12/30/14 City Forest

Eleven degrees when we got up. I stalled until it got to fourteen and Kelley"s restlessness got me out. We started from the parking lot and did our usual route from there except for a little detour to the beaver pond at Kelley's insistence. It was frozen as I expected.

The only water there was the stream that flows out of the pond and across the trail. Not deep enough to lie down in.

I didn't take any other pictures because I was not inclined to open my coat and take off my gloves . It was a pretty sunny day inspite of the cold and we met several people and a couple of dogs. Several of the little pools Kelley usually gets into had a skin of ice on them and she would test them and then back up. Never the less she seemed to enjoy being out and we managed to get an hour and three quarters exercise 

12/29/14 Haystack and Goose ridge

Yesterday we had a rainy morning and just walked around the neighborhood. This morning we got a mix of sun and clouds and temps in the lower 30's.Decided to go back at check out the rest of the trail at Haystack

We started from the other end but did not encounter the large blowdown from last time. We came out at the other end but had passed a spot we had passed going up which made me think we had ended up on the same trail as last time - there were several forks - some with blazes and some without but none marked so it was a bit confusing - especially for a short trail. We will try again another day.

As that only took 45 minutes we went to Goose Ridge for more hiking.

Only 10 miles away but more snow and ice ( very little at Haystack)  and some slippery spots to work around.

There is a large meadow on Spirited Horses Ranch ( they allow the trail to pass through their property) and a view of the countryside.

We had our lunch and then headed back down. This section took an hour and a half. A nice outing in spite of the confusion and the colder weather - it will get much colder before we are done with winter. 

12/27/14 Haystack Mt. and Northern Headwaters

Another nice day- mostly sunny and mid 40's We had just learned about Haystack even though it's only a few miles from several trails we regularly do.

There is no sign on 220 indicating the trail but there is a sign for the ball field and you turn in there and park. The trailhead is behind the backstop.

It was an easy climb through woods to the top where there were very nice views.

A two shot pano - please click for larger view



When we started to continue on to complete the loop we encountered a large blowdown and the other side of that was confusing and we found ourselves heading back up. We met some people familiar with the trail and said part of it had been eroded by ATV users and some of it had been rerouted. We went back down the way we had come with the idea of starting at the other end of the trail but Kelley did not want to do it so we got in the car. This had only taken an hour so we head for the nearby trailhead at Whitten Hill. Kelley didn't jump right out of the car but once we started she was enthusiastic

Surprisingly there were still patches of snow on these trails

Whitten Hill trail

N. Headwaters Trail

We hiked to the Goose Ridge intersection and then turned back the way we had come

Another pretty day in the woods and it was nice to find a new trail. An hour on Haystack and an hour and a quarter at N. Headwaters. Kelley seemed a little stiff when we got home and it's supposed to rain tonight and tomorrow so we will have an easy day

12/26/14 Around Little Long Pond

Sun! and mid 40's . What a treat after all the rain- yesterday we just walked around the neighborhood in drizzle. Today the challenge was to find a place not really wet. Decided on the carriage roads at Little Long Pond as they would be dry and we could park without getting stuck.

No snow at all and water for Kelley

I meant to take the carriage road north and then around but turned too soon and we ended up on the carriage road beside the west side of the pond - across the field and down to the pond and then up the other side.

No more ice on the pond

I liked this tree but couldn't isolate it as I wanted but am posting it anyway

View from where we stopped for lunch

A very pleasant hike. We met lots of people and dogs out taking advantage of the sunshine and Kelley was very excited about that. There was also water everywhere for kelley and the beautiful weather. 2  1/4 hours

12/24/14 Walden Parke

We woke to gray skies, fog and drizzle with rain predicted through Christmas, and a flood watch.

When the drizzle stopped we went over to Walden to try and get in a short one before the rain returned. We did the loop trail which took about an hour and a quarter.

Kelley soon found water

Still some snow on the ground but it's pretty much gone from the trees.

The trails were mostly packed soft snow so good and not slippery footing with some  pools of water to work around. We met our neighbor Paul and Kelley's friend Homer and that pleased Kelley. Our timing was good as the rain started again just as we reached the car.

12/23/14 City Forest

Another gray day - light snow supposed to turn to rain and then more rain for next two days. We headed for the forest while it was still snow.

Kelley was only able to get a drink at the corner of the beaver pond.

Then she walked out on the ice - something she never does - must have been very interesting smells.

The woods were still pretty but the snow won't last with temps in the 40's and 50's in the forecast

A branch in the shape of a Christmas tree

And Kelley did find water to get into.

And I found some weeds to photograph

A nice outing though we didn't meet anyone- which Kelley likes to do. The snow stopped about half way through but the rain didn't start until we were on our way home. The footing was good  1  3/4 hours 

12/22/14 Demeritt Forest

Mostly cloudy with some peeks of sun and lower 30's. Easy day for Kelley after yesterday's more rigorous hike. We started from the Logan Rd. entrance

Most of the roads and trails were well packed snow but some like the Blue Trail were still very wet with thin ice and we retreated from it. The White trail is always wet and we attempted to find a way around the boggy area to reach the Red Trail. We started on an unnamed side trail that petered out and then bushwhacked ( we hoped) toward the Red Trail. We came out of the woods at a new cul de sac and thought the road might take us near the start of the trail but it brought us to some apartments I didn't recognize and we headed back to look for the Yellow Trail at the entrance to the woods, which we found and then followed the route indicated .

Some pictures of the roads and trails

Not a bad little hike. Kelley even found a small stream with running water to get into. 1  3/4 hours 

12/21/14 Frye Mountain

Another gray day but a little warmer- upper 20's. Hadn't been here in awhile so we didn't know what trail conditions we would find.

The gate on the road is closed in winter and you have to walk it to the trailhead. A pretty good amount of snow.

Someone had preceded us recently so it looked like the trail might be OK. We did not plan to go to the top as the last section has spots difficult for Kelley in good weather.

A small stream near the start.

There is an alternate route that lets you avoid crossing the Bartlett stream and we took that.

It takes you to the road and a bridge across the stream

The person before us had turned around at the road and there were no more tracks. I missed the turn to return to the main trail and we walked the road to where the trail crossed it further on.

Once back on the trail there seemed to be more snow and walking was a bit slower. But the woods were beautiful with lots of snow still on the trees.

When we reached the Outlook the sun was trying to come out but didn't get very far. The views here are all you get as the summit is wooded without a view.

At this point we turned back the way we had come but were able to follow the Alternate Trail this time so we had only had a short time on the road. The section we had first missed had a lot more blow downs and work arounds so was a little more arduous for Kelley. It was a beautiful though somewhat arduous hike so we will do an easy one tomorrow. 3 hours