right trail, right time

 Since H wasn't interested in any mileage on Sunday after his epic trail run the day before, and because even-numbered days are on-leash days in Millcreek Canyon (and because Milton is just not that much fun to hike with on a leash), it was another solo hike for me on Sunday.  I like to hike with my guys but I also enjoy solo hikes as they allow me to go at my own pace.  

Pipeline

For this one, back to Millcreek again as the higher elevations still have snow for a little bit longer, I did the Pipeline/Elbow Fork/Terraces loop (6.3 miles).  We three did this last August.  I got to the large parking lot across from the Terraces road around 6:40 and walked down the canyon road just a little ways to the Burch Hollow trailhead.  This connects with the Pipeline trail and I went up (and up) to Elbow Fork.  It was cool (around 55 F to start), shady and quiet; I only saw one runner, one hiker and one MTBer while I was on the Pipeline trail.

Clear down in the valley

At Elbow Fork, I crossed the road and the creek, pausing to answer a road cyclist's questions about the new Pipeline trail extension, and started up (and up) the Terraces trail.  This trail doesn't have a summit and is much less popular than Grandeur Peak; it's steep and a bit of a grind, being mostly without switchbacks, and sidehill-y in spots.  But it was almost completely shaded, especially at this time of the morning but also likely so even in the afternoon, and that was delightful.

Sunflowers and mountain mahogany

As many times as I've hiked this loop (and if you type Terraces into the search box at the top left of this blog, you can see just how many times that has been), I guess I have never done it at this time of year.  I say this because there was a good stretch of the trail, once I stopped climbing and was going across the ridge, that was full of flowers I've never seen before.  It's in a pine forest section but the forest floor has not been overgrown with scrub; it was carpeted with these short plants with heart-shaped leaves and tiny, tiny white flowers.  It was just beautiful and I was so happy that I'd inadvertently timed it right to see it.

Teeny tiny white flowers

It was gorgeous and so green

I got back to the car right at 9 a.m.  The parking lot now had around twenty cars in it, most with bike racks; I think people drive up to there and then ride up the road to the top of the canyon - this is the last weekend that the upper road will be closed so it's super nice for bikes to not have to dodge cars.  Despite how busy it was, I had been by myself for most of the hike: I only saw three runners, nine hikers, two dogs and that one MTBer the whole time.  I passed five hikers and didn't get passed by anyone - I did get yelled at by a red squirrel, though.