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| Hiking | 14.73 Miles |
2,608 AEG |
| | Hiking | 14.73 Miles | 7 Hrs 59 Mns | | 2.07 mph |
| 2,608 ft AEG | 53 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | My second time on the Pine Canyon Trail. It was a beautiful, cool day. The first 6 miles were pleasant, green, relaxing, and very enjoyable. Numerous birds provided a great soundtrack. Took the side trail to Dripping Springs, and saw 5 elk there. One elk stopped to pose for a few pictures before jogging away.
The East Rim Trail was very slow going. It's well-marked with red flags, but after taking a left around a large rock, it took a while to bushwack back to the trail. The rock scrambling toward the end of the trail was fun and a nice change of pace.
Just past the end of the East Rim Trail, it became miserable. Thick unavoidable thorns were ubiquitous. It's a beautiful green area, but the thorns were rough. Should have brought my machete, but didn't think I'd need it on the Rim. It was a relief to eventually make it to the use trail, then the road. Views were excellent from the top of the Rim.
Going down on the Donahue Trail was easier than expected. Over 25 switchbacks, few loose rocks, didn't fall. There was a large pile of fresh bear poop in the middle of the trail, but no bears. Just a million squirrels and birds. The Highline Trail was a very pleasant way to finish the loop.
Overall a beautiful day to get out and enjoy nature. Saw only 3 other people on the trail the entire day. It was so green. The smell of the pines, sounds of the birds, and views of the Rim were wonderful. The highlight was seeing 5 elk; the low point was fighting through thorns for over a mile. Worth it. |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
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