Little Ranger Peak via Ranger Creek, Noble Knob — Wednesday, May. 21, 2025

Decided to go up the Little Ranger Peak trail, starting off of Hwy 410, and go as far as time would allow.  I was hoping to get all the way to Noble Knob.  The trail up to the rock outcrop view point is in great shape.  Shortly after this things go bad quickly.  Starting maybe 1/2 mile from that spot there are numerous large trees across the trail.  Most of them aren't all that bad to get over or under, in-fact someone has cut notches in the logs that help in getting over them.  It's just the large number of these downed trees that get to you after a while.  Once you get to the top of the trail, it merges with the Palisades trail, this is where things get really messy heading towards Noble Knob.  All through the previously burned area, the path is constantly blocked with fallen tops of trees and broken limbs creating creating problems for the next mile.  During this section  you are constantly going over, under, or around fallen tree tops.  During one part of this, in the old burn area, there was not one tree left that had not had its top blown off.  After about 1 mile you get out of the burn area and the blockages stop.  From here on, it was much easier.  I made it to about 1 mile form Noble Knob, where due to time I had to turn around.  The affected potion of the Palisades was quite strenuous and really slowed me down.  It really got to be a pain dealing with all the damage.

The good part was that there were several nice views of the mountain.