Pocket Ranger: Adventures of a Hiking Novice

I'm not dead...

2012-02-07T19:28:00.000-06:00

No, really. I'm quite alive. Stress at work, busy weekends, and unpredictable weather has been keeping me at home these past couple weeks, which is a shame since extra stress at work is the time when hiking really does me the most good. I DID get a run in this Sunday though... well, a "run." Apparently I'm absolutely terrible at running, though I wouldn't mind getting more time to try it out. When not able to get out hiking, I've always enjoyed a nice walk around where I live, and running (with lots of practice) might be a good way to make it a little more aerobic.

I am, also, preparing for a trip to Israel this March. I'll be going with a group called Israel Outdoors, which will include a couple walking and small hiking trips. The trip only lasts for ten days, but I am absolutely psyched! I definitely want to get out hiking a couple times before the trip just to make sure I'm ready for the sunrise Masada climb! I know you don't do a TON of hiking trips, but I am excited to see a part of the world I've never seen before!

That's all for now. Let's hope I post again before my Israel trip!

Missouri Botanical Gardens

2012-01-01T18:00:00.000-06:00

A cold has kept me out of sorts for awhile, but I was feeling a bit better today and a friend had suggested visiting the Missouri Botanical Gardens, which I hadn't visited in at least a year. For city and county residents of St. Louis, admission is only $4, which is a perfectly acceptable price if you ask me (though as a St. Louisan, I'm used to my museum-type places being free). It wasn't a bad January day, in the low 40s, but there was a wind advisory out... it truly was insanely gusty! We visited the Climatron together, which to me sounds a lot like some sort of Transformer, which was warm and tropical. I spent a very long time there, looking at all the plants and reading all the informational signs. It was absolutely beautiful, and I kept backtracking to see small flowers or plants or birds I had missed. There was a similar building connected, the Temperate House, which was much the same idea but for things that grow in a much more temperate climate than the jungle feel of the Climatron (and also is decorated with a very Mediterranean feel).

After the Climatron and the Temperate House, my friend went home to rest (these colds are really going around), but despite the quickly descending chill and picking up winds, I decided to stay. While there were still quite a few patrons at the gardens, it was relatively empty compared to what you would find in any other season. I walked through the Victorian gardens, the rose garden, the Ottoman garden... there was still lots of green despite the leafless trees and flowerless garden beds. The empty trees and shrubs were beautiful and eerie in their own right. I took a tour of the Tower Grove House for some history lessons, which I immensly enjoyed, though could have used more (getting out of the cold was nice too!).

The Japanese Garden, which is one of the largest areas of the park, was quiet and absolutely gorgeous. I passed by fascinating trees, rock gardens, Koi fish, and islands in the middle of a very large pond that rippled in the high winds (the sacred tea house island was closed, to my dismay). Even though it is very popular, I was able to find a quiet bench overlooking the lake and just sit quietly and enjoy the nature around me. It was peaceful and serene. I enjoyed the Chinese Garden, the children's garden, the herb and experimental gardens, and the English woodland paths that passed by streams (all man-made, but appreciated nonetheless).

I don't know how far I walked. The website says the entire Botanical Gardens is 72 acres, with the Japanese strolling Garden being 14 acres alone. I didn't do too much off-path exploring, but I did do a little (where it is allowed, of course), and I was in the park for a least a couple hours. I felt invigorated by the beauty to be found even in winter (and the strong wind helped too!)

I don't have any pictures because I forgot my camera and my phone camera is terrible, but I'm posting a couple pictures of the gardens last time I went, clearly in spring or summer.

Bangert Island

2011-12-13T00:30:00.000-06:00

   I had the day off today, and didn't want to waste a winter afternoon in the 40s. The sun was kind of going in and out, but it was pleasant out, so I layered up (long-sleeved wicking shirt, a fleece, and a mid-weight fall jacket, as well as stuffing an emergency hat and gloves in my pack) and headed out to a place I haven't visited before, Bangert Island. This was not in my last edition of 60 Hikes (and is apparently only an "island" when it floods, I guess), but seemed fairly close by and a reasonable length for someone who has NOT been hiking enough recently. The trail runs about 4 miles (though it is a series of loops that allow for much shorter hikes if you are looking for something a little more easy going), and the trails were very easy. Parking is confusing though. The trailhead and the book both say you can "park on either side of Old South River Road," but there aren't any signs indicating whether this is true or not. There are a few areas on the road that look like you can pull off onto them to park, but since there were no other cars there, I was nervous. There is also a tiny parking lot that isn't clear whether it's for the trail or for the police station. I parked there and was not ticketed.

   This is clearly a popular biking trail. Most of the people I saw on the trail were bike riders, and most of the tracks I saw were from bikes as well. This may also have to do with the fact that you actually have to cross the Katy Trail in order to get the Bangert Island trailhead. The trail was VERY muddy, for the most part, and I imagine in the summer time there would be lots and lots of mosquitoes (though I bet it would be extremely pretty and green). In the winter, bugs are certainly not an issue. The landscape is eerie, but in a very beautiful way. There is something very special and different about winter hiking. All the greenery and flowers and colors have been sapped, but there is still a lot of beauty. There were so many trees on this hike, just rising up out of the gray mass of leaves on the ground, and lots of tangling vines that crawled up trees and created canopies and masses of mazes above my head. And so many of the trails take you so close to the river that at times you can hear the tiny waves lapping up on the sand, the birds sitting on the dead trees floating in the shallows, and the barges that occasionally pass by.

   I have to say one of the drawbacks of this hike was the proximity to highway 70. Granted, I think it is near impossible to get away completely from the noises of civilization... airplanes, for instance, will follow you everywhere, and there are always dogs barking or very distant car honks, even on some of the more remote trails I've been on. But the highway was the main sound for the entire first trail, the 1 mile Kurtz trail. The river view you were met with was beautiful, but flanked by the highway to my left, and the large and slightly garish casino across the water. Not exactly the views I had been hoping for, but I guess you do what you can when you're in the middle of civilization.

However the other two trails were much quieter. The Sandy Loop (1.3 miles) was, as the name suggests, sandier. This was actually great, since it meant far less mud and so a much more pleasant walk. This was my favorite trail of the whole hike. This is where the vines went just crazy, creating an almost fairytale look. For half the trail, you walk right up near the water's edge (I actually sat on a log and ate my lunch while watching the river), and the highway gets distant enough that you can barely hear it for most of the trail. It was truly a peaceful, very pretty trail. The last trail, the Slough Loop (1.5 miles) was very muddy and gray again, but still very pretty in that eerie winter woods way. Parts of it were a bit quieter (a bit of this trail runs almost parallel to the Sandy Loop practically in viewing distance), and parts of it were noisier with the highway and the busy streets of St. Charles nearby coming back into view.

Overall, despite the noise pollution, I liked this trail a lot. I'd be curious to see what it looked like with actual leaves and plants that were alive. This is the first hike I've taken for awhile, and even longer since I've done a hike solo. It gave me time to try to relax my mind and get some fresh air, of which I'm grateful.

Cuivre River

2011-11-19T22:33:00.040-06:00

    I had the chance to visit someplace I hadn't gone before, Cuivre River State Park, which is pronounced "Quiver River," at least in Midwesterneese. The park was a bit confusing to figure out, as the signs weren't too easily spotted and one of the main roads had been shut down (as well as the main visitor's office being closed, so that there wasn't really anyone who could be much help. My father and I had originally planned to do the Big Sugar Creek trail at this park, but the leaves were so heavy over the ground that the trail was almost impossible to find and the trail wasn't exactly overly marked. I would love to return to this park and try again in the spring.

    Instead we ended up doing the Lakeside Trail that runs all around the lake, which was marked off in my book as being one of the easiest hikes in the park, running about 3.5 miles. It was fairly easy, but still had some challenging bits. Especially since the lake looks deceptively small and round, as if you can see the entire perimeter. Don't be fooled though! The lake has quite a few twists, turns, and random inlets that keep you guessing: sometimes I would think we were about to turn around and start heading back to the starting point, which looked very close indeed, only to turn into another inlet and have quite a ways to go! The start of the trail was quite confusing, as there was a bridge I assumed you had to cross to start the trail, but instead you have to walk across the rocks that don't look like you should be walking on them.

This was a peaceful, beautiful trail. I don't think it was even really marked, but it hardly had to be... the trail was clear cut and easy to find, and simply followed the shore of the lake the entire way. Sometimes you were a little bit above the water, but a lot of the trail you are walking directly against the shore. There were almost no other people on the trail, and the single-track dirt trail was perfect for keeping hikers to smaller groups. We noticed a LOT of trees that had been seemingly attacked by beavers, shells in the water, and lots of birds to listen and watch.

   I forgot to update this hike when it happened, so I'm backposting this entry. I'm sure I had far more to say about the trail, but can't remember. I can say, though, that I really enjoyed this trail and would certainly do it again, and would like to revisit this park to try out more of the trails they have to offer.

Updating materials and meeting the author who started it all...

2011-11-18T10:25:00.000-06:00

REI always has some really interesting opportunities in the classes and talks they offer. I recently attended a talk and slide show about the best hiking and camping in Illinois and Missouri, with authors John Schirle (author of The Best in Tent Camping: Illinois: A Guide for Car Campers Who Hate RVs, Concrete Slabs, and Loud Portable Stereos) and Steve Henry, who I have mentioned and referenced on this blog probably a hundred times, author of the book that got it all started for me, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of St. Louis: Including Sullivan, Potosi, and Farmington (as well as a book about tent camping in Missouri and mountain biking in the Ozarks).

While it may sound somewhat ridiculous to be excited to meet Steve Henry, I really, really was. I am the kind of person who gets excited about meeting authors in general-- I am a reading nerd, and books play a huge part in my life. Hiking is a strangely recent thing in my life. While I've always since childhood been obsessed with the idea of nature, living in it, and climbing mountains (I wanted to be Heidi when I was 4 years old, even though I never climbed ANY mountains), actually getting out and hiking was a rare occurence. I graduated from college over 4 years ago, and about 40 pounds heavier than I am now. Hiking started a change for me. I didn't do it to lose weight, but it helped keep me active, gave me peace of mind and an escape from the work week, a place where my brain could finally relax and wander and stop worrying. The book helped me start easy and slowly start to challenge myself more and more.

Needless to say, both authors were really interesting and informative. I bought two books (pictures posted below (both books put out by Menasha Ridge Press), and hope to use them both a LOT (even though I haven't been hiking in awhile, whoops). I met Mr. Henry after the lecture so he could sign my NEW updated copy of 60 Hikes, which I've been meaning to buy for awhile. He was very friendly and I told him about this blog and how much the book had helped me in my hiking experiences. He seemed very interested and willing to let me ramble, and even said he may have crossed this blog a couple times while researching the last edition for the book, because it sounded really familiar to him!!!!! While maybe he was just being kind, if that is true, that would be SO AWESOME.

Yes, I geek out sometimes.

Found: Taum Sauk Mountain pictures (October hike)

2011-11-18T09:52:00.001-06:00

The Highest Point in Missouri: Taum Sauk

2011-10-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

It's been a gorgeous, if warm, October so far, and the leaves seem to have changed overnight without me having a chance to even truly enjoy it yet! I don't really know how that happened; one minute the world is green and full, and the next the trees are brown and yellow and red and many have already lost some of their leaves. I'm hoping to get plenty of hiking done before the winter landscape takes over.

Taum Sauk Mountain State Park is a good two hour drive from St. Louis, even more so if you get the driver lost on the way down and end up taking a longer, if very scenic, route (I'm not a very good car navigator, apparently). Taum Sauk mountain is part of the St. Francois Mountains, and is the highest point in Missouri, standing 1,772 feet above sea level. According to the wikipedia article, while it is the highest mountain in Missouri, Taum Sauk is not the biggestt mountain in Missouri (that would be Black Mountain) because Taum Sauk "rises from an already elevated plain." Weird!

The park at the top of Taum Sauk offers camping too, and I'm seriously planning on doing some hiking and camping up there. The main trail, Mina Sauk trail, is a 3 mile loop. However you can meet up with the Ozark Trail about half way down the Mina Sauk and go about twelve miles to Johnson's Shut Ins, where I hiked last October. It's a more rugged and less maintained section of the trail, so you certainly would need the whole day to do it. I kept thinking how perfect it would be with two cars... leave your campsite at either Taum Sauk or at Johnson's Shut ins, and then drive to the other site and hike the Ozark Trail between them, camping at your first destination. This may be something I try next year in the spring or summer.

The Mina Sauk Falls trail is about 3 miles long in a loop. It starts at the very tip top of Missouri, at the highest point, and then you start hiking downwards to the Mina Sauk falls, which Steve Henry in the second edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles described as the states longest waterfall, "132-foot cascade over rugged volcanic rock ledges." Of course, this time of year the fall was nearly bone dry, with only a trickle here and there and a couple of calm pools. I would love to see the falls when there is actually water. The panoramic views of the surrounding St. Francois Mountains, especially with all the fall colors, was gorgeous and totally worth it. It was a perfect place to sit, have some water and a bite to eat, and enjoy the scenery.

The trail itself is actually somewhat rugged, for a short 3-mile trail. It is very, very rocky, with some climbing involved. I was very glad I wore my boots, which have served me well over the last two years. The extra ankle support and firm soles really saved my feet and kept away some near ankle twistings. The trail was well walked, but not overcrowded (it was a Sunday, so I expected some families and so on). The trail was slightly more difficult than I expected, at least, and it was a nice chance to do something other than a peaceful walk through the woods. As you descend from the highest point of Missouri, which is fully wooded, you go through lots of glades and wooded areas, with wildflowers even in October. I love the Missouri glades. The trail from the falls then begins to ascent back upwards, joining up with the Ozark Trail for a mile or so before diverging back to the trail head (the Ozark trail continues on). The trail is definitely upwards, but never is it overly strenuous. We slowed our pace quite a bit on the way back up, but were steady and I didn't feel out of breath or overtired. After walking up and through more glades and rocks, you know you're back at the top when you hit the quietly wooded trail again.

My father and I actually took at detour at the falls to follow the Ozark trail the OTHER direction, down the mountain into the valley (the section of the Ozark Trail I would hike if I was hiking from Taum Sauk Mountain to Johnson's Shut Ins, as I mentioned earlier) to see what is called the Devil's Tollbooth, a "50-foot passage through an 8-foot-wide gap in a 30-foot-tall volcanic rock" (Henry, Steve 193). Steve Henry said this would be "a gentle but rocky descent" down next to the falls, but I found it very steep and hard to follow and very difficult! Probably because I lost the trail downwards and ended up climbing and scooting down a much harder way than was necessary. Once down, though, it was climbing over rocks, walking through the woods and over ponds, and climbing through and around fallen trees (it looked like this section of the Ozark Trail hadn't been maintained in quite a while). It was a very long mile to the Devil's Tollboth, and another mile back, so my father and I actually did about 5 miles on our trip. It was a very cool bit of rock, but I was awfully tired already by time I got there. And let me say, the trip back UP the falls to join back with the Mina Sauk Trail was hard!

All in all, this was a beautiful and fantastic trip. The ONE big drawback was that the entire trail, I was plagued by gnats. Billions and billions of gnats buzzing in your ears, flying in your eyes, getting stuck on your sweaty arms... I'm not sure if this is a usual thing for this trail this time of year, or if the swing back into 80 degree weather brought out critters that might not usually be a worry. Either way, the gnats were exhausting and extremely bothersome. However, the trail was a good workout, a great short length, and absolutely gorgeous!

I can't seem to find the cord that goes to my camera at the moment, so I will go back and add pictures to this entry as soon as I find it.

Meeting people from the internet... they weren't axe murderers

2011-09-26T18:56:00.001-05:00

...or at least as far as I'm aware.

