Pine and Cedar Trailblazer hike

I was pleased and very encouraged of our hiking group today. The weather forecast was for rain and wind, so I expected a small group, but lo and behold 10 brave souls showed up at the Senior Center for our hike. We were assure by Joe that the worst of the rain would happen after our hike, so with that in mind we carpooled to our starting point. Our hike was originally to be Raptor ridge from Pine and Cedar and Arroyo. The hike was to be a point to point one, so we left a car at Arroyo park trail head, with the plan that the drivers of the other cars could be taken to the Pine and Cedar lakes trail head after the hike ended for their cars. When we got to the Pine and Cedar trail head parking lot it was overcast and just drizzling.

We enjoyed a nice "uphill" hike up through the forest and mist.

We heard what we supposed was a tree falling and we did come across a downed tree in the trail, but Pat "our fearless leader" didn't think that particular tree was the one we had heard. We are fortunate that several of our hikers are on trail work crews and carry saws with them, they have come in handy more than once.

As you can see below, they did a great job. 

We ate lunch at Cedar lake.

Then on to Pine lake -

Pat looking at Pine lake

Walking along on the bog trail

 Pat decided that Pine and Cedar lakes would have to be our destination today since the weather was getting a bit wet and windy to continue up to Raptor Ridge, so we made our way back down. We just began to get a bit wet by the end of the hike. Not too bad since we expected a bit worse, and yes we did manage to remember to get Pat connected back with his car at Arroyo park :-)

Endomondo stats:

Total miles hiked - 6.38 miles

Minimum altitude - 236 feet

Maximum altitude - 1688 feet

Total ascent - 1938 feet

Total descent - 1838 feet