Meyer Ranch Winter Hike

Distance: 4.3 miles round trip
Elevation: 7,940 ft - 8,770 ft
Elevation Gain: 830 ft (net), 899 ft (cumulative)
Date Hiked: 3 Feb 2013
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes, but up the trail, not in the parking lot
Dogs: On leash (Jefferson County Open Space)

Meyer Ranch

Meyer Ranch is a small open space on Hwy 285 near Conifer CO that is very popular with the locals. We did this trail on a cool Superbowl Sunday and expected to have it all to ourselves. Instead, the parking lot was packed and the trail was far from empty. I can't image what it would be like on a nice, dry sunny day.

This open space blankets a pine-shaded, north-facing hillside, which means that while the areas to the north of Hwy 285 were bone dry, this trail was covered in snow. Microspikes came in very handy, and we did not see anyone with out them. 

We decided to try Meyer Ranch because we really needed some close-to-Denver elevation gain. While 800 ft is not a lot, it is better than a lot of other trails we have already tried. The area consists of two loops stacked on top of each other followed by a longer lollypop loop that shoots straight up the hillside. 

The downside of Meyer Ranch is that it is always in the trees. The Jefferson County brochure talked about great views to the northwest from the uppermost trail, but that is really not true. There is one spot with a log bench with some views but this is lower than the highest point and the views were not that great. In summer, the shade is probably a blessing, but in winter, it made for a colder experience than we were expecting.

Parking lot

The trails in Meyer Ranch head up across this meadow and up the pine covered hill

Since we were interested in maximum elevation gain, we took the Owl Perch Trail (0.7 miles) to the eastern side of the Lodgepole Loop (0.2 miles), then the uppermost side of the Sunny Aspen Trail (0.5 miles) to the Old Ski Run (0.7 miles plus a 0.6 mile loop). Note that total distance, which comes from the brochure, is 4.8 miles. My GPS registered 4.3.

Typical snowy segment

The one view point

At 2.25 miles, which was near the end of the upper most loop taken counter clockwise, is a small spur trail to a large pile of boulders. This area was open, sunny and dry. While it would make a nice lunch spot for a large group, some unfortunately placed trees blocked the views from the top of the pile itself.

A trail segment on the upper trail

The boulder pile

I have driven by Meyer Ranch countless times and now my curiosity is satisfied. With the dog leash restrictions and forested aspect of the trail it won't become a favorite, but it doesn't mean it can't be yours. It would make for a fun and easy trail run.

Oregon: Redwood Nature Trail

Distance: 1.1 mile loop
Elevation Gain: 290 ft
Date Hiked: 22 May 2012
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes

Coastal Redwoods are the star of the Redwood Nature Trail

No journey to the southern Oregon coast is complete without a stroll through a swampy Redwood Forest. The Redwood Nature Trail, in the Siskayo National Forest near Brookings Oregon, loops through the northernmost Coastal Redwood grove in the U.S. and is a great day trip for those touring the area.

Map of the loop

No surface is without its cover of greenery

Coastal Redwoods are the tallest living thing on earth. Heights over 300 ft ... can you say 27 stories... and 20 ft in diameter are not uncommon. This grove is old growth which means that some of the trees are over 2,000 years old. Fie to you Europeans who say the U.S. has no ancient monuments!

The lower riparian environment is overflowing with shrubs

Entering the zone of Redwoods. Note the Sword Ferns along the trail.

The temperate rain forest that is a haven for these trees also promotes the growth of other plants.  Moss drips from every branch like a drag queens gone wild with green feathered boas. Tanoaks, Douglas Firs, and Bigleaf  Maples compete with the Redwoods for sunlight. Meanwhile Ferns, Rhododendrons, and Huckleberry's fight and unseen battle for the choices spots in the undercarriage.

The grove gets thicker

And taller...

A journey on the Redwood Nature Trail is like walking in a giant terrarium. I kept expecting giant lizards to come slithering through on their way to their food bowl. The route starts out in a mixed hardwood forest, crosses a stream and then steadily heads upwards. It is the upper part of the loop, in a more drained environments that the king of trees reigns. You won't have any trouble identifying these titans, the ache in your neck will give them away.

