Cottonwood Draw Falls

I was hoping to get the family out for a snowshoe hike in the Tie City area of Medicine Bow National Forest. Unfortunately, Noelle wasn't feeling well today and Sierra didn't want to go for a hike, so I went for a solo hike to Cottonwood Draw Falls which is located in a Wildlife Habitat Management Area near the Grayrocks Reservoir which is south of Guernsey, Wyoming.

It was an interesting drive to the trailhead. I took the road past Fort Laramie National Historic Site and eventually to the trailhead near the shoreline of the frozen reservoir. There was a really nice view of Laramie Peak at the start of the hike.

I started the hike following a closed, gravel road.

The road paralleled the namesake draw through open sagebrush prairie.

After a while the road ended and I followed a trail. Eventually the trail ended and I was forced to follow the draw by walking across icy sections of stream and hopping conglomerate boulders. 

It was slow going at times, and occasionally I found myself doing some route finding in the cedar trees that lined the stream. At one point I found a fairly large piece of skeleton; most likely from a cow. 

 It probably took about 45 minutes to travel a short 1/2 mile while climbing over downed trees and trying to avoid slipping on snow-covered boulders into the cold stream. Finally, I could see a wonderland of icicles up ahead. A sure sign of the falls.

I spent about a half hour admiring the frozen waterfall. I regret not bringing my microspikes, as the traction they provide would have allowed me to explore the icy slopes and icy caves. Finally, I turned around to make my way back to the car. I had a better idea of the best route for the way back and seemed to make much better time. The views looking downstream were splendid.

In no time at all, I was back to the car for the drive into Guernsey and back home. 

Nebraska National Forest: Roberts Loop Trail

Today the forecast called for temperatures in the 60s! On Tuesday, the high temperature is forecast to be 4 degrees. We decided to take advantage of the day's nice weather by getting out for a hike. We wanted to hike something new, but we didn't want to have to drive too far. We opted to drive up to Crawford, NE and hike a short 3.1 mile loop in the Nebraska National Forest called the Roberts Loop.

It was an uneventful drive to the trailhead for the hike, a remote site that was once a homestead. 

We had picked up some sandwiches on the way and had a little picnic lunch at the tables there. The site also happens to be a horse campground. After lunch we hit the trail, actually hiking a two-track road to start. 

The road passed a few scattered live ponderosa pines, 

including one that had an old fuel can affixed to it that had been altered into some kind of mailbox-looking thing.

However, many of the pines that we saw along the way had burned in fires in 2006 and 2012.

Despite the evidence of past fires, the scenery was quite nice.

We followed the road until we came to a gate in a fence. From the gate we started follow a proper singletrack footpath. 

The trail gently ascended to an intersection where the Roberts Loop began.

From the start of the loop, the trail began to ascend a bit more steeply.

There were great views up into some of the little side canyons that we passed.

Soon, we reached the top of the ridge where Sierra requested a break to sip some water and rest on a fallen, dead tree.

The trail at the top of the ridge, the Pine Ridge Trail, offered lots of great views in all directions. 

We could even see the Black Hills off to the north. 

After a short walk on the Pine Ridge Trail, we turned onto the second half of the loop and followed a ridge for a bit,

before starting the long, and sometimes steep, descent back down towards the trailhead.

After passing back through the gate, we decided to take the proper trail, rather than the two-track road, back to the trailhead.

It was a great hike, and one that you don't hear people talk about very often. That's probably due to the fact that it's not very close to any towns. I loved all the views out along the Pine Ridge and down to the grasslands below. 

Fort Laramie National Historic Site: Confluence Trail

Today, Noelle, Sierra and I took Mom out to Fort Laramie. After picking up some sandwiches at Which Wich (a tradition when we go to Fort Laramie) we headed west. After lunch in the picnic area, we toured the fort a bit.

After touring the fort, we headed to the Old Army Bridge and the trailhead for the Confluence Trail. We walked the bridge,

looked down into the clear waters of the North Platte,

and then hit the trail.

The Confluence Trail is now a National Recreation Trail and is marked with a new sign.

Sierra grabbed the two Track Trail booklets at the trailhead. I believe this is the only location I've seen those outside of North Carolina. 

The trail was a little bit muddy, but not too bad. There were lots of dog tracks in the hardened mud. 

When we reached the loop portion of the hike, we took the trail in a clockwise direction.

We followed the North Platte to the trail's namesake, the confluence with the Laramie River. 

We stopped at the Confluence to have a look around and rest.

Then, we continued on, following the Laramie River upstream. We stopped a few times to throw rocks in the water

and contemplate the beauty of the river in winter.

We passed some interesting trees in the floodplain on the way back.

Sierra even found a few caterpillars.

Skiing Snowy Range Ski Area

 Today Noelle and I took Sierra downhill skiing for the very first time in her life! Yesterday, after work/school, we drove to Laramie where we stayed in a hotel for the night. Mom watched Rosie this morning while Sierra, Noelle and I headed up into the Snowy Range to ski at Snowy Range Ski Area.

After getting geared up for our day, we headed out to the bunny hill to give Sierra a chance to get her ski legs under her.

We did multiple runs on the little hill that had a magic carpet for a lift. Then, we headed to the slightly longer and more difficult hill where Noelle and Sierra did a few runs together.

After taking a break for lunch in the lodge,

Sierra had her lesson. In the meantime, Noelle and I had a chance to do some skiing together and hit a few of the blue slopes.

It was a fun day, and we all can't wait to ski again in the future. Hopefully it won't be too long!