Thu, Apr 21 2016 - Pine Ridge - Death Valley Loop (View Event Details) Event Coordinator(s): (To see who coordinated the hike, log in to the Member Area) Participants: (To see who hiked, log in to the Member Area)

Write Up:
We were blessed with blue skies, summer temperatures, and dry trails. So up and down we walked through dark shady forests, bright aspen woods with new green leaves, and meadows large and small. We admired the blue ridges back dropped by snowy peaks covered in haze, which gave them a dreamy look. We started on the Long Prairie Loop, climbing to Long Prairie Ridge. Following the Balsam Link ski trail we dipped to Long Prairie Creek and climbed to Pine Ridge. From the high point on Pine Ridge we took the new trail along the NW ridge. This is a well designed trail with views north and south and east and west. I suspect it was built by mountain bikers because of its superior design. We descended to Death Valley and took the Death Valley trail over the watershed back to the parking lot. All, or almost all, junctions were well marked with new maps, making route finding easy. Peter Minarik