Gear test in mist

For the last new backpack gear test, a long local, low carbon hike without trailhead vandalism risk presented a new methodology – park at somebody’s house and walk to the TH. This hike was 3 miles on the road, to / from house to TH and worth every mile. One more overnight gear test is forthcoming before publication.

Hike started around 6:15am with headlamp until a mile or so onto the trail. Oddly, this section of the trail (TH) is surrounded by large houses (“Up on the hill where they do the boogie” Song). Route went from Spring Blvd TH to Spencer Top, over toward Blanton TH, back to Spencer Top and then to Spring Blvd.

The birds were all out singing early in the morning. On both sides of the Raptor Center, barred owls were hooting and Dmitri was also making noises. Woodpeckers were also out.

The mist, fog and clouds were heavy both times at the top

It was about 10 days since I was last on Spencer, and in those 10 days, the ground cover and especially the flowers just exploded. I cannot remember a year when there were this many Trilliums.

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