed lunch on the beautiful flat top covered with kinnikinic (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), inspected its grape colored "bear berries". Then we walked to the 2002 burn limit at the north end of the mountain, still without spruce, fir, or aspen regeneration.  Finally, we followed an elk trail down the steep pitch to the logging road on which we had parked.

Thanks to Wayne, Loren, Marilyn, and Pat for being good sports as we traveled "new ground" of Beaver Mountain.

With the waning of the numbers of hikers still in the area, we recommend that we join the hikers who go out on Tuesdays. We have a several special hikes lined up for the cool fall season, to combine with Dennis' plans. (Then, when the ski season starts, we'll probably switch back to Mondays, for the sake of a free cup of coffee on Tuesdays at Wolf Creek.) So a week from Tuesday, join us at Rickel Park (near the Health Clinic) at 9 a.m. (unless we send a note that it is at 8 a.m.)

Top of Beaver--white Elephant appears in winter--for many South Fork residents.

N end of Beaver Mtn. 2010, burned mature spruce forest in 2002

Top of 2002 burn Beaver Mtn. North end.

Spruce-fir Beaver Mtn. today --on top

kneeling in kinnikinic on Beaver Mtn.

Deep Creek hike

We hiked down the Deep Cr. trail, seven miles from top to bottom; thanks to all the drivers that transported us up to the trailhead.  We found hawk wing, chanterelle and puff ball mushrooms that are edible, plus a bunch more we couldn't identify as edible. We had another great day, blue sky and lots of sunshine, and it was a little cool to start with.......

 

We will hike Ivy Cr. next week, MEET AT RICKLES PARK AT 8 AM(this is a change, needed due to the long travel).  WE WILL MEET THE CREEDITES AT DEEP CR. TRAILHEAD BY 830 AM.

 

Remember to bring your lunch, water, raingear and a friend...................

 

Dennis

Shorty Springs hike

We hiked the Shorty Springs trail into La Garita Park, ate lunch uphill from the creek.  There are still a few wildflowers left, but they are getting scarce; we saw a few aspens that have turned already.  The stock tank is made from a very large tire, the water is piped down the hill from Shorty Springs.  This was the first time our group had hiked this trail and everybody enjoyed the new scenery..........

 

Next Thursday (tomorrow) we are hiking from the top of Deep Cr. trail down to the road, about 7 miles; meet at Rickles park AT 8 AM TO CARPOOL AND MEET THE CREEDE FOLKS AT DEEP CR. TRAILHEAD BY 830AM.  From there we will drive to the top of the Deep Cr. trail and come back down.

 

Next Tuesday we will hike the Ivy Cr. trail, MEET AT RICKLES PARK AT 9 AM, MEETING THE CREEDE FOLKS AT THE DEEP CR. ROAD BY 9:30 AM.  Then we will carpool to the Ivy Cr. trailhead.  Bring your lunch, water, raingear and a friend................

 

Dennis

 

Hunters Lake Hike

The last Monday in August (day 29)proved the mettle of nine stalwarts. Sunshine at the SF Visitor Center and Trailhead gave us hope. Blowing clouds and ice pellets brought out the ponchos. Lightning and thunder brought doubts and turned us back. Vapors rising from Hunters Lake confirmed the reversal. Ice, heavy rain, and even some snow on the windshields told us that the seasons are a-changing--already. So we lit a fire at 89 Fir, dried out, and warmed our innards with coffee, cocoa, Wanda's fancy sandwiches and our "hiking" goodies. Thanks to Pat, Loren, Marty, Wanda, Wayne, Susan, Stacey, and Judy for the gumption and good humor on a hike to remember.

A new adventure next Monday at 9 a.m. starting at the SF Visitor Center. Prepare for any weather. Please bring a sweater and poncho. I don't think we'll need snowshoes yet.
--Doug Knudson

Sunny, cool start Hunters Lake trailhead

*Time for ponchos

•The ice-ball trail

Aha! People tracks!

Hunters Lake turning over?

Drying out/warming up

Heading home

Hiker at rest

Del Norte Peak hike

We hiked through the clouds today!  We had visibility of about 50 feet at the height of the cloud cover, but thankfully we had Sue with us and she predicted sunshine by 11AM.  At 1050AM we had Sunshine!  Thank you Sue.............................

 

The chipmunk was friendly until we got too close, then it decided to hide.  Part of us came down a shortcut from the peak, coming through the rock fields by picking out paths through the rocks.

 

The mushrooms are King Boletus, the largest I have ever seen; lots of great eating ahead!!  We drove through the blow down area caused by a Micro-burst last summer (2009), a lot of the trees have been salvaged by firewood cutters...

 

WE WILL START OUR HIKES AT 9AM, BEGINNING NEXT WEEK. WE WILL HIKE THE SHORTY SPRINGS TRAIL OVER INTO LA GARITA PARK NEXT TUESDAY.  BRING YOUR LUNCH, WATER, RAINGEAR AND A FRIEND.

 

WE WILL MEET UP WITH THE VALLEY FOLKS AT THE RIVER BRIDGE ON THE EMBARGO CR. ACCESS ROAD AT ABOUT 915AM..............

 

Dennis