Picture Rock

The slowly rising, sweeping trail leaves the trailhead just south of Lyons and picks its way through countless switchbacks as it ascends towards the Wild Turkey and Ponderosa trails - trails I had visited from Lefthand Canyon only a week or so ago. I found the Picture Rock trail to be altogether easier running, a fact borne out by my fast running time over the 15 mile circuit.

Looking back to the trailhead from the first sweeping curve

It was an unseasonably warm day...perhaps 65 degrees...with just enough of a cooling breeze to prevent overheating. I was running light today - no drinks or food, no dog (they are banned from this trail unfortunately) - and this enabled quick progress. Probably too quick for comfort. I knew I would be clocking about 15 miles when I set off but this was a new trail for me and although the map suggested a gentle rising climb I had been surprised before and wondered whether there would be a sting in the tail.

Approaching some of the rockier switchbacks

This is a pretty trail. It winds through Juniper and Lodgepole and crosses open grasslands and the surface is really smooth and even. It makes for an excellent mountain bike trip and I met more than a few cyclists as I slogged uphill for 5.2 miles to the junction with Wild Turkey.

Approaching the Wild Turkey trail junction. I would head right

I've commented before about mountain bikers. I have a 75% experience with them - by that I mean that for every obnoxious one (you know, the kind who just plows right through you without braking, yelling to you to get out of their way, despite the bylaws requiring them to stop and concede ground), there are three exemplary ones whose manner and civility is an example to uphold. Well, on this trail, by the time I reached the trail split, I was at 25% and I was mad. The first cyclist descending toward me after about 2 miles was so pleasant and allowed me the trail as I ran slowly by. We exchanged good wishes on such a beautiful day and I continued feeling that all was good with the world. The next 3 cyclists were appalling. The first two were just rude and aggressive, completely ignored me, failed to slow down, forced me to jump to one side without the hint of an apology. The final cyclist took the biscuit. He clearly saw me, kept pedaling hard, yelled at me, and I just managed to leap sideways as his front wheel ran across my left thigh. For a moment I hoped I had caused him to crash but unfortunately he fell into the next curve and was able to right himself. I hope he feels proud of himself.

Thankfully, there was no sting in the trail and although the trail surface got a little rockier in places there was no steep climb and I arrived at the Wild Turkey junction about 8 minutes ahead of my expected time. I took the counter-clockwise circuit again thinking it would give me the longest uphill stretch and then pushed myself a little to see if I could better my time on this top loop of a few days ago.

This face looks familiar

A herd of deer were in exactly the same location I encountered on my last visit. I like to think it was the same group but, well, I didn't recognize any of them and they all looked similar to me...so who knows?

America was at the polls today electing, as I was later to watch, Barack Obama, and despite the long wait to vote I did meet a number of walkers out escaping the reality of the day. Maybe they voted early and were out trying to cleanse the thought of a Romney Presidency from their thoughts. I empathized.

A steep, sharp turn on the descent

The descent down the same trail is a little too fast for me and I found it hard keeping a high tempo. Sometimes I would find myself breathing awkwardly and striding out too much and on other occasions felt right off the pace. The gentle downward slope and good surface tempted me to run too quickly and I found it hard to adjust to the slight switchbacks and sharp turns favored by mountain bikers. I did lose altitude quickly and I clocked 8 minute miles as I retraced my earlier climb.

Looking down the final two miles towards Lyons in the north

This is clearly a trail designed for mountain bikers because there were a number of sections where a walking trail would have taken a direct route, but this one swept across the landscape in long loops like coils of string. I stuck to the trail and allowed the extra distance to hurt my legs.

I'll definitely run this trail again during the winter. It is exposed enough and low level enough for the sun to burn the snow off pretty quickly and although it might get muddy in places the ground seems to drain quite well. I doubt I will run it as fast as I did today though.

