Spanish Peak
Yesterday, I decided to go on a loop hike up to Spanish Peak from Buck Summit. Getting to the trailhead, I was greeted with "trail closed" signs and tacked to the top of the post was the forest order to do it, except that it was only closing points north of highway 70. I started to head out anyway when a ranger drove up to renew the signs. She said that a new order had been written and was being reviewed by the lawyers, but I could be cited as soon as it was posted. She also said I should take the Right Hand Branch route, which was my route out anyway. I started up the trail again. The route was almost entirely old road to the fire lookout that once stood on Spanish Peak, so the grade was easy and I made quick time up. The lookout was long gone leaving just concrete foundation points and steel cables. The wide, flat peak has cliffs to one side, so had quite a good view. I painted the view toward the fire and some more impressive rocks.
I left to head north toward Granite Gap and then down it to see the lakes there. I started down the gap to see the lakes, and painted a bit of Silver Lake and Rock Lake on the way down.
I continued down a little way, but between the mileage my GPS was telling me I'd already done and the mileage on the sign for the Right Hand Branch, I decided this was taking more than I'd estimated and turned around after just having a good view of the lakes from above. I turned down the branch of Mill Creek toward the lake. The trail was well traveled, but still tried to get lost in the meadows. I suddenly heard water to my left and gathered some more water for the route. The flow was quite good and the snow is long gone, so it is probably spring fed somewhere shortly above where I was. I made my way down to Bucks Lake across a few other spring fed tributaries. I was only able to see the reservoir when I got very close. I made my way around the lake to the Mill Creek trailhead, getting there about sunset. I still had a little over two miles along the Buck Creek Loop to get back to the summit, so it was dark by the time I got there. The trail signs had changed to "trail closed in 8 miles at Three Lakes" which are over 11 miles away according to the sign and the posted forest order still hadn't changed, so it isn't really closed there either. The total on the GPS was 18.1 miles. Good thing I didn't go for the 17 mile loop.
I left to head north toward Granite Gap and then down it to see the lakes there. I started down the gap to see the lakes, and painted a bit of Silver Lake and Rock Lake on the way down.
I continued down a little way, but between the mileage my GPS was telling me I'd already done and the mileage on the sign for the Right Hand Branch, I decided this was taking more than I'd estimated and turned around after just having a good view of the lakes from above. I turned down the branch of Mill Creek toward the lake. The trail was well traveled, but still tried to get lost in the meadows. I suddenly heard water to my left and gathered some more water for the route. The flow was quite good and the snow is long gone, so it is probably spring fed somewhere shortly above where I was. I made my way down to Bucks Lake across a few other spring fed tributaries. I was only able to see the reservoir when I got very close. I made my way around the lake to the Mill Creek trailhead, getting there about sunset. I still had a little over two miles along the Buck Creek Loop to get back to the summit, so it was dark by the time I got there. The trail signs had changed to "trail closed in 8 miles at Three Lakes" which are over 11 miles away according to the sign and the posted forest order still hadn't changed, so it isn't really closed there either. The total on the GPS was 18.1 miles. Good thing I didn't go for the 17 mile loop.