Rockwood Reservation: January 30, 2011

These pictures were all taken on the same day, near the same time--January 30, 2011, between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.--at Rockwoods Reservation. Depending upon where the sun hit the trail yesterday, there was ice, snow, mud, or just a cleared path. I saw two women trail running (they were not wearing cleats--I asked) at a good clip on the snow/ice covered path. Total, I hiked three trails (probably seven miles): the Trail Among the Trees (1.5 miles), the Rock Quarry Trail (2.2 miles), and the Lime Kiln Trail (3.2 miles). Would have liked to hike more before the next few days' predicted snowfall, but I had to get to Schnucks with the other panicked St. Louisans to buy bread and milk.

Rockwoods Reservation: Lime Kiln Trail

Sunday, January 9, 2011

A short, early afternoon hike at Rockwoods Reservation was the perfect remedy for a slight case of Returning-to Full-Week-Work after Winter Break Blues. I'd intended to awake early, take a thermos of coffee and watch the sun rise through the trees, but instead got caught up in reading Between a Rock and a Hard Place by the fire. So I didn't get to the Lime Kiln Trail at Rockwoods Reservation until around 12 o'clock.

Saw only one other hiker--who didn't really seem to want to see me, either. This is another reason to hike in cold weather if you are going to visit the trails near urban St. Louis. Rockwood is located in a fairly densely populated area in the middle of affluent subdivisions, albeit the lots in most of those subdivisions consist of very large tracts of land and enormous mansions. But freezing temperatures often ensure solitude as most St. Louisans do not enjoy braving the cold.

Babler State Park

Saturday, January 8th

Hiked alone, the Dogwood (2 miles) and Woodbine (1.75 miles) trails. Probably haven't hiked at Babler in eight years or so--and a cold, 19 degree day with light snow cover was a great time to revisit. By the time I had covered half of the second trail, I felt as if it were the perfect temperature (of course, I was wearing several layers of clothing and warm hiking socks with boots.) And this normally populous park was almost completely, blissfully, empty. I ran into one hiker with a dog--and as I left the trail parking lot, I noticed an older couple who were nature walking around the field next to the trailhead.

The hike took me an unusually long two hours, but I was watching my step because of the snow and ice--and also, the hills at Babler were a little more strenuous than I remembered.