Pinckney Blind Lake Backpacking Dec '17 (In the snow)

Potawatomi Trail:
Pinckney State Recreation Area
Trailhead Elevation: 888 ft.

Dec. 15 Hike In: 
  Distance: 11.06 mi. 
  Elevation Gain: 433 ft.
  Start Time: 3:01pm
  End Time: 7:38pm

Dec. 16 Hike Out:
  Distance: 4.30 mi. 
  Elevation Gain: 206 ft.
  Start Time: 8:20am
  End Time: 10:19am

Trip Report:
The opportunity once more arose to get a good backpacking adventure in this December. I've grown to love and enjoy these winter excursions as they add a number of logistical challenges not present in the summer. That, and hiking in 20-30 degree weather in Michigan is much to be preferred to hiking in 70-80 degree humid weather in the summer. About two weeks out I started watching the forecast and it appeared I would have low 20's and almost no precip to deal with on my planned dates. That was looking pretty good to me. Two days before my event I was thrown a curveball. Southeast Michigan was hit with a pretty good snow storm. Where I live it was only about 4 inches of snow, but at Pinckney it was more like 8 inches. As the storm was happening I didn't fully reckon how it might impact my hiking plans.

Island Lake Blue Loop

Island Lake Blue Loop:
Island Lake State Recreation Area
Trailhead Elevation: 919 ft.
Distance: 10.01 mi. (my Forerunner 230)
Elevation Gain: 238 ft. (my GPS)
Start Time: 4:59pm
End Time: 6:41pm

Trip Report:

On my drive up to northern Michigan I finally found an opportunity to try Island Lake once more. I planned an hour for myself to start out at the shopping center, run the 4/10 of a mile to the Blue Loop and do a 6-mile out and back run. The trail starts at the far east end of the shopping center which is just off of US-23. It is a fairly obvious trail near signage. The first four tenths are mostly flat and good trail which a few small side trails that break off. I found the "main" trail to be relatively evident. It picks up the blue loop at a bend in the blue and immediately heads south. I ran into two bikers in this early section whom I moved aside for.

Zion Watchman Trail

Watchman Trail
Zion National Park
Trailhead Elevation: 3,923 ft.
Distance: 3.88 mi. (my Forerunner 230)
Elevation Gain: 635 ft. (my GPS)
Start Time: 7:05am
End Time: 8:38am

Trip Report:

My friend Matt and I set out from our camp site in Watchman campground and walked the camp road out until we got to the bridge over the Virgin River. Just before the bridge was the trailhead for the Watchman Trail. We began there. We each only carried a nalgene in hand and had basic clothes on. It was probably in the 50s when we got started and the skies were mostly clear. The initial trail is mostly flat and follows the river a bit until curving away from the river and then crosses a side road that heads out of the campground.

Zion Observation Point

Observation Point Trail
Zion National Park
Trailhead Elevation: 4,372 ft.
Observation Point: 6,532 ft.
Distance: 7.48 mi. (my Forerunner 230)
Elevation Gain: 2400 ft. (rough estimate)
Start Time: 11:15am
End Time: 2:37pm

Trip Report:
As an encore to our morning of hiking on the Emerald Pools Trails my friend Matt and I set our sights on the Observation Point Trail. Actually, this is really better described as the main event than an encore. When our itinerary allowed us a free day on Friday this trail quickly rose to the top of the list. We had also given eye to the East Rim Trail and the thought of completing our Zion Traverse but in the end decided to give this one a go. And we weren't disappointed.

Zion Emerald Pools & Kayenta Trail

Emerald Pools Trail
Kayenta Trail
Zion National Park
Trailhead Elevation: 3,923 ft.
Distance: 3.19 mi. (my Forerunner 230)
Elevation Gain: 400 ft. (rough estimate)
Start Time: 9:14am
End Time: 11:01am

Trip Report:
After having finished our big Western Zion Traverse on the previous day we were looking to start our "free" day with a nice easy, almost touristy, hike. None of us had ever done the Emerald Pools trails and so this became the chosen option. We hopped the shuttle from our campsite and took it to the Zion Lodge stop. Getting off the shuttle we followed the pathways to the road crossing and an obvious bridge over the Virgin River which would be our start. There was some nice signage that gives us hikers an idea of the length of the Emerald Pools trails as there are a few options to be taken along the way.