Fri, Aug 17 2007, Sat, Aug 18 2007, Sun, Aug 19 2007 - Elk Lakes/Petain Falls Backpack - moderate backpack / moderate hike (View Original Event Details)
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Another fantastic COC backpack trip! Many thanks to Chris and Baljinder for signing up for the moderate trip - and it was great to have Connie and Fernando join us on Saturday for the day hike. We combined groups on Friday for the hike in via Fox Lake - a route new to me and most enjoyable. Saturday's hike to Petain Falls was spectacular as always, and I sure appreciated the opportunity to stop to enjoy the views, explore our way along, take photos, and spend some time at the falls. Still a full day for us - 14km round trip and almost 6 hours. Late Saturday afternoon a few showers blew in along with a couple blasts of lightening - one hitting the side of the mountain just across the lake from us! We watched the side of the mountain catch fire and walked down to the hut and park office in search of a ranger - no where to be found. Tried phoning the "report a fire" phone - but no cell phone service and no phone at the hut. So we watched the fire burn - thankfully it was high enough on the mtn that we were not too concerned about it coming our way. It flared up and then settled down in waves, and finally burnt itself down to a wisp of smoke by morning. We hiked out on Sunday as a combined group once again, via West Elk Pass - a lovely change of scenery and trail. It was great to have the two groups who spent most of the time together yet offered options and choice to participants. Will definitely do it that way again!
~ Marg