50s+ Fun Folks

VALLEY LOOP TRAIL:

• Moderate Difficulty
• 4.3 miles
• 416 feet of elevation gain
• Avg time 1:40 (I am planning on 2.0)

Dogs are not allowed in this Fort Collins Natural Area.

Parking is free.

Come for all three nights, come for two, pick any night or just come up for a day or afternoon.

We currently have 5 available bed spaces in Nancy's heated pop-up trailer. All you will need to attend are:

• Your campsite folding chair (and I have spares).
• A sleeping bag rated to 30 degrees and a pillow.
• Clothing that will keep you comfortable in the daytime heat and when the temps drop after night.
• Flashlight, headlamp, and/or lantern.
• BYOB and your own snacks, candy, etc.

Dowdy Lake Campground is located near the popular Red Feather Lakes area. It is located 48 miles northwest of Fort Collins. The campground is next to Dowdy Lake in a ponderosa pine forest. Each site contains a tent pad, fire grate and picnic table. All campsites with a tent pad have a bear locker. The campground has 60 sites. All of the sites have electricity and can accommodate RVs of various sizes. There are five double sites available. The complex also includes a day-use area and boat ramp. I'm bringing my paddle board.

We cannot make reservations. It's first come/first served and that's why I am arriving on Thursday to secure a campsite. So far, we have 3 early camp sitters. Theoretically, we can camp with 8/site, a vehicle and a tent that must be placed upon an existing tent pad. This might limit us to only one tent per campsite.

Come for any or all, I just ask that you let me know when you plan on being there and when you plan on leaving so I can plan for meals.

If you plan on participating, plan on sharing in the cost of the group meals and the campsite rental. Each campsite costs $20/night and that is split among the number of campers at the site for the night.

We will develop a meal plan and take turns preparing breakfasts and dinners. Surely will have left overs for lunch. We will have a propane grill available, I have propane burners and stove and we have electricity to cook with as well.

As we get closer to the event, we can make detailed travel arrangement including carpooling from Fort Collins.

Right now, we have excess tent space for 10 people, depending on what they choose to sleep on. If everyone brings a queen sized air mattress and wants to sleep solo, then half that number.

We have enough people planning to come early (Thursday) that we could secure 4 sites, enough for 32 people. That would be epic.

Elk Creek Trail followed by a Hike to Disappearing Falls.

Two moderately difficult hikes.

• Elk Creek Trail: 2.4 miles, 410 ft
• Disappearing Falls: 2.1 miles 233 ft
• Total: 4.5 miles, 643 ft elevation gain

Both hikes are up and backs/up and downs.

I will already be up there camping. Someone else will have to handle carpooling logistics, form people into as few cars as possible. Meet at Overland Foods in LaPorte at 9:00 in the NE Corner of the parking lot. Do I have a volunteer to carpool loadmaster and convoy lead driver?

I will arrive Thursday night and depart Sunday morning. On Saturday I will do this hike, go back to the campsite and eat lunch. You are welcome to join me/us for as long as you like, including staying the nigh. However, let me know if this is your plan so we have the resources to support you--campground capacity, tent space, meal planning, etc. need to be considered.

And there's a lake next to the campground so you can go paddling as well.