Fort Collins Colorado

APRIL HIKE SCHEDULE Anyone interested in participating in an LMC hike must contact the trip leader prior to the hike to sign up. Consult with the trip leader for information on departure time and place, trip difficulty, and any specialty gear you might need for the hike. For the safety of all participants, the trip leader reserves the right to decline a request to participate in a hike. Loveland Mountain Club welcomes non-members to join us for any of the hikes we offer. Membership is encouraged after two hikes.

Saturday, April 2 Geocache If you don’t know what that is, search for it on the website. Bring a GPS, if you have one, and join us on the hunt for some caches. Small mileage and elevation. Class A. Contact: Dave H. 970-613-9012

Sunday, April 3 Taylor and Big John Mountains Two 9000 foot summits near Allenspark. About two miles of off trail hiking. Snowshoes and/or traction footwear advisable, depending on conditions. Hike rated A/B – 4.5 miles round trip – 1100 feet elevation gain/loss. Leave Kmart @ 8:00AM. Contact: jameshdisney@comcast.net

Tuesday, April 5 Option 1: Hewitt Gulch 6.2 miles RT level A hike through one of the Poudre Canyons larger gulches. The hike offers a little something for everyone: excellent wildlife viewing, remains of old homesteads, mine tailings, damage from a forest fire, numerous stream crossings and abundant wildflowers. 590 ft elevation gain. Contact: John E. 970-593-0261 Option 2: Horsetooth Lake to Devil’s Backbone car pool to Horsetooth approx 14 miles hope to average 2.5 mph. Contact: Bob C. 970-744-0526

Thursday, April 7 Blue Bird Mine, 6mi. RT, less than 500 ft. elevation gain. Class A. Caribou Ranch to the Blue Bird Mine. Contact: Reedy P. 970-532-0413

Saturday, April 9 Steep Mountain is a 9,538 ft. summit in Rocky Mountain National Park near Moraine Park. Snowshoes and/or traction footwear advisable, depending on conditions. About one mile of off trail hiking. Hike rated A/B – 4 miles round trip – 1100 feet elevation gain/loss. Leave Kmart @ 8:30AM. Contact: Linda N. 970-667-2478

Sunday, April 10 Deer Mountain is a 10,013 ft summit in Rocky Mountain National Park. Snowshoes and/or traction footwear advisable, depending on conditions. Hike rated A/B – 6 miles round trip – 1250 feet elevation gain/loss. Leave Kmart @ 8:00AM. Contact: David C. 970-377-1665

Tuesday, April 12 Option 1: Crosier Mountain #3 level A hike to Piper Meadow. Contact: Lupi I. 970-667-7913 Option 2: Eastern Loop through Lory State Park Starting at the visitor’s center we’ll follow the East Valley Trail, do the South Valley Loop and return via the Overlook trail 9.4 miles. Contact: Lisa M. 970-227-4516

Thursday, April 14 Heil Valley Ranch 8.1 Mi. Rt – Less than 900 ft. elevation gain. “A” – 2nd option to add Wild Turkey Loop 11 mi RT. A/B hike. Contact: Bambi M. 970-416-7815.

Saturday, April 16 Triangle Mountain is a 8,415ft summit near Glen Haven. Traction footwear advisable, depending on conditions. Hike rated A/B – 3 miles round trip – 1280 ft elevation gain/loss. Leave Kmart @ 8:00AM. Contact: jameshdisney@comcast.net

Sunday, April 17 Sandbeach Lake is located in Wild Basin in Rocky Mountain National Park. The hike is 8.5 miles round trip with 1,900 ft elevation gain. Traction footwear and/or snowshoes are required. B Hike. Leave Kmart @7:30AM. Contact: John A. 970-663-0618

Tuesday, April 19 Option 1: Wild Basin (depending on snow conditions) 5-6 miles RT level A hike we will plan to take a side trip to Hidden Falls on our way to Calypso Cascades approximately 340 feet elevation gain. Contact: Roberta T. 970-663-7637 Option 2: Hall Ranch Bitterbrush Trail level A hike 7 1/2 miles RT 680 feet elevation gain. Contact: Rod S. 970-669-2769

Thursday, April 21 Wild Flower Hike to Ralph Price Reservoir. Sleepy Lion trail to Hall Ranch 6 Mi. RT. “A” – 2nd option around reservoir – steep 8 Mi RT. “B”. Contact: Kathy M. 970-407-9152.

Saturday, April 23 Sugarloaf Mountain and Pole Hill point to point hike Sugarloaf Mountain, 8,962 ft, and Pole Hill, 8,683 ft, are located southeast of Estes Park near the Pole Hill Road. This outing is a moderately long “point to point” hike from the Pole Hill Road Trailhead to Big Thompson Canyon. It will be a mixture of trail hiking, rock scrambling and off trail bushwacking. It is rated B/C. The distance is 10+ miles, with 1600 ft of elevation gain and 3200 ft of elevation loss. Limited to 8 participants. Leave at Kmart @ 7:00AM. Contact: jameshdisney@comcast.net

Sunday, April 24 South Boulder Peak South Boulder Peak is a 8,549 ft summit in the City of Boulder Open Space. Having traction footwear is advisable, depending on conditions. This hike is 6.7 miles round trip, with 3039 ft of total elevation gain. It is rated A/B. Leave Kmart @ 7:300AM to carpool to Longmont to meet Perry @ the JC Penney parking lot. Contact: Perry A. 303-772-6988

Tuesday, April 26 Option 1: Bobcat Ridge Valley Loop 4 miles RT. Contact: Jane T. 970-223-5476 Option 2: Foothills Trail from Centennial Drive parking at the top of the dam above Maxwell Open Space to Claymore Lake and back. 9.5-10 miles depending on whether we take the extra loops on the return. Contact: Lisa M. 970-227-4516

