Tech on the Trail - A Bird’s Eye View
August 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment
The Big Blue Marble – Mother Earth, floats in the depths of space before you. Now grab it with your mouse pointer and give it a spin. Continents roll by, mountain ranges, seas & oceans, polar ice caps – zoom in closer and examine obscure islands, jungles, canyons, deserts, rivers. The whole world is within your grasp.
Nowadays, anyone with a decent internet connection and a somewhat modern computer has access to an unprecedented amount of information about our planet, both scientific and geographical. Where do you want to go today? Seriously, Magellan would have fainted dead to the floor. One of the great online satellite programs is Google Earth. With its variety of imagery, mapping, search and layers of technical data - Explorers, tech-heads, and armchair adventurers will all find something useful or entertaining.
Navigation is accomplished through mouse and text based searches. Type in a place you are looking for and if it is in the database you will soon be speeding across the face of the globe to your destination. Resolution varies by region, but a large percentage is in high-detail. It is possible to pan, zoom, rotate and change the elevation and angle of perspective. This makes for a wonderful research tool. Always wondered what was on the other side of the mountain? Now it is just a mouse drag away.
Google Earth is quite user friendly and offers many features of a consumer nature – places such as stores, lodging, gas stations etc. Just select the layers you are interested in and they will be indicated with clear markers.
Another wonderful and publicly available program is NASA Worldwind which offers similar information with much more more technical data derived from government landsats. This program has a little more of a learning curve and seems to require more processing power, otherwise the refresh values can be slow.
Both of these require downloading a program to your computer and an internet connection. Take a look at the basic requirements and make sure your computer meets the necessary specifications.
In future installments of Technology on the Trail we will examine these tools in greater depth, looking at some of the mapping & coordinate features and how to get the best use of these for outdoor recreation.
Tech on the Trail - SnoTel Sites
August 31, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Several hundreds of mysterious antennae can be found scattered amongst the ridges and valleys of 12 western states. Usually a nondescript outhouse sized building combined with several towers of different types. Bristling with sensors, they sit silently, continuously sending communications in bursts of 1950’s radio technology which catch a ride off of a meteors tail while in route to their destination. What are these locations? Relics from the cold war? An attempt to communicate with extra-terrestrials? Some undisclosed monitoring program? Not quite, these are SnoTel sites, which is short for Snowpack Telemetry. A system of automated stations which collect snowpack and related climatic data in the western United States and Alaska.
Developed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the sensors at these stations relay snow depth, snow water equivalent, precipitation, air temperature, as well as soil moisture & temperature. The data is collected by two master stations located in Boise, ID and Ogden, UT, who in turn offer the information online. Both current and historical records can be accessed through the Snotel website.
This is a good resource for outdoor recreationalist venturing in areas near these sites or for a general overview of a region. Care to see what temperature extremes you may encounter, just take a look at the recent 7 day data. Winter enthusiasts can research snow depth and current accumulation as well as investigating the current temperatures effect on the integrity of the snowpack.
Idaho alone has more than 80 sites. Some of the more local ones include Hyndman Creek, Chocolate Gulch, Galena Summit, Dollarhide Summit, Soldier & Garfield Ranger Stations. The interface at the site is fairly simple to use with all the locations clickable on an overview state map as well as a drop down menu with the stations listed alphabetically.
Recently we discussed a basic introduction to Google Earth, and the NCRS has created a data file which overlays an interface upon the Google maps so users can view station info and location there. This really enhances the information and adds to the fun. So take a look, though the site can seem a bit cryptic it is fairly easy to use and is another nice way to explore a destination. Just remember to get out there in person sometime.
East Fork Hyndman Creek - Pioneer Mountains
August 24, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Distance: 6 Miles
Elevation Gain: 1,100 Feet
Highest Point: 8,100 Feet
Rating: Moderate
Access: Dirt Road
Area: Pioneer Mountains
To The Trail:
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East Fork of Hyndman Creek Images:
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Proctor Mountain Loop - Sun Valley
August 24, 2007 | Leave a Comment
A true Sun Valley classic, Proctor Mountain is situated behind and above Sun Valley offering panoramic views of Ketchum, Sun Valley, Bald Mountain, and even the Boulder Mountains to the north. This trail has a number of easy-to-moderate climbs, with several obvious stops along the way to rest and enjoy the views. It is a looped trail that winds through a pine forest, sage bluffs and an aspen grove. This trail is for foot traffic only and is closed to Mtn. Bikes.
