Swan Johnson, Shoreline, and Nomad Trail- 7/23/2013 (Horsetooth Mountain Open Space)

 

 

 

Location: Horsetooth Mountain Open Space

Date: 7/23/2013

How far we went: Around 2.87 miles

How long it took us: About an hour and a half

Elevation reached: Not very high

Weather: Sunny in the summer!

My friends were passing through Colorado so I met them to camp up at Horsetooth Rock for an evening and a quick hike in the AM before they departed. Towards the end of the summer the water level drops in the reservoir and leaves a muddy/mucky mess around the shoreline, but still provides scenic views and these trails are very easy for anyone. This hike is ideal for those who don't mind venturing out, but are never far from the trail head and doesn't present a challenge to those not familiar with hiking, small youngsters and/or the elderly. This particular day was quite peaceful, but when the boats on the water get fired up and people start partying for the day, it definitely isn't silent.

If you're not camping up there and are coming in an automobile, you're going to want to park at the Soderbreg Open Space trailhead & parking which is off Shoreline Dr. One more suggestion, if you are camping, even in the middle of summer, the wind can howl in the middle of the night and temperatures can drop quickly. Sleep near the fire or pack an extra blanket.

 

Gorge Trail, Ohio Metro Parks System- Akron, OH

Posted by Joe

Location:Gorge Trail, Ohio Metro Parks System- Akron, Ohio

Date: 7/16/2013

How far we went: 2.5 mi

How long it took us: 1:20

Elevation reached: 1,020

Weather: Sunny, warm.

So I stopped at my childhood stomping grounds today in Akron, OH. This trail is part of the Ohio Metro Parks system which is located outside of the Cuyahoga Falls National Park. This 2.5 mile round trip hike, the Gorge trail, consisted of rock outlays and overhangs, a cave, and a ripping man made waterfall. I have always had fond memories of these parks and I was even more impressed after this visit 20 years later. There is a small mowed field good for picnics. The whole trail is shaded. Take the stones to walk across the bottom of the waterfall, take a dip in the water or just catch some rays in one of the many sunny areas. 

Twin Sisters Peaks Trail- Estes Park, CO

Location: Twin Sisters Peaks Trail

Date: 9/3/2012

How far we went: 7.66mi

How long it took us: 4:59:12 (Up & Back plus trail head)

Elevation reached: Started at 8940ft and got up to 11,335ft

Weather: Cool, nice. Once above treeline windy and cold, pretty damn cold at peak.

So we arrived there about 9:15am and found it pretty easily. All you have to remember is two things: It is right across from Lily Lake, and that you CAN park up the hill instead of the parking lot directly across from lake. It is a dirt road, so as long as there isn't a ton of rain (or obviously snow) I would think most vehicles could handle the incline. Right below is a map of what I'm talking about. the points between the two arrows are the stretch you can park at. And trust me, you will want to save your time and effort driving this instead of hauling your people and gear up this path. 

The first third of the trail is shaded under trees with some nice views. It's a constant incline which has 10-12 switchbacks before you start to feel more sunshine coming through to the trail. After you have climbed some in elevation, the trees become less dense and you know after awhile that you're coming to the end of the tree line. After enjoying some views from the upper half, you'll eventually round some corners and see the final part of the hike. With the wind breezy and mind blowing views in almost every direction, you'll feel as if you are near the summit but actually you have at least a mile to go over nothing but rocks. When you reach the solar electrical station at the top, you're almost there, so don't quit at that point! Anyways, the weather turned in the last 20 minutes of the hike and mother nature gave us a scare. Being from NC, we weren't used to mountains that much but we learned first hand that things can get nasty quick! Sleet and ice started to come down after being flanked by dark clouds. Not prepared for this we knew we needed to take our pictures and leave. (Better safe than sorry) So we did exactly that, took pictures, are a quick lunch then left for our decent.

All in all totally worth it. It was free and the trail goes through Rocky Mountain National Park as well as land maintained by the US Forest Service. My only complaint was the amount of people. Given it was labor day I should have expected it. Enjoy the pictures!

We saw our twin sister Subaru while parking at Twin Sisters Peaks! 

Start of Trail, last thing you'll see before entering.

Headin' up the trail

Victory

Arthur's Rock Trail, Lory State Park- Bellvue, CO- 8/4/12

Location: Lory State Park, Bellvue, Colorado

Date: 8/4/2012

How far we went: 3.65mi

How long it took us: 2:22:06

Elevation reached: Started at 5639ft and got up to 6760ft

Weather: Sunny, breezy, nice

This was our first hike in Colorado and it was beautiful! Had to pay $7 to get into the park but it was totally worth it. We did the most popular trail, the Arthur's Rock Trail, and it was one of the better hikes we have been on. We were short of breath but I think it had more to do with the elevation change than with the difficulty. The view from the top was a breathtaking scene of Horsetooth Reservoir, Fort Collins and the Front Range. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. Don't forget to check out the video!