Moments in Dirt and Ink

Six Rivers National Forest Mendocino National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Blue line for day 1. Click for interactive map I've got a Caltopo map of fairly random maybe trips, including some along the more western side of the northern edge of Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness where I'd like to explore more and Daniil has never been. This is possibly the only part of this wilderness that can be visited on paved roads. He picked a small loop, about 15 miles, going out of Little Doe Wilderness Trailhead (perhaps better known as Waterspout, named for a spring the trail used to go to when traveling away from the wilderness) and traveling Yellowjacket Creek and Doe Ridge by Shell Mountain. It should be a snow-fest this time of the year, just not this particular year. We gave it three days, starting very early to maximize the time to cut away trees in the road. The trees are still down. Folks with emblems painted on their doors were working high up the ridge a...

Humboldt Bay National Wildlife Refuge Click for interactive map The fact that the National Wildlife Refuge doesn't allow dogs (or horses or bikes or even running) tends to create more possibilities for wildlife encounters. That this particular bit is closed Tuesday to Thursday and sits beside a bit that's closed to all except those who have obtained a permit makes it a little more wild. For one frequent volunteer with the Friends of the Dunes, that meant getting to watch a family of otters diving and chomping away at their catch from the end of one trail. After the regular third Sunday removal of invasive beach grass on the far north end of Ma-le'l South, I headed out to where the otters had been seen, not that I really expected to see them too. Kayakers on the Mad River Slough send the shorebirds on the nearby island into flight. The otters were seen a the end of Tsoutsgish Trail, a very flat route following the old railroad grade at the edge of Mad River Sloug...

Shasta-Trinity National Forest Click for interactive map We hit the Swift Creek trailhead for a day hike up to the snow survey cabin. Daniil wanted to do a survey of the terrain, but the fact of the cabin suggests it's pretty safe hiking in winter. We only hit snow on the road shortly before the trailhead around 4000 feet, although the trailhead parking was totally covered in white. We started out with the snowshoes on our backs. Snow exists, as we see at the trailhead. Into the wilderness that started a quarter mile back down the road according to the map. Soggy trail with a little running water at the second sign for the Trinity Alps Wilderness. The morning wasn't freezing and the trail ran with water. We passed several very seasonal streams and the ones marked on the map tended to need a well placed rock to keep the feet out of the water. When we hit snow, it was neither hard nor particularly soft. Swift Creek churning below. Closer to Swift Creek. Bei...