Betasso Preserve

Canyon & Benjamin Loops

I wasn't going to exert myself this morning. A fast 10 miles on Friday and an exhausting slog at altitude yesterday pretty much wiped me out. A gentle 11 miles on one of my favorite lower lying trails was in order. It was unusually cloudy in Boulder this morning meaning only one thing in the higher mountains - snow. This made my choice yesterday a good one. Unless we get an exceptionally warm trend the high mountains will be out for the season.

The steep start of the connector trail leaving Boulder Canyon road.

The good thing about cloud cover is it keeps the overnight temperature reasonable high and it was 40 degrees when I pulled in to the small parking turn out on Boulder Canyon road. Rather than start from the main trailhead I elected to punish myself with the stiff climb up the connector trail from the valley adding 2.5 miles and 400 feet in elevation. The climbing is immediate and it is steep and I took care not to over exert myself and then "crash" at the top. I felt pretty good the whole way up and although I was running within myself I felt in control. It was only when I uploaded my GPS at home that I saw that I ran this section in a personal best time.

Thick cloud cover overhead with sun rising over the plains to the east.

Livvy was alert and excitable the whole way up the climb. A small group of deer were tracking up the stream bed ahead of us and she saw no reason not to play. We left them behind at one of the switchbacks and joined the main Canyon loop after 17 minutes.

The Canyon Loop climbs to its high point.

Mountain bikes are prohibited from the trails on Wednesdays and Saturdays so I'd have to keep a lookout for fast riders. I always run the trail systems "against" the direction of the mountain bikes in order to see them coming. Once or twice I've been unpleasantly surprised by a rider shooting up quickly and quietly behind me. This is never the consequence of aggressive riding or lack of consideration for trail users and I invariably find bike riders to be courteous and concede right of way...as they should.

The trail descends on sweeping curves - a great smooth running surface

Summer time ended overnight and with the change in clocks there were few people around this morning. I ran the first section of the Canyon Loop and the entire Benjamin Loop without meeting a single person. Because I was under no time pressure today I decided to run the connector trail to Fourmile Canyon road. This is a new addition to the trail system and although it is only 0.8 miles it provides fast and pleasant running on a soft, even surface with banked, sweeping bends. Ideal for cycling and great for running. The park service have made a great job of this trail extension and when Livvy and I met the road we just turned back and resumed the Benjamin Loop. This provided a long, steady climb from 6200 feet to 6750 feet in little over a mile.

Beautiful new steps on the Fourmile Canyon connector

Gaining altitude on the Benjamin trail we encountered a black squirrel. Livvy danced and jumped at the thought of giving chase. It seemed to understand Livvy's leash restriction and casually sauntered off up the hillside with the hint of a dismissive attitude. As we approached the junction with the lower Canyon trail we met our first people - a young couple were biking carefully along the narrow trail. We stepped to one side, knowing how awkward it is for bikers to dismount and give way. A little further along a woman was out running in the opposite direction and then three more very courteous mountain bikers. Thankfully there were no ignorant dog owners with their animals off leash and out of control - it improved the experience considerably.

An arrogant black squirrel taunts Livvy from the safety of a low tree branch

The Canyon Loop at Betasso was the first trail I ever ran in the area. Following a house-hunting trip I had to fly on the next day to San Francisco and spent the afternoon running the loop clockwise. The Benjamin extension hadn't then been built and I recall struggling with the altitude around the 3.6 mile circuit. I'm in a lot better shape now and regard this as an easy training run. Even this morning, at a gentle pace and after three days of hard running, I would cruise around this smaller section in half the time I took three years ago.

Just approaching the final climb back to the trail connector.

We arrived back at the top of the trail connector leading back down the steep hillside to the car. At 1.25 miles it would only take about 10 minutes. I have never mountain biked this section of trail - it looks far too difficult for me. On the way down we stepped to one side to allow about 6 bikers to maintain their cadence as they wound up through the trees. Very impressive to see riders cruising up this trail. We resumed our descent and were back at the car in  no time.

