Thursday, December 29, 2022

A Winter Hike up Sugar Loaf Bluff

We've been in Wisconsin, visiting with family for the holidays. It's been exceptionally cold since we got here, and I've got a bad case of cabin fever. Noelle and I decided to get out and go for a short hike over in Winona, Minnesota at Sugar Loaf Bluff. We've hiked Sugar Loaf before, during MEA Weekend in 2018.

It was a nice drive across the Mississippi River and into Minnesota. It has warmed up substantially since a few days ago and a lot of the snow that had piled up and drifted on the sides of the roads has melted away. Still, I knew we would be hiking in the snow and so at the start of the hike Noelle and I each donned one of the microspikes from my pair. The trail is short, but fairly steep. Soon enough, we were approaching the trail's namesake: Sugar Loaf Bluff.


Near the base of the cliff, there's a nice view looking out over the city of Winona and the Mississippi River. We paused here for a quick break,


and then ascended the last section to the base of the Sugar Loaf.



At the base of the Sugar Loaf, there are trails that lead to views on the north and south sides. We enjoyed the vantage from both,


and then started the descent back down to the car. Along the way, I noticed a small natural window that I had overlooked on the way up.


It was a quick (and slippery) descent back down to the car and our trip to Aldi for a little shopping.

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