Feb 19 - Cardiff Fork Trail

Heading to the mountains today for a little snow hiking. Sunny day -- near 50 degrees.

When I arrive around noon there were only a handful of cars in the parking area. I wasn't sure if I'd need my snowshoes -- the resorts got around 7 inches. But after looking at the start of the trail, decided to go without them.

I started down the summer road (now closed) heading to the trail head. Had to stop at the creek crossing and catch a glimpse down the canyon.

Boy are the "plow drifts" tall! (Guess that's what 50+ inch base looks like.) Extremely pretty!

I get my first glimpses of Mt Reynolds.

When I get to the trail head, I take the usual right over the creek (which is flowing) and then up the old mining road. Definitely a lot of snow but it's pretty hard packed (sinking only an inch).

Along the mountain-side of the trail, there are snowballs that have rolled down to the trail in several spots.

The creek along the trail is covered under feet of snow.

I climb the little hill to a fork. I think I'm supposed to go right but there are no snowshoe or footprints (only skis) so I follow the left well-beaten trail thru the snow.

The trail is way too flat - I'm definitely on the wrong path but I'm curious as to where it heads so I follow along.

It heads thru a meadow before heading towards a steep slope. Just before the slope, the trail drops and enters a tiny valley with surrounded by steep slopes.

There is a small stream (mostly snow covered) with a small area of open water. I follow the trail for a bit and see several people climbing up a 30-40 ft snow covered wall (and several people were standing at the top the wall) exiting the little valley. I think I'm almost at Donut Falls -- and although I wouldn't mind seeing it, I'm not climbing that wall. So I turn around and head back to that side trail.

I get there and start heading up; making the first set of footprints!

Finally, I break out into the open so I know I'm almost to the fantastic views (at least they were last year and we only had a fraction of the snowfall).

And then the views!

A little further up the hill.

And the views uphill are great too!

I head up a little more than 1/2 way up the valley before stopping and heading back.

One last stop at the creek looking up the canyon toward Brighton.

Wonderful day!