Approaching the final trail junction

Uploading the GPS data to strava.com I made another discovery - Livvy had passed 800 miles running for the year. I wonder if she can get to 1000?

Heart Lake

I was a little closer to the "edge" than I would have preferred today. It was a combination of factors, but they left me feeling a little exposed when I usually prefer the safety margin to be much wider in my favor. It's not that I'm ultra-cautious, but I do take care to balance risk and prepare for any situation I might encounter. And it's not that I got the calculation completely wrong today...more that I misjudged two critical factors that I'll come to later.

Driving along the Rollins Pass road to East Portal. Headlights on the road show how dark it still is. Heart Lake lies just below the highest snowy peak in the distance.

I've been hankering for one last high mountain trip before the real grip of winter takes over. The weather has been pleasant and mild in the foothills and the high mountains seem to have had fewer storms over the last few days. I did a fast 10 mile run with Livvy last night so I would be on my own this morning and decided a trip above the snow-line was in order. I don't like taking the dogs in deep, high-altitude snow - it's hardly fair. Although Otto and Olivia are big dogs in comparative terms, it's still tough having to jump through 3 feet of snow. If I was going to get above 11,000 feet then today was the day.

Moffat Tunnel from the trail head. My route crosses the obvious snowy ridge beyond which is Heart Lake.

It was a cold morning leaving home and as I drove through complete darkness up Boulder Canyon the temperature showed 24 degrees. By the time I left Nederland under lightening skies it was 20 degrees and arriving at the East Portal of the Moffat Tunnel it was 18 degrees. At this time of year I usually allow 6 to 8 degrees of temperature loss per thousand feet of ascent and this would put the temperature at Roger's Pass at 0 degrees Farenheit (-18 degrees Celsius). I then factored in warming from the rising sun, which should add 10 degrees at all elevations and would still leave at high level -12 Celsius. The miscalculation was wind speed. All the overnight forecasts predicted zero wind. I wish they had been true. The one thought I held in my mind as I battled the cold morning was the thought of warming sun on my back at higher elevations. The thought kept me going. Unfortunately, the sun would never touch my back at all due to thin cloud cover over the plains to the east - above me I had brilliant blue skies, but the sun was concealed.

A mile and a half up the trail and the first signs of sun clipping the peaks. Freezing cold on the trail.

The sky was light when I left the trail head, although the sun hadn't risen. I could hear the sound of a distant train coming through the tunnel and the displacement of air was causing the massive exhaust turbines to scream at a high pitch. It was the only disturbance to the early morning calm, but it was significant and distracting. Such is the length of the Moffat tunnel that I would be 2 miles further up the trail by the time the train emerged - not that I'm fast, of course, but that the tunnel is so long.

Well worn tracks leading up a steep snow slope...in the wrong direction!! The trail heads right at this point.

The trail was clogged with snow and ice from 10,000 feet. Lot's of recent walkers had turned sections into a skating rink and I trod on the softer snow at the edges in an attempt to maintain balance and control. I was blowing hard up to the Forest Lakes split and as I gained altitude past the Crater Lakes trail my heart was pounding and my breathing was irregular and labored. For all the effort I was putting in I didn't seem to be making such quick progress.

Just below Roger's Lake

Approaching 11,000 feet the tracks on the trail thinned out significantly. Clearly, many walkers gave up the effort in increasing numbers and the snow became deeper and the imprints more scattered. The hard, icy surface lower down was replaced with sparsely trodden deep snow higher up and this made running very challenging. And it quickly became clear that those walkers who had persisted this far weren't gifted in map reading. I know this trail well, and although the snow makes it harder to follow the correct course, a well-trodden passage crossed a stream and seemed to head up a steep incline in the wrong direction. Not only did I know that this wasn't the correct path, but it was obviously incorrect from an examination of the surrounding terrain. If I have learned one thing well in studying the natural world it is this - streams tend to flow downhill away from lakes...and given that Roger's Lake was only a mile away, the trail probably kept fairly close to the stream bed. These tracks veered away at right angles...and it seemed everyone followed them.