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Grays Peak - Pioneer Mountains
August 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Click on thumbnail to enlarge map.
Summit Creek Trail - Sun Valley
August 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment
From the summit of Trail Creek Road, this canyon trail climbs gently but steadily. A couple of steep sections near the end keep you honest before delivering a great view of the Devils Bedstead and the north edge of the Pioneer Mountains.
Highest Elevation: 9,480 Feet
Elevation Gain: 1,610 Feet
Rating: Moderate
Access: Gravel Road
The Trail: From the parking area head into the woods and towards the creek. There may be a log across the water, caution is advised in spring. On the the other side the trail heads up a steep switchback. Don’t get discouraged at this point; the majority of the trail is relatively flat. Continue through the forest until you reach a meadow. On the far right side of the meadow at .75 miles cross Summit Creek again. For the next 2.25 miles, continue along the south side of the creek winding through meadows, avalanche carved debris fields and an occasional wooded stretch. Through this section, cross a few small streams that drain into Summit Creek. At 3.0 miles, the trail begins climbing through the forest. There are a few steep sections, but the trail is easy to follow. At 4.0 miles the summit is reached, and a grand view of the Devil’s Bedstead is your reward. The trail continues down the other side into Kane Creek as well as to a junction leading to the saddle above Wilson Creek.
Check conditions from the nearby SnoTel Site
Summit Creek Trail Images:
Colorado Gulch - Hailey
August 22, 2007 | Leave a Comment
Rising from the edge of the Big Wood River, Colorado Gulch is a popular near-town bike and hike and sees a fair amount of horseback riders as well.
Dotted with old mines and some leftover equipment, the main gully passes by streams and aspen forests. Side roads lead to Della Mountain as well as to the summit of Star Gulch on the Broadford Road side.
To The Trail:
Broadford Road
From the stoplight in downtown Hailey go .6 of a mile and turn right onto Cedar Street the immediately left on Broadford Rd. Follow Broadford for .8 of a mile and turn right onto the dirt road marked by a green Colorado Gl sign.
Croy Creek:
From the stoplight in downtown Hailey (Main & Bullion), head west 2.7 miles out Croy canyon. Turn left onto the dirt road at the Colorado Gl sign.
More Colorado Gulch Images:
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Corral Creek - Sun Valley
August 19, 2007 | Leave a Comment
A gentle trail through mixed aspens and pines, this is an easily-accessed favorite, perfect for afternoon strolls and a great mountain bike ride as well. Also a excellent trail later in the season to view TrailCreek in full autumn splendor .
To The Trail:
From the stoplight at Main & Sun Valley Road in Ketchum, drive east from Ketchum on Sun Valley/Trail Creek Road for 3.7 miles and turn right at the sign for Trail Creek Trailhead Parking just past Boundary Campground. There is a gravel parking lot right next to Trail Creek Road.
The Trail:
The path starts from the east side of the parking area near a reader board. Follow the trail a short distance next to Trail Creek and turn right, crossing the steel footbridge and climbing a short hill up to the large field of sage above. Here there is a crossroad of several paths and a sign indicating Corral Creek, Aspen Loop & Proctor Loop. Following the sign, head across the field to the base of the mountain where the trail veers left and begins to climb, skirting the hillside.
From here the trail is self evident, heading in the direction of Trail Creek Canyon, passing through some nice conifer stands and another field of sage before curving right and into Corral Creek. Then passing through more stands of pine and aspen and crossing a couple of side canyons, the trail finally ends at Uncle John’s Gulch and the old corrals that give the canyon its name.
Corral Creek road is just to the left. There are some nice spots down by the creek to relax before turning around and heading back to the trailhead.
More Images:
