(Day 4 of 7 4.) I noticed my toilet bag was missing as I packed up. That explained why the pocket it should have been in was shifting differently. I expect it is sitting on the ground at Bear Skull Camp. If I had investigated the oddity either of the first two times I noticed, I'd have been able to grab it on the way back down. I actually went and got a titanium spade that's in there. I'm sure no one wants to find the emergency menstrual cup. Leaving it is neither good for my pocket nor the environment. At least I wasn't trying to grab it for use. I couldn't bring myself to spend two more days on the creek needed to retrieve it. Silicone and plastic and titanium. Arg. I turned to finish off the last threeish miles.
With the whole of Wooley Creek at its back, this deer wants the trickle of water. Maybe this is the reason for the name of the creek a few feet off. (It's Deer Lick Creek.) The mule deer seems to know I'm up on the hill across the curve of the creek. Some red ribbons beside the trail.
I stomped my way back on the high trails. It was nice to see the Salmon River again. I dropped off my stuff at the car, then went down to it to grab water to try to wash out the poison oak in my clothes as best I could. I only had the one set since I was only supposed to be on one backpacking trip. It was already so hot that I didn't mind pulling on soggy clothes after. It is not the time of year to be at 900 feet. I got in the car and started the long drive to a nearby spot at 5000 feet instead.
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Anonymous said…
Hi! Stumbled upon this blog as I was recently in the same area and was looking for more information on the cabins. Anyway, ended up reading through your 4-day trek and wanted to let you know the Wooley and Bridge creek trails are now all cleared thanks to Siskiyou Mountain Club. They just finished up work (my brother a part of the crew) on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. You were right to be at a loss for finding that trail - the brushing they had to do to clear it sounded horrendous, and they cleared somewhere between 100-200 downed logs I believe. All is clear now if you're up for re-trying your adventure. ;)
Well, it's been a few years and a fire, so it was probably a lot worse than I saw it. I've been wondering how the Wooley up to the cabin got so bad since the fire didn't hit there and it was seeing regular clearing. Bridge must have been crazy. It'll be great for the winter and early season to have it open, though. Other times too, of course.
Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest ( map link ) I had a big day planned and got up in the early cold. That first dim, dawn light played in a band across the western peaks of Lamoille Canyon. The edge of it diffused downward into the rest of the canyon and then the band was repeated, this time with the first light of sunrise. It took a lot longer for the edge of this light to travel down into the bottom of the canyon and I was long on the trail by the time it did. Trailhead at the end of the road. Detailed signs about possible destinations are a short way down the trail on the left. Looking behind to a long canyon of shadow A pleading to stay on the trail in this fragile environment There are two trails to choose from for going up. The hiker trail travels the east side of the canyon, so would be cold longer, but would look across to the lit part of the canyon, which I hoped would make for better photographs. The stock trail climbs the other side and I could see it sitting...
Uncompahgre National Forest (map link) The Forest Service seems to be uncertain if it is Lake Hope or Hope Lake, but more certain that it is the Hope Lake Trail. It consistently marks the road up to the trailhead as a 4x4 road, so I parked in a turnout at the bottom and started up, getting increasingly grumpy about how it is a rather good road with a loose rock here or there. I chatted with some campers about how it was probably great all the way up, but they'd gotten to their rather brilliantly picturesque site and been sufficiently mesmerized by it not to continue on. Talking with them got me sufficiently emboldened to actually stick out my thumb at the truck that came by as I finished the chat. When you're going 5 MPH anyway, it's easy to stop, and he did. Greg was going for the hike too and actually wouldn't mind having a buddy. The road promptly turned to something it wouldn't be wise to try the Scion on. With good judgement, I probably could make it, but...
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Six Rivers National Forest DAY 1 | DAY 2 (map link) Bluff Creek Historic Trail gets my attention as I zoom by because it is clearly signed to be visible from the road and the trail is obviously used and in good shape. Also, why is "Historic" stuck in there? (Besides the obvious, the Forest Service simply says, "Gateway to Bigfoot Country" , which doesn't seem particularly unique along the Bigfoot Scenic Byway.) It doesn't get my attention when I'm looking at a map because it just offers about 1.5 miles of connecting the highway to Slate Creek Road, a paved road that leaves the highway a short distance northeast of the trail. However, further along in the same direction and connected by an unimproved road is "Wright Place (site)" which sits next to Bluff Creek. The trail is numbered, the road is not. While it is tempting to think that an old road is bigger and therefore more likely to be passable, it doesn't really work out that wa...
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