Thursday, April 28 Ouzel Falls – 6 Mi. RT – “A”. Contact: Carol M. 970-622-0074 Saturday, April 30 Picture Rock The Picture Rock trail is in the Heil Ranch Open Space near Lyons This hike is 6 miles round trip with 950 ft of elevation gain It is rated A. Leave Kmart @ 8:00AM. Contact: Lupi I. 970-667-7913

Sunday, May 1 Twin Sisters, North and South Summits Twin Sisters, North Summit, 11,428ft, and the South Summit, 11,376 ft, are located in Rocky Mountain National Park, south of Estes Park. This hike is mostly on trail, with only about a mile of off trail hiking between the two summits. It is 8 miles round trip, with 2500 ft of elevation gain. Traction footwear is highly advisable. It is rated B/C, and limited to 8 participants. Leave Kmart @ 7:30AM. Contact: Mark S. 970-669-1424

Tuesday, May 3 Option 1: Dunraven . 5.5 miles R.T level A hike. Elevation loss 800’. After a steep, rocky decent from the trailhead for a few hundred yards, this trail flattens out and follows the North Fork of the Big Thompson River thru dense old growth Fir, Pine and Aspen forest. Cross the river 6 times on wooden bridges. Pass the corrals of a Boy’s camp before entering the high meadow. Our lunch spot and turn around location will be at the old cabin along the river. Well behaved dogs, with good trail manners, on 6’ or shorter leashes will be welcomed. Contact: Veletia 970-622-0444 Option 2: Horsetooth North Loop level. Contact: Lisa M. 970-227-4516 Thursday, May 5 Hollowell Park – 4-5 Mi RT – “A” hike. Contact: Ellen B. 970-593-3177

Saturday, May 7 Round Mountain Trail Maintenance This is the annual spring trail maintenance on the “Summit Adventure Trail,” the club adopted on Round Mountain. Trail work consists of trimming vegetation , picking up trash and cleaning water bars. The work isn’t hard, and usually is only about 3-4 hours. Bring gloves, lunch and plenty to drink, tools are supplied by the US Forest Service. There’s always a great tailgate party when we’re done. Meet at the Round Mountain Trailhead @ 8:00AM. Contact: Marianne T. 970-613-1033, or jamehdisney@comcast.net for details.

We want them to know Camp Cherokee is an up-close and personal experiential opportunity for kids to learn about wildlife and our environment in a most extraordinary setting with inspirational teachers,” said Cherokee Ranch and Castle CEO Donna Wilson regarding Cherokee’s popular Youth Nature & Science Program.

Cherokee Ranch & Castle is located on more than 3,100 pristine acres in Douglas County “…just a stone’s throw from Littleton, Centennial, Parker, Highlands Ranch, Castle Rock, Ken Caryl and most front-range communities,” said Wilson.

Cherokee offers four program sessions. “We added a session this summer because of the popularity of the camps,” said Wilson. “It’s important for parents to register kids early to lock in their space. We limit our camps to just 20 youth per session.”

Camp Cherokee Nature & Science Program Session Dates and Description

Youth Ages 8-11

Session 1: June 6-10

Session 2: June 20-24

Session 3: June 27-July 1

Youth Ages 12-14

Session 4: July 18-22

The program begins with a hike to the top of Cherokee Mountain. Campers learn to identify and record the physical features of the land, track animals and to cast tracks. By week’s end, each participant will have pictures of animals, a record keeping notebook and an unforgettable outdoor experience. Skills learned include map reading, outdoor etiquette, hiking efficacy, land preservation, field observation, wildlife protection, animal tracking and biomes of Cherokee Ranch. Taught by Douglas County K-12 teachers, campers will become inspired environmental stewards.

$300/child for the five-day Camp; All sessions run 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Limited to 20 youth per session

Reservations Hotline: (303) 688-4600.

More info: ashanton@cherokeeranch.org

New Belgium Brewing, maker of Fat Tire Amber Ale, wants all fans of the slopes to meet them in Telluride on March 12 as it kicks off the 2011 New Belgium Scavenger Hunt Series. The Telluride event marks the first of three scavenger hunts, with additional stops in Taos, NM and Loveland, CO. At the scavenger hunts, costumes are highly encouraged, giant chickens are chased and unique riddles are solved, all while raising money for local non-profits.

“Drag out your Tour de Fat costume and join us on the mountain to help out a worthy cause,” said Shawn Hines with New Belgium Brewing. “This fundraiser is all about adding a little flare to the typical ski day, adding colorful culture and new knowledge to the downhill experience.”

Many of the scavenger hunt riddles are focused on New Belgium beer and culture, sustainability, Telluride Ski Resort and TASP, which helps enrich the lives of people with disabilities through educational and recreational opportunities. To participate it’s only $10 per person plus the cost of a ski ticket, with all proceeds for the Telluride stop benefiting TASP.

Registration starts at 9 a.m. with the scavenger hunt running from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Groups of one to four people will search for both stationary and moving clues. Teams with the first and second highest point totals and the team with the lowest total will receive prizes at the post-party, held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. The post-party will also include the chance to win a 20th anniversary New Belgium cruiser bike. Each participant will receive a New Belgium pint glass made specifically for the event.

New Belgium created the Scavenger Hunt Series five years ago and this is the third year that Telluride Ski Resort has hosted the event. For more information, check out http://www.newbelgium.com/events/event-map.aspx.

The Scavenger Hunt Series Schedule:

Telluride, Colorado March 12 Taos, New Mexico March 18 Loveland Ski Area, Colorado April 2