This weekend I had the fortune to try something completely different! A friend I used to work with has a food/life/everything in between blog called Real Fit Mama: Diary of a Wanna-Be Health Nut (which you should check out, by the way). She had really wanted to attend the healthy-living blog convention, but was unable to, so she set up one of her own! While I wasn't sure my blog at first applied (I figured I needed to be a food blog or a marathon runner), Maria convinced me that indeed, my blog IS about healthy living! While I don't hike for health reasons (I walk at my own pace, whether it be fast or slow that day, and take far too many pictures, scenic breaks), it is one of the primary reasons I think my health took a turn for the better over the last couple years. Hiking and eating better helped me lose nearly 40 pounds over the last four years. Not only do I have more energy, I am more independent than I've ever been and have more self-confidence.

We met on Sunday at Pi Pizzeria in the University City Loop area. Quite a few people had said they were going, but in the end it was just three: Maria, myself, and Hannah, from the blog HannahViolin (which is amazing, by the way). I admit at first I was a little nervous, as I figured I should have done some research and found out who was going and checked out their blogs first, it wasn't awkward at all. I hadn't had much of a chance to hang out with Maria in ages, and meeting Hannah was brilliant.

We ate plenty of pizza (deep dish Berkeley) and I had a small caprese salad, both of which were amazing (I also drank lots of diet coke; soda is a weakness of mine I have not been able to give up). We talked about our lives, our blogs, and everything in between! It was a really nice experience, one I'd be glad to repeat.

Pere Marquette State Park - camping & hiking

2011-09-24T22:55:00.012-05:00

This weekend I finally took my first step towards doing something more than hiking. A friend (who is much more experienced in camping and backpacking than I am) and I drove into Illinois to Pere Marquette State Park. Our plan was to camp overnight on Friday and then pack up and do a day of hiking. A few experiences in car camping should give me an introduction before I start trying to backpack. I haven't done any camping except for one night camping for a float trip, and girl scout camp when I was a child (though I slept in A-frames for that).

We arrived later than planned, so after driving to the campsite (which was busy but not overcrowded) we had to use my car lights and headlamps to set up camp. Having only set up the tent (which I borrowed from my father) once, in a living room, this was a challenge, but I got it done. Then we built a fire in the fire pit, which was difficult with the wind but we got a pretty good sized fire going, and made s'mores. Don't judge, I hadn't had them since I was a kid! They were delicious! After the fire was out and dead, I got in some AMAZING star gazing. It was more stars than I've seen in a long time, and it was mesmerizing. I could have stayed out there all night, it was so clear and the stars were so bright. But instead I laid out my father's Therm-a-rest prolite 3 and sleeping bag (I had to borrow an outdoors sleeping bag from the friend I was with) wearing plenty of layers and a hat and fell asleep.

Aside from an absolutely terrible sinus headache that woke me up and kept me awake for about 2 hours that night (thank goodness for the first aid kit with plenty of painkillers stashed inside!), I was warm and cozy despite a drop to about 47 degrees and wind. In the morning, my friend and I built a small fire so we could have coffee and tea, packed up camp, and went to explore the trails. Camping was amazing. The stars, the feeling of being in my own tent listening to the sounds of the woods as I fall asleep (while there was some noise from the other campsites and nearby RV campsite, the noise died down at a fairly reasonable hour), I just loved it.

I don't know why I hadn't tried out the trails at Pere Marquette before. They are well marked (the visitor's center has a very helpful map as well) and very well varied as well. We decided to connect a couple different trails to make one of the longest loops we could. We started at the Goat Cliff trail (1.5 miles) which leads mostly up to McAdams Peak, which gave us a beautiful overlook of the River. We then took the Hickory trail (we did a bit less than the full .5 mile it runs) to Hickory North tail (we did a bit less than the full 1 mile it runs), to the longest trail in the park, Fern Hollow (2.5) miles, then back to Hickory South trail (1.5 miles), for probably a total of around 6.5 miles. Parts of the trails were very uphill and more difficult, others were more level. We saw bluffs, rocky areas, wooded secluded areas, with some trails fairly well traveled and other (mostly Fern Hollow) much more secluded. My friend is an avid birder, and she was loving all the birds there were to hear and see. It was a gorgeous hike that we took our time on, stopping for lunch and pictures and snacks.

This was a fantastic first camping experience for me, and I loved the trail system at Pere Marquette. I definitely would do the drive to visit again.

Classes and updates...

2011-09-23T16:20:00.003-05:00

I attended a backpacking basics talk at my local REI, as well as attended a book tour of a woman who walked 1,000 miles around Lake Michigan, also at REI. The backpacking class gave me a lot of really good information for an amateur starting out, and I even learned how to tie a new knot and about the Pacific Crest Trail bear bag hanging technique. I am also excited because being short finally comes in handy... I can get a sleeping bag for much cheaper because I can fit into a child's size, and it is more appropriate for me to use one anyway because of the issue of too much room at the bottom of the bag during colder weather.

Tonight I go to Pere Marquette State Park just over the river in Illinois for my first car camping experience! It will drop slightly below 50 degrees tonight, so I hope the gear I am borrowing from my friend help me with that! I'll let everyone know how all these went soon.

Lone Elk State Park revisted

2011-09-17T15:00:00.002-05:00

I revisited Lone Elk State Park this weekend with a friend, Molly, who moved back to St. Louis after finishing up her graduate work in Virginia (the friend I visited Shenandoah National Park with in August). I haven't been there to Lone Elk in nearly two years, but it was far better than I remembered. We hiked the trail going the opposite direction this time, and without leaves all over the ground the trail was very easy to follow and well marked -- I remember last time I went I found the trail nearly impossible to follow in the fall, so this was a huge improvement. Parts of the trail are VERY overgrown though, it is obvious it hasn't been maintained in quite a while. We ran into Elk on the trail and had to go around them at one point, but other than that the trail was beautiful and a really great 3 mile walk. I really enjoyed this trail a lot, especially since it had been so long since I had walked it.

I seem to have misplaced any pictures I took during this hike, but the old blog post from 2009 can be viewed here.

St. Francois State Park

2011-09-05T20:00:00.033-05:00

This weekend I visited St. Francois State Park (or "St. Francis" as it is pronounced in Missouri, as all French names are butchered) with my friend Tanya. I was excited to go here because it was new, and the drive wasn't all that bad, about an hour or a little more. We chose the Mooner's Hollow trail, which runs about 2.7 miles. This is an absolutely beautiful little trail that we drove right past when we entered the park, but eventually found our way back.

I really liked this trail. The woods were cool and you follow water for a great deal of it. While not overly difficult, there were a couple climbs here and there that at least kept your heart working, and it was nice to watch the stream following the trail, dipping in and out of sight as the trail works its way through the woods. My favorite spot on the whole thing is where the trail crosses the water. It's a beautiful crossing, with a pool just upstream where people were swimming and wading, and the water flows down over the smoothed rock bottom creating a small waterfall effect. It was incredibly peaceful, and I wish that I had spent more time there. The rest of the trail is a little more meandering, going up and down through the woods, and even a few glades. A lot of the trail was very rocky because of the creek it follows, but with good shoes it wasn't too much of a problem. There were even wildflowers to still enjoy even this late in the summer. This was a gorgeous short hike, and I would definitely visit the park again to try out the other trails.

Shenadoah National Park and My First Visit to the Appalachian Trail

2011-08-24T20:09:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I visited my friend Molly in Richmond, Virginia and had a chance to visit Shenadoah National Park. The cheapest pass available is a seven day pass for $15 per car, which I think is a really nice deal. I forgot that you might have to PAY for a national park... Shenandoah marks my very first visit to a national park system. I wish that I could have spent more than just one whirlwind day in Shenandoah, but it was worth the 2 - 2 1/2 hour trip from Richmond. The drive to the park was gorgeous in of itself, and not too hard to find. When we turned on to Skyline Drive, the road which leads into and through the entire park, the scenery was just gorgeous. First you climb upwards on the road, passing by overlooks every couple miles at least where you can see the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Ridge and Valley Appalachians rising up. While a lot of the overlooks look a bit the same, I wanted to stop at almost every one. We were driving in during some rainy, cloudy weather, so at first the views were limited, but still breathtaking as the fog hovered over the mountains.

We stopped to do a combined hike of about 6.5 miles in the Loft Mountain Area down in the southern end of the park. We parked and followed the Brown's Gap fire road, turned on to Doyle's River Trail and the Jones Run Fall trail, and then finally finished up the last mile or so on the Appalachian Trail back to the parking lot. You can see a map of the area and the trails we did HERE. We then proceeded to drive through the park, stopping at outlooks and at the "comfort station" until we hit the next exit out of the park.

The trail itself was gorgeous, even though the falls were very nearly dry. The fire road was pretty even and straightforward and wide, though we did see some bear tracks in the mud. We got caught in a brief rain downpour, but then were able to continue on. Even though the weather shifted between cloudy, sunny, humid, and drizzly, we only had one brief rain where we actually stopped to take cover. Then a great deal of the trail was downhill... this was very hard on our knees, and a bit precarious since the trail was mostly rocks and dirt and the rocks were very slippery. The falls (or what was left of them trickling) were kind of taken over by some groups that were also on the trail, so we stopped to admire but didn't really climb or explore. The rest of the trail was all uphill and seemed to last FOREVER. I figured a 6.5 mile trail was definitely within my abilities, even without having hiked in months, but this was definitely on the harder side of "moderate" that the park rates the trail. We took quite a few breathers, and stopped for a really relaxing lunch at one of the dry falls. Sometimes nothing tastes better than peanut butter and jelly and lots of water. Then we huffed and puffed (or at least I did) up and up and up.

The last part of the trail was the Appalachian trail. I totally geeked out. There was something about actually putting my feet onto the Appalachian trail that was almost a spiritual experience for me. I know that sounds silly, since it was only a mile long section we walked on, and it was the least visually stimulating part of the whole trip. I assume this is because the Appalachian Trail covers over 2,000 miles, the point of lots of the trail is to get somewhere, so most of the Appalachian Trail just follows the road that runs north-ish through the park. Regardless of all that, stepping onto the trail, walking where so many feet have walked before me on pilgrimages Northwards (or Southwards), seeing the familiar white blazes and AT trail stamps that I've become so familiar with was overwhelming and wonderful. It hasn't been a lifelong dream or anything -- in reality, I think I became infatuated with the Appalachian Trail only a year or so ago. But it took me on by storm, and I still hope and pray that I will be able to follow through with one of the few life-long goals I've made to do the Appalachian Trail. I left the park feeling wonderful. I hadn't hiked in months, and the beauty of the park was undeniable. The short trek on the Appalachian Trail stayed with me the whole trip back. I hope I can revisit it soon!

Skyline Drive near the pass where we parked for the hike.

Bear tracks still fresh in the mud on the fire-road part of the hike

The dry falls where we ate our lunch

The white blaze marking our peaceful trip on the Appalachian Trail

One of the many places where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road

Things to come

2011-08-06T10:21:00.000-05:00

So obviously I haven't been updating lately, and in truth I haven't been doing much. The heatwave that hit this summer was absolutely brutal. Getting up at 5am to go hike wasn't going to do much to beat the heat that just seemed constant, week in and week out, day and night. Aside from a walk at Powder Valley a couple weeks ago, I haven't been out much. I really need to though. I find that I am happier overall when I get out and hike. Whether it is the exercise or the outdoors that gives me that peace and de-stressing that I need, I'm not sure, but I know it is affecting me.

However! Next weekend I go to Richmond, Virginia to visit a dear friend of mine that I've known since middle-school. She's just finished grad-school there, so this is one of my last chances to visit her before more schooling or a job takes her somewhere else in the country. I am very excited to see her, as now that we live farther apart we rarely get to talk as much as we used to.

Even though it isn't ALL that close by (at least a 2 hour drive), I am absolutely giddy at the fact that we might actually get to visit Shenandoah National Park!!!! Not only is this an absolutely beautiful national park, it is also a national park that the Appalachian Trail runs through. Now Shenandoah National park has "over 500 miles of trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail." So I don't know if I'll get to walk on the actual Appalachian Trail or not, but it's the closest I'll have ever been since my dream started to hike it thru one day. I'm hoping for some dry and not insanely hot weather so that I will have a chance to really enjoy this opportunity to see this national park and catch up with a really good friend.

I need to find my camera charger and find out exactly how I'm supposed to pack for a trip that is only over a weekend but might include camping.... expect an update though!

Getting out there, Doing things.

2011-05-17T22:09:00.001-05:00

Recently, in my latest attempts to test out my allergies/asthma in the spring weather, I went to Creve Coeur Lake. Despite the crowds, it was wonderful. I did the lake trail plus a side trail for a total of maybe 5 or 6 miles. It was cathartic and even though my muscles were stiff afterwards, it was exactly what I needed. Fresh air, sunshine, and exercise! The day after, I took my nephew on a long evening walk through the neighborhoods near our house just to get him (and me) out, and it calculated out to just under two miles. I could get used to that kind of weekend!

I recently joined a hiking/outdoors group through Meetup.com in hopes of getting myself out of the house more when I don't go hiking on my own, and having a good outlet in which to meet new people and try some new things. I had joined a different group through the same website but somehow never made it to any outings (though now I might actually try).

This Wednesday, I actually joined the group for an evening hike at Castlewood. Hiking with a large group of people had never really appealed to me, as I tend to like hiking on my own, or with one or two people. But determined to meet some people and push myself out of my comfort zone, I went regardless. Because of getting off work late and rush hour traffic, I was actually late and did not meet the group at the starting point. But I figured why quit? I would just have to deal with traffic again if I left right away. So I decided to hike the trail anyway; if I caught up with the group, all the better. If not, oh well! At least I had done a nice hike!

Hiking in the evening is also new for me. The sounds, the light, it is very different than my usual morning/afternoon hikes. It was kind of peaceful. There were a few serious trail runners out there, but mostly I had some quiet peace while hiking. About a third of the way through I actually caught up with the group. While trying to get to know a bunch of new people in the middle of a hike is kind of awkward, as is hiking with that many people when you're not used to it, I still had a surprisingly good time. Most of the people were very welcoming, and I talked to a couple people while walking along the river and climbing up the debris on the trail. I can't make it this week, but I will definitely try it again. I also really liked the idea of an after-work hike. Some exercise was both calming and made me feel like I had a definitive finish to my day.

Over all, group hiking may take some getting used to, but I am kind of excited to see what kind of events the group plans, and start going on some hikes. Hiking with others is always safer, after all, and I might see some places I might not travel to on my own.

On a slightly related, but mostly not, note, I am currently reading: Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner's Story of Love, Loss, and a Record Setting Run Across America by Marshall Ulrich. I won a copy of the book from a friend's fitness/food blog, and promised to do a review. Even though I don't run, the book fascinated me and I couldn't wait to read it. Can't run, but I do want to do my own Great Walks one day in the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails!

Powder Valley revisited

2011-05-03T18:17:00.000-05:00

This weekend I took a test run. It has been a terrible, terrible spring for allergies for me this year (though luckily my asthma has been fairly tame so far), and half the time I'm miserable even just being indoors. So in order to give myself a taste of the outdoors and test how my allergies would hold up, I decided to do an easy walk at Powder Valley, where it is easy to get to my car if I suddenly was about to die of my eyes swelling shut. It went well, to say the least, and I immediately could feel myself relax just being outside under the trees.

I have been to Powder Valley multiple times, I think the most recent visit being half a year ago in November. There are things I love about it and things I dislike about it, but convenience is definitely a big selling point for me. It's kind of a surprise to find it when you go, because it seems stuck right in the middle of a fairly urban area. One minute you're driving down a road with doctor's offices and houses, and then you turn and there are woods around you. Powder Valley also offers a really neat nature center with kid-friendly activities (that I found kind of fun too, when I went), and very friendly staff who were willing to talk to me about teacher-education opportunities and classes when I went this time.

This is the first time I've done all three trails in one day, though that isn't saying a ton. Broken Ridge Trail is 2/3 of a mile long, but has a few ascents to make things interesting. Tanglevine Trail is barely a trail at all, 1/3 of a mile and very flat, basically just a small circle. Both of these trails have signs on the trees or near interesting wildlife in case you are wondering what kind of tree/plant you are looking at, and the Tanglevine trail also has a few poster signs along the way about the habitat of the wildlife. The Hickory Ridge trail is just a nudge over a mile long, though there is a shorter loop option (I did the long trail and then finished up on the short trail back to the parking lot, just because). This trail has the most ups and downs, and is different from the other trails in that it spends a bit of time on the valley floor, following along the stream. Overall, all three trails add up to about 2.2 miles, not a bad little walk.

