Got in a hike before the rain started on a Saturday and before the snow comes in October. Got up to Little Bandera, but didn't go farther and try to get to Bandera's true summit. I talked to several people who tried to make it there, and they all turned around when the trail stopped around the boulder field between Little Bandera and Bandera. No snow at all!
Road to the trailhead: Pretty uneventful, but right when the pavement transitions to dirt, there is a very big pothole that is somewhat dangerous if you take it at full speed. Slow down and go left, and it isn't bad.
Trailhead: Bathroom was open with TP. Trash cans were taken care of. When I got there at 8 am on a dreary Saturday, there were about 8 cars in the parking lot. When I got done at around 1 pm, there were probably about 20, with still room to park.
Trail: The Ira Spring Trail is in great shape up to the junction with the Bandera Trail, as usual. Some nice fall colors here and there. After the junction, it obviously gets very steep, with some rock hopping and boulder fields to cross. There are a few places where it might be easy to lose the trail, but if you keep going up, it isn't too bad. It wasn't fun coming down, but completely manageable.
Wildlife: Saw a Ptarmigan right on the trail just short of the junction with Bandera. It flew to a tree about 10 ft off the trail, and I was able to get a picture of it. I was then able to look back on the boulder field just before the junction, and it had gotten back on the trail, and saw another group come up on it, and it flew away into a nearby tree again. Cool birds.
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