Showing posts with label Traveling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Traveling. Show all posts

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Riverwalker's Pics - Treasure Falls


Treasure Falls in Colorado


Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

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Hiking to Piedra Falls


Piedra Falls

Piedra Falls is located about 30 miles north of Pagasoa Springs, Colorado in the San Juan National Forest. It's a leisurely hike of about 3/4 mile to get to the falls and makes a very pleasant day hike through the forest and along the middle fork of the Piedra River.


Trailhead



Start of the trail in the San Juan National Forest.



Further along the trail it gets a little rocky.




Back into the woods again.



A little shade along the way.



Trail gets rocky again.



Trail runs along the side of the Piedra River as you get closer to the falls.



There's a narrow spot between the rocks as you approach the basin of the falls.



The basin of the falls at the end of the trail.

Got day hike?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker



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Riverwalker's Pics - More High Places


More High Places

Got higher elevation?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

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Riverwalker's Pics - High Places


High Places 

Got elevation?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

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Hugging the Canyon Wall




When the polar express heads into South Central Texas, RW, Jr. and myself found the best way to avoid the wind chill and frozen temperatures is to do a little day hiking in the canyons of Southern Arizona.  So we grabbed some gear and headed to southern Arizona and warmer temps for a few days.




We hiked about half a mile to a switchback , we then hiked about half a mile up on the switchback (with an elevation gain of approximately 400 feet) to get to a trail that ran along the ridge of the canyon wall. Temperature was a comfortable 69 degrees. Total elevation ranged from 3500 to 4000 feet along the trail.






Not exactly the "Throne of the Mountain King" but it was as close as we could find.





There was a great view of the canyon floor which had a stream fed by mountain snow melt and numerous rock formations visible along the entire length of the trail. RW, Jr. was testing some new gear prior to an upcoming trip to Colorado that he has planned. I was also checking out a new Camelbak Rim Runner Hydration Backpack that was a recent addition to my hiking gear. All our gear worked great and the only problem was a zipper that snagged on the lining of a pocket on RW, Jr.’s jacket. He did manage to un-snag it after a good deal of effort on his part.





RW, Jr. also took some great video along the trail while he was doing his “Les Stroud” camera thing. This was a little difficult on the narrow trail. Google had a problem with loading the video but I will try to post it at a later date. Put in another pic instead.




Took a rest break along the trail and enjoyed the view for a while.











The incredible views and warm temperatures made for a very pleasant and enjoyable day hike. We set a very leisurely pace and hiked a little less than five miles along the ridge of the canyon.

Got canyon day hike?

As usual, RW was....

Staying way above the water line!


Riverwalker

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Riverwalker’s Pics - Agnes Vaille Falls


The trail to Agnes Vaille Fallsis located in Chalk Creek canyon near Nathrop, Colorado. At the end of the trail you will find Agnes Vaille Falls, a small waterfall that cascades from a rocky shelf below Mt. Princeton (14,197 feet). The trail to the falls is fairly short and is considered a relatively easy trek for most hikers. There is a slight gain in elevation of about 450 feet from the start of the trail head.  Overall this is an easy hike until the end where there are some rocky and fairly steep sections.

Agnes Vaille was a member of the Rocky Mountain Club and had successfully climbed most of the peaks in excess of 14,000 feet but lost her life on the mountains she loved.

You can read about Agnes Vaille and her tragic death on the mountain here:

The Tragedy of Agnes Vaille


Got falling water?

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker


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Getting Lost in the Woods - Prevention and Resolution


Got that big backpacking trip coming up? Take a second to read this and learn how to help prevent getting lost in the woods and what to do if you get lost.

Don’t pull an “Into the Wild”

Have you ever read Into the Wild? I wouldn't recommend doing anything that kid did. It is your life and safety at risk. Use your resources and think smart. If you choose not to prepare (please prepare) then look for help. If that kid had checked out the terrain, like any smart camper or explore should do, he would have found his salvation about a mile away down the river from the broken down bus he was found in.

Get on the move

Don’t stay in one spot. Staying in one spot will, literally, not get you anywhere.  Only by moving are you going to get yourself back to where you want to be.

Track yourself

 Chances are you weren't on a trail. There should be signs that you have been through there. Footprints, disturbed terrain, snapped branches, etc. On a prevention note, take a leaf out of Hansel and Gretel’s book and leave a trail. Not of bread crumbs or garbage but just occasionally take the time to mark your way. Roll a rock into an open area on at an odd angle or lay a thick stick against a tree.

Get to a high spot

If there is an elevated point available, get to higher ground so that you can better see your surroundings. This will allow you to see whether or not there are barriers in any particular direction, land marks, or perhaps even your destination.

Get Loud

If you are separated from your group, get loud. If you are concerned about wild life, put your worries at rest. Animals are deterred by noise. This can do nothing but help your situation.

Check the map

Bring a topographic map and a good compass with you. Be sure to mark your vehicles location on it, your camp site and the location of any roads if they are not on there already.

GPS

Use a GPS or even a light weight mini GPS tracker. A GPS will give you an overview of your surrounding area. A GPS tracker can attach to whatever you want. Attach it to your truck or something in your campsite. If you get lost switch on your GPS tracker and it will guide you straight back to your vehicle.

Follow a river

Depending on how serious your situation is, if you are very far out and need to find civilization, follow a river. There is always life along a river and a road (or even town) will eventually meet up with it. If we are looking at a potentially long haul, it has the means to sustain you. If you get desperate, it has water and food, whether it is fish or plants or whatever critters that go to the river. 

Thanks go out to Dave for an excellent guest post.






Dave Burr is a freelance writer for Spyville. In his free time, he enjoys backpacking in the Seven Devils with his kids or reading in his backyard. 

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

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Labor Day - 2013


Holiday Traveling

Have a safe and happy Labor Day holiday. If you are traveling this holiday be sure to use a little extra caution.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

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Riverwalker's Pics - Rocky Mountain Stream


Rocky Mountain Stream

There is a rugged beauty in nature that is hard to duplicate. The above picture was taken near Buena Vista, Colorado. Buena Vista is located in central Colorado roughly midway between Salida and Leadville in the Upper Arkansas River Valley at an elevation of 7,965 feet. RW Jr. was recently in Colorado during the Trans-Rockies Run and took this really amazing photo.

Staying above the water line!

Riverwalker

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