Kelly Ridge Point Trail

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Chrisw

I’m beginning to think I’m spoiled here in CO. I’m working in the middle of the Oroville Recreation Area and Dam here in California and thought it would be easy to take a a couple of quick hikes after work.

I found a trail on AllTrails, but it seemed every road to it was closed or private. The area also had no cell coverage, so I drove around for a while looking for a trailhead. I finally found the visitor center, but it closed at 5:00pm. I finally found a trailhead, and it turned out to be the trail I was looking for. However, it was a gravel road that ran over the dam in the 95+ degree sun with no shade.

I thought I saw a trailhead by the visitor center and headed back. There were a couple of suicidal baby deer along the route, but I made it without incident. There was a trailhead, but no markings of any kind. I headed off in one direction and found some trail markers 1/4 mile down the trail???

I decided I would go on the Kelly Point Trail and followed the marker down the trail to another tee 1/2 mile further down the trail. The tee was three trails listed, but none of them was Kelly point Trail, WTF???? I chose one direction at random to another tee. This time is had Kelly point, but not all the previously listed trails were listed.

It was a nice trail in the end. The bark on the trees were very strange. I was planning on coming back the next day, but the 100+ degree heat and the terrible trail markers made me skip it.

Here are the stats:

  • Distance = 3.11 mi
  • Elevation = 371 ft
  • Time = 1:03:53
  • Avg Speed = 2.9 mph
  • Min elevation = 921 ft

Here are the pics:

Here’s the map

Categories: California | Leave a comment

Bear Creek Canon Park: Palmer Red Rock Loop

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Chrisw

I didn’t know if I was going the right way for the first 1/2 mile because there were no trail markers indicating that I was on the Palmer Red Rock trail, and there was a couple of trail branches with no markers. Luckily I met some hikers coming down who told me that I was going the right way, and that it was going to get steep.

It was pretty steep and rocky after the 3/4 mile mark until the 1.5 mile mark. It was all smooth sailing after that. I’d probably recommend going through the trail backward because it seemed much smoother and gradual on the way down.

I saw three species of birds that I’d never seen before including:

  • One with an elaborate black and white pattern
  • One with an incredibly vibrant yellow with some black
  • A smaller one that I don’t remember clearly

This was another hike from 60 Hikes within 60 miles, but there is no way this is within 60 miles.

Many of the hikes in Colorado Springs are great, but also short and easy. At six miles and with a difficult rating, the Palmer Red Rock Loop is a break from the norm. The trail takes hikers on a loop in the foothills on the western edge of Colorado Springs. The first half of the loop ascends and the second half descends.

60 Hikes within 60 Miles by Kim Lipker

Here are the stats:

  • Distance = 5.58 mi
  • Elevation = 1,227 ft
  • Time = 2:14:08
  • Avg Speed = 2.5 mph
  • Min elevation = 6,608 ft

Here are the pics:

Here is the elevation graph:

Here is the map:

Categories: Colorado | Leave a comment

Corwina Park – Panorama Point – Bear Creek Trail

Posted on July 23, 2019 by Chrisw

This hike was supposed to be 5.7.0 miles, but was really closer to 4. It was a nice hike to get ready for the mountains. I’ve already completed portions of each trail and now they are both complete.

AllHikes connected some points of the trail that don’t connect, but the park map was correct.

Panorama Point To Bear Creek Trail Loop is a 2.9 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Kittredge, Colorado that features a river and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and trail running and is best used from May until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

AllTrails

Here are the stats:

  • Distance = 4.08 mi
  • Elevation = 1,932 ft
  • Time = 2:03:05
  • Avg Speed = 2.0 mph
  • Min elevation = 6,656 ft

Here are the pics:

Here’s the Google edits

Here’s the Elevation map

Here’s the map:

Categories: Denver | Leave a comment

Alum Trail South

Posted on July 19, 2019 by Chrisw

I skipped the last day of the class and went for a hike between the time the hotel kicked me out and Lina flew in to Columbus. I started as the same place as the last hike and went in the opposite direction. Amazingly, I saw more animals on this city-trail (a fawn and two otters) than I usually see int he mountains.

The best part of this hike happened afterward. The hotel let me use the pool shower before I picked up Lina and I spent some fantastic minutes in the pool, which will be my new standard operating procedure in Denver.

Here are the stats

  • Distance: 7.01 Miles
  • Time: 2:10:50
  • Avg Speed: 3.2 mph
  • Elev Gain: 161 ft

Here are the Pics:

  • Fawn
  • Otter #1
  • Otter #1

Here is the Google “Improvement:

Here is the map:

Categories: Ohio | Leave a comment

Alum Creek Trail North

Posted on July 18, 2019 by Chrisw

I skipped a couple of hours of a training class I was sitting in to go on a quick hike that happened to be down the street from my hotel.

This was a fantastic city trail that connected several towns according to the signs. The green water and humidity made me feel like that I was walking in a bayou in the south.

Here are the stats:

  • Distance: 4.13 Miles
  • Time: 1:16:55
  • Avg Speed: 3.2 mph
  • Elev Gain: 59 ft

Here are the pics:

Here’s the map:

Categories: Ohio | Leave a comment