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| Hiking | 3.04 Miles |
240 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.04 Miles | 1 Hour 31 Mns | | 2.68 mph |
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| 240 ft AEG | 23 Mns Break | | |
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| no partners | | Threatening weather caused us pause before heading out on PK's system of loop trails in the noon hour: Heavy downpours in the valleys to the NW, thunder and eventually visible lightning. Started at the kiosk by the parking lot. Only one other car was parked there. The sign-in book didn't show much trail-use of late. Although the description lists Alpine as the closest place to this trail, the PK's TH is only about 8 mi NW of Greer.
Traveled clock-wise on the Pole Knoll Loop Tr, a relatively flat area that passes through a light ponderosa forest and clusters of wildflowers. The Loop is 6.2 mi long and courses an elevation of 8,900' to 9,700'. The Knoll itself is listed at 9,793'. Most of the other 11 much-shorter trails branch off of it. The longest of the other trails, Meadow Lark and Summit, are only 2.1 mi.
The trail was barely visible for the first quarter-mile but posed no difficulty by following the blue-diamond markers on the trees. It was hunting season, and sounds of gunshots came up from a distant valley to the E. Passed the junctures with the Meadow Lark, the only trail that spins outward. At 1.5 mi we turned back in a northerly direction on the Raven Tr. Lots of aspen and spruce in here along with even more wildflowers. Eventually we hooked up with the PK Loop and doubled back just reaching the car before a steady rain set in. The temperature was 52 F. Glad we suited up in our wet gear and jackets. Saw no one in the hour and a half we were out. |
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