Leaving a completely frozen Roger's Lake for Heart Lake. James Peak is the obvious high point dead center. The annoying cloud cover kept the sun at bay.

I sighed and began breaking trail through fresh deep snow in the correct direction. It was desperate going. I had to back track a couple of times to find more stable ground but eventually arrived at the outlet of Roger's Lake. Not a foot print in sight. Either a whole group of disoriented walkers was wandering around the countryside 2 miles to my left, or they had also given up and headed back to the trail head. All evidence suggested the latter.

About 8 inches of ice covered Heart Lake. The wind whistled across the surface.

My goal for the day was Heart Lake. I did toy with the idea of ascending Roger's Pass, but the strong wind and debilitating cold suggested that was an objective too far. Leaving Roger's Lake I jogged over open country to where I knew Heart Lake lay. On the south-facing hillside above tree line most of the snow had blown away or had melted and this made it much easier. However, the wind stiffened appreciably as I crested the shoulder to the south of Heart Lake and I made hard work of crossing the final stretch of ground to the lake outlet. I needed to find somewhere sheltered to fuel up. I felt I had low blood sugar and this needed addressing quickly. But I couldn't escape the wind. Whenever I found a place that seemed protected the wind would whip through after a short lull.

View across Heart Lake to Roger's Pass. The trail can be seen climbing the obvious nose in steep zig-zags.

I was wearing technical clothing so, in one sense, I was well prepared. But there is one feature of technical clothing that needs to be understood. It's really basic science. Technical clothing is designed to wick moisture away from the body quickly. This is great during the summer because as moisture is evaporated from the upper layers of clothing it causes cooling closer to the body. I had expended significant energy climbing up to the lake and was now "benefitting" from this cooling effect. Just at the time I needed to feel some warmth my clothing was working against me. It would only be short lived, because moisture evaporastes quite quickly, but how I longed for a woolen fleece.

I am looking a little battered by the weather. I have no idea how I managed to fiddle around and get the camera self-timer to work.

I found a small depression below a large boulder right on the shore of the frozen lake and huddled down on my side. It wasn't ideal but it was better than taking the full force of wind head on. Small grains of ice and snow were whipped up by the wind and blasted my face and eyes. They hurt. I quickly checked my water and even before I removed it from my pack I remembered that I didn't loosen the screw cap before I left the car. I always do this in winter because the cold usually prevents me from being able to grip the cap and open it. I was furious with myself for forgetting such a basic task. I needn't have concerned myself - the water was completely frozen. I still needed glucose and found the two oatmeal cookies I carried for precisely this purpose. They, too, were frozen and I had a hard time breaking pieces off to chew...but I did manage to eat one and knew that this would provide much needed energy in the next 20 minutes. I just didn't have 20 minutes. I needed to move, and quickly.

I skirted the lake to the west but failed to find any respite from the wind and cold. It was at this point that I realized the miscalculation I mentioned earlier. It's not that I was in actual danger, after all, I had plenty of running left in my legs and I was able to reason things through rationally and assess my situation. But I was extended beyond the point where I am usually comfortable and was annoyed at myself for exposing myself to such risk in this way. I could feel my lower jaw freezing - this has happened before so wasn't, in itself, particularly concerning, but it was a symptom I could have done without. I needed to lose altitude and get back below tree line.

Descending back to Roger's Lake.

I broke south from Heart Lake and picked up the trail that descended to Roger's Lake and from there I descended below 11,000 feet and into the trees. The wind dropped immediately and my spirit rose. It was an exhilarating descent. I love running on snow-packed trails in the mountains and downhill is a lot easier than uphill. Having spent the best part of three hours completely isolated from  civilization I met two walkers heading in to the hills. They were discussing whether to continue when I surprised them coming round a rocky outcrop. It took me all of a nanosecond to realize how ill-equipped they were for these conditions and I encouraged them in the decision to turn back.

