Windy Ridge Road

Date: 1/28/2012
Who: Trapper, Sammy and myself
Length: 3 miles (1.5 in + 1.5 back)
Time: 1.7 hours
Weather: 20 degrees, sunny

This was a short hike with Sammy and my parents-in-law’s dog, Trapper. Windy Ridge Road is near Alma, Colorado. It goes from the Buckskin Gulch up to Windy Ridge, where the old Bristlecone Pines are located. I was hoping to make it up to Bristlecones. But, due to a-lot of snow on the road we had to park too far away and did not have enough time to make it all the way up there. I think the dogs had a good time, and it was good to get a little hiking in after a stressful week.



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Thanks to Annette from New Hampshire

A kind and generous woman in New Hampshire found my lost camera, while she was here visiting Colorado Springs. She tracked me down through Craigslist. Then, returned my camera by mail. She would not even accept financial reimbursement or a reward. Wow! Thanks very much, Annette!

St. Mary’s Falls

Date: 1/21/2012
Who: Michelle, Sammy and myself
Length: 5.6 miles (2.8 in + 2.8 back)
Time: 3.3 hours
Weather: 40-50 degrees, sunny

This hike starts at the Gold Camp Road parking lot in North Cheyenne Canyon Park, goes up Gold Camp Road, past the Seven Bridges trail, up and over a collapsed tunnel, then up trail 624 to the falls. Total elevation gain is about 1,000′. The trail was mostly packed snow and icy, but our microspikes made mincemeat of the ice. The dominant feature while approaching the falls is Cookstove Mountain. It was interesting to see the falls completely iced over. The trail follows the creek for about 1.5 miles, which adds a nice dimension.

This hike followed the BLUE line:

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