Cons for me on this trail are:
-all paved trails
-fairly well traveled and full of families/children (which for families with kids, would be a pro, I imagine)
-there can be lots of noise from the nearby highway and roads-- I had to use my ipod the whole time.
-Fairly uneventful scenery, without much variety on the trails.

Pros:
-Convenience
-Good short length for a day walk
-helpful staff and plenty of facilities
-Despite the lack of variety, the scenery is nonetheless beautiful. Tall green trees, wooden bridges, and streams really give you a peaceful, calm feeling
-Just enough up and downs on the trails for it to be more than just an easy walk.

Ah, Springtime Allergies....

2011-04-16T23:01:00.000-05:00

I can't believe I've let this blog languish, and I can't believe how long it has been since I've been out hiking. A myriad of excuses keep popping up-- first it was the cold that turned into a terrible deep cough that made my asthma nearly unbearable. I was taking my nebulizer before bed every night because I was waking up in the middle of the night needing my inhaler, and having to take my inhaler during the day even if I wasn't doing anything strenuous. My fear of being caught in the woods having an asthma attack did not make hiking seem like a clever idea.

Now, it is allergies. My asthma, surprisingly, has been very quiet and nearly non-existent (knock on wood), but it is no secret that spring is my worst time of year. Since grade school, my allergies and asthma get out of control, even though now I've been taking allergy shots for 3 or 4 years. I have a list somewhere of all the things that I'm allergic to, but in general it is maybe 4 different types of grasses, pollen, ragweed, mold, oak, ash.... you get the idea. In college, before the era of shots, I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hold down a job because there were days I would wake up with my eyes swollen shut and so miserable I couldn't get out of bed. Thankfully those days are mostly over. But the past two springs have been some of the worst in a long time, and I have been miserable.

I'm really disappointed that what must be the most interesting time of year to go hiking is the one time of year I can hardly do anything. This week I had trouble just being outside on the playground with my students, much less taking hikes. I'm afraid of how out of shape I'll be when it comes time for me to actually get back out there. One day, my hope is that the allergy shots will do what they're supposed to do, and I will be able to hike and see the flowers bloom in the spring on hikes. Or I will have to move out of St. Louis and somewhere where my allergies won't bother me as much! I really hope the shots do work. My dream of one day completing the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail seem farfetched when I can barely step out of my house during the months of late March through May. But I won't give up on them. Surely there have been people with health issues who have done more than that, and I know one day I will too.

Excuses excuses, but writing in this blog makes me feel like I can get it all out there, and then have no more excuses NOT to go out and hike once I'm healthy again. Hopefully that will be soon!

Updates

2011-03-21T22:07:00.003-05:00

Had a beautiful warm weekend, but am fighting off a cold from my students and wasn't able to go walking or hiking at all. Now that the week has started, the cold has settled in my chest, which makes my asthma really act up very badly, so all in all I'm glad I didn't test my limits, but I'm sad I missed out.

I've attempted to get some fun in other ways. I've attended two classes at my local REI lately, two talks given by the same couple. One was about their Appalachian Trail thru-hike (2,181 miles from Georgia to Maine), and the other was a slide show of their thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (2,650 miles from Mexican border to the Canadian border), both with helpful tips on camping, food, gear, and mail drops. I hadn't been as familiar with the PCT, but hearing them talk about it and watching the gorgeous slides made me want to hike it as much as the Appalachian Trail, if not more! I hope one day I actually get to DO all these things, instead of just talking and reading about it.

Also, they recommended this website that I absolutely love now and have decided if I do get a tent, I want one of these: Tarptent.com I can't believe how lightweight these are!

On a more uninteresting note, I got my hiking pants shortened (finally!), so now they won't get dragged down with mud and water! I'm pretty happy about this.

Weekend outdoors

2011-02-20T15:08:00.000-06:00

Today it almost 70 degrees, and even though it was extremely windy I couldn't let another good day go to waste. Took a 4.5 mile walk at Queeny Park, doing the main trail again as usual except this time I went counter-clockwise to change things up a bit. The park was crowded with children and families and dogs and people flying kites, but it was really nice. The park is really appealing even in winter, and it felt really good to just get out and walk.

Also am about a third through my newest Appalachian Trail memoir, "In Beauty May She Walk: Hiking the Appalachian Trail at 60" by Leslie Mass.

Castlewood State Park Revisited

2011-02-19T16:50:00.000-06:00

Today was overcast and chilly, though still warm enough to wear a couple layers and be comfortable, eventually having to shed hats, gloves, and top layers as we warmed up from the hike. My Dad joined me again today, and we were looking for a shorter hike nearby in case it started to rain. The last time I was at Castlewood State Park was in October of 2009, one of the first hikes I blogged about when I started this. We decided to do the 3 miles River Scene Trail even though that was the trail I did last time too, and the only trail at Castlewood I've actually done since I was a kid.

The trail markings seemed to have improved a bit since my last trip, with more tags nailed to trees to make the trail a bit easier to follow, something I remember really fussing about last time. It was a very pretty hike, though not as stunning as it was in October with all the leaves. The river looked greenish and the sky was gray, and everything was very muddy, but standing on the top of the cliff looking out over the Meramec River and the railroad below is still really cool no matter what time of year. Terrible colors and time of day to take pictures in though, so I only snapped a few and instead enjoyed the hike and talked on and off with my Dad. These hikes have been a chance to really talk with him in a way we don't often have time to do otherwise, and I really enjoy him as a hiking companion.

The trail was still pretty busy despite the chill in the air and the mud, with families and people walking dogs and bike riders. Highlights still include the cliff overlooks, the tunnel under the railroad tracks, the eerie concrete shells of buildings and old steps left over from when the area was a big resort area, and walking next to the river to see how fast it is actually running. It is also a good hike because even though it is only a 3 mile trail, there are plenty of ascents and descents to keep your heart beating, at least at the beginning. Walking up the hill to the top of the cliffs was hard work and got me breathing pretty hard, and I was pleased with the challenge of the first half of the trail. Once you descend down the wooden steps to the railroad tracks at the riverbank, the rest of the trail is a flat and pleasant walk through the woods. It was really fun revisiting this park, and I need to return there and try out the other trails.

Pickle Springs (Revisited) and Hickory Canyon

2011-02-13T18:55:00.001-06:00

For February, we are having some wonderful weather in St. Louis! As I was expecting a high in the high 50s, my father and I headed out for a hike at Pickle Springs Natural Area and Hickory Canyons near Ste. Genevieve County and Farmington, Missouri. I had hiked Pickle Springs last January and ever since my father had been asking to see the ice there. It was as beautiful as I remembered.

My father and I accidentally went the wrong way on the trail, which caused some confusion around the Keyhole where we backtracked on ourselves without realizing it for a few minutes. Some of the trail was clear, most of it was very muddy, and some of the trail still had snow and ice on it which made traversing some of the steeper sections very tricky. My father and I shared the hiking poles I received for Christmas, each taking one to help us keep our balance and stop from falling on the ice and snow-- this made what I remember being a fairly easy hike a bit more challenging. The ice from the overhangs were impressive, and all around us I could hear the dripping of the melting icicles. The streams and creeks were also running so we often had to pick our way across stones, which was enjoyable and tested my hiking boots for waterproofness. As we climbed between the rocks around us, you could feel the temperature change noticeably. We only saw a couple people on the trail, which was really nice, and we took our time admiring the views. A red fox darting across our path about halfway through the trail was a highlight for me!

I had never visited Hickory Canyons before, but because it was all of 5 miles away from Pickle Springs, it seemed silly to pass it up. There are two trails, a short out and back trail and a longer loop trail. We did the loop trail and immediately the trail begins to descend down into the canyon with the rocks raising up on either side of you. The trail had become a stream of water running downhill, mostly runoff from the melting snow. It was extremely muddy and a bit slippery, but beautiful nonetheless. It actually reminded me a bit of the Little Grand Cayon hike I did back in November, with a steep descent and then a trek through the flat land below. It was beautiful and mildly challenging because of the mud and snow, and my father and I really enjoyed ourselves! We only did about half of the short out and back trail because it was crowded by a family looking for lost dogs and it was only another .25 miles anyhow.

Plans...

2011-02-09T20:50:00.002-06:00

This weekend is looking great for some possible hiking, with Saturday in the 40s and Sunday maybe even hitting 50 degrees! My father expressed interest in hiking Pickle Springs ever since I hiked it a year ago and I figure as long as we are there, we might want to hike Hickory Canyons as well, which is nearby and only about a mile and a half long. I even picked up a copy of the 3rd edition of Steve Henry's 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of St. Louis that I've been wanting to take a look at to see how much one edition change really matters, so maybe I'll go Saturday too (though I have an allergy appointment in the morning, so I don't know how likely that is).

In the meantime, been devouring books about the Appalachian Trail. I already finished There Are Mountains To Climb by Jean Deeds, which was really interesting to hear from a female's perspective. I also finished reading As Far as the Eye Can See by David Brill, and began reading On the Beaten Path by Robert Alden Rubin. The only thing I wish is that more of these books had pictures from the author's hike. So far only the first book had any photographs from the Appalachian Trail.

(photos from Goodreads.com)

Winter Weather hiatus (or, how I am too lame and cold to go outside)

2011-02-01T20:50:00.002-06:00

I haven't been doing ANY hiking recently, due to a number of reasons. I became an Aunt in early December when my nephew was born. The holidays came quickly after that, along with running around trying to see all my friends who have moved away from St. Louis and were home for the holidays. Then this January, we've been bombarded with bad weather. First a winter storm that dumped over 8 inches, and just the last few days a huge ice storm (we were also supposed to get nearly a foot of snow, but it missed us and we got mostly ice and a bit of snow). I would actually LIKE to start some winter hiking, but a combination of a lack of proper winter clothing, pure laziness, and a fear of not being able to stay on a trail kept me in. I'm pretty ashamed of this actually. I HAVE been trying to go to the gym here and there though. It's not part of my routine yet, but I'm getting better. I'm hoping that while I'm not hiking, at least getting to the gym a couple times a week will keep me in some kind of shape. Unfortunately I'm not always making it once or twice a week... I have a lot of work to do!

Hiking has never been far from my mind in these last few months. I got my very own set of hiking poles for Christmas from my parents and a cute hiking kit from my aunt and uncle for Hanukkah including hand warmers, a Shenandoah National Park water bottle and an Appalachian Trail bumper sticker. I attended an REI class on winter weather hiking, where I learned a bit about proper winter clothing and winter hiking safety measures (I also bought a wicking layer of silk there, because the smart wool underclothes were WAY out of my price range). I am signed up for another class at REI about preparing to hike the Appalachian Trail-- even though I'm not actually planning on hiking it any time soon, I think this class will get me in the mindset and give me a chance to meet and talk to interesting people preparing to take on this feat.

currently reading: There Are Mountains to Climb: An Inspirational Journey by Jean Deeds

photo source: http://www.goodreads.com/
The holiday hiking themed haul:
(be reminded that I am not being paid to show the brands in the pictures below, nor have I even tried any of my holiday haul yet, so cannot endorse one brand over another)

Future Goals: Appalachian Trail

2011-01-11T20:15:00.001-06:00

I remember reading A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson nearly ten years ago, before I had ever heard of the Appalachian Trail or really knew what it was. This was far before I had ever really gotten into hiking (though as I've mentioned, mountains and hiking have always held kind of a draw for me since childhood). But in the recent years, hiking has become a saving grace for me. Long weekend hikes prepare me for the long, draining work week ahead. It is a time to appreciate the beauty around me, learn about Missouri, and get lost in my own thoughts (or have no thoughts at all!).

I have a lot of short term goals in hiking. I have never done a hike longer than 9 miles, and those have been tough for me. I have never backpacked or camped or done an overnight hike. I am still terribly out of shape and would like to lose another 20 pounds. All of these goals need to be met and conquered before I attempt my ultimate goal: The Appalachian Trail. This is an incredible commitment, and I know not attempted lightly. I would need to take 6 months off of work, be in good physical condition, and have a wealth of knowledge in backpacking, camping, and wilderness safety. But I don't think it is unobtainable. I just have to be realistic that this goal might not be met until years in the future, when I am ready. But to hike this trail from start to finish would be amazing, and a real challenge. I hope that one day, I will actually do it, and not just dream about it.

I need to find and talk to people who have actually done the trail. I need to find some good books about the Appalachian Trail hike. And when it comes time to do the trail myself, I hope I will have someone to do the trail with!

Cliff Caves County Park

2010-12-04T12:08:00.000-06:00

I took off work for a couple of days because my sister is due to have a baby any day now. We've been having some pretty cold, nasty weather now that we've finally hit December and winter is here to stay, so when I heard that the weather was going to be a balmy 43 degrees yesterday, I grabbed the opportunity. I'm still not used to the change of waiting until midday to go hiking to beat the morning cold, the opposite of summer where you get up at the break of dawn to beat the heat.

Cliff Caves County Park has been updated since the second edition of 60 Hikes in 60 Miles that I own. What I really want is the third edition that came out this summer, but I feel silly buying a new edition when I still have so much to go in the one I already have, and I need to check to see whether the hikes are all the same or if he's added new ones and taken away others. But for the very fact that so many of the trails have changed, I may request this as a present for the holidays.

Cliff Caves County Park, for instance, used to be, as Steve Henry describes, "A spaghetti bowl of trails" where "trails change as often as people explore new routes" (pg. 4-5, 2nd edition). It seems these days that the County Parks have attempted to tame this place. Informational sign boards now tell us there are three main trails; the River Side Trail (5.1 miles, easy and flat), the Spring Valley Trail (2-3 miles), and the River Bluff Trail (1 mile). I did not attempt the River Side Trail because I did not really have time for another 5 miles, and because it is so flat and paved, it seems more of a gym-shoes and shorts kind of trail for better weather. Being up next to the Mississippi was pretty neat though.

The Spring Valley Trail is the trail that seems to still be in the latter stages of being tamed. Helpful trail markers and signposts are everywhere now, with both helpful and unhelpful arrows. They seem to be attempting to work out just one main loop of the trail, but the trail's past that Steve Henry had described is still very clear. Trails that go this way and that, unmarked, are still very easily picked out as you walk along. Sometimes the signposts attempt to guide you with arrows but there still seem to be too many choices-- and then sometimes you come to a fork or a three-way split in the past where there isn't a sign post and you are forced to make a choice. Some trails have been blocked off badly with piles of sticks and logs in attempts, I would guess, to stop people from choosing these pathways. I started off on the same path as a trail runner (these paths seem wonderful for trail running, if I was into that sort of thing), and then somehow ended up crossing paths with the same woman three times, but heading in opposite directions. You were never quite lost though because you always see a road or some houses in a subdivision that backs right up against the trail at times. It would seem that this park is hard to tame! I often didn't know what direction I was heading, if I had picked the main pathway or not, or even if I had finished the whole trail or my mileage just because of the trail network that isn't quite all there yet.

Parts of the trail are a bit monotonous (or at least they are in the winter), but it was peppered with strange bits of beauty that make the trail worth it. Tim Burton-esque ponds with dead trees in it, standing on top of a valley looking down on a stream and road below you while the trees bend eerily inwards like a tunnel. I gave up on the feeling of being a bit lost and knowing that I would easily make it back to the parking lot in no time, I enjoyed myself. The cave at the park is definitely the star. It seems that it has been closed off since 2009, which I was terribly disappointed by. Funny how one day I can be angry about peopled defacing ancient art in one post, but disappointed when I can't go into a cave for the same protective reasons (graffiti, endangered species, fragile ecosystems). I wish so bad that I could have come here a couple years ago, gotten a permit, explored the cave a little bit. But looking at the gated off cave has its own magic too. What a neat, wonderful place.

