Hike Coordinator – John Malone
It was darned cold for April in Douglas County, temperatures were in the 30’s but twelve people turned out for the hike on North Bank. John had read the icy bad weather prediction for Boundary Springs (the original scheduled destination) and decided that discretion was the better part of valor and he changed the locale to North Bank Habitat. On the Habitat, the sun came and went, some rain spatters came and went, and luckily the hail arrived after the hikers made it back to the trailhead.
The trail wasn’t in the best of shape; heavy rain had turned it to mud or worse because of the bovine population which contributed to the trail’s general messiness. There were segments where hikers had to leave the trail for the relative cleanness of the grass.
The route was up Blacktail Basin, under the power lines, a stop at Grumpy’s Pond for a snack, and then down the well- named Soggy Bottom Road to the parking area at about one o’clock. The weather was temporarily so nice that the hikers loitered at the picnic area at the bottom, enjoying the ephemeral spring weather. The official distance for the hike was seven and one-fourth miles. Some folks joined the hike who hadn’t been with the group for a while, one of whom brought the small girl child who hiked so impressively for her age and size.
Thanks go to John for persevering in his efforts to get the gang out on the trail where they belong.
Pictures by Richard O’Neill
