Hike: Miramonte Rim Loop at a casual pace

Hike Miramonte Rim (http://www.gjhikes.com/2010/10/miramonte-rim.html) Loop

at a casual pace

Dogs Welcome

We will meet at 3:00 PM at the “Holey Bucket” parking lot, the end of a short dirt road off Little Park Rd near mile marker 12, where the trailhead starts. This is the least known and least used of 3 trailheads to acceshttp://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/e/1/c/event_209184092.jpegs Lunch Loop trials. It is nice because it will be easy to know who in the parking lot is with our group, since it is not very likely there will be others in this parking lot when we arrive.

This is located off of lower Little Park Road (https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=little+park+road+grand+junction&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x87471b404bcba929:0x9573e795d984bf2d,Little+Park+Rd,+Grand+Junction,+CO+81507&gl=us&ei=y58tUc-sA5HurAGU-oHgBw&sqi=2&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA) (LPR)right across from mile marker 12. From Broadway Rd in Grand Junction, turn onto Monument Road (traffic light near Albertson's grocery store and Dos Hombres restaraunt), then turn left onto D Rd (just before the irrigation canal), then a forced right onto http://photos3.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/c/5/0/event_209183632.jpegRosevale Rd, and right again onto Little Park Road (LPR).

The road to "Holey Bucket" trailhead/ Miramonte Rim access (lower Little Park Road) is right across from "Little Park Ct." (https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=little+park+road+grand+junction&ie=UTF-8&hq=&hnear=0x87471b404bcba929:0x9573e795d984bf2d,Little+Park+Rd,+Grand+Junction,+CO+81507&gl=us&ei=y58tUc-sA5HurAGU-oHgBw&sqi=2&ved=0CDAQ8gEwAA) (scroll in and out on this map until you see Little Park Ct.) Look for the Little Park Ct. sign on the east/left side of LPR. An unmarked dirt road leading to the trailhead will be across from Little Park Ct, on the other side of the road.

There are no signs, toilets or map kiosks at this trailhead. Once we drop downthe path from this trailhead and follow the trail up the other side of the swale there will be Miramonte Rim trail signs.

We will be hiking the Holey Bucket trail (from our parking lot) to the Miramonte Rim trail, which is about 3 miles. Depending on how much people want to hike, we can extend this to 4-5 miles. Plan to be hiking for about 1.5 - 2 hours; more if the group wants since there is plenty do see here and trails to walk. Here is a general map (http://www.gjmountainbiking.com/Images/tabby-sml.jpg) of the area. Click your mouse on the map (http://www.gjmountainbiking.com/Images/tabby-sml.jpg) to enlarge.

It should be a beautiful though cloudy day at 55 degrees according to the weather forecast. (http://www.gjhikes.com/2010/10/miramonte-rim.html)

The trail is well-packed though it may be slippery in areas from the snow melting and refreezing.

BRING:
• Dogs if you have them (and a bag to clean up after your pet)
• Clothes for the weather (dress in layers so you can remove or add clothes easily)
• Warm, sun and chilly hats; light gloves

• Camera for those memorble moments (please post photos on this calendar page after the hike)
• Trekking/ski poles (not essential but they can be salvation if you have joint or back issues)
• Water and snackshttp://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/5/f/3/e/event_209184382.jpeg

We will know exactly where we are if/when we see this landmark

Please share your cell #s in case you get confused about where the trialhead is or have other questions.

CONTACT:
Lindsey T (https://www.meetup.com/WesternSlopeAdventurers/members/13926472/?a=mm2_l3) Cell # 231-750-9321______________

Definition of a casual hiker taken from http://thecasualhiker.com/page/2/

If you are "a casual “athlete” like myself, when I hit the trails, I meander and dawdle, pausing to smell the flowers and photograph the stunning panoramic views, and then reward myself with a granola bar when I reach the mountain top. No one would accuse me of being a hard-charging mountain goat.

When you’re a casual hiker, you set the bar. A plethora of reasons beckon all types of hikers—all ages and fitness levels. You don’t need to be a specimen of perfect health or fitness. I’m certainly not. I have a bad lower back, bum knees, and a foot and ankle that bore the weight of a dropped 800cc motorcycle, which—three surgeries later—can only flex a few degrees.

So don’t be deterred by love handles and aging joints. It’s beautiful outside, and hiking (and snowshoeing when the white stuff hits) is fun. If you’re interested in the exercise angle, you’ll discover hiking to be a lot more interesting than an hour on an elliptical machine. And when you reach the mountain top, you’ve earned bragging rights.

Start out easy. Go at your own pace. Stop and enjoy the scenery. It isn’t a race.

I hope this blog offers something for you: easy hikes, butt-kicking hikes, picnic destinations, panoramic views, wildlife watching, wild flower extravaganzas, waterfalls, and dog-friendly trails.

Explore our beautiful state. You won’t need to travel far."

From the same blog is a"dog protocol" we in WSA may find helpful:

Protocol for cleaning up after your dog involves carrying plastic bags (such as one from a grocery store), scooping up the offending matter, and tying off the bag to deposit in a trash receptacle. Some hikers, if returning along the same route, leave their baggies by the trail side to be retrieved later. If you do so, please remember the bag. We need to keep complaints from other trail users to a minimum, so we can continue to take our dogs along on the (BLM) trails open to them. On a side note, fleas and ticks are practically a non-issue here. The dry weather and high altitude are less than ideal conditions for fleas. Any ticks—which I’ve yet to encounter—apparently aren’t infected with Lyme disease. Lucky us!