Gold Mine 0.8pd, Cane Creek 2.1pd (& return), Cooper Rd 1.8pd (& return), Cooper Rd 1.7pd (& return), Gold Mine (return)

I met Dennis McAdams at the entrance to Foothills Parkway in Walland at 8:20; we proceeded in his car on the Foothills Parkway to the Top of the World exit. Unfortunately we did not have a Brown Book with us but we found the general area of the Gold Mine trailhead on the map; I then recognized where I had parked last May. We then parked and walked down the road to the trail. Since this point is technically on private land, it is not marked well. We got underway shortly before 9:00.

Because my ballpoint refused to write I did not record specific times; however, Dennis and I tend to move quite fast despite a slight rain (we both donned our ponchos). We finished the 1.8 mi. section of Cooper Rd close to noon; at this time we had a little snow and I donned my coat for our lunch break. Although we only stopped 15 min. for lunch, it was ~35 degrees; my fingertips did not get warm until we had almost finished 3.5 mi. of Cooper Rd. Both the snow and rain finally stopped. With very muddy trousers, we got to the Gold Mine trailhead and Dennis’s car ~2:30.
Although I did not cover any new trails in today’s 12.8 mi. hike, Dennis McAdams added 6.4 to his list.