twenty-one

Our twenty-first wedding anniversary fell on a Thursday and that made it seem like a perfect opportunity to take the day off from work and go for a hike.  We had to drop visiting friends off at the airport first, so we opted for the upper Millcreek Canyon Big Water lollipop that we'd last done in September 2019.

Kind of a humid up, with the creek and all the vegetation

We were surprised at how busy it was for a Thursday: lots of dog walkers and trail runners.  We didn't get a spot at the parking lot at the very top of the canyon but did score one at the lower lot, which is pretty much the same thing.  On our way up to the trail, we noted a sign for a new trail: they've continued the Pipeline Trail, adding another 3.6 miles from Elbow Fork to the top of the canyon.  And we added that to our list to check out.

Late summer meadow

We went up the Old Red Pine Road which is constant in its climbing but never terribly steep.  When we connected with the Big Water trail, Milton must have gotten on the scent of something: he'd stayed pretty close on Old Red Pine but once the trail opened up, he was running hard all over the place, way ahead and up the hillsides.  H kept calling him back (and he kept coming back) but after a while, we put him on the leash to get him to calm down.

Post-hike tailgating (literally)

Once we got up on the ridge, we let him off the leash.  We were on the Great Western Trail now, though, and ran into several large groups of MTBers before we got off the GWT onto that historical trail back down into Millcreek Canyon.  This is my favorite part of this hike as the trail goes through numerous  aspen groves and alpine meadows, the meadows still bursting with flowers even in the late summer.  At one point I looked up to see Milton's head just porpoising through the yellow blossoms.  It was beautiful.

Somebody overdid it

When we got back to the Big Water trail, the sign said 3.6 miles to the trailhead.  Both H and I were all, ugh, that's long, but the trail is so pleasant underfoot - smooth and flat packed dirt for the most part - that the 2.6 miles to the next trail junction just flew by.  At that junction, with just one mile to go, the trail is less pleasant: steep and a little loose and rocky in spots.  It was also much busier, being closer to the trailhead.  Milton, getting tired at this point, just trotted on by all the hikers and dogs.

Naptime

Back at the truck, H hoisted Milt up onto the tailgate - we didn't need to leash him as he definitely wasn't going anywhere.  We three had some snacks and drinks there in the shade.  It was very comfortable and there were enough other folks coming and going that we were provided decent people watching.  An altogether fine way to spend an anniversary, in my opinion.

Hike stats: 9.59 miles (Milton likely did 12+); moving 3:02 hours/3.1 m.p.h.; overall 3:27/2.8; 1,820' elevation