I also did the Bluff trail, which was shorter and slightly more straight forward (or so I thought). Saw a mountain biker, and the overlooks were indeed lovely. There are no fences to keep you from tumbling off the edge onto the train tracks below. The Mississippi Valley looked a bit gray because of the wintery weather while I was there, but it was still nice to sit and watch the barges pass in the distance. Finding my way back was a bit harder; I attempted to follow the signs and ended up once in a very large open grassy field with a signpost pointing outwards in no particular direction. I wandered the field for awhile before deciding the arrow must be pointing to a different outlet to the road near some houses. I wandered back, got a bit lost on the now winding trails, some signposted, others beaten out by what looked like horses. Overall, a fun trip that I'm sure I'll make again in time.

Little Grand Canyon and Piney Creek Ravine Nature Preserve

2010-11-20T09:54:00.001-06:00

Had another four day weekend after taking some time off work, so while there was still some gorgeous weather to be had my Dad and I had to take advantage. We'd both been talking about how much fun we'd had together on our last roadtrip hike, so we decided this time to take another couple hour car ride down to southern Illinois to visit the Little Grand Canyon and Piney Creek Ravine Nature Preserve. The drive felt longer than last time because it wasn't all highway, but we did go through some wonderful little towns, including the Home of Popeye the Sailor Man!

The Little Grand Canyon is somewhere I've been wanting to visit for a long time after reading about it in 60 Hikes in 60 Miles, and it did not disappoint! The drive there feels so out of the way that you can't imagine that other people will even be there (there were a few other cars, but we only saw two other people on the trail the entire time, heading back up to the parking lot)-- the road is so twisty and turny and full of farms and street names that don't exist. It was a very windy day, but sunny and still warm enough that I could get away with a couple layers (t-shirt, long-sleeved shirt, and a fleece). We took the trail counter clock-wise as suggested by Steve Henry, and this was definitely the right choice. Not only did it save the views and the easier hiking for the end, but when climbing back up some of the rocks I couldn't imagine trying to go DOWN that way! At first the trail had me a bit scared-- it was paved, something I don't really enjoy while hiking. But within just a few minutes, the trail turns into rock and starts switchbacking you down into the canyon (or whatever you want to call it). Once you flaten out, you are faced with a pathway between the rocks jutting up around you, turning into a steep pathway that requires quite a bit of climbing to get down to the bottom. The rocks were very slippery too, from both water and from all the fallen leaves. There were a few steps cut into the rocks here and there, but it wasn't always the best way to choose. Dad and I had fun scrambling around the rocks, trying not to slip and fall, and treating it like a puzzle to be solved.

After hitting the bottom, you walk in the flatlands under the cliffs for awhile, stepping over creeks and admiring the sheer awe of the rocks rising up beside you. The trail is fairly well marked, but the leaves did often make the trail sometimes hard to follow at times. The scenery is absolutely gorgeous. Eventually you have to climb back up to the level you started at, and this was slightly more challenging than climbing down. Once again, the steps aren't always the easiest choice, and I did quite a bit of climbing on hands and knees as I slowly made my way up. After that you walk along the cliff edge for quite a big before being treated to a few really lovely views of the valley, with the Missouri bluffs less than 10 miles in the distance. The trail seems to climb uphill forever for awhile, and certainly makes you work at it! The end of the trail evens out into a long pleasant walk in the woods before panning back out into pavement before hitting the parking lot. Absolutely BEAUTIFUL hike, and though it was only 3.6 miles long, the trail has challenging moments that give you a work out.

Piney Creek Nature Preserve was a bit of a disappointment, but not a bad hike in the end. About 2.25 miles in length, it's a fairly straightforward trail with mostly woods, and a few rocky areas for a bit of diversity. During a different time of year, though, I know that there would be streams and waterfalls which probably would have made the tail much more exciting. The trail is marked somewhat well, but has certain areas that are hard to follow and where the signposts have warped (not to mention the leaves, as usual, making the trail hard to pick out under your feet). It was a nice cool-down hike after the Little Grand Canyon. What the trail does boast is the biggest display of prehistoric rock art in southern Illinois. The problem is that there hasn't been much preservation measures taken so that any prehistoric art is almost impossible to pick out-- not to mention that the face of the wall is so full of graffiti and name carvings that if you DO think you see a prehistoric pictograph, you have no idea if it is real or fake. As a history buff, I find this sad and disappointing. This is not to say that I did not enjoy the trail. It was a lovely little walk in the woods, and the knowledge that there had been ancient rock art here is a really cool thing to think about.

Weekend Walks

2010-11-07T14:39:00.000-06:00

The beautiful weather is sticking around into November, though it's awfully cold in the mornings, and then slowly warms up during the day. It's absolutely my favorite weather. Today was actually pretty warm, with a strong sun to bring the temperature up to nearly 70.

No actual hikes done this weekend (though I had considered it), but I did do some walking. Yesterday did the Hickory Ridge Trail at Powder Valley-- this has two loops, one of which is about half a mile and one which is about a mile and a half. It actually gets a little confusing on which part of the trail you are on, but as far as I know it was the longer loop. Powder Valley is gorgeous this time of year, and this trail was really lovely. All the trails at Powder Valley are paved, but it's always kind of amazing to see this beautiful little wooded area hidden away in the middle of an urban area. The walk was relaxing, the views were lovely, and there's just enough incline here and there to keep you busy.

Today I also went back to Queeny Park to do the Hawk Ridge trail of about 4 miles. It was fairly busy (being the middle of the afternoon instead of the earlier morning when I've gone before), but not so much that it was unenjoyable. Even though a lot of the trees have lost their leaves, there is still just enough color here and there. I don't think Queeny Park could ever really be unattractive. I went with my roommate, who keeps me in check a bit. Not only is she more in shape than me to begin with, but she is also taller than I am (not a hard feat, I admit), so I have to quicken my own strides to keep up with her longer ones. I never liked running, but a good brisk walk is something I do enjoy. I felt really good afterwards, and even though I didn't get any real hiking in, I felt good that I had managed to get out a little to enjoy this gorgeous weekend. Once November hits, I kind of live each weekend like it could be the last nice one we have for months. I'm glad the sun and fall weather is sticking around though!

Sunrise hike at Lewis and Clark trail

2010-10-31T13:00:00.000-05:00

Today I did something I've always *wanted* to do, but was either too nervous and/or lazy to actually try. It was the perfect weekend too-- still somewhat warm (well, not warm, but not too cold to be bogged down with winter gear) and the last weekend before the time change that would have pushed sunrise back an entire hour.

That's right! I finally did my "catch the sunrise" hike today! Even though my original plan was to get up by 4/4:30am, I ended up pushing it back to about 5am because I've been having some sleep issues lately. I was packed and ready to go the night before, so all I did was get dressed and grab a few waffles to eat on the drive there. It was pitch dark still, and I had to stop along the way to get gas and use a bathroom (separate trips, unfortunately), so I actually got to the trailhead a little later than planned.

The first thing I noticed was how *dark* it was. Turning my car off made everything go quiet and dark. When I stepped out of the car (I was the only person in the parking lot), I noticed how many stars there were! It's incredible how every time I get out of the city, I remember how beautiful it is to see the stars. Stargazing is another thing that just makes me truly happy. So I stood in the parking lot looking up at the stars for a good while after getting my things together. It was pretty cold, so I was glad to have my fleece, hat, and gloves. I also had stolen my roommate's little lantern flashlight, not really meant for the outdoors, but it was the best I could do on short notice. The moon was about half full, so there was also a bit of light from the moon as well.

It was interesting how quickly it got light. The first peeks of twilight happen far before the sun actually rises. Slowly the woods became less dark and scary and more bright with early morning light. There was actually one hiker on the trail ahead of me (he had been parking when I went back to the car to get my hat). I had tried my best to stay a good distance away from him mostly because I know that I don't like someone tailing me on the trail (and also there are too many stories about hikers and axe murderers. Next time I take someone with me). Eventually, however, I ended up catching up to him at the first mile marker because it ended up we were both trying to do the same thing-- make it to the best lookout point in time for sunrise. We talked and walked the rest of the way to the overlook together: he told me about the sunrise hikes he did often and where he went to school, and it was actually really pleasant. Whoever you were, Hiking Man (I forget your name now), thanks for the pleasant morning conversation and unofficial morning tour of the trail.

Seeing the sun rise over the horizon from a bluff overlooking the Missouri River is an experience I won't easily forget. First came the very first peeks of color, which had been reflecting off some of the clouds for a good deal of time before the actual rising of the sun. Then, the very top of the sun peeked out over the horizon. It's amazing how FAST it actually happens, that you can actually watch the sun physically rise from obscurity into view. I took about a million pictures, all of which look mostly the same but I can't bear to get rid of them because it is like a flip book of the sunrise. I stayed there for nearly 40 minutes after the sun actually rose, just watching the colors and the changing of position, and the river below. After I finally got myself moving again, I finished the Clark trail (decided on just the 5.3 mile option today) exhausted by extremely happy. I can see myself doing more sunrise hikes in the future!

I know the pictures aren't great: I don't have a good enough camera or good enough knowledge on how to take pictures in that kind of lighting. Hopefully one day I will! I am sure I will post most of the pictures, no matter how alike they all are, at facebook: hiking album on facebook

Creve Coeur Lake

2010-10-22T13:00:00.001-05:00

I didn't do nearly as much hiking as I wanted to during my week off, but the trip to Johson's Shut Ins was totally enough to make up for that. I did do a walk at Creve Coeur Lake today though. I took the main Lakeview loop for most of the way around, probably 3.5 miles or so, and also added on the Mallard Lake loop for an extra 2.6 miles. Even though it was a good length, the paved trail and level ground makes for a really nice walk that is best for exercising. I kept up a good pace most of the time (except when I stopped to take pictures), but I did slow down for the pedestrians only section of the Mallard Lake loop, where suddenly the trail became more gravel and the surroundings quieter and peaceful. I even saw two deer during this section. Creve Coeur Lake is a place I really like to go when I need some exercise but don't feel like driving out to do a big hike.

Day Trip: Elephant Rocks State Park & Johnson's Shut Ins

2010-10-20T23:02:00.002-05:00

Taking advantage of an absolutely beautiful day off, my father and I took a road trip about 2.5 hours away from St. Louis to go see some natural wonders of Missouri that, despite living here nearly all my life, I have never seen. This included Elephant Rocks State Park and Johnson's Shut Ins. I took over 100 pictures there, and tried to narrow it down to about 50 for the facebook photo album. There was just something about this place that was just intensely beautiful, especially in fall.

Elephant State Park was pretty amazing. We stayed on the main Braille Trail, which seems to mostly go around the perimeter of the main rock dome. Though we did see what seemed to maybe be another trail marked by blue cards on the trees, there didn't seem to be any signs or information nearby about what the other trails were. The trail itself was uneventful, all paved and even, but really interesting in the fact that the trail accomodates for any visitors with visual or physical impairments. The trail would sometimes take a short break for sightseeing like an old railroad engine house with a bit of track still left in it. The best part is definitely the trail when it leads up onto the rock domes of Elephant Rocks, overlooking piles of stones leftover from when the area was a quarry, or over the giant rocks that give the park it's name. Climbing over the giant rocks, squeezing through the narrow passageways, and overlooking into the Ozark hills was a brilliant experience, certainly worth it!

Johnson's Shut Ins, however, was the clear star of this trip for me. There aren't even words to really quite explain how overwhelming this place was. I've never seen an area quite like it. Usually during the summer, this area is full to the brim with the people who have come to swim and immerse themselves in the surging waters of the Shut Ins, but on this warm October day in the middle of the workweek, the park was mostly empty and the water was at a fairly low level. We first did the Shut-Ins trail. At first I was worried, because the trail is mostly just a boardwalk following the shut-in waters and rocks. We walked down the steps "at our own risk" and climbed over the rocks and water, exploring the shapes the rocks have slowly been worn into, how deep some of the pools were, how the water gushed out between the rocks below our feet in others. Then we continued to follow the trail to the overlook, where the boardwalk ended and the trail turned a sharp right. From this point on, the trail was all soil, rocks, and climbing. I have to say that the Shut Ins Trail was one of the more challenging trails I've done in a long, long time despite only being a few miles long!!! There was a lot of uphill climbing and carefully slippery downhill descents. While the trail was for the most part well marked, at one point it joins with the Ozark Trail leaving you wondering if you've accidentally strayed from your path. Parts of the trail actually demand that you climb up hillsides of rock into the glades, leaving your out of breath. There are parts of the trail, especially when you follow in the sand right next to the pools of the river, where the trail is somewhat overgrown, but worth it. We stopped to picnic for a snack at one of the pooling points of the river. The trail was completely empty (any other visitors had not gone down the rest of the trail) and sitting there on the rocks with the ozark hills all around you is the most peaceful and amazing feeling. Between the overlooks of the shut ins and the river, the glades in the hillsides, the deep woods and the rocky dirt trail, this trail was exciting and quite a work out!!!

After we made the whole loop, my Dad and I went back down in the shut ins to climb around the rocks, where we took off our shoes and relaxed by dipping our feet in the very cold rushing water! It was exhilerating and the perfect way to end a long hike. I can see how this area, when the water is higher and the sun is hot, can be crowded (people are actually turned AWAY from this park during the summer after it hits maximum content). We finished the day off the the shorter Glades trail, which was not nearly as exciting as the first trail, but a nice quiet way to end the day after our lunch of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. This hike also did have a really nice overlook when it came up into the glades, especially with all the trees turning colors in the distance. Lots of gnats on this trail though, but that could have been the time of day/temperature/etc. By the time we were done, we were too tired out from all the sun to do the last trail, the Scour trail, which actually looked a bit challenging, but have no doubt that I will return to do this sometime, as well as check out all the other hiking in the area, like Taum Sauk Mountain! Dad and I also saw the old mine off of US 67, but it was closed.

Queeney Park (with photos this time)

2010-10-18T13:50:00.001-05:00

I have the WHOLE week off from work!!! I'm hoping I can do a lot of hiking during that time. Yesterday my roommate and I took a 4.5 mile walk around the neighborhood, which felt really good. My original plan for today had been to get up really early and try to catch the sunrise at Lewis & Clark trail overlooking the river, but I slept very badly last night-- I figured the time to do a 5-9 mile hike is NOT when you've only managed to grab four or five hours of sleep. So instead I reset my alarm and had a lovely breakfast with my father at the Bread Company, where I had a breakfast power sandwich, two cups of tea, and really nice long conversations with my Dad. Afterwards, I decided I better get some exercise anyhow and went back to Queeny Park for a walk.

Started out again on the Hawk Ridge Trail for most of the hike, but took a few detours on the .2 mile lake spur so I could get a look at the really pretty lakes where some people were fishing, which joined to the very end of the dogwood trail, which then met up halfway through the White Oak trail, which I took back to the Hawk Ridge Trail for the last bit of the trail. I even walked about halfway down the Fox Run Trail before turning back because I decided I was ready to head home and eat lunch. It was kind of nice to get a feel for the other trails at Queeny Park, which were much clearer of horse dropping this time around, so they must be really good about cleaning it.

FLASHBACK 2006: Salzburg, Austria--Gaisberg

2010-10-10T09:16:00.000-05:00

In the winter/spring of 2006, I had the amazing opportunity to study abroad in Salzburg, Austria. This was, as many had said it would be, a life-changing experience. My living there was partially responsible for my now obsession with hiking, though as a child I continually told my father I wanted to climb mountains and, at one point, even became upset because I wanted to live in the Alps like Heidi (my father claims I cried, but I will deny this). I didn't really take enough advantage of Austria while I was there, which always seems to be the case. I was 20-25 pounds heavier then than I am now, so I wasn't really up for a lot of hiking either. However, despite the fact that I was eating a lot more in Austria than I was at home, I was losing weight. In Salzburg, I walked everywhere. Even when I took the bus to and from school/town, walking to and from the bus stop was a start. When I would go out at night with friends to the beer gardens, the buses would stop running and a bus taxi would cost too much money, so we would simply walk the few miles back to the house I was staying at with my hose family. The scenery was gorgeous. Walking along the Salzach River or up along the fortress overlooking the city, chances to walk were everywhere.

