There's a cute little mountain I explored yesterday. Here it is, right on the Trans-Canada Highway. Total elevation from pavement to summit is 500 meters. The other side is all forest, except for a broad ramp going half-way up, which is a great picnic-spot for teenagers on Friday night. It doesn't have a name, so I call it the "Half-Moon Rocks".

<img src="http://www.nucleus.com/~dancohen/half-moon/half-moon rocks.jpg" />

Here's a view of the top edge of one of the half-moons.
You can see how it's a mix of 2nd, 3rd, 4th class.

<img src="http://www.nucleus.com/~dancohen/half-moon/top of a half-moon.jpg" />

Hidden in the trees is some lovely grassy lawn, perfect for observing the views, or for being lazy (my specialty).

I had a wonderful time on Sunday. I found some geology, and walked on it. But on the summit, I was feeling lonely, and I decided if another hiker should wander up here (it was Sunday afternoon), I'd be very glad to say "hello".

And soon enough, these two hikers appeared from another route up. This dynamo-guy in the lead, and another guy trailing behind. They said hello, and the leader headed down as fast as he could hike, using both hiking-poles to help propel himself over the rubble. His buddy struggled pitifully at keeping up, and complained about his knees.

As I watched them disappear into the trees below, I wondered, "What the hell is the point of the exercise?"

I found another peaceful lawn to observe the fall flowers and the lovely juniper smell, and I was glad they were soon off my mountain.

What still frosts me is how they littered my mountain.

I learned how, last weekend, their third friend tied yellow flags through the forest near the top. This is the only stretch of route where you can actually see the path. But they've left these flags every few meters -- you can always see at least two in front, and two behind.

On the lower slopes, this guy used his powerful boot-prints to churn up what-ever passed as trail down there. Of all the visitors, and all the animals, that use this trail, this one single guy creates more trail erosion then everybody combined.

And he doesn't even stop to admire the scenery!

Sounds like you need to make another trip up there and remove said yellow ribbons. . . and maybe scatter leaves, etc. on the "trail."

dskoon wrote:Sounds like you need to make another trip up there and remove said yellow ribbons. . . and maybe scatter leaves, etc. on the "trail."

Yeah I'm thinking about doing just that.

They left some small cairns along the way, so I'll kick them apart, too.

The trail is visible visible only sometimes. On the open slopes, mountain sheep provide the best paths. Today it's raining, that might mitigate some of the churned boot-prints. But winter snow is coming soon, so I'll let nature take her course.

But to head up there again, yeah, I think I'd like to. The geology is open to view, and to walk on. I think it's interesting enough to have another look at the angles and thickness of the limestone layers. And check out the last of the buffalo-berries, and also collect a pocket-full of rose-hips.

Sorry I forgot to update my own thread...

The following weekend, I did go back up there to remove the yellow flags.

Somebody else had already cleaned them off! I don't know who or when, but the mountain is clean and neat again. So thanks to who-ever it was, you did the right thing.

On that day, the wind was really bothering me. Maybe I wasn't feeling so great myself, but the wind was strong enough that I had to stop in-place, to let the gusts go by. So although I was already in view of the summit, I didn't proceed, I just got back down to the balmy lower levels.