Our plan was to hike somewhere high up to watch the super-full moon rise. Despite clouds & smoke (forest fire season has already hit) we had an awesome moon-viewing hike.
Parked: Soderberg trailhead ($6 or year pass)
Service road to sout trail to sawmill to loggers to carey springs trail to service road, and returned down the service road
Time: about 3 hours
Mileage: unknown
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Red Mountain Open Space - Vital Stats
Red Mountain Open space is about 45-60 minutes from Ft. Collins, and is part of the Larimer County's Parks and Open Spaces. It's northern edge is the border between Colorado And Wyoming.
Distance: 7 miles
Time: 4 hours
Water: 1.5 liters
Difficulty: Easy
Route: Sinking Sun Trail (1.2+.4 mi) to Salt Like Trail (1.1 mi.) to Ruby Wash Trail (2.7 mi+.4 mi +.3 mi) to north edge of Bent Rock Trail (.6 miles+.3 miles)
Notes: One trail we crossed was not labeled on the map. Another trail north into the Big Hole Open Space appears unfinished, is not on the map, and is marked with no trespassing signs. The Ruby Wash Trail is mostly in a wash, so I recommend hiking the loop in the direction we did. At its northern end it winds through red cliffs. The Bent Rock Trail also winds through fascinating geological formations.
Carefully fording the river without getting washed away by the raging currents. None of my oxen died either!
Distance: 7 miles
Time: 4 hours
Water: 1.5 liters
Difficulty: Easy
Route: Sinking Sun Trail (1.2+.4 mi) to Salt Like Trail (1.1 mi.) to Ruby Wash Trail (2.7 mi+.4 mi +.3 mi) to north edge of Bent Rock Trail (.6 miles+.3 miles)
Notes: One trail we crossed was not labeled on the map. Another trail north into the Big Hole Open Space appears unfinished, is not on the map, and is marked with no trespassing signs. The Ruby Wash Trail is mostly in a wash, so I recommend hiking the loop in the direction we did. At its northern end it winds through red cliffs. The Bent Rock Trail also winds through fascinating geological formations.
Carefully fording the river without getting washed away by the raging currents. None of my oxen died either!
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
High Ridge Natural Area
We wound up our trip with a quick visit to a local area where my aunt is a volunteer steward - the High Ridge Natural Area in Palm Beach County. It is sandwiched between houses and the highway, but is still home to many state-threatened gopher tortoises in the rare Florida scrub habitat.
Gopher Tortoise Hole
I was completely enamoured with the slash pines, even though the shorter-needled sand pines are better in this habitat. I think the long, floppy needles make them look like muppet trees! As we wandered through the scrub we saw many trees with male cones, and even found some small female cones preparing for pollination.
Slash Pines aka Muppet Trees!!!!!
Gopher Tortoises
Gopher Tortoise Eating
Gopher Tortoise Hole
I was completely enamoured with the slash pines, even though the shorter-needled sand pines are better in this habitat. I think the long, floppy needles make them look like muppet trees! As we wandered through the scrub we saw many trees with male cones, and even found some small female cones preparing for pollination.
Slash Pines aka Muppet Trees!!!!!
Gopher Tortoises
Gopher Tortoise Eating
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Biscayne National Park
Biscayne National Park is primarily an underwater park. My visit to it was limited to a snorkeling trip run by the park sponsored concessionaire, Biscayne National Underwater Park, Inc. While I was a bit wary of them from their website, I was very pleased with the trip as a whole. To start off we had a brief orientation with a park ranger before we left on the boat. We also had a park ranger along as a guide for most of the boat trip out, as we dropped off and picked up the island tour on our way out.
The actual snorkeling area was over a very shallow reef, and we were always close to the boat. While we technically were supposed to have a buddy, I was told that I didn't need to stick with the couple I was supposed to be tripled with, as they were having a lot of problems adjusting to their gear and adjusting their flotation vests. While these vests aren't life jackets, they help you find neutral buoyancy. As we had both the boat captain and a master drive instructor watching us, I felt safe not being glued to a buddy. I did regularly check my bearings in relations to the rest of the group and the boat, and after a bit also learned some of the reef formations to tell where I was.