Sometime in the early spring, I went with a group of my school mates to hike up Gaisberg. To us, it was a mountain, but to the Austrians it was surely little more than a glorified hill compared to the mountains that stand out so sharply in the skyline. It stands about 4,226 ft and seemed a popular spot for paragliding. I was probably far too out of shape to do this hike. As I was overweight, my asthma was worse then than it is now. This was the first thing I had climbed where the landscape actually changed into SNOW halfway up. I managed to stick with my friends for a little bit, but quickly fell behind. I told them to keep going without me, but didn't turn back. I was determined to do this, on my own if I had to, no matter what. It was a hard trek, I won't lie. While a lot of the details are fuzzy from nearly 5 years ago, I remember a lot about how breathtaking the scenery was. I remember being passed up by old Austrians with white hair and walking sticks, and thinking of what a great quality of life these people must live. I remember the ground slowly turning into snow and ice, and how hard it was to see the trail and get traction-- I was wearing terrible shoes that looked like hiking boots, but were clearly either not well fitting or more for fashion than climbing.

I reached the top and felt more accomplished than I had in awhile. The view of Salzburg and Austria stretching out before me was gorgeous, the mountains in the distance, the paragliders jumping off the edge one by one. I really do think that what had always been a fascination from afar with hiking had become something else entirely.

Here is my original blog entry for this hike when I wrote it on April 8th, 2006: Livejournal Entry for Gaisberg 2006

Queeney Park: Hawk Ridge Trail

2010-10-09T10:54:00.001-05:00

Fall is finally here! The leaves on the trees are slowly turning colors, the morning air is just a tad bit crisper (though today it was getting warm fast in the direct sun, with an expected high this afternoon of 88 degrees). It's the time of year where I try my best to go hiking at least once per week. Today I went to Queeny Park based on a recommendation from a coworker. I wasn't sure what to expect and couldn't decide whether it would be a hiking trail or more like a park trail. I wore my usual hiking pants and boots, but next time I go I think I will definitely wear gym shoes and work-out shorts if it's warm enough-- the park reminded me a lot of Creve Coeur Lake trail. It was crowded with runners and dog walkers, but because of wide pathways it actually didn't bother me too much most of the time. Because it is in an urban area, there is quite a bit of traffic noise from time to time, but my ipod fixed that easily enough. Queeny park also offers a lot of equestrian trails-- one big drawback about this is that there was horse droppings from time to time on the trail. I have to admit, though, I really, really enjoyed this place!

The park may have been updated since the edition of 60 Hikes I have was put out. Many of the landmarks Steve Henry uses weren't there, but it hardly mattered. While there are a LOT of trails throughout the park, there were multiple signs posted along the trail with maps showing the trail network as well as your position in time, and the trails themselves are very easy to follow and well marked. I chose to do the main loop that follows the park perimeter, the Hawk Ridge Trail, which runs about 4.4 miles. About 1/3 of the trail is pavement, and the other 2/3 of the pathway are gravel and rock with the entire route being very wide and spacious. I found the trail to be a little more various than the Creve Coeur Lake trail, both in scenery and in offering a little bit of incline here and there (though nothing strenuous). I passed through a lot of medows, native grass growth areas, and deeper wooded areas. Large open green areas that the trail goes through seem to be meant for horses, with obsticles for jumping and running. The trail never really strayed off of the well worn path, so not a lot of challenge, but it is a good way to get in a longer walk without being gone for two or three hours. In fact, I almost thought about doing another round before heading home!

I did not explore the other trails except to look at the maps to see the general directions of where they went. Since the Hawk Ridge Trail goes all along the outside of the park, I was left with some curiosity about what the center of the park holds. You could probably wander for hours throughout the trails, crisscrossing back and forth. Despite the drawbacks of crowds and horse droppings, all the cons of this trail are definitely won over by the absolute beauty of this park. It is strange to find such a nice piece of land nestled in between housing projects and roads and still get a feeling just a little bit of wilderness. Between the numerous lakes, grassy fields, native prairies, and shady woods filled with giant white oaks (some of which are thought to be over 250 years old), Queeny Park definitely kept my interest. I could see myself returning there easily as an alternative to Creve Coeur Lake when I need a morning exercise walk, either to do the Hawk Ridge Trail again or explore the inner workings of the park.

Brought my camera, but forgot the memory card so I was only able to take 6 or 7 pictures and I'm not sure if I'm able to get them off. I will try though.

Return to Valley View Glades

2010-10-03T17:00:00.000-05:00

A very good friend of mine who had moved to New York is back in town for a couple weeks, so I knew Allison and I had to go hiking as soon as she came! As we sat looking through my hiking book watching movies, we came across the Valley View Glades hike in Hillsboro, Missouri that I had done almost exactly one year ago. I remember being completely taken in by the landscape, so that was the trip we made.

Hillsboro is about an hour away from where I stay, but the drive is fairly painless-- I don't enjoy driving 270 much, but MO-21 is an easy, mostly empty route. There was quite a bit more vegetation this time despite the fact that it is September and last year I went on this hike in November. Most of the trees still had their green leaves, though a good deal of them were just starting to be touched by color. The grass over the glades was the same golden brown color that I remember from last time. We took the path counter-clockwise this time around. The hike is a wonderful mix of open areas of glade and deep forests. I'd say more of the hike is forest than the open glades, but it is nice to walk in and out of both throughout the 3 miles. The streams were dry for the most part this time, with the exception of a few pools here and there, but there were a ton of really fascinating mushrooms that we both had a great time taking pictures of to look up later. We saw a great deal of birds as well, and the trail was nearly completely empty the entire way. It was wonderful to revisit this trail, and I will surely to so again-- maybe in spring, when the wild flowers are blooming!

Rockwoods Reservation: Prairie, Lime Kiln and Turkey Ridge trails

2010-09-06T14:03:00.000-05:00

Some beautiful weather this weekend and a day off of work for Labor Day made for a perfect hiking day, despite the fact that I haven't been in two months... I can't believe it's really been that long! On Saturday I did a bit of a city hike-- I was babysitting and the child fell asleep in the stroller about two minutes after we were on our way to the park. I ended up taking her on a two-hour walk all over University City that probably ended up somewhere around 4 miles long, if not longer. But it was nice to actually get out in the woods again today.

Rockwoods Reservation is in Wildwood, Missouri and was established in 1938. I've been doing a lot of hikes out by the Defience, Missouri area for awhile (like my favorite Lewis & Clark), so I thought it would be nice to change it up a little. It was pretty easy to find, and the hills really start popping up along highway 44, which makes for a bit of nice driving as well. I saw a personal record of one snake, six deer (do they always travel in pairs like that?), and a lot of butterflies. Because of the number or rocks on the trail, I'd recommend a pair of shoes you can rely on-- I'm not saying they have to be fancy hiking boots, but make sure they have some traction. I doubt anyone is quite as clumsy and graceless as I am, but I trip all over the place on these kinds of trails, and the parts of the trail that are covered in small loose rocks were a bit slippery! One of the only complaints about the trail is that for a great deal of the time I was on both trails, there was a lot of traffic noise (and a few train whistles) that I found distracting, but that isn't to say there weren't some really nice quiet spots as well. I definitely want to return as well and do the trails I didn't make it to today.

I stopped first at the Prairie Trail, which is hardly a trail but beautiful nonetheless. Only about 500 yards in a circle, it goes through a patch of native grasses and prairie land that was absolutely beautiful in the morning sunlight. It was certainly worth the small walk and was a nice way to kind of start out the morning before my longer hike. Next was the 3.2 miles Lime Kiln Trail, which gets the name from the 400 ft. tall lime kiln that is at the trailhead, built in the 1850s. It's a really neat landmark, and there is some interesting information posted at the trail for you to read to if you like your history with your hikes (as I do). I hiked the trail counter-clockwise as Steve Henry's book suggests, and man is there a lot of climbing on this trail! The first ascents were really quite steep, and I'm out of shape! They were tough too because it was a mix of roots and packed dirt, and lots of loose rocks. You seem to climb up pretty high on this trail, for quite a bit (though there are some lulls with some more level pathways) before leveling out a bit onto a mostly dirt-packed trail. These trails are less scenic view trails and more tranquil forest scenes. While there is nothing spectacular about the views, it is a beautiful landscape nonetheless. The switchbacks back down are rocky and keep you on your toes, and you can tell when you're getting close to the end because it levels out and follows the main road for awhile next to a stream before coming back full circle to the kiln. Even though it isn't a long trail, it is definitely a great balance of calm wood walking and rocky ascents that require quite a bit more effort.

I finished up my visit by doing the 2 mile Turkey Ridge Trail, which I didn't enjoy nearly as much as the other trail, but a part of this was that there was a small group of people pretty close behind me which always distracts me and makes me feel like I want to keep some distance-- so I kind of rushed the trail too much. Turkey Ridge has about the same scenery as the Lime Kiln Trail with perhaps a little less variety (though there is a really nice pine grove towards the end you walk next to), but still a good balance of steeper inclines, calm dirt-packed paths through the woods, and lots of rocks so there is still a bit of challenge to the hike.

At least I'm getting some exercise...

2010-07-25T22:45:00.000-05:00

No real hiking again. Lots of thunderstorms and rain have probably made the trails a little hazardous, and along with heat up near 100 degrees and humidity enough to melt you, I admit to being too cowardly to brave it. Thanks to a roommate who is much more health conscious than I am, I did do the 3.7 mile Creve Coeur Lake trail again both Saturday AND Sunday morning this weekend, which I am very proud of.

Matson Hill Park success & Daniel Boone Judgement Tree

2010-07-05T16:44:00.000-05:00

I finally made it to Matson Hill Park trail and found the trail open! This was my third try (wow). Now this path was supposedly built for trail biking, according to 60 Hikes, and sure enough I only saw one other person on foot the entire time, but it wasn't too hard to share the trail with the bikers. This trail is past Lewis & Clark on 94, after driving through Defiance, Missouri and turning right at the Matson Hill Katy Trail stop, up a long gravel road. There's a picnic bench and a johnny-on-the-spot at the trailhead, which is kind of nice as well.

Started out about 7:45am, the weather already climbing close to 80 degrees. But this trail seems perfect for a hot day, almost all deep forests and very shaded, lending itself to light breezes. Even though I did get really hot by the end of the hike, for the most part I was comfortable. It's very different than some of the hikes in the area, with no real wow factors of cliffs or the Missouri River, but it's very relaxing and beautiful nonetheless. For the most part the trail is forest and hollows, lots of greenery. Another plus is that it is a very quiet trail since the main roadways are far off. I heard more birds on this trail than I have in a long time, and caught glimpses of quite a few of those birds, as well as a raccoon. It was incredibly peaceful to stop in the trail and just listen... even the light breeze seemed to make the whole forest come alive with sound. There were more than a few times I stopped to just relax in the shade and stare off into space, even though this was not a long trail and I didn't have lunch with me or anything.

There are two rusting car doors along the trail that I found interesting, as well as one area where you can see a creek that opens up into what might be a very small lake, but is too far down below you to really reach or see beyond the trees. The path is mostly dirt, with some rocky areas thrown in. The trail is marked, but still very confusing. You can't really get lost on the trail, which is nice, but there are quite a few juntions where you have to make a choice on which way to go, and the map isn't always very helpful, and the signs don't usually tell you where each trail cut-off leads. I had to make a few educated guesses based on my map in hopes that I was taking the full loop and not a shortcut. The trail markings are posts, arrows on trees, and also orange and pink ribbons tied around trees (which may have been left over from a recent bike race), but I still spent a lot of time concerned with which path had I taken-- not all the trail break offs are marked on the maps either.

Overall, though, I thought this was a beautiful, peaceful trail, if a little confusing. Lots of bugs, but that can be said of any trail this time of year! Afterwards I stopped at the Daniel Boone Judgement Tree Memorial Site which is right off 94 by the Katy Trail. This had nice information about Daniel Boone, nice scenery (even though I'm fairly sure this wasn't the actual site of the tree), as well as some really interesting information about the Katy Trail, and the towns of Defiance and Augusta.

Creve Coeur Lake

2010-06-28T22:37:00.001-05:00

Sunday morning my roommate and I got up early to go walk at Creve Coeur Lake. We had discussed a hike somewhere, but decided that with the impending heat and possible thunderstorms, a shorter drive would allow us more time to actually walk. We made it by 7:30, even though it was already a bit hot and muggy. It was also already a little crowded. We entered the park via the Marine Rd. entrance, and parked there, heading counter clockwise as to do the sunny part of the walk first and ending with the shady foresty bits last as the weather heated up. No pictures this time, as this was primarily an exercise trip. Next time I go, though!

Cons of this trail are definitely the crowds, even at early hours-- as it gets later, you get lots of families and children too. Also, there were some very cranky bike-riders on the trail who seemed very fed up with all the walkers. It's kind of a tight trail for everyone to share, admittedly. However the breeze coming up off the lake are wonderful (as well as the peaceful sights of the lake itself and the rowers out on the water), and the scenery is just beautiful!!! Marshland meets forest and wildflowers. It's a beautiful, peaceful walk despite the people, and the transitions between different types of landscapes is lovely-- from lakefront to marshes to green green trees.

Another drawback of the lake walk is the noise from traffic through parts of it. However at one point, the paved trail goes underneath the Page Extension, which essentially is a highway now. It's kind of an incredible site. It seems like the sudden shock of such a piece of non-natural scenery would ruin the landscape, but it is almost like a secret world. The highway rises so far above almost all the trees in the area; I've never been underneath a highway bridge like that before, and it's bigger than I imagined! Above are the heard but unseen cars, but underneath is a utopia of the little streams leading to the lakes, the forested areas carpeted with green. It brings to mind a picture of a post-apocalyptic world, if only the cars couldn't be heard. As if the highway has overgrown, but still exists at the same time.

We did a little over 3.5 miles, doing the main walk, Lakeview Loop with a little side trip up the Medows Loop, but cut back through the parking lot to the main trail before we got too far, not knowing exactly how far it was or where it went. The park seems to have 3 main trail (the two mentioned above, along with the Mallard Lake Loop, and then also the Creve Coeur Connector trail which I believe goes to the Katy Trail. You could connect some of the trails to make a much longer walk, but it would take some planning. There is also a new trail, it seems, called the Bootlegger's Run, which is more of a hiking path from what I can see, but there isn't much info on it on the website that I have found. I have yet to check this out, but it would be a close option next time I'm looking for a trail in the area.

Loved this walk. We finished in just under an hour, and then headed to the Bread Company for water, fruit cups, and relaxed while reading the paper.

map of Creve Coeur Lake and various paths

Matson Hill Trail failure #2

2010-06-15T18:49:00.000-05:00

Attempted to do a hike today at Matson Hill Park, a second try since the trail was closed last time I tried to go. Must have bad luck with this trail, because it was rained out despite leaving very early in hopes of beating the heat and the thunderstorms. A little bit of rain doesn't bother me while hiking, but I don't to be a mile or two into the trail when a really bad thunderstorm hits. Took a couple of pictures as it started raining, since the tree coverage was nice. The colors looked wonderful in the rain. I managed to get back into my car right as a torrential rain and thunder and lightning started, and sat until it eased up a little bit. It was very peaceful, even if I was stuck inside my car. When the rain slowed down to a drizzle, a man from the Park's Service came and put a "Trail Closed" sign up, so that was that. The sky looked questionable still, so I decided to just explore and drive around.

After a rainstorm like that, the countryside almost starts looking tropical. Everything is really green and you can see steam rising up from the forests and hills. The air was a little cooler, so I got to drive with my windows down, but the mugginess of the humidity was pretty stifiling. It also got very hot very fast, and the mosquitoes were everywhere. It's been quite a few months since I've been out, so getting to see the area in late sping/early summer was really pretty. I stopped by the Katy Trail to look around, the Daniel Boone homestead site (which wasn't open yet), and the Weldon Springs Interpretive Center, which is a covered mound 75 feet tall that was the answer to clean up of waste products-- the area had been used to make TNT during the 40s, and an uranium processing plant in the 50s. You can climb up to the top of the mound and look around the area. Check out the website here: http://www.greatriverroad.com/stcharles/weldonsite.htm

Not a total loss today. Though I didn't get the nice walk I really wanted, I still got a long peaceful drive in the country. Next weekend it is supposed to be even hotter, so I'm wondering if it will be awhile again until I'm able to really get back to doing what I love best.

