| |
|
| | |
|
| Hiking | 3.00 Miles |
700 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.00 Miles | | | |
| 700 ft AEG | | 15 LBS Pack | | |
|
|
| |
| Partners |
|
none
[ show ]
| no partners | | Day 4 of my Pinaleno Trip...
After watching the Clouds spill down the edge of the Mountain Range at Clark Peak TH, I drove to Riggs Lake...Arrived at the point where you should have a nice View of the Lake, but it wasn't there...  Completely socked in...Was difficult to see the Water unless you were at the very edge...
Drove around to the Main Parking Area and decided to just walk partway around the Lake, taking in the unusual views and doing some Birding...Before I could hardly even get started, the Cloud started to lift and within 1/2 Hour, it was gone...And with it, the threat of Rain...  So after wandering along the Lake a bit and looping back, I decided to go ahead and hit Merrill Peak...Followed the Drainage up and slightly past the direct Route and then turned and gradually started the Climb, arriving at the Top after a few Sucking Wind stops... Couldn't find the Register that was supposedly up there, but stayed for awhile, enjoying the Views and being thoroughly entertained by the scores of Lizards that were also up there....After a Break, I went over to a secondary Ridgeline and enjoyed the more Eastern View from there...Then I headed down, but not going the way I came...I just went straight down in the direction of the Lake...  A little steeper and a lot more Downfall from a past Fire, but it worked and before long I was at the Escape again...
Drove back to Camp and decided I had time to do a little more so I walked the now "open" Road that begins the Goudy Camp Loop Description...I had actually done the Eastern part of this Hike on a previous Visit, but had been unable to do this part, as the area had been closed for Fire Damage and Burned Area Hazard. Stayed on Track with the Road almost to the Canyon, but then the Road disappeared into a thick stand of Ferns and other vegetation, which was expected...Since it was starting to get late, I just started South, wading through the Thigh high Ferns and before I knew it, I was at the Swift Trail...Followed it back to my Campsite and called it a day, at least as far as Hiking was concerned...
Even with the Gloomy start, I managed to get a few, short, little Hikes in, with some nice Rewards...Another good Day in the Pinalenos! |
|
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
Coneflowers were good at Riggs Lake, with a few other varieties scattered...Very little on the Merrill Peak Hike, and Light on the Goudy Camp Loop... |
|
| _____________________
| Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty & well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, totally worn out & proclaiming, "Wow What a Ride!" |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Route Editor
Route Scout
