New Years Day 2014 - Indian Springs Trail

First Brenda and I on Monday, then Jeffery and I on Jan. 1st, hiked up the Indian Springs Trail.  It heads straight up the hill behind the Belden Rest Area, and then offers you a ridge-walk between Yellow Creek and Little Indian Creek.  We stopped first at Indian Creek Hill, then tried to go to the "top" of the trail to the ridge.  Didn't quite hit the highest place, but did crest the rise, so to speak.  It is so odd how beautiful a burnt forest can seem in winter light.  If not for the devastation, the hike would've offered us views of trees, instead of vistas in 360 degree views both vertically and horizontally. And the burnt trees are like odd sculptures, free to be viewed.
I'm still huffing and puffing up these hill climbs, but I've yet to encounter another "cry baby peak", so I think I'm getting better!  Happy 2014 to everyone.

This is Indian Creek Hill.  I am in the shot, about two-thirds of the way up on clear dirt near a white rock.

Hi, here I am; walking stick in hand

Looking towards Yellow Creek from Indian Creek Hill.  I think Jeffery is in this shot, right lower side

Zoomed up on Jeffery

Burnt tree, odd texture

Burnt tree ballet pose

Looking down towards the Rock Creek Dam

The little green knob in the center is Indian Creek Hill, left far behind as we climb

The bluff above what I call The Bowl at switchback #2

A view of Red Hill from The Bowl

These rocks would just shatter when I touched them; baked by the fire into brittleness?

The last climb before the top of the rise, but not the top of the ridge

I'm still trudging!

Very large fire blackened tree

I like how the clouds scud from the tree tops

My top of the hill photo

Jeffery's top of the hill photo

The Belden Bridge as we head down to our car

The Belden Town aerial Jeffery took.  Kinda cool how the power lines flow with the river.