More purchases, but still no hiking

2010-05-31T01:18:00.003-05:00

Next week it will have been two months since I've gone on a hike. Preparing to get back into hiking very soon, despite the long weeks of very hot and stormy weather. Met a few more people interested in hiking through a friend, so might have yet another hiking club I'll be able to join when I don't feel like going on my own. My allergies and asthma got better for awhile, then came back (but much less worse this time) for awhile, but I think I'm about ready to at least start slow by next week, if the weather isn't too killer hot.

Went to the big REI sale today. Bought another pair of merino wool hiking socks so that I won't have to wash the same pair every time I go. I also finally bought a pair of pants to hike in that aren't jeans, and they were almost $20 off the normal price! REI brand women's rendezvous convertible pants with UPF +50. It is a blend of 95% nylon and 5% spandex, and they seem very lightweight and roomy, which will be a great change after hiking in sticky, uncomfortable jeans for over a year. They're a petite size, so they actually will be just right with my boots on, and zip off just under the knee to convert into shorts if I get really overheated (though I'd like to avoid that and avoid ticks if I can, but it is nice to have the option). I also finally caved and got a membership at REI... this means 20% coupons, free rock climbing on their wall, and discount prices to some of their classes. Once I get into backpacking and needing more equipment, it will be nice to have those discounts too.

I can't wait to get back into the swing of things. Maybe next weekend...?

Health puts things on hold...

2010-05-11T01:05:00.000-05:00

I haven't been hiking now in over a month, and I can really feel the difference in my moods because of it. But taking care of myself has to come first. This has been the worst allergy season I've had in years-- my allergy shots haven't been working and my asthma got so bad at one point I was using my nebulizer three or four times a day and having asthma attacks from even the most simple day-to-day actions. I was in no shape to be hiking at all, especially out in nature where I have a whole lovely list of pollens, molds, and grasses I'm allergic to. In the last week my allergies and asthma have finally started settling down, but I've promised myself that I am going to wait until I'm absolutely positive I am capable before heading out on a hike again, despite some gorgeous weather we've been having.

I did go see a free class offered by REI on Leave No Trace Behind. While I've done no backpacking in my life, camping and backpacking is something I have a lot of interest in and would really love to work up to. The seminar was really interesting and I learned a lot about Leave No Trace Behind. The talk was given by Ambre Tiggs, who runs Ginko Adventures, a local hiking/backpacking/rockclimbing/everything nature club. I have often thought about applying to go on one of her trips, and hopefully will sometime in the future. I was also introduced to the coordinator of the St. Louis Adventure Group (or SLAG) when I asked a question about opportunities to learn about wildlife first aid. I was invited to look into their group as well as a free way to meet people interested in outdoor activities as I am, and will probably look into that as well. While at REI, I also started looking for a nice pair of hiking pants I can wear in the summer that aren't jeans! I'll have to shell out at least $50 for this, but it seems like a sound investment to me!

So despite a dry month of indoor living, it was not all a waste. I'm hoping that in the next two weeks or so, I will feel confident enough in my health to start going back outdoors and maybe start building up to some hiking again soon! Maybe before St. Louis summer gets too unbearable!

Lost Valley Trail

2010-04-04T22:17:00.029-05:00

Despite my lack of hiking for over a month, this weekend I thought I'd push myself to do a 9-mile hike at Lost Valley Trail, which is around the Weldon Springs/Defiance area on Route 94, same area as a ton of other trails including the Lewis & Clark. Very different than Lewis & Clark trail though, despite the trail head being only a couple miles down the road from it, albeit on the other side-- no rocky outcrops overlooking the river, but lots of crossings over the Little Femme Osage Creek and valleys and forests and fields and marshland.

Had to battle allergies. I've had chronic allergies since grade school, but only in the last two years or so really started aggressively fighting them with shots that started every week, and now I'm down to one shot a month. I feel like they came out of nowhere this year though, and haven't actually managed to go restock on some medicine. Sunday was also uncharacteristically hot, about 80 degrees, so I wasn't getting the beautifully cool day I'd been looking for, but at least for a good deal of the hike, there was a nice breeze.

I seemed to be one of the few hikers on this trail, but it was very busy with mountain bikers. The trail is marked as being for both, though, so I didn't really feel I was often in the way. I bet this trail is often busy though, because even though it was Easter Sunday, I had a lot of biking company. Despite this, there were looong stretches of the trail where I was completely and utterly alone, so I surprisingly didn't feel overcrowded. One of my main issues with the trail is farther along, you can constantly hear gunshots from a nearby firing range which kind of takes away from the peace and quiet I was seeking. Otherwise the trail was well marked most of the time, as well as marked with mileage which is always something I appreciate. There was also a lot of debris along the trail in the form of mostly rotting metal. Kind of interesting to see random things at various stages of rust and decay, but also kind of strange. Really cool parts though included an old chimney, an old metal shelter just off the road, as well as a small section of trail where the daffodils absolutely overwhelmed the surround trees. I also saw my first snake-- not sure what kind, mostly black with a whitish yellow underbelly (have a picture).

I loved the scenery. It was very peaceful, and while not having as many wow moments as something like hte Lewis & Clark trail, there was also a variety of landscapes to enjoy so it was harder to be bored. Sometimes you would be walking through the woods, sometimes crossing over creeks, sometimes wandering down old gravel roads that at times were overgrown with grass, as well as crossing large open fields, with a variety of flowers and trees (that were only just started to bud). I got really, really tired though between mile 5 and 6, really feeling the soreness in my legs. I found a spot where I could hop offtrail and sit on the bank of the creek, where I took off my shoes and soaked my feet for a bit in the water. The water was still freezing, but it was super refreshing. There also didn't seem to be a lot of good stops to stop and rest or eat, and often I just sat down on the side of the gravel road. I also didn't pack enough water for this hike, so I need to rethink that. Great hike, even though it tired me out, and I loved the location.

My next goal: buy some hiking pants as soon as humanely possibly. Hiking in jeans in even slightly warm weather is overheating and very uncomfortable. I think I will make a stop by REI. I just don't want to spend a million dollars on them, but I think the change will be significant.

Katy Trail & Klondike Park

2010-03-08T21:38:00.001-06:00

With a day off of 60 degree weather and a forecast of rain all week afterward, I couldn't deny myself a trip outdoors even though I had taken the day off to rest and try to shake this cough and congestion I've had for over three weeks now. Roomie Ashley joined me. Originally we had been going to Matson Hill Trail, which is actually mostly for mountain biking, but is also listed as a good hiking trail by the 60 Hikes book. However, once we arrived there found that a "trail closed" sign. How disappointing! After a quick look through this book, I thought we'd check out Klondike Trail.

Too bad we turned too soon and parked at the boating ramp river access instead of the actual park! This was kind of confusing for us, and we ended up walking down quite a bit of the Katy trail instead, even though parallel to the Katy trail at the parking lot was a trail access to Klondike Park too... which I didn't notice until the walk back to the car. The Katy trail is always nice though, with beautiful huge cliffs to one side that are dizzying to look up-- we even saw a Beaver (we think that's what it was) climbing up the steep slope! It was shady and empty of most people, since it was the middle of the day on a Monday, but we ran into quite a few workers on the trail with large machinery that was slightly mood-killing.

After a bit on the Katy Trail, we found another access trail to Klondike Park, a hill leading upwards where we found a lake surrounded by lots of rocks and white sand, not at all what I was expecting to find. We walked around the lake, which was lovely, the sand was almost blinding. We finally found the trails that we had been expecting there, and took a bit of the Power-Line trail that, as the name suggests, follows along some tall telephone-pole-like structures, while down beneath is the Katy trail and in the distance a the power-station, which seems to make a noise that you can hear even at the distance. A noisy trail, I'd suggest music of your own. I'd like to return to Klondike Park and see it as it is supposed to be seen, because I have a feeling that the trail point that starts at the boat access point by the Katy Trail probably takes you up to the cliffs for nice views.

The Katy Trail

First sight of the lake at Klondike Park

The white sand almost looks like snow, but with 60 degree weather, it isn't!

Power-line Trail at Klondike Park

Very industrial revolution view mixed with nature from the trail at Klondike-Park.

view from the nearby Sugar Creek Winery, with Katy Trail and highway 94 below.

Return to Lewis & Clark Trail

2010-02-27T22:58:00.005-06:00

I have a confession to make: I was an irresponsible hiker today. Only a few minutes into my hike I realized how muddy the trail was and that I really shouldn't be using it. I know that using a trail that is in bad muddy and wet conditions is bad for the trail, I honestly do. But after over a month again of being stuck indoors with snow and weather in the teens or below, I couldn't help myself. Neither could the rest of the world, it seemed. The trailhead parking lot was actually packed full!

I wanted to return to Lewis & Clark trail because I think that, with all the amazing hikes I've done, this trail still has some of the most beautiful scenic outlooks ever. I was going with my friend Allison, who is a big nature lover and I knew she would enjoy the trail. We decided to do the shorter trail, the Clark trail, which runs about 5.3 miles total. In the mud, however, this was a much more difficult feat than anticipated, but we stuck it through! Afterwards we were both so exhausted and covered in mud that our feet weighed about ten pounds-- but we felt accomplished!

The Lewis & Clark trail is very different in winter. I did this trail last in September, when everything was still green and growing. Going along the trail with all the trees bare was a new experience because it meant you could actually see the river for a lot more of the hike! The first scenic outlook point, about a mile into the trail with a bench and a few rocks was almost completely obscured by foliage in the late summer/early fall, but in the winter, you could see it clear as could be from awhile up the trail. The trail was spotted with sunny spots, some of the side ponds were still frozen over, and the surrounding forests when deep in the ravines felt more open and breathable. The mud, however, was very disheartening. At times it was so wet and thick that it threatened to suck our shoes right off our feet. At one point Allison and I found that it was actually easier to sprint over the muddiest spots (That sometimes seemed to last a whole mile without a dry break) than to trudge slowly.

The overlooks were no less beautiful, despite the trees being bare. I found a lovely sunny spot to sit and look out at the river and watch the turkey buzzards soar overhead. I lost the trail in the same place I did the last time, right at the creekbed at the very bottom of the valley, and some helpful hikers once again pointed me in the direction of the yellow sign where the two trails split. Taking the Clark trail was a nice change, shorter, but with some definite hills to climb that were very difficult (especially in the mud)! I really worked hard on this hike, and was definitely ready to climb in the car and get home when it was over, but it was SO nice to be back out of doors.

Not a lot of pictures, partially because I've been here before, but mostly because I was too busy watching my feet in the mud trying not to hurt myself!

Frozen pond on the first mile of the trail

we found a dry spot to look at our muddy shoes, but it was only the beginning!

My once pristine new hiking boots finally put to good use.

Pickle Springs Natural Area- Trail Through Time

2010-01-18T23:07:00.000-06:00

A holiday day off work paired with 50 degree weather was a good reason as any to spend the day hiking with my friend Tanya, as I'd been meaning to all winter. The day didn't look like it would turn out to be much, staying pretty cold well into the late morning with clouds and fog all over the place, but sure enough it warmed up and the sun even peeked out a few times! I wasn't sure how pretty a hike would be in mid January, but Pickle Springs was the absolutely perfect choice.Not only are there a lot of colors to be seen, from red ground to green-teal moss on the rocks, but also beautiful ice formations hanging from the rocks.

There is something to see almost every few minutes on the 2 mile trail at Pickle Springs, which took me much longer to hike than a normal 2-miler would because I had to keep stopping and exploring and admiring the sites. At the trailhead is a helpful booklet that outlines the trail, gives trail history, and gives information about the landmarks you will see on the loop, which was really helpful to have. Right away you find yourself at "The Slot," a passage way through the rocks-- this is where we got our first glimpse of the ice formations.The "Cauliflower Rocks" at first glance through the trees are impressive, not just for their size, but for the growth that gives them a bright green coloring. The "Double Arch" and the "Keyhole" are fun to sit in and explore, and you can do a bit of climbing and exploring around the rocks for views. As you continue through the trail, you cross over quite a few creeks (most of which were unfrozen due to the warmed weather, though all the ice formations were still intact-- a perfect combination) and miniature waterfalls. There is absolutely no sounds of traffic on this trail, so if there isn't a lot of pedestrian traffic, you can close your eyes and hear only the water. The ice-formations continue to be viewed along the whole trail, especially over the bluffs that surround you as you walk. "Spirit Canyon" had some particularly amazing formations, and you can just feel the chill radiating from the rocks as you get close.

The "Dome Rock Overlook" suddenly plunges you into what feels like a totally different environment. You are standing on what the guidebook calls "the largest hoodoo complex in the Natural Area." The trees are twisted and still green, and almost gave me the feeling that I was in another country. The views of the hills and trees and rocks are beautiful. You climb down from there to cross Pickle Springs, see the "Rockpile Canyon" of more giant, moss-covered rocks with hints of red, and Headwall Falls (which is off a very short spur with a platform to view-- the falls were frozen this time of year and there was some neat ice formations to look at instead).

I can't say how glad I am I went on this trail in the winter, where the ice-formations give it a unique feel. I would like to see it in the Spring as well. All in all, the trail was extremely easy to follow and well beaten down, though all rocks and earth, and there were signposts along the way to announce landmarks or features. This trail was a really nice length, and while for the most part very easy, had a few spots that had rocky inclines to push through that made me use my muscles. I really recommend this trial, and will hopefully take my father or sister to see it as well.

I took a ton of pictures, and some are posted in the link below, otherwise you can see the entire album at Pickle Springs on facebook

Looking down into "The Slot."

ice waterfall in the slot.

The Double Arch

Happy New Year!

2010-01-01T01:39:00.002-06:00

Very cold weather and busy holidays have kept me indoors for over a month now, it seems, which I am really ashamed of. I had sworn that I would try to keep this up in the winter months, but have slacked off. One of my New Year's resolutions will be to continue to keep up hiking all year round, for both pleasure and health. I can't wait to continue exploring new hikes around Missouri, as well as revisiting old ones, especially in the spring. I'm even currently convincing my father to take a trip with me this summer to Arkansas to hike Mt. Magazine! Hopefully I'll start getting out there again soon now that all the holiday bustle is over with, even if it means braving a bit of cold to do so.

I got this book, Hiking St. Louis by Evie P. Harris from my sister for Christmas! It is very short and sweet, with hand-drawn maps (which I'm a little unsure of). I'm really excited because it has new hikes in it that aren't in the 60 Hikes in 60 Miles book. I am also excited because my sister and I haven't had a chance to hike together yet, so I'm looking forward to that.

A relative of mine lent me these really fantastically awesome hiking poles to try out next time I go hiking. While over at the house for Christmas Eve dinner, I got into a conversation with him about hiking, finding that he shares my interest, and I was really excited when he told me I should give these a try. They even adjust to fit my height! I remember seeing people in Austria use these while hiking, but have never tried them myself. It's also exciting to find someone new to discuss hiking with, and he gave me some neat ideas of trails to try in the area.

My relative also lent me this book, Everyday Wisdom: 1001 Expert Tips for Hikers by Karen Berger, during the same visit. I haven't had a chance to explore it much yet, but it seems to have everything from basic survival tips to more expert backpacking tips-- one day I would really love to be able to be experienced enough to go on a backpacking trip (though not alone, since my directional and map-reading skills are severely lacking).

Columbia Bottom Conservation Area

2009-11-29T16:07:00.000-06:00

This is a very different kind of area, and a very long one. I was unsure if the entire loop was 8 miles or 9.5, but it seems if you park at the visitors center and take the 1.8 mile path to the river access point it is more like a total of 9 miles. This will make this the longest hike I've completed since I started this blog, and a day later I am still feeling the pain in my legs! I am very glad that I was with a friend (my roommate Ashley) because there was a little frustration in the end and my legs were dying by the end of the hike, to but it is helpful to have someone to push you at times like these.

