For some reason we had no one to lead this hike, but Jane stepped up and planned a meandering hike which gave us about 6 miles of hiking. We started out at the Ellis Trail head heading up and west from the parking lot. The trails we hiked in no particular order were the Challenge trail, Switchback Trail, Survey Trail, Crest Trail, Pearl's Trail, trail to the Kiwanis Cabin, and a return via the Gravel Pit trail. Many of these trails are NOT on hiking maps, so Jane's and others expertise got us there and back. It was a very pleasant hike with a whole lot of wild flowers, wild mushrooms and good conversation and laughs...all the ingredients for a good time.
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| The Hikettes: Kathleen, Bronwyn, Meeghan, Pat, Julianne, Jean, Back row: Brigitte, Bridget, Sally and Jane |
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| And Rose |
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| Nodding Groundsel |
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| "Beautiful Daisy"-- that is its name...as it has bountiful basal leaves at its base! I just learned that!!! |
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| Nodding Groundsel with Showey Daisies, (they are not Beautiful Daisies as THEY have NO bountiful basal leaves at its base! |
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| Parry's Goldenrod |
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| More Nodding Groundsels than I have ever seen in my entire life! |
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| Ditto |
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| Not a very good picture of a Sweet Cicely |
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| The first of many mushrooms, all probably non-edible this one is concave |
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| Beautiful Baneberry...unfortunately they are toxic |
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| Baneberry Filled with berries |
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| Another group of mushrooms, either edible as you can see some nibbling.. or there is a very sick little critter somewhere |
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| Something has caught Sally's eye |
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This is what she was looking at it is called a Hawk Wing Mushroom
(apparently edible http://www.coloradomushrooms.com/mushroom.php?id=11) |
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| Some more mushrooms in a field of moss |
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| Close up |
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| A really really large mushroom |
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| and another very large one |
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| Oh and I will not be identifying mushrooms--above my paygrade |
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| Richardson's Geranium |
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| Cutleaf Groundsel |
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| Parry's Goldernrod |
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| Harebell |
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| Penstemon |
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| Velvet Umbrellawort |
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| Velvet Umbrellawort |
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| Pinque Bitterweed |
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| Western Yarrow |
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| This and the following pictures show the number of wildflowers on the Crest Trail |
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| Showy Goldeneye |
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| Penstemon |
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| The location where Pearl's sign once stood |
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| Hoofers discussing the loss of this trail dedicated to Pearl |
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| The conversation went on and on |
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| Finally the vote was taken on how we all felt |
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| Richardson's Geranium |
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| Northern Bedstraw |
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| Northern Bedstraw |
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| Northern Bedstraw |
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| Jacob's Ladder |
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| Baby Red Columbine |
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| Red Columbine...normal size |
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| Red Elderberry eaten by Bears and Birds alike |
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| Red Elderberry |
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| Penstemon |
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| Mushrooms that look like dinner rolls |
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| Tuber Starwort (blooming beyond its normal range--May-July) |
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| Paintbrush |
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| Paintbrush |
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| Femdler"s Sandwort |
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| Pingue Bitterweed |
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| Geyer's Onion |
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| Heading up to Kiwanis Cabin |
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| Butterfly |
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| The Irish Sisters full of blarney but a joy to hike with |
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| Sandia Alumroot aka CoralBells |
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| Pat pointed out this tree to me..alive yet hollow |
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| Looking up that hollow tree |
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| Truly surviving by the grace of God |
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| Having a snack |
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| And some conversation |
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| We could not go in the cabin, as there was a Mass being said at the time |
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| *CRACK* |
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| Burnt-Orange Dandelion |
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| Possibly a type of Buckwheat |
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| Possibly a type of Buckwheat |
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| Possibly a type of Buckwheat |
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| Blazing Paintbrush |
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| Fernleaf Lousewort |
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| Fernleaf Lousewort |
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| Sapello Canyon Larkspur in Buttercup Family (Also called Dot's Ugly Larkspur) |
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| Sapello Canyon Larkspur in Buttercup Family (Also called Dot's Ugly Larkspur) |
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| Sapello Canyon Larkspur in Buttercup Family (Also called Dot's Ugly Larkspur) |
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| The tall plant is a Fernleaf Louswort and there are a few Whipple's Penstemon scattered through |
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| Giant Hyssop (but this one is on the short side) |
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| Once we reached the Tram area it was time for lunch --Bridget and Meeghan |
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| Jane and Pat |
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| Brigitte, Kathleen and Sally with my reflection in the glass |
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| Julianne and Bronwyn chose to sit at a table in the sun |
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| I decided on the shade |
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| Taking a picture of all the Hoofers and their boots lined up |
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| Bridget thought we made a funny picture |
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| Another picture of the group courtesy of Julianne |
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| While having lunch we were able to see a wedding taking place |
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| Here I am as a wedding crasher! ( I always wanted to do that) |
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| Hairy Asters |
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| Heading back after lunch |
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| A mushroom just being born |
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I was hiking with the Irish sisters and Begosh and Begorra
we found a field of shamrocks!! |
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| St. Patty would be so happy |
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| And a plethora of Baneberry too good looking to be edible 'tis a shame |
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| This dead tree was only standing (and what remained of its bark) because of the one nail that was holding up the blue triangle! |
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| Showy Goldeneye |
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| The gravel pit this trail was named for |
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| Now we began to see a plethora of mushrooms |
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| They were everywhere we looked |
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| Probably inedible too |
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| Clover |
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| A pink Western Yarrow |
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| Pink Western Yarrow |
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| I couldn't resist one last picture of Kathleen in her pink hat sitting next to these colorful plants. 2 points if you can identify each one of them correctly! (of course the points mean nothing) |
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I want to send out special kudos to Jean for helping me identify many of the wildflowers on this blog as well as with the TREKKER'S blog. I could not do it without her help.
Thanks Jean, so much!
HAPPY HOOFING!
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