Moments in Dirt and Ink

Six Rivers National Forest Click for map. The previous day was beach, so naturally I planned to go to the snow the next day. You can actually drive within 100 feet of the peak even in this season and with my car and complete lack of keys. But where's the journey in that? I spotted a bit of 4WD road that climbs most of the way up from East Fork Campground and decided that could be a route. There's actually a break in the middle, but I suspected it would connect. Anyway, there's a bit of ghost road in between on the Forest Service topo. (What's a ghost road? On the topographic maps showing vegetation, there's often white lines in the green where roads used to be marked. I've even found some of these that were still labeled with road designations.) These roads are both closed to motor vehicles in the wet season to try to limit the spread of Port Orford cedar root disease. That means I should have the roads all to myself, but probably need to quit the hike i...

Trinidad Coastal Land Trust Click for map. The tide would hit a low of 0.1 feet (not so great, but not so bad) around 4PM, so I was aiming at the afternoon for the beach to see the tide pools. First up, Luffenholtz Beach (dark orange upper track on the map). There's supposed to be tide pools and it certainly looks a bit rocky. A sign marks the steps down to the beach with Luffenholtz Creek pouring through the middle of it. Looking back at Trinidad Head. The beach certainly looks rocky enough for a few tide pools. I headed down the steps and swung to the left since the alternative was crossing the significant water pouring across the sand as Luffenholtz Creek. The beach doesn't go very far that way before ending in the rocky discards of Houda Point. There's plenty of places for things to cling with all those rocks, but pools were few, shallow, and sandy. I wasn't seeing much in them although I did catch a fish zipping away as I approached one. Luffenholt...

California Coastal National Monument, BLM Click for map. I decided I would have some small adventures on some Trinidad Coastal Land Trust properties, but first another round at Trinidad Head. My first visit was just 24 days after the addition of five mainland units including the head. I actually managed to visit the monument twice in the first month of these additions without knowing it. For the head, the monument is actually just the southern tip occupied by the lighthouse and the trail only barely enters its area at a viewing platform, so the visit is rather technical. I'll have to try to better it some first Saturday of the month when the gate is supposed to open to allow visits to the actual lighthouse. Just over four years later, I could still not know there is a national monument here. The only mention of it seems to be in the Redwood EdVentures Quest for Trinity Head . (Incidentally, there is also a Junior Ranger Program and an information brochure aimed at adults...

Jacoby Creek Gannon Slough Wildlife Area Click for map. There's a number of paths about, including some along the side of Old Arcata Road. One side is the city's wildlife area, but the other does happen to be the major artery alternative to US-101, particularly for anyone who lives somewhere between Arcata and Eureka. It's a bit of a busy street, but the paths are set back from the road. The paved paths beside Old Arcata Road. Jacoby Creek Gannon Slough Wildlife Area below the path where Jacoby Creek is flooding the area a bit. The paths do not actually go into the wildlife area. That entry is by permit only. Cows get to go there, but not the general public. There are some restoration efforts. I saw that part of Jacoby Creek has been returned to its original channel. Besides the cows, fish and birds also get to enjoy the area, which is the main point. The birds were out there in large numbers. Another pond, or flooded area, has very few, but a view of Hum...

Clam Beach County Park Click for map. Back to the Hammond Trail on the end of Letz Road from (almost) where I ended the week before . Letz Road represents a road walk portion of the trail. Since it only goes to a few houses above the cliffs, it does not have a great amount of use. The trail parking is found at the north end by an information sign. I came equipped with an already downloaded Redwood EdVenture Quest brochure for the new bike quest . Information signs at the trailhead at the north end of Letz Road. The little blue wave marking the California Coastal Trail is on the sign on the left. I walked into the trees. A trail branches quickly to the left for a lookout point among them. A little further down is a lookout point accessed from the freeway. It was parked up from end to end when I arrived and I'd already seen about six people using the trail. There's a bit more visibility by the parking since there's a lot less tree. The mouth of the river is la...

McKinleyville Land Trust Click for map. I headed out to the Hammond Trail to try out one of the new Redwood Edventures bike Quests . I didn't come out with my bike or anything. That went away when I couldn't find the space to keep it. It is perfectly alright to walk it or even ride it on a horse, as it happens. It was really an excuse to come out to the Mad River Bluffs once more before crossing Hiller Park to the start, then once more after finishing. I quite like the bluff. Just past the gate by the parking for Mad River Bluffs, one is engulfed in the trees. The kiosk presents a map of the local area walking possibilities. Where it opens up, one can see the trees shaped by the salty ocean winds. They're Sitka spruce and shore pines again. I proceeded through the bluff area and across Hiller Park to the start of the quest along the Hammond Trail. I was only accosted by one dog in the park where dogs are supposed to be "securely leashed" and virtual...

Redwood National Park Click for map. I got out of town because I heard it was snowing in the Lady Bird Johnson Grove. Of course, if I actually wanted to see it, I probably needed to toss everything in the car and go out right at that moment. I should have at least not shied away from going on Wednesday just because it was raining in the morning. Of course, I wouldn't want to actually test my mud and snow tires, but walk up to it along Berry Glen. This trail was actually in a plan once, but something happened and I did something else. I can't even remember what happened now. Then my memory tacked on an extra 2 miles to the length meaning it would take a greater effort to get started soon enough for a reasonable finish. But the most worrying thing about it is the way the interpretive trail around Lady Bird Johnson Grove gets about 50 feet past the junction for stop 8 where it mentions that just past that doubled redwood tree is a clearcut from the 1960s. ( Paraphrased fro...

Bureau of Land Management Click for map. I enjoyed the north section so much, I decided to come right back and visit the south section again. Without the closed days or the mile of bumpy road, but with a much larger parking lot, dogs allowed (on leash) and horses too, it gets a lot more use. There are a few more trails and a lot more use trails. A mild display of the tragedy of the commons. Few of the junctions are signed, so one may not even know a selected trail is not official when walking it. Some of the use trails are signed against further use. There are trailheads at both ends of the parking lot. I chose one of the two near the north end, but not the one next to the sign. The north end trailheads. I used the trail at the break in the rope to the right. I headed up the sand on Vou'gal Trail, finding a trail that goes back down to the road on the other side. A sign suggested I should turn left to get to more trail, but I didn't want to walk the road, so I turn...