Columbia Bottom is actually two trails, the River Confluence Trail, and the River's Edge Trail, which make a kind of loop connected at the start/end point of the river's access point, with the remaining trail from that point to the visitor's center. The 4.75 Confluence Trail is an open, paved path. I can see how it could be nice in the winter because it's very wide open flood plain with a lot of sun... it actually got kind of hot while I was walking, and I was glad I had remembered to put on sunblock. The pavement walking by the end was getting kind of hard on my shins, probably because I had worn my hiking boots (or because I'm out of shape and by 7 miles was getting very tired... we had also kept up a very brisk pace). The scenery is very pretty though, in a bare way. EVerything was brown and golden in the late November season, but the tree line next to the river is tall and the floodplan is full of marshes and trees and crops, with lots of birds.

The 3 mile River's Edge Trail was a lot more rugged than I was expecting considering how paved the Confluence Trail is. It really does ramble right along the edge of the Missouri on a dirt path with small ups and downs. The surrounding forest looks almost like a jungle with all the vines hanging, even without leaves, and there were times where you were pretty much on an overhang with the river underneath you, which lent a nice breeze on the very warm day. The River's Edge trail ends at the confluence of the Missouri and the Mississippi Rivers, which is a really neat thing to visit, where the park has a nice spot to overlook the place where the two rivers converge as you stop and rest. I liked the River's Edge trail a lot, and it was a really nice different pace than the open paved path of the confluence trail. Both were very nicely marked.

Our main issue was that after walking from the visitors center to the confluence point via the River's Edge trail, we found the second part of the Confluence Trail closed for maintenance. Not only had there been no signs up anywhere in the entire park, but nobody at the visitor's center had let us know. I found this strange, almost as if the sign had been left up by accident because there was no sign stopping us from being on the trail had we started on the other edge of the Confluence Trail. Because neither Ashley nor I wanted to go back the way we had come, we opted to walk the car road back to the river access point... probably not the best choice as it winded a lot and was very hot without the shade of the river side trees.

I have had issues with the Columbia Bottom Conservation Area before. The first time I went quite a few years ago with my father, we stopped at the visitors center and everything and drove down the river access point only to find the Confluence Trail was blocked with a sign saying it was closed. Once again, no warnings at the visitor center had been posted, nor did any of the workers say anything when we asked about trail length. I understand that trails need to be closed to be maintained, and that the Missouri Conservation areas are not getting a lot of money, but it would have been nice if Ashley and I hadn't found ourselves without a trail after nearly 5 miles of walking.

All in all, though, I felt very accomplished to have walked what we did, and the scenery was lovely and kind of different, with a lot of history.

Urban Walking

2009-11-27T17:29:00.001-06:00

I had planned on hiking today, but got sidetracked, as sometimes happened. Instead I enjoyed some tea while my sister ate breakfast, after which we went shopping (crazy, I know, I usually avoid anything to do with after Thanksgiving sales), and finished the afternoon with a small lunch with my sister with whom I don't get to spend nearly as much time as I'd like to. Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer weather than today, so I think tomorrow will be my hiking day (today was nearly 55 degrees, tomorrow will be around 65, if anyone can believe it on November 27th). But I wanted to take my hiking boots on a walk... wearing them around the apartment hadn't really been doing any good, so I guess now that they've been outside I'm keeping them. My arch pushes against the top a little if I lace it too tight, but I think with some more breaking in, they should do just fine.

Walking in the city is a very different feeling than what I usually do, but I actually kind of like it. I have a route I usually walk, which I calculated at about 2.5 miles with MapMyRun.com which is really neat and useful. My route, you can see, is here: Neighborhood 2.5 mile walk . I would like to try to expand it to about 3 miles if possible sometime, and it only takes me about 40 minutes to walk, which seems strange since a 2.5 mile hike might take me a great deal longer than that. Most of it sticks to the sidewalks except the beginning in the back neighborhoods, I cross over an interstate on a bridge twice which is kind of dizzying, and there is only one brief section where I have to wait for a crosswalk. I kind of enjoy the neighborhood walking, whether in daylight or at night, it is relaxing in it's own strange way. I usually need music to block out the cars, but I can set a good pace and really get into the rhythm fairly easily.

To say the least, it's not nearly the same as a peaceful walk out in the woods all alone somewhere far out. But on the days that I can't drive somewhere to take a hike, a walk seems like a nice alternative way to stay active (especially after Thanksgiving week!) that I can do almost every day. Sometimes my roommate and I will do much shorter 10/15 minute version of this walk in the back neighborhoods just to get some fresh air after dinner. The tree-filled neighborhoods are nice scenery for a walk, and right now despite being near the end of November, there are still flowers here and there that don't seem to know what season it is. Next time I do the full walk, I'll try to take a few pictures, but it's nothing too impressive or unique.

Trying to figure out where to go tomorrow still, and with whom. The shoes and socks from REI performed well, I can't wait to try them out on more rugged ground!

Valley View Glades

2009-11-22T01:22:00.001-06:00

This hike really was out of the way, as the book promised. I haven't driven down to Hillsboro, Missouri before, and don't even bother trying to search for "Valley View Glades" on your GPS or mapquest or anything, because it doesn't come up. Since the book directions start out near Hillsboro itself, I had to do some searching on my own on exactly how to get to the intersection of Mo-21 and Rt. B, which actually wasn't too hard after all, and after that I made it just fine. There were a surprising number of cars parked there when I arrived, but as soon as I started in on the trail, I ran into the group that the cars belonged to... some sort of dog-walking trail group that were very nice and warned me that I needed rubber boots because of the mud on the trail. Aside from them, I only saw two other people on the trail the whole time.

I accidentally went through the trail the opposite way that the trail is marked, heading counter-clockwise when I hit the fork as I first passed out of the immediate woods to the valley overlook. The sign to the left marking the trail was kind of worn, so I didn't see it, but luckily the trail was marked for both directions throughout the whole thing. There were a few times at the top of the trail circle where I got a little confused because the trail leaves and joins an old road a few times that looks like a trail, but I never got lost and for the most part the trail was wonderfully marked with posts and two different kinds of signs, even with the leaves all over the ground the trail was hard to lose sight of.

The terrain of the trail was really neat. Glades are a really unique kind of area that I'm not overly familiar with, really rocky surface and almost giving a feeling like you're in a dried out desert. The trail itself was mostly dirt (mud) and rocks, and there were a few steep descents/inclines along the way that could get kind of slippery thanks to all the rain we've been having... I don't know if I'd try this trail in winter, because of all the water. But the water is what made the trail great. You kind of pass over the same streams throughout your hike, but then at the end (or at he very beginning if you took the trail clockwise like you're supposed to) you get to little waterfalls and streams and rocky pools that are absolutely beautiful. I think some of the streams I had to cross on the trail were possibly a little fuller than usual, because I actually had to find rocks to step across a few times to keep my shoes from getting wet (not that they were particularly deep, just wet). I liked it though, made me feel more adventurous! The little waterfall hollows were peaceful, and I loved being able to hear the sound of water as I hiked... talk about babbling brooks! One of the things about this trail that bothered me a little was the traffic sounds that could be heard from time to time, but the water totally made up for it, not to mention all the different bird calls I heard too.

The trail switches between forested bits with the streams, and big grassy plains. Because it is mid-November (albeit a warm mid-November day, and not good for pictures because it was either cloudy or hazy), there was very little green on the trip-- all the trees except for some firs had lost their leaves, and the grasses over the hills were lovely brown and golden colors that actually I thought were quite pretty. But the book mentioned what a pretty hike this was in the spring with the wildflowers, so I think I'll definitely be making a trip back in 2010! It's too bad that spring is my worst season due to my allergies-- though a few years of shots have made my life manageable and less miserable, the spring season can still be hit and miss for me. It was nice to switch between the more calm wood walks and then pass out onto the hill and look out over the grass and hills and rocks, and then back down into the valley to cross the springs. I could have stayed and explored the streams for a long time. Over all it was a very peaceful hike, a great length of 3 miles with mostly calm, easy paths and a few places to make you work your lungs. I really enjoyed myself!

Quiet weekend at home

2009-11-15T18:58:00.001-06:00

No hike this Sunday, unfortunately. Despite the fact that I'm still fighting the remnants of a cold away, I was going to push ahead and hike anyway-- I figure a little walking never hurt anyone, and this time it's not as if I had an upper respitory infection like I did with the Lewis & Clark trail. But despite sleeping on a drowsy allergy pill and having been awake for more than 18 hours (I had to get up at 6am this Saturday to go to an early childhood education conference, at which I was also presenting), I slept very badly, waking up at least twice (the only ones I know for sure are 4am and 6am, because I looked at the clock). The forcast was for rain, though of course it hasn't rained yet all day. Strange weather today, actually. It was chilly, but not really cold, but it looked like the most wintery day we've had so far. Cloudy in the sense that the sky and air is one great big expanse of gray so that you can't tell where the horizon ends and the sky begins sometimes, where it looks as if it must be misting, but there is no precipitation. So in the end, I decided to sleep in a little bit and then headed to the London Tea Room for lunch and a nice pot of my favorite tea blend there-- the 5th of November. Black and smokey like a campfire, really hit the spot.

I don't want the changing weather to affect my hiking. While I'm not really a winter person (fall is by far my favorite season), I don't see that unless it is really unbearably cold and windy, I should stop. The problem is that I need the proper dressings for a winter hike, and I'm not sure what that is yet. I hesitate to go to an outdoorsy shop because I don't want a salesperson pushing expensive gear and coats on me that I cannot afford and may not need. I imagine it is mostly a matter of learning how to properly layer. I have some long-john type underthings that I bought for when I studied abroad in Austria, though I have to find them. Heavy socks are an easy thing to get, and I still need to get off my butt and figure out if those hiking shoes are mine or need to be returned. What I *don't* know is if my winter coat is appropriate-- will it be too heavy and uncomfortable once I start moving and working up a sweat? Should I get something in between a fleece jacket and winter coat, and wear my regular shirt and long-john shirt under that? I have no idea, but I suppose a little bit of trial and error will do me well-- take some shorter winter hikes and see how my winter coat pans out. I don't really have the money to spend on anything too fancy, but I'm going to look around and see what my options are.

Maybe next weekend it will still be nice and I can go on a hike. I really want to try the View Valley Glades hike... though it doesn't come up when I search for it on mapquest. Instead, Victoria Valley Glades shows up in the same area, but is a completely different conservation area that isn't in the 60 Hikes book at all. Confusing. But I have a pretty good idea of how to get there now (both are near Hillsboro, Missouri), so if my luck is set next weekend, I'll check one of them out.

Hilda Young Conservation Area & Powder Valley Park

2009-11-08T17:40:00.009-06:00

Even though we are about to begin the second week of November, the weather has been extremely warm (though with St. Louis weather, that hardly surprises me) at near 80 degrees today! So of course I couldn't pass up the day for hiking, especially after an especially quiet and lazy weekend at home. Originally it was going to be another group hike, but in the end it was just me and Allison, and a promise to meet the other girls at the London Tea Room later that afternoon.

I wanted to try the Hilda Young Conservation Area because it sounded gorgeous and seemed kind of out of the way, though 60 Hikes in 60 Miles recommended it as a good spring and winter hike. However when we arrived, not only were there plenty of cars already parked in the small lot (it seemed like mostly hunters and fishers?), but a sign on the board said that the main trail was closed because the bridge was out. I'm not sure when Missouri Conservation plans on fixing this, but hopefully by next spring the whole trail will be available to hike. I will be returning to this trail again in the future to complete the entire thing.

Despite this, Allison and I took the hike down to where the bridge was out, just to take a look, then began hiking back down the closing side of the loop that would lead us towards the pond and the parking lot again, a nice short loop. I was very glad, however, to have the 60 Hikes book with us, because the author described a small mown path that we could take that would follow LaBarque Creek and give us a look at the bluff where the pine plantation was (where the full hike would have taken us had the bridge been in working order). It was very pretty and gave us just the extra bit of hiking to make us feel that we hadn't missed something by coming while the bridge was out. Between the very pretty light woods, the open medows with tall grasses, the creek, and the easy to see, wide grassy trails, the hike was pleasant, very pretty, and really relaxing. The trail was very well marked (for once!) with easy to see sign-posts and little markers with hikers on them, and also had some informative signs along the way near benches explaining how the planting of certain trees was working to prevent erosion. Despite the large number of cars in the parking lot, we didn't see anyone on the trail or spur except for a man fishing at the pond when we started. There was some noise from the nearby roads that never quite seemed to disappear, but it wasn't too bothersome-- also, I imagine as the hike goes on further past the creek, noise might be less of a concern. Overall I really liked the feel of this area, small and kind of intimate, and the book promised some really good sights further on up the trail which I will definitely return to explore. The warnings about hunting season made me slightly nervous, but the signs on the trail seemed to promise no hunting within those limits.

Afterwards, because it was on our way back, we stopped briefly at Powder Valley Park in Kirkwood and did their shortest 2/3 of a mile hike on the Broken Ridge Trail. This was a very different walk for me because the paths were paved, but it was actually very beautiful, and completely surprising to find such an expanse of wooded walks in what seems like the middle of the suburbs. The path was crowded with families and children, but it is very family friendly so that was to be expected. The trail actually had some pretty steep inclines, and was very peaceful and a very short but pleasant and fulfilling walk. If I have more time, I would love to go back and do the other two short trails at Powder Valley. It seems like a nice place to go for a stroll with friends or jogging.

Lone Elk Park

2009-11-01T12:17:00.010-06:00

I have been waiting to try out the trail at Lone Elk Park because my good friend Allison has been wanting to do it with me. Today was the perfect opportunity. My roommate Ashley and friend Tanya also joined us! This opened up an entire new kind of hiking for me. The trend that I've represented on this journal is of me hiking alone. When I'm alone, hiking is an experience that I cannot explain. It seems really sappy and cliched to talk about it out loud, but being alone with just me and a really beautiful surrounding is so peaceful and calming. I like being alone, having the me-time. It's introspective, or on the other hand I don't have to think about anything at all except my next step and the view.

But hiking with three other people was actually really fun. It was hard to get a good pace down at first. I tend to either walk very very fast, or very slow when I'm looking at the scenery. We took turns being trail leaders, but in a natural way-- when one person lost the trail (I'll get to that in a minute), we would all stand together and work to find it, sometimes someone would skip ahead to check out a possibility, and someone new would usually start in the front, the rest of us behind. We also fooled around a lot, which is usually what annoys me about other people on the trails I go on, but was actually refreshing to take a little less of a serious approach to hiking. It was fun to talk, see where the conversation took us, or sometimes just walk in comfortable silence. There is always something to talk about though when you think you're lost or about to be impaled by elk. It was fun to take ridiculous pictures and romp around! I really, completely enjoyed myself, and could definitely see me going on these outings more often. It's definitely a very different experience, but not in a bad way at all!

So, Lone Elk Park. We took the only trail that is there, the White Bison Trail, which is about 3.25 miles around a lake. This was nice because it was a different vista than I've been doing lately-- trading out my rocks and rivers for deep woods and lake overviews. Some of the trail is a lot less wild than others I've been on, following the road that drivers take around the lake to view the elk from the safety of their vehicles. These cars then proceed to stare at you strangely because it does look indeed like you are somewhere you are not supposed to be-- it is not widely marked through the park that there is a hiking trail.

Actually, the trail itself is badly marked. I would NOT recommend this trail for a late fall hike. There were so many leaves on the ground that most of the time the trail was completely unreadable, and the trail is seriously lacking in signs or posts-- some of the posts that were on the trail had markings that had been worn or actually taken off and were completely bare, while other signs that seem to have been meant for trees were either fallen on the ground or lacking actual arrows. We lost the trail about half the time we were one it, and only with stupid luck of pushing forward despite not knowing which way to go did we find the trail again. The visitors office was out of trail maps, and the ones I had in my 60 Hikes in 60 Miles was not detailed enough to be helpful. We worked extra hard climbing up incredibly steep (and slippery) inclines that were probably not the trail at all, but it was so hard to tell that our only hope was to keep pushing forward.

