Lobo Peak from afar
In my last post (see 9/15/13) I was describing the first part of a delightful hike we took in Manzanita Canyon in the Southern Rocky Mountains one hot summer Saturday. After we have been hiking for just over two hours, we reach a ridge line that feels as if it should be our connecting point for the Lobo Creek Trail that runs along the ridge of the Canyons. We find no sign, but enjoy hiking along the ridge for another ten minutes or so, when Terry spots the sign down a slight incline. We hike down to the sign, then continue along the Lobo Peak Trail, eager to summit Lobo Peak as the skies, while now a bit cloudy, still are mostly clear.
We also appear to have entered yet another climate zone (our third since the start of this hike) as we are near tree line and the vegetation is more tundra like; tiny fragile flowers and grasses growing close to the ground to be protected from the harsher elements of the higher elevation climate.
After taking a few photos, we head back down, eager to re-experience the trail we had so enjoyed ascending. While it is often more challenging hiking down a canyon or mountain trail as your quadriceps can get quite a workout and you have to hope your shoes have good grip, we find this trail challenging but very manageable; quite a different experience than the Yerba Canyon Trail last weekend. 
However, just as we hit the road, the skies open up and a downpour begins. We continue on, as often the afternoon rains cease after about 20 minutes and the sun reappears. We wait a few minutes in the parking lot of the Ski Valley Resort. 
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