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Card Canyon Loop, 15 September, 2019

There were eight hikers for this outing: Dave W., Dave P. Jane, Susan, Kathy, Brent, Jim, and Teresa (the leader).

Card Canyon is 7 miles up the Logan Canyon road. The turn-off on the right is hidden in bushes after a curve, so get ready when you see the Card Canyon picnic area just before the curve. As you turn in, you will see the Cache Archery Range sign. Follow a rough gravel road less than a mile to a small parking area, then walk on the dirt road a short distance until you see the sign for the Card Canyon trail loop.

We started hiking about 8:40 a.m., choosing to start on the east arm of the approximately 6 1/2 mile loop. The weather started out pleasantly cool with blue skies, with a slight smokiness from the recent controlled burn. The trail is a steady climb up through the forest, overgrown initially but later opening up due to a recent clearing by the forest service. The trail passes an impressive solitary standing rock that takes on different visages depending on your approach. After about 2.8 miles, rather than continuing up the last steep section to the road, we left the trail where it levels off at a boggy area. We successfully maintained our contour line while negotiating the wet spots and bushes to end at a small pond and a dirt road. In that bit of muddy water, we spotted some small scurrying salamanders under the water. We then made our way to the top of an open grassy hillside, which was the only area we saw that had been burned. We had lunch in the shade at the border of meadow and forest, and then headed back down on a trail that switchbacks through pleasant woods and then drops down through bush. Back at the parking lot in hot sunshine about 2:10 p.m., we encountered a team of hounds and their handler who had been helping the Division of Wildlife Resources find and collar a cougar for tracking. That was an interesting end to a very pleasant hike.

One more Cache Hikers summer outing left – the Bunchgrass Canyon hike in two weeks. Plan to celebrate a season of good hiking at El Toro Viejo restaurant afterwards!

Trip Summary:

• Eight Cache Hikers: Dave W., Dave P. Jane, Susan, Kathy, Brent, Jim, and Teresa (the leader).
• Drove 10 miles up Logan Canyon to Card Canyon, then 0.7 miles to the locked gate
• Started hiking about 8:40, past an interesting rock formation in Card Canyon East, then lunch overlooking a meadow at the top of Card Canyon West 11:40 to 12:15
  
• Back down Card Canyon West our starting point about 2:10 and Logan about 2:30
  
• Clear skies, calm winds and pleasant temperatures
• 6 1/2 miles with 2200 feet of ascent and descent

Thanks to Teresa for the for narrative and photos and GPS data, and Dave W., Dave P., Susan and Jane for photos and the GPS work.