I set out around noon, heading for Rooster Rock. It is a nice hike, and not to far away. I was also hoping to maybe catch the meadow with all the flowers in bloom. I reached the trail head about 1pm. Strapping on my day pack, I began my assault up the trail.
About 100ft up the trail I noticed some PVC pipe half buried across the trail. This was kind of strange?? Coming out of the one end was a length of RG59 coaxial cable that lead to a large PVC capsule. I took a couple of pictures and thought I would check it out further on my return.
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What ever it is the pipe crossing the trail needed to be oriented in a particular way. Notice the writing on the pipe "Point dot up". I'm curious what this is and/or what is being monitored.
Moving on up the trail, the coral root was lining the trail. Though it was not as thick as last year. I think this might have something to do with the late melting snow pack this year.
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This trip I decided to take a little detour and check out Rooster Rock in more detail. I made a short little bushwhack to the (very loose) bolder field at the base of the rock. I found Rooster Rock to have a different look and texture than some of the other rock in the area. For instance the rock across the ridge at Table Rock is tall vertical basalt, and even the rocks just a few hundred feet away at the top of the meadow is just large blocky rocks with little texture. Rooster Rock is a relatively narrow blade of rock that jets into the air, but yet most of the contours are horizontal and pocked with small wells.
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I soon made my way back to the trail and continued to the meadow. I found that I was a few days late for catching things in the prime of its bloom, but the flowers were still in bloom and for the most part spectacular.
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On my way back I walked right passed what was completely out in the open and in plain site. Remember that PVC something or other from the start of my hike. While I was hiking some one had come through and camouflaged what ever it was. Rather than dig it up and still not know what I was looking at I just left it alone and headed for home.
It was nice to get out and enjoy an afternoon on the trail. Hopefully I can make some more time to get out and enjoy the outdoors before the summer comes to an end.
1 comment:
Dan, glad you made it up to the meadow this year. It's been a tough year to hit the timing right in a lot of places. That thing at the trail head is a trail counter keeping track of usage and was placed by the BLM. I reported it as needing attention a couple days before you were up there and you just happened to catch it before they got around to covering it back up. (It was never supposed to be so easy to see) Great shot of the Washington Lily. I haven't been able to get out and see one this year. Did you catch the Candy Stick or the Gnome Plant on your trip?
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