Day 2 Halfmoon Creek Trail

This was a beautiful trail ride and a popular one.    We stayed in the trees for quite awhile.   The trail

follows the creek and is a busy camping area on the weekends.    We forded the stream a few times.

Coming out into the open, the mountains circled us.  

And at about 12,000 ft, we came to the well-preserved Champion Mill.   Built in the late 1800's, it mined both gold and silver.   It is a massive structure and I always wonder just how they did it.  

How did they get the lumber up the mountain, how did they work so hard at that altitude, how many horses did it take to get the heavy metal equipment up those slopes??

It leans a bit......it wouldn't surprise me to see it all in a pile after the heavy 

winter snows.  

And old boiler and bricks.

Some people wandered inside to take pictures and look around......I wasn't that confident in a 120 year old structure.   

Nearby, there was a field of thistles.....

I love the lens on my camera.....I can get REALLY good close ups of the busy bees.  

Note the pollen grains on his head !

Old log structures still exist.    The slopes near all the mines that we saw are full of tree stumps....just as they were left so long ago.

Coming back, we forded the creek again, this time a bit deeper and longer.    Our lunch stop was in the trees next to the stream.....very pretty.  Small biting flies made it a bit uncomfortable.  

We took another fork of the trail and headed up to Iron Mill.   This route was rougher and we really

didn't get to any mine structure but did see remnants of cabins.  

The Dusky Beardtongue is very prevalent along the roads and in the meadows.   Note another busy bumblebee.  

I have no idea what these spikes are.....they came in different colors but they aren't in my flower book....but enjoy anyhow.  

On the Iron Mill trail, there is an "obstacle".    I couldn't get a decent picture but this Jeep is about to drop into the chasm....and the crowds are hoping for some action and trouble.!

The trail was very rocky and narrow and then we came to the creek, surrounded on both sides by large boulders.   Of course, the rock crawlers and adventurous types seek out these challenges.   Mike had no trouble getting thru altho I thought he went a bit fast ......I'm not sure our Jeep would have made it but the guys were all prepared with their winches and lifts.  

This trail ride was a favorite of the week....minus the above.....It was beautiful in the trees along the streams and then glorious vistas greeted us above tree line.    Weather was perfect.............By the way,  time spent in the mountains is not deducted from your life !!