About a mile from the trailhead I encountered another group of walkers...maybe six people and as many dogs. I didn't see any risk in this group getting much higher and bid them good day. Back at the car I felt a sense of relief and pleasure. Pushing myself a little further than is comfortable, but coming through felt good. I remembered the huge bear prints I had seen earlier in the day and thought that encountering their owner might have added too much spice to the occasion  but every day in the mountains is an outstanding day and today was another one of them.

Final view of Roger's Lake before the rapid descent back to the car - 5 miles away.

Unfortunately I couldn't remove my running shoes. The laces were completely iced over and my fingers were still numb. I sat in the car with the engine blasting warm air on my feet and legs. The tingling was uncomfortable but after 10 minutes I was able to prise the laces apart, remove my shoes and begin the drive back to normality...until tomorrow.

Heil Valley Ranch

I took a mountain bike trip up Heil Valley over a year ago. It's a decent ride. Never very steep or rocky it climbs through the woods from Lefthand Canyon to provide some great, if infrequent views west to St. Vrain Canyon and north to Lyons. I've rarely visited the place since because they don't allow dogs and when I run on my own I prefer the high mountains. But with weather putting that out of reach it made a logical choice for another early morning run when I had only a little time available and no dog with me.

The trailhead is just 2 miles from my home, so the convenience alone made it a great choice - leaving home to setting out on the trail took only 15 minutes. And it was completely deserted. With the ranch lying north to south between high ridges, this meant that much early running was in shadow...and it was cool. Seeing the sun touching the treetops didn't help and it an hour before the warmth of the morning arrived.

I have met a lot of very well-educated people who should know better, yet it is remarkable some of the nonsense they believe. I know health is a very personal thing, but it is surprising to me why so many people who, while normally rational on most things, engage in pure pseudoscience and quackery when it comes to health. I suspect that part of the "reason" (if there is one) is due to the bad press of "big pharma" and the fact that companies who should act with supreme integrity often fall short, but the behavior of people with respect to their own health is often diametrically opposed to the very best evidence.

Trail junction - Picture Rock goes right to Lyons, the Wild Turkey trail goes left

I was particularly struck by a comment made by a family psychologist I met some time ago who commented exasperatingly "Oh no, not evidence based medicine again", as though this was somehow the cause of a major problem. It seems that, as Michael Shermer put it, people believe some weird things. The most popular pseudoscientific nonsense among the chattering classes seem to be acupuncture, homeopathy, reiki and vaccine denialism. Scientifically speaking, these are all on a par with faith healing - they just don't work.

Distant view of Long's Peak

It's difficult to keep pace with the proliferation of nonsense that spews forth from the advocates of CAM, or its updated title Integrative Medicine. The fact that these "alternative" treatments are called "alternative", is that if they were effective we would simply call them "medicine". "Alternative" is the term used to describe medical treatments for which no evidence exists regarding their efficacy. And the problem with zero evidence is that it means ineffective. They plain don't work. Two of my favorite websites track this kind of nonsense and debunk it daily...sometimes hilariously, sometimes savagely. I suggest you check them out.

View west across St. Vrain Canyon from the Ponderosa Trail

After a 2.6 mile approach on the Wapiti Trail I decided to run a counter clockwise loop combining the Wild Turkey Trail and the Ponderosa Trail. It was steady running the whole way. However, I do find running mountain biking trails to be a little tedious - the routing is nearly always circuitous and the heavily rutted ground makes for awkward foot placements. Although the views aren't great on this trail - there are just too many trees - the places where open country breaks out are all the more special.

