Curtis Ridge, 24 August, 2019 Seven hikers explored a hike new to Cache hikers on
Saturday, Curtis Ridge, above Hardware Ranch: Denis, Dave
P., Dave W., Jane, Gordon, Jim and Bree (leader).
We met at the Smiths Marketplace and arranged carpools.
We were on the road headed for Blacksmith Fork Canyon at
8:05. It was a 45 minute drive to the parking lot at
Hardware Ranch, including a short wait for a few Top of
Utah Half Marathon runners.
The trail head took off from the parking area and
curved around the hillside to an overlook where we could
see a good sized beaver dam. The trail then crossed a
wooden footbridge to an old camping spot and followed an
old road, now closed to motorized vehicles. The path
continued along Curtis Creek but after crossing the stream
on a metal footbridge the trail headed up Dry Curtis
Creek, leaving the water for the rest of the hike.
At a 'Y' junction we decided to take a side trip to the
left and up a steep section of trail. After climbing
to a viewpoint on lower Curtis Ridge we looked over
Hardware Ranch to the peaks of the Bear River Range.
We returned to the junction, where Dave W. and Jane left
the hike to attend a family event.
The five remaining hikers took the right at the 'Y',
leading to Elbow Springs. There is a water trough for
cows, but we think the actual spring is inside the private
fence we were following. The trail then wound around,
making a great loop that ended at the Hardware Ranch
visitor center. Along the way we stopped under a juniper
tree for lunch at 11:30-12:00, made it back to the cars at
12:45 and Logan at 1:35.
Trip Summary:
Thanks to Bree for the narrative, Bree, Dave W., Dave P. and Jane for photos and Bree and Dave W. for GPS data |
|||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||