ENTS,

   Monica and I returned to the Colorado Trail and hiked about 0.6 miles before turning around. The Trail near its head is used a lot and you are continually dodging dogs. People are friendly, but there is too much activity for me. If one got an early start, I think the trail would be more enjoyable. Also, beyond the 4-mile mark, the trail steepens and the casual dog walkers 
   The trail follows a small creek and enters a narrow gulch, but stays relatively level. There are plenty of narrow leaf cottonwood, box elder, ponderosa pine, and Doug fir growing in the gulch. The cottonwoods and box elders stay near the water. There are a few other tree species in the gulch, but they are much less abundant. I saw an ancient Doug fir and several old pines, but a younger pine was the tree that really captured my attention. It was growing in a very favorable spot that gave it plenty of water. The tree is 116 feet tall as best as I can determine and about 8 feet in girth.

    It is becoming clearer that if a pine has growing room and water and soil here in this corner of Colorado, it can reach impressive proportions. Tomorrow will be a significant old growth excursion.

Bob