It is that time of year when animals are on the move and, just like yesterday at Dowdy Draw, I encountered a herd of deer moving through the forest close to the trail summit. After a rapid, sweeping descent of the Ponderosa trail I reached its junction with the Wapiti Trail and a quick return to the car.

View from the Lichen Trail

On the way back I decided to detour via the short Lichen Trail.This is really just a short walking loop for those unable to complete the full circuit and it a very pleasant diversion. Just over 10 miles and a great start to another stunning Colorado day.

Low-level running

I wouldn't write-off the prospect of higher level running just yet - the current warmer temperatures are melting a lot of early season snow - but it is unlikely I'm going to get above 11,000 feet again this year. If the snow holds off for a week or so I might try this coming weekend. I didn't have a lot of time today and decided that a short, brisk trot in the hills of south Boulder - with good exposure to the early morning sun - would be ideal.

The mountains south of Eldorado Canyon are a bit of a mystery to me. They aren't accessible from any trail system that I can see and the east approach (shown above) would require crossing the Rio Grande railway tracks. It isn't a particularly busy rail line, but being caught in one of the tunnels at the wrong time would be disconcerting as well as potentially illegal.

The advantage of starting from Dowdy Draw trail head is that the initial half mile of trail is hard gravel and less muddy than what is found around Chautauqua. It's a gently rising trail and it is possible to step out quite briskly. It was deserted this morning - only one car in the parking lot - and a cool breeze swept the grassy slopes. Turning a shoulder I encountered a herd of deer. These magnificent creatures were grazing in the morning light, ever anxious of the unexpected and alert to threat. They shuffled a little nervously as I tracked along the hillside before nonchalantly strolling up the hillside and into the woods. There are people whose first thought on seeing these animals is to reach for a gun - I'll never understand why.

The Fowler Trail is reached at the point where the Goshawk Ridge Trail crosses the drainage ditch and I ran down the old quarry trail to the north. The cutting above led to a cold stretch in the shadow but it afforded beautiful views of the entrance to Eldorado canyon.

Eldorado is one of my favorite climbing destinations, and I like to follow the Fowler trail all the way into the park, but time didn't allow that today and, instead I aimed for Goshawk Ridge.

I heard the train as I started the steeper climb to reach the ridge. There's an 8.30am departure for a passenger service from Denver to San Francisco (which takes a day and a half to get there) and this was the train I could see now. My wife and I have spoken about how we would love to take this train journey across the Rockies. The route traverses the higher slopes above Eldorado Canyon and is famous for the very long Moffat Tunnel, which is the starting point for my runs in the James Peak Wilderness.

Climbing to the top of Goshawk Ridge it is possible to look back at splendid views of the slopes of South Boulder Peak (left above) and Bear Peak (the last high point to the right). I was looking at this summit from the north just a few days ago.

From the top of the ridge it is a really fast descent back to the trailhead. The deer I saw earlier were now in the woods to the west and I made quick ground on the firm trail surface. It was a great morning.

Mesa Trail & Green Mountain

Out of control dogs are a menace!!

When we first moved to Boulder almost 2 years ago we rented a cottage at Chautauqua. We were only there 7 weeks while we waited for our house to close, but our proximity to the Flatirons and the Mesa Trail provided partial compensation for our cramped living space. We were glad to leave, but only because we wanted our house and bigger living space - the area is beautiful.

I avoid Chautauqua from March through October. It gets so crowded in the warmer weather that it makes a trip unpleasant. Once the first snows arrive though, the ice and mud deter the casual walkers. I arrived early today and found the parking lot barely half full. I would be out of the busy area in a mile or so and once past the NCAR station it should be really deserted. My plan for today was to do most of the lower level running early while the ground was still frozen. I aimed to head south from Chautauqua, then climb Bear Canyon to the West Ridge of Green Mountain. I wasn't sure about the descent route, but there were a number of options and I decided to leave the decision til later.

