Black Canyon Field Club - May 18
Hike XK Bar Ranch, Crawford
Time and place: Saturday May 18th, 2013 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. XK Bar Ranch, outside Crawford, Colorado. See directions below.
Click here to RSVP or contact Alecia, Field Club coordinator.
Celebrate spring in the North Fork Valley Saturday May 18th with the Black Canyon Field Club. Tony Prendergast, former BCRLT board member, will be leading us on a loop hike through his 70 acre easement, followed by a picnic lunch in a grove of cottonwoods. This hike boasts spectacular 360 degree views of the West Elk Mountains, Needle Rock, surrounding ranch lands and distant views of Grand Mesa.
Photo by Tony Prendergast
By mid-May the cottonwoods will be leafed out and several varieties of shrubs such as service berry and mountain mahogany will be in bloom. We are likely to encounter cattle on part of the hike. The route will cross a wide ditch in two places that will involve jumping, wading or walking a plank (no sharks at the bottom, I promise). The minimum hike route will be just over 2 miles, though there are many options to make it longer if the group wishes. The route will pass through the heart of Tony's conservation easement, then continue onto a neighboring rangeland grazing parcel.
Directions to the hike start:
From the post office in downtown Crawford go south on Hiway 92 0.7 miles, turn left onto D road (directly across the highway from the gas station), go 1.6 miles east then turn right onto Buckskin Pass Road, go 0.3 miles south up a steep hill and stop just over the crest of the hill. There will be a gate in the barbed wire fence there and a ranch road where the hike will start. Park along the shoulder of the road.
Bring your usual hiking supplies, plenty of water, and a bag lunch. If you would like to carpool - offer a ride or be a rider - please let Alecia know in your RSVP and include where you will be coming from that day - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
