Sutton State Forest and Purgatory Chasm - 3/20/16

Lil & Gene's, Manville - Click image for larger view

 Well it's Sunday morning once again, so it's coffee and a look at the news, the coffee is much more satisfying. We got a few chores done before we headed out today. I worked on my computer and Nana did some Easter things. We were using up our morning because we needed to be at the North Central Airport at 10:30 where our 15 year old grandson, Ben, is taking flight lessons. I always stick a camera in the cockpit and record the event. You can watch one here. He has been flying for over two years now, we are very proud Grandparents. 

So once I installed the camera in the plane, Nana and I took to the road and ended up at Lil & Gene's restaurant in Manville. This is a very cool little neighborhood restaurant that 'serves breakfast all day' yet closes at 1:00 PM. . . . The food was great and the service was just fine. Extra good home fries. . . 

Once the bellies were full and the bladders empty we took the 20 minute ride north to the Sutton State Forest and Purgatory Chasm State Park. We have been up here a few times in the past but today we planned a different route and started out through the forest rather than straight into the chasm, which is the main attraction.

The trail started out paved..we were wondering just how much would be paved, but the pavement ended shortly and we crossed the main road onto a nice, wide, leaf and needle covered path. The path wandered through a beautiful stand of tall pines and the sounds of the world left

Nice wide paths

us completely and we were alone with the world. This trail winds up and down through the trees and over a rock strewn landscape. It always amazes me jus how much wilderness is so close to civilization. It is also always a genuine pleasure to meet others on the trail. Everyone greets each other and is always to share information about the trail. We encountered a couple of young men who helped us select the best route to the chasm from our long way around through the woods. As usual I started to heat up and was hiking without a jacket while Nana stayed bundled up. after about a mile and a half along the trail I came to the realization that the trail was looping around back toward the road, so Nana and I made our own trail in what we suspected was the direction of the chasm. After only a few minutes of hiking where there was no trail, we could hear the voices of many people and soon the trail was ahead of us and it appeared almost as though we were to breakout onto a highway...there were people everywhere. And within minutes we were standing on the edge of Purgatory Chasm. Not exactly the South Rim of the Grand Canyon but a pretty good place to be on the first day of Spring with your sweetie.

Not exactly the Grand Canyon 

We took a few pictures and marveled at our mountaineering skills and proceeded along the rim of the chasm. As we traveled along the rim we started the decent and ended at the floor of the chasm at the intersection of several trails. We elected to hike along the floor of the chasm which rapidly turned into a huge jumble of boulders where we had to pick our way along and do a bit of climbing. It wasn't too rugged but enough so that I was proud of Nana, as she has a terminal fear of heights and this was testing her will. And it was beautiful, even with all the people and all of my wheezing, the sheer weight of the presence of these huge boulders, this jumble of rocks was enough to leave you in awe. This is truly a special place.

I would recommend this place to anyone, and will likely return here with both of our grand kids in the very near future. It will be even more spectacular once the rest of Spring arrives..can't wait for the trees and flowers bust out.

Nana climbing the jumble of boulder