Sevenmile Creek 12/14/2014

[SynergyXJ]

Jim and I ran Sevenmile Creek area today. There is some sort of cut your own tree sale going on, so there were more stock SUV's and trucks than I've ever seen on a trail. The trail is pretty easy, so I'm glad there was some snow on the ground. There was only one spur that was remotely difficult.

Overall, it was a good run - light snowfall the whole time. Having only two rigs (and easy terrain), we moved pretty fast, covering 16.46 miles in a couple hours.

At one point, we got out to look over a ledge and found a bunch of animal skeletons! I counted 7, mainly spine and rib cage, and they were probably deer. You can see 6 of them in picture #3. (Can you find all 6?!)

[dieseldoc]

Nice. Slunds like easy rollong day. Wish we cluld have made it, but I had a long day yesterday, and we decorated the house today

[redneck23ms]

looks like a good time. i have ran that trail several times on both a dirtbike and in the jeep. there are a few spots that are a little challenging. one is a steep climb of really loose rock on one of the spurs. thats the only spot i have ever been denied on on that trail. probably could have made it but i was alone and didn't want to push my luck. was the gate open for the stump hill section of the trail? it only opens in winter and i haven't ever ran it.

[Jim]

Highlight photos below with a full set (though not terribly different from these) at the link:
www.JimWilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/ (http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/index.html)

This was a well enjoyed trip! Traffic on CO-14 was non-existant. The Poudre is shut off and along with it the traffic. Some light snowfall with a uniform covering of snow on the trail was a treat. No snow bashing needed.

I met Evan at the King Sooper's on Taft @ Elizabeth. We left the parking lot at 9am and were on the trail at 10:14 after airing down. We were at the upper clearing / intersection at 10:55am. The trail was fast (after being bladed by the FS last season). Speeds were 9 to 15mph (vs 4-9mph). 12:24pm found us at the exit trailhead with 23 minutes airing up (4min per wheel for me). Some of the trail was in 4-hi as 4-low was just too slow. When we starting to get into the 20mph range, I had to pay attention to not sliding off of the trail at the corners (and into a tree).

Of note, Evan has a central (4-air hoses, connected) deflation / inflation system. His deflate time was the same as it took me to deflate 3 tires. I use the valve core removal method, his did not, but was able to have all four deflating at the same time.

For inflation, his process would have been about the same (25% faster than me) except one air chuck did not seat and released inflation pressure making for each to be the same time.

My tires are 35" and deflated from 24psig to 12psig. Inflation, I simply give them 4 minutes with the air pump (which brings them back to about 24psig).

I was back to home at 2:15pm with 105 miles on the odometer.


http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/map_1.gif

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/profile_1.gif


This was a typical creek crossing. Water was moving, but not too much.

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4335.jpg

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4342.jpg

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4348.jpg

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4360.jpg


Perhaps a couple dozen families out getting a Christmas Tree.

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4382.jpg

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4387.jpg


At the end of one trail we eyed about six skeletons with rabbit and bird tracks around them.

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4391.jpg


Looking down onto Picken's Point.

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4394.jpg

[SynergyXJ]

Our GPS data appears to be consistent, so that's good! :thumb:

[MultiScuf]

Glad you guyz had a fun safe snow run :D

[Jim]

was the gate open for the stump hill section of the trail?

Stump Hill - I know not this section. I searched and came up with a couple YouTube vids but nothing to tell me where it is.

Do you have a map of it?



I had an odd trail casualty today: Coming home I went to remove my CB antenna and it wasn't there. I screw it into its mount / remove it each trip. The antenna's base was still screwed into the mount but the fiberglass pole & wound cable was nowhere around. Odd. I don't recall any low trees near the centerline of the jeep that could have knocked it hard enough.

The upside, perhaps the next antenna will find me able to get suitable SWR readings for the CB (they were always high, after several modifications / adjustments to address high SWR).

[newracer]

Stump hill is a left hard turn (roughly west) just a little ways past the last creek crossing.

[Jim]

Ah, k. Just after the last creek crossing, we knew of a dead end trail. This was just before the falling apart cabins of this pic (where the climb to the highlands starts).

We didn't visit that trail.

http://www.jimwilliamson.net/automobile/2014-12-14--trail--sevenmile-creek/img_4360.jpg

[redneck23ms]

yep it goes to the left right before you get to the last delapidated cabin.

[dieseldoc]

Sounds like a good day.

[The StRanger]

VERY NICE !