Belcher Hill & Upper White Ranch Park, Colorado (11-8-15)

On Sunday afternoon, 11-8-15, Joe and Dusty were free to join Lupe and SPHP for a little adventure in the mountains W of Arvada, Colorado.  Joe suggested hiking some of the trails in upper White Ranch Park, which wasn’t too far away.  Unlike the trails in the lower part of the park, the trails in upper White Ranch Park don’t lose or gain an awful lot of elevation.  It would be a pleasant, relaxing afternoon outing.

Naturally, Lupe and cousin Dusty were both eager to go.  Everyone piled into the G6.  Even though the Broncos were playing, it was such a nice afternoon for November that lots of people were already at the park when Lupe and Dusty arrived.  The parking lot closest to the old ranch headquarters was completely full.  Luckily, Joe did find an empty spot for the G6 in the parking lot near the Belcher Hill trail.

The first, and longest, trail that Lupe, Dusty, Joe and SPHP took was a clockwise circuit of the entire Rawhide trail, which makes a loop.  At the far N end of the trail is a bench with a little roof over it.  There was a view toward a high snow-capped peak far to the N from the bench.

Upper White Ranch Park from the Rawhide trail. Photo looks SE.
Upper White Ranch Park from the Rawhide trail. Photo looks SE.
A high, snow-capped peak is seen far away from the bench at the N end of the Rawhide trail in upper White Ranch Park.
A high, snow-capped peak is seen far away barely poking up over the ridge line.  This photo was taken from in front of the bench at the N end of the Rawhide trail in upper White Ranch Park.  The bench is about 2.5 miles from the parking lots.  Photo looks N.

Joe and SPHP sat on the bench contemplating the view and munching apples, while water from a bit of melting snow on the roof dripped in front of them.  Lupe and Dusty shared some Taste of the Wild, which Dusty devoured with special relish since she doesn’t ordinarily get it.  Dusty polished off the apple cores, too, when they became available.  As far as Lupe was concerned, Dusty could have the apple cores.

The E section of the Rawhide trail stayed more in the forest than the W part of the trail had.  Along the NE section of the trail, there were occasional views across the deep Ralston Creek valley toward the high rocky ridge to the E.  Lupe passed by another bench commemorating a visit by Princess Anne.  Trees had grown up to mostly obscure the view from there.

Looking ENE across the deep Ralston Creek.
Looking ENE across the deep Ralston Creek valley.
The rocky ridge across the Ralston Creek valley from the E portion of the Rawhide Trail in upper White Ranch Park. Photo looks NE.
The rocky ridge beyond Ralston Creek from the E portion of the Rawhide Trail in upper White Ranch Park. Photo looks ENE.

A little way S of the Princess Anne bench was a nice view to the SE toward North Table Mountain (6,566 ft.).

North Table Mountain from the Rawhide trail in upper White Ranch Park, Colorado. Photo looks SE.
North Table Mountain from the Rawhide trail in upper White Ranch Park, Colorado. Photo looks SE.
Lupe, Joe & Dusty on the Rawhide trail. Photo looks WNW.

Except near the N end, the Rawhide trail was pretty busy.  There were hikers, runners, dogs, and especially mountain bikers.  By the time Lupe was getting close to the parking lots again, though, the crowds were beginning to thin out.

Upper White Ranch Park from the Rawhide trail.
Upper White Ranch Park from the Rawhide trail.
Lupe near the Rawhide Trail not far from the parking lots.
Lupe near the Rawhide Trail not far from the parking lots.

When Lupe reached the parking lot again, the sun was starting to get low in the W.  Since it would still be up for at least another hour, SPHP suggested taking the trail to Belcher Hill (7,949 ft.).  Joe, Dusty and Lupe were all up for it.  From the parking lot near the old ranch headquarters, Lupe took the Sawmill trail to the Belcher Hill trail.  There were views of the ranch headquarters and North Table Mountain along the way.

Looking N at the White Ranch headquarters from the Sawmill trail.
Looking N at the White Ranch headquarters from the Sawmill trail.
North Table Mountain from the Sawmill trail. Downtown Denver, CO is seen on the L.
North Table Mountain from the Sawmill trail. Downtown Denver, CO is seen on the L.

From the Sawmill trail, the Belcher Hill trail headed WNW up a forested ridge.  The trail eventually leveled out near the high point on the ridge.  Lupe climbed up on the highest rocks on the ridge to claim another peakbagging success.

These highest rocks were in the forest, so there wasn’t much of a view from the top.  However, back closer to the trail, there were some lower rocks along more open ground.  From these lower rocks were pretty views from the S around to the W.

Lupe on the highest rocks on the Belcher Hill ridge.
Lupe on the highest rocks on the Belcher Hill ridge.
Looking WNW from rocks near the Belcher Hill trail.
Looking WNW from rocks near the Belcher Hill trail.
Looking SW from Belcher Hill, CO.
Looking SSW from Belcher Hill, Colorado.

From the high point on the ridge, it was a short pleasant stroll through the forest to the junction with the Mustang trail.

Lupe and Dusty at the trail junction.
Lupe and Dusty at the trail junction.

From the junction with the Mustang trail, the Belcher Hill trail headed N down the ridge to the parking lot.  There was just enough packed snow on the trail on the N side of the ridge to make things a bit slippery.  It didn’t take long to reach the parking lot, but the sun was down behind the mountains by the time Lupe and Dusty got there.

Back at Dusty’s house in Arvada, it turned out that Lupe, Dusty, Joe & SPHP had a better afternoon at upper White Ranch Park than the Denver Broncos had in Indianapolis.  The Colts defeated the previously unbeaten Broncos 27-24.

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