It was hard not to linger and wonder at these trees.

Leaving the grove and heading back to the car.  Lady Ferns dominated this trail segment.

We took our time and lingered in the upper reaches of the loop before heading back downhill to the parking lot. There are markers every so often that match the brochure we picked up at the trailhead so you can learn about the teeming diversity all around you if so inclined.

Crossing the creek again just before the trailhead

We did this trail after hiking the Riverview Trail in Loeb State Park. The two connect for a 3 mile round trip excursion. You get to Loeb State Park and the Redwood Nature Trail just beyond by driving 10 miles up County Road 784 out of Brookings Oregon. There is a parking lot and bathroom on the left. 

Deer Creek Snowshoe

Distance: 4.6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,632 ft - 11,461 ft
Elevation Gain: 920 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Date Snowshoed: 20 Jan 2013

The northern extent of Deer Creek Valley in winter

Snowshoeing up Deer Creek Valley (basically the end of Montezuma Road) in Summit County is an adventure into a Titan's playground where the expansiveness of the terrain will make you feel diminutive and if you choose a windy day, will turn you into a pillar of ice. There is no place to hide in this valley so even on a sunny, calm day it can be nippy. This means bring along a thermos of hot chocolate and an emergency blanket to sit on.

The parking lot

Heading up the road.  Deer Creek itself is off to the left.

You get to the trailhead by following Montezuma Road through the town and continuing on for another mile or so. The parking lot is very large, very obvious, and usually devoid of cars. On this trip it was packed and we were worried that we were in for a crowded experience. It turns out that the cars were for an avalanche class up near Webster Pass. We actually only saw one one other snowshoer on the trip.

Looking back down the valley

Note that Deer Creek Valley is a haven for snowmobiles, and you may encounter a few. Certainly the road was packed down by their treads, and the valley itself filled with their tracks. Even though this was the middle day of a holiday weekend however, the only snowmobiles we saw were the forest service patrol, so it is possible you may not encounter any.

The road as it crossed Deer Creek and heads up into the trees

A shadier segment

The route follows Montezuma Road up the valley. It is wide, well packed (we wore only Microspikes), and is filled with mountain views to the side and rear. At 0.8 miles is a gate that will close the valley in the spring. At 1.2 miles the route crosses Forest Road 290. Stay left here and cross the creek to the south. From this point on the route leaves the sun and transitions into the shade of a Lodgepole Pine covered hillside and begins to climb steeply.

Breaking out of the trees. The Valley is just ahead but the route will head to the left  for a bit

At 1.4 miles is another trail heading to the left. Stay to the right on the main trail. At 2.0 miles is a small sign with an arrow pointing left. Again stay to the right. Both of these junctions are off the main route and it is not hard to make the right choice.

In the middle of the bowl looking south

Looking up at the rocky western wall

At 2.1 miles the route breaks out of the trees and Deer Creek Valley comes into view. The route will head southwards just a little bit more and then you can run screaming into the stadium like bowl that seems to go on forever. It is 2.5 miles to the southern end of the bowl but we only went 2.3 miles out into the middle. The snow was deeper here and we found ourselves post holing despite all of the snowmobile tracks.

We ate lunch on a small wind-swept mound along the eastern side of the bowl and watched the sun creep towards the horizon. There would be a lot of explore in the valley if you have the time, but bring along snowshoes if you decide to wander.

Looking north

From our spot, we could see Glacier Mountain to the northwest. We hiked up there to the General Teller Mine from Saints John a few summers ago. In that post is a picture of Deer Creek Valley in all its glory.

Moon rise over eastern wall

It has been many years since I have snowshoed Deer Creek. My first experience was bone chilling and I could not even see the views so it faded from my memory. The 2013 January holiday weekend was stunning in Summit County though so it seemed like a great time to try it again. Now that I have seen what it really looks like, I will definitely return.