Early morning sun on the Flatirons as we climbed Chautauqua Meadow

Leaving the trailhead it was cold, but not as cold as yesterday at Button Rock. Livvy and I struck a steady pace on the gradual uphill section and passed by a few walkers. We could see an elderly couple up ahead with two dogs off leash - I really don't know what part of "Keep your dogs leashed" people don't understand, but the signs are pretty obvious. Livvy is a little apprehensive because she has been startled by aggressive dogs before, and as we approached them she held back. As soon as the two dogs saw Livvy they ran for her. I managed to fend one off and kick the other on the throat to keep it at bay. I wasn't best pleased and remonstrated with the owners for failing to control their dogs. It seems they didn't bring a leash and thought their dogs would "be OK".  I'm about done with these people and wish the park service would effect more punitive measures.

Contouring above the NCAR before turning right up Bear Canyon - frozen mud

But Livvy wasn't too concerned. She was surprised more than scared and was trotting ahead in no time...and then we met two more dogs off leash and, although they were under control, their owner "got the treatment" for not having them leashed. I'll link this post to the Boulder Park Service and invite them to take more action. These dog owners annoy me because they ruin it for everyone.

In the lower reaches of Bear Canyon

It was such an enjoyable morning that thoughts of irresponsible dog owners quickly faded and the beauty of our surroundings took over. After a stiff little climb we turned east to the entrance to Bear Canyon and the more serious ascent began. I have never seen a bear in Bear Canyon - in fact I've never seen one on Bear Peak - and felt cheated again this morning as we climbed in apparent solitude. The canyon is a dark and cold place in winter. The sun barely penetrates the canyon floor because of the towering cliffs and steep canyon walls, but after about 5 miles and at 7000 feet the trees thin out and we were warmed by the sun. In fact it became very warm and I regretted overdressing.

There is a completely new trail ascending Green Mountain from the south - whatever map you might be looking at is definitely wrong - and as the Bear Mountain trail splits left there is an extremely runnable, gently rising trail all the way to the junction with the West Ridge trail. The park service has made an excellent job - they have controlled erosion and managed to avoid some nasty little climbs with unstable ground. The new trail adds about a half mile in distance, but this is barely noticeable and the trail contours through some lovely wooded hillsides with great views south towards Bear Mountain and South Boulder Peak.

On the new section of trail on Green Mountain

Junction with the Ranger Trail with views across north Boulder

We reached the summit in no time and spent a few minutes talking to a very pleasant lady who had a friendly black Lab. Livvy was allowed to share a water bowl and we took in the views across Boulder to the plains in the east. We are so lucky having such great countryside to explore.

On the summit of Green Mountain with Bear Peak in the distance to the south. Livvy was able to share the water bowl

Descending the tricky icy trail I decided to head west to the Flagstaff Road and then down Long Canyon. We made rapid going. Once we hit Flagstaff Road it was only a half mile to the junction with Long Canyon. From there we would pick up Gregory canyon and be back at the car.

View east across Boulder from the summit of Green Mountain

Annoyingly, we arrived at Long Canyon to find that dogs were prohibited from this section of trail. This is ridiculous. Here was a trail running parallel to a busyish road and I was going to have to take the road. And this is why I get so annoyed at irresponsible dog owners - if they would only keep their dogs on leash AT ALL TIMES there wouldn't be the need to ban them from some trails. This is an issue I will raise again with the park service, but after my encounter earlier this morning I feel my protestations will be futile.

Descending Gregory Canyon in warming conditions. The trailhead is on the far side of the obvious snow patch

Livvy and I descended the Flagstaff Road to Realization Point and then quickly ran down the Gregory Canyon trail. It was warming up considerably as we lost altitude and when the sun penetrated the clouds I wished for shorts and a tee shirt. Unfortunately, the warmth had melted the lower level ice and the Chautauqua Meadow trails were a mud bath. Approaching the car I found a patch of deeper snow and cleaned my shoes and Livvy's legs and paws before climbing back in the car.