This was my first experience snorkeling in an actual reef, however I have been scuba diving on a reef once. Since this reef was so close to the surface I saw much of the detail I saw when scuba diving. After I adjusted to bobbing in the waves, and swimming in place in the current, I enjoyed watching fish dart about and the coral move in the currents.
We had about an hour in the water, which was the perfect amount of time for me. I was wearing my long sleeve titanium-lined kayaking rash guard, and was starting to feel a bit chilled and ready to get out right when they called us back in. They do offer wet suit rentals (if they have your size), but my time in the ocean earlier helped me ascertain that I would be fine in the mid-70s water.
On the boat ride back we saw tons of feeding cormorants and some terns. I had plenty of warm clothing for the ride back, but many of the other snorkeling passengers didn't.
Even though I was unsure at first of including this in my trip, I'm very glad I did. It was well worth the time and expense to go snorkeling out on the reef, and thankfully we had good weather conditions for it.
Vital Stats:
Time: 1:30-3:30, with a 1:00 orientation and check in prior to orientation
Cost: $45
The actual snorkeling area was over a very shallow reef, and we were always close to the boat. While we technically were supposed to have a buddy, I was told that I didn't need to stick with the couple I was supposed to be tripled with, as they were having a lot of problems adjusting to their gear and adjusting their flotation vests. While these vests aren't life jackets, they help you find neutral buoyancy. As we had both the boat captain and a master drive instructor watching us, I felt safe not being glued to a buddy. I did regularly check my bearings in relations to the rest of the group and the boat, and after a bit also learned some of the reef formations to tell where I was.
This was my first experience snorkeling in an actual reef, however I have been scuba diving on a reef once. Since this reef was so close to the surface I saw much of the detail I saw when scuba diving. After I adjusted to bobbing in the waves, and swimming in place in the current, I enjoyed watching fish dart about and the coral move in the currents.
We had about an hour in the water, which was the perfect amount of time for me. I was wearing my long sleeve titanium-lined kayaking rash guard, and was starting to feel a bit chilled and ready to get out right when they called us back in. They do offer wet suit rentals (if they have your size), but my time in the ocean earlier helped me ascertain that I would be fine in the mid-70s water.
On the boat ride back we saw tons of feeding cormorants and some terns. I had plenty of warm clothing for the ride back, but many of the other snorkeling passengers didn't.
Even though I was unsure at first of including this in my trip, I'm very glad I did. It was well worth the time and expense to go snorkeling out on the reef, and thankfully we had good weather conditions for it.
Vital Stats:
Time: 1:30-3:30, with a 1:00 orientation and check in prior to orientation
Cost: $45
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Loxahatchee NWR
? Sulphur Butterfly
White Ibix
Tricolor Heron
Anhinga and Alligator
Alligator
Another Alligator
Little Blue Heron
Glossy Ibis
Anhinga
Glossy Ibis
Little Blue Heron
Cypress Swamp
Bald Cypress Knee
White Ibix
Tricolor Heron
Anhinga and Alligator
Alligator
Another Alligator
Little Blue Heron
Glossy Ibis
Anhinga
Glossy Ibis
Little Blue Heron
Cypress Swamp
Bald Cypress Knee
Saturday, January 1, 2011
MacArthur Beach State Park
Kayaking in the estuary
Playing in the ocean
Portuguese man-of-war
Sea Lavender
Poison Wood Tree (think poison ivy in tree form!)
Female Golden Orb or Banana Spider
immature white ibis
Playing in the ocean
Portuguese man-of-war
Sea Lavender
Poison Wood Tree (think poison ivy in tree form!)
Female Golden Orb or Banana Spider
immature white ibis
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