Sugarloaf Mountain #45

I took Friday off because it was my birthday. I mean who wants to work on their birthday? I asked L if she wanted to go hiking with me, because B was working and the kids were in school. And I don't like hiking by myself. 
L and I decided that we would hike Sugarloaf Mountain for hike number 6. I wanted to add on Mount Erie, but, once again something came up and I was on a time constraint. Oh well; such is life.

I do recommend purchasing a set of maps from the Lake Erie Grocery, there are numerous trails and some of the old signs are posted which might cause some confusion. The parking lot is medium sized and there isn't a bathroom of any kind.
When we arrived there were only a few cars in the parking lot, and the weather was a little chilly with no rain. No rain didn't mean that there wouldn't be any puddles and mud though. I didn't mind, hiking in mud is always fun.

 The trail almost immediately comes to an intersection; we stayed on the trail to the right. As you can see in the picture, the trail starts to climb quickly.

The trees made me think of a V.

Pictures don't do justice on how steep the trail becomes.

We stopped again at this junction and decided to go right. More steepness means a better workout right? If you go left it is easier and takes you to the same spot as going straight up.

Finally some flat! The trail opened up to this area, where I had to remove a layer because of how warm I had become from walking up the hill.

I also had a drink of water and when I looked down to return my coat and water bottle back into my pack I noticed this cool fungi on the down log. I really should start learning the names of all the fungi that I could encounter while hiking.

This view was just a little further up the trail. It was so peaceful and we literally had the whole trail to ourselves.

We stayed on trail number 215.

The trail becomes narrow again and you get to walk between a log cut in half. The trail does have a few "flat" spots as you get nearer to the top.

Once you make the curve in the trail, you get a glimpse of a view like this.

After the view you come to this fence which is trail number 238. We decided to take it and see what kind of a view it would give us.

 We found this bunch of  burnt trees at the top.

 And this view. So beautiful even with the clouds.

Also had to take the mandatory selfie at the top.

We then decided we had enjoyed the views long enough if we wanted to get in some miles, and we were going to to stay on trail number 215. Well come to find out we passed it, so we turned around again to find that the sign was an old faded wooden sign with an old trail number, that is now the 215 trail.

  This part of the trail was pretty steep, while going down it I thought about how much my husband and oldest would love to ride their bikes down it.

 We stayed right again.

 This part of the trail is deceiving. I was walking along and all of a sudden I had no shoe, the mud completely took it off. We laughed and laughed about me not having a shoe. This trail is number 230 like the sign says.

Here the whole trail was a stream that you walked in or tried not to walk in.

 Which brought you to this cool bridge and stream. I love bridges on trails.

 And any sort of a waterfall!

 More cool fungi, and this one seems to have mold growing on it?

 We stayed right again. I forgot to take a picture of the trail number.

  And right again. Like I stated earlier we stayed right for almost the entire hike.

 Then you find this sign with a map. We walked a little further along the "road" and then turned around to head back to the car.

  Looking down into the gulch from the road/trail.

 We could have gone left to the car, but decided to once again take the trail to the right. Once we were on it we discovered that it wasn't used much......

 and this might be why.

 But once we were at the top it cleared up and the trail opened up and the sun started to shine!

 Yay! More water on the trail. 😀

 At this junction we stayed left.

 And  right again.

 We took this left which is trail 21.

 The trail then lead us to this giant tree and another junction that we stayed left on.

This tree was ginormous around and so tall. The picture doesn't begin to show the size of it.

Cross this bridge follow, the trail which leads you back to the trail head coming out on the left side of the "Y". I had a very enjoyable hike and birthday with a very good friend. Until next time!