The hiking trail gets you closer to Elk than I actually thought it would, or possibly closer than I needed to be! There are signs posted telling you when to be careful of mating season, and to always keep a safe distance of 100 feet from the animals. This would be good advice, except twice on the trail, groups of elk, both male and female, were actually blocking the trail. Giant creatures, beautiful to watch, but regardless blocking the visible trail. The first time was easier-- we were about to cross and follow the road to the second part of the trail anyway, so we were easily able to not interrupt the elk, but also get a really good view of them from where we were. They barely paid attention to us at all, eating and resting under the trees. The second time the elk blocked the trail was NOT as easy. There were quite a few large males, and we had to walk up a steep hill towards the road above us, walk over the ridge and carefully try to pick up the trail on the other side of the elk. They didn't seem to mind us too much (obviously the animals in such a park are completely used to people being around them, there was even a deer that was within a few feet of us that didn't move while we tried to maneuver our way through the weeds), but did follow us watching in case we got too close. obviously one of the best parts about this trail is getting so unbelievably close to these giant, amazing animals.

I would love to revisit this trail in the springtime and see if it is any easier to navigate, since the stress of feeling completely lost every 15 minutes started taking it's toll after awhile. Obviously the best part of this trail was getting so incredibly close to the animals, which makes up for the incredible amounts of deer/elk poop. The lake was beautiful, and while though sometimes the cars driving by on the road were slightly annoying, some of the trail was also secluded (and the road helped us get our bearings more than once). I had a really good time, and it was pleasant to do something different.

A more social post than usual, but I enjoyed it! I'm afraid I left my camera at work over the weekend (Halloween at a preschool, lots of pictures of course have to be taken), but Allison brought hers and I am grateful to her for taking all of these pictures for me.

Purchases!

2009-10-28T08:35:00.001-05:00

REI was having a sale, so I thought I'd treat myself to some hiking gear. My sneakers that I usually wear hiking are at least a couple of years old, and don't seem to have the traction or support I need in some of the more difficult trails. I want to keep this up more than anything, so hopefully the money I spent will remind me that I better get out there!
Buying hiking shoes is not easy. The store was insanely busy, so while I was helped quite a bit, I still didn't get all the advice I probably needed. I ended up buying a pair of women's Vasque hiking boots on sale. Even though I was told at first that these shoes were better for narrow feet, the other pair that the woman brought that were better for wider feet never seemed to fit quite right despite the two different sizes I tried on. The Vasque shoes were the ones that felt the best at the time, and I walked around in them and went up and down their fun fake rock to try them out. I brought the Vasque shoes home and haven't worn them around quite enough yet to gauge whether they are right for me. It's hard to tell because I'm not sure if the shoes simply don't fit right or if I'm not wearing them. After wearing them around the house a little, the top arch of my foot hurt, but I think it was because I tied the laces too tight. It also felt strange walking around in them, but I am not used to wearing a shoe with a high ankle like that. What I need to do is hanker down and actually wear them around the apartment every night I can for a week, and then make a decision. It would be a shame to have spent a good sum on a pair of shoes that didn't fit just right-- I'd hate to be caught on the trail with blisters!

I also may have bought some socks there because I realized that perhaps one of hte issues with the shoes was that I was wearing little girly ankle socks with them, and those are hardly the right socks for hiking at all, much less for shoes with high supportive ankles. These, while strangely costly (hence the reason I only bought one pair... I'm sure I can find appropriate socks at Target or something), at least will give me the feel I need to decide whether I will be keeping these shoes or bringing them back. I maaay be overthinking this, but it really is a hard play to call.

sorry about the terrible pictures.

Castlewood State Park

2009-10-24T20:13:00.002-05:00

This was my first hike since Lewis & Clark, after which I came down with both a respiratory infection AND the flu, had to take a week off work, and was generally miserable. But I am glad to be back on my feet!

After my weekend roadtrip got pushed back, I decided not to let this fantastic fall day go to waste. The trail I was on was crowded with lots of people and families, which I'm not always crazy about, but granted this was a Saturday afternoon, and the first sunny day we've had after what feels like almost two weeks of straight rain. It was sunny, cool but not cold, and the fall colors were breathtaking... can't hold it against people to want to take advantage of that! I had no trouble parking or anything, and there were still moments of my hike where I was alone.

This hike was very similiar to the Lewis & Clark trail hike I did a few weeks ago in the sense that it had a variety of scenes, both rocky bluffs looking out over hills of trees and a river (the Meramec River this time), as well as long walks through the woods. However the second half of the Lewis & Clark trail was really more deep wood walking, while this trail had a more relaxed trail, very flat, that just followed the river (and was very muddy, but again the rain is to blame there). There was really almost no hard parts, except maybe one incline right at the very beginning, with all the steeper descents helped along by wooden steps leading down to the river banks. There is a mix of outlooks that are both free rocks and then platforms as well. The trail itself is mostly rocks on the bluff part, which with all the leaves on the ground made it a little hazardous for a clumsy person like me, and the river trail is mostly packed dirt (or lots and lots of mud in this case). The scenic outlooks over the Meramec River and the fall foliage was absolutely beeeautiful, and I would definitely recommend this time of year for this hike.

My main problem was the lack of trail markings. The trailhead for the Scenic River Trail was actually to the side of the parking lot and then right when you start, I couldn't figure out if there was a trail leading to the right as well as left before noticing the red marker nailed to a tree on my left showing where to start. There weren't too many problems with keeping to the trail on the bluffs section, except for a few times were it looked like the trail split off-- usually both split offs ended up joinin back together within a minute, and a few signs mentioned which trail was the bike trail as opposed to the hiking trail. However once you get to the trail that follows the river, you cross into a large open field and a crossroads that I found incredibly confusing. Going to the left, I find a sign pointing to a different trail, and the red marker pointing back the way I came. Another sign points out the parking lot. Then to the right, the trail through the field continues back to the river through the woods, with no sign saying which trail it was, though a little way in there was another red marker that COULD have been orange. The map that I got at the park office and the map in the 60 Hikes within 60 Miles book were of no help because it was really hard to tell where you were on the trail. None of the trail maps I found along the way had markers to say where you were or a name of the trail, so I could only assume I was still on the Scenic River Trail, or at least one of the spurs that were described in my book. Then at the end of the trail (I kept following ht river), I was confused because I hit the actual road again, and went under a bridge and walked along the road until I found the parking lot I'd started in. So super confusing, and even a couple that I stopped had no idea what trail they were on or where they needed to go.

Overall, despite the confusion, it was beautiful and a great hike. The views were fantastic, the walk was relaxing and I had a great afternoon. I didn't want to miss the last chance I might have to enjoy not only the fall weather,but he changing of the leaves.

why am I a Guru in this picture? Using the 10 second self-timer is hard.

Lewis & Clark trails- Weldon Springs Conservation Area

2009-09-29T22:00:00.006-05:00

Today I bit off a little more than I could chew with the Lewis & Clark trails in the Weldon Springs Conservation area. The Lewis & Clark trail runs as one trail for about 2 miles or so, and then split off into two separate trails; The Clark trail runs a total of 5.3 miles (including what you've already completed) and the Lewis Trail runs a total of 8.2 miles (also including what you've already done). I was positive I could pull off the 8.2 mile trail even though I can't remember if I've hiked that long of a hike. It certainly took most of hte day, and there were times I got tired and actually found a tree or bench to sit/lie down on and close my eyes for a bit! Also, the trails do not break apart as soon as the map or my book had me believe, so I spent a lot of time worrying if I was doing the right thing and had somehow missed a trail. Also, picking up a map at the Weldon Springs Conservation Area lodge is not worth it... the one in my 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of St. Louis book was just as good.

The book descripes the difficulty of this hike as moderate, which is certainly true. While the first mile or so is very flat and easy going (I wasn't so happy that you could hear the traffic from MO 94 for awhile there, but it's not that bad), the long hike has lots of terrain types to worry about. On the way up to the best scenic outlooks was a steep hill climb over rocks and loose stones that took my breath out of me for awhile, and there were a lot of steep descents throughout the trail. You kind of went up and down the bluffs, climbing up steepish hills to get to the views and then twisting back down into the hollows and valleys to bottom out on level ground, and then back up again. Near the end of the hike you end up mostly on flat ground down in the valley with only a few climbs, none of them worth much trouble, so there's quite a bit of this hike that is just a pleasant walk in the woods. A walking stick did me some good though on some of the more steep inclines. Also, near the trail splitting point, I had a lot of trouble keeping the trail in sight when it went into a dry riverbed. Luckily a hiker passed by at that very moment and showed me where it picked up again on the other side.

The best part of this hike is the views it offers from the bluffs overlooking the Missouri River. I kind of wish I was brave enough to hike the trail clockwise like the author of the book does, because those views would be brilliant to save until the end of your hike. However going by the trail markings, you get most of them first and then the rest of the hike is forested. The views are breathtaking. You look for the little spurs that lead you out onto rock outcrops, and the Katy Trail is below you (you can sometimes hear families that are walking down there) with the Missouri River stretching out on either side and a wide expanse of forest across from you. This is where I sat and had some lunch and sunned and generally enjoyed the absolute gorgeous beauty of the landscape and the silence of the surroundings. I was tempted to actually just spend the day right there on that bluff and then hike back the was I came when it was time to go home. If I had had a book, I might have! Also on the descent from the cliffs into the wooded valleys below, I saw three deer pretty close up (before I came bumbling along), and that was awfully exciting.

For someone not used to this length of hike, I admit the trail seemed to go on FOREVER. I was sore and asthmatic by the end, but felt very accomplished. I cannot say how happy I was by the end of the trail to hear the familiar sounds of traffic from MO 94 letting me know that I was near the end. I think knowing now how long 5 hours actually is to walk, I'd be able to better concentrate on the trail itself, because this time I was so tired and tryin to figure out where on the trail I was that some of the last couple miles seemed all the same. I took this hike on a weekday afternoon and ran into eight people (three of them with dogs) during my whole trip, so for most of hte stretches I was completely alone without any background noise from other hikers, which was nice. One thing I did not like was that while the trail was marked really well for the first 3 or 4 miles (with "trail" signs and mile markers, which was nice), once you got onto the Lewis Trail, the mile markers seemed to stop and the trail markers were fewer.

I would like to retake this hike (perhaps the shorter one this time) once the leaves start changing, because I can't even imagine how gorgeous those scenic outcrops will look! Also in the winter, you could probably get some great views o the river from places on the trail you normally couldn't because the trees would be without leaves. Definitely a great hike, but I know I'll be feeling it in the morning!

Giant City Nature Trail / Alto Pass Overlook (Carbondale, Illinois)

2009-09-28T01:17:00.002-05:00

Was lucky enough this weekend to go to a park I would not usually get to see because it is more than out of my usual driving range. Giant City National Park is near Carbondale, Illinois. We were lucky that we were even able to go because of the immense damage the park suffered in May due to hurricane-like conditions, but luckily we had a friend who was able to guide us to a usable entrance (that I never would have found).

Hike itself was absolutely lovely. It was the weekend, so it was a bit crowded at times for my tastes with families, but it was shady and beautiful and not quite like a landscape I've hiked before due to the sandstone rocks and cliffs all over the place. While there was one main trail, there were so many little alternate paths you could take by climbing up rock paths, going through little alleyways between giant rocks, and having the option to climb here and there over rocks and up paths. The trail itself therefore is a mixture of absurdly easy and slightly more treacherous. It wasn't a long trail, but between climbing and resting to take in the scenery, it definitely encourages hikers to take their time. NOt a huge fan of the gravel type trails, but overall I had an amazing time on this little trail.

Also we visited the Alto Pass overlook, which isn't so much a hike, but there is a wonderful rocky outcrop overlooking the hills of southern Illinois, which would be even more amazing with the changing leaves in a few weeks, I bet. You can also see the country's biggest cross some miles in the distance. There is a little stoney staircase that leads down to a path, but I was unable to take the little trail and see where it went, but definitely worth the look because the stairs, while a little scary looking, are really cool, and there are some fun rocks to climb.

Had a great time, and there are more pictures of the trip to Carbondale on facebook, but these are really the bulk of them. It was kind of a different feel hiking with other people for once instead of on my own, but it was really fun. I'm glad we had a tour guide to show us around, and I'm really glad I got to experience a park that is out of the St. Louis area!

Next is Alto Pass overlook....

www.facebook.com/album.php -- more overlook pictures, and a really neat secret garden thingy in Makanda, Il. and winery pics, etc.

Sunday Morning Hike: Englemann Natural Woods Area

2009-08-30T13:00:00.002-05:00

Decided to actually USE the book I spent good money on, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles of St. Louis. Figure I'll review them mostly for my own benefit in keeping track of what trials I've already visited and which ones would be good to go to again, as well as post pictures of what I've seen.

While it was tough making myself get up so early on a Sunday morning when I could have slept in, it was definitely worth it. I always feel so GOOD after a morning hike. I love the quiet time, the isolation, the nature, being alone (Though I do love hiking with a friend/my dad equally well). I even love the drive there and back. I need to actually make this happen more often, and not slack off in the winter-- winter hiking, if dressed properly, could probably be wonderful! We'll see though. Also I can pretend to be Lewis & Clark or Aragorn as I explore the wilderness. Except they didn't have trails and probably didn't care if they walked into a hundred spider webs, which make me all icky.

Got up about 5:45 and left the house a little after six, reached the trail a little after seven (this is taking in getting a bit lost and stopping for a bottle of water at McDonalds and a bathroom at a gas station-- it is probably an hour away, possibly slightly less). I started out easy since I had afternoon plans and didn't want to be gone too long, so the trail I picked was about 2 miles long. I went to the Englemann Woods Natural Area trail, about an hour away (less if googlemaps hadn't given me shitty directions and if my GPS actually had known what trail I was talking about). Hutchison Rd. is actually only marked as Route 109, and I think it might just be easier to take Manchester/100 the whole way instead of getting off at Clarkson Rd. and Clayton and Hutchison and so on and so forth. The parking lot is TIIINY and I drove past it three times because it's not so much a parking lot as an empty space right in front of the trail, could probably hold 3 or 4 cars. The entire time I was on the trail, I was the only visitor there, which is a HUUUUGE plus.

The trail itself was lovely. The first bit was a little noisy for my taste, meaning that you could occassionally still hear cars on the roads in the distance, but my ipod fixed that up. I didn't need it long, as I decended deeper into the valley, it got absolutely and brilliantly silent. I found the trail a little hard to understand at first because I started going in one direction thinking Iwould take the trail counter-clockwise as recommended in the book, but there was a lack of signs and a lot of fallen trees, and I Started getting nervous that I actually wasn't on the right trail at all. So I backtracked and followed the signs this time (a good idea always), and it was absolutely lovely! The trail is marked as "easy" in my book, but there were definitely some steep descents at some points, along with some rocks that were a bit slippery after the rain two days ago. The path is mostly dirt and rocks, and some of it is kind of getting overgrown with plant life on the side, but nothing too drastic. The most confusing part is at the very bottom of the valley you get to the riverbed (which seems like it is always dry) and it looks like the trail ends, but you just have to cross it and pick up the trail pretty easily again. It was very shady and cool, not a lot of spots to look out over the landscape though (the book said to "Climb the hill on the right and see a nice vista if you have the energy" but I was not sure what hill he was talking about and I'm not about to go too far off the trail and climb a muddy hill on a whim). It was super peaceful and quiet and very beautiful, also protects the old-growth forests that used to cover this part of Missouri. So extra cool. Overall really nice, not too long (took me about an hour, hour and a half to complete, with frequent stops to enjoy the silence). Would go there again, maybe simply because it was so out of the way that nobody was there. The area is also really pretty to drive through, and I wouldn't mind exploring the little rich golfing community of Saint Alban, which looked like it had a cute general store in town as well as a lovely lake to walk around and lots of hawks, not to mention a few Lewis & Clark plaques.

Some photographs after the jump!