Moments in Dirt and Ink

Klamath National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Red and orange for day 2. Click for interactive map We headed out in the morning with the trail crew. There were a couple miles to the start of work because they had already gotten as far as the access trail to the private inholding along the way. Wooley Creek, wild and scenic river, rages below. The trail crosses Deer Lick Creek toward the right, wet foot currently, but the crew decided to brave the high log bridge using a long stick for extra balance. Getting some little waterfalls on the way. Some few western trillium .

Klamath National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Dark blue for day 1. Click for interactive map Daniil wanted to hike and have evening chats with the Bigfoot Trail Alliance supplied trail crew, which would be clearing the Wooley Creek Trail to the cabin once more. Would I like to go? Well, I seem to be failing to plan my own thing and it's been a while since I was up the trail. He kind of wanted to head up toward Black Mountain, which has also been on my agenda once. I warned there wasn't much there to follow. So we headed off with a plan of an evening hike into camp only 3 miles along, a day of wandering about, then a finishing hike out. A little of the large parking and some trail, somewhere up there. We go off on the left, but we'll be back high up. We neglected to factor in the time required to admire the wildflowers for our inbound journey. Purple-pink bushes of western redbud burst from the hillsides. Loads of yellow wingstem monkey flow...

Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park Click for interactive map I thought I'd go see the gnome plants in Prairie Creek, then, realizing they haven't been spotted until later in the season, decided to see what has become of Ossagon Trail over the years since I took it. It's a short trail, so I decided to meander along to Fern Canyon via the California Coastal Trail (and the little waterfall that should be less little today) and then loop around over Friendship Ridge before coming back. Or I might do it the other way around. Being a weekend, Fern Canyon would be crowded, but the weekend was the break in the rain. Sunday should even bee a sun day, so that's when I went. Signs and paved parking and even trash service at the trailhead for Ossagon Trail. Ossagon Trail is one of the few in the park where you may ride a bike. It is not, in spite of defacement of the sign, a trail where you may walk your dog. Neither the state parks nor the national park allow dogs on th...

Six Rivers National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2 Click for interactive map It wasn't all that cold in the dim morning light. I wasn't all that quick at breakfast before we headed out for an expected long day, which could be longer due to uncertain snow conditions. Under the big trees as we start up the Summit Valley Trail (3E07). We passed various trees cut from the trail, smaller than I remembered, as we curved around to an already known obstacle, a fallen tree much bigger than any I remembered. That saw that was used along Forks of Blue just before I traveled there might be big enough. I think those were only up to my chin. This is taller than we are, even lying down, and its well centered across the trail to maximize difficulty in going around on the hillside. And, of course, it didn't come down without collateral damage to the surrounding trees. We headed up and up and eventually around and down again to get to the real trail climb. There is still no sign ...

Six Rivers National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2 Click for map I didn't exactly jump at the chance to head up South Kelsey when Daniil offered the trip, but it has been nearly 5 years since I was on it and he had the good sense to want to go up the mountain, not just stay by the river, and there was a break in the rain. And it would be a sad thing to waste a break in the rain. And it would be a sad thing to miss a chance to hike something other than another loop through the community forest. On the drive up, I noticed I'd forgotten how pretty the Smith River can be. The G-O Road looked a little more clear, the narrow gravel off it to the trailhead and trailhead looked just the same. The trail is still in outstanding shape with bits of water passing it frequently. It's a while to see the river. The vertical rock walls are a thick garden of green. It wasn't a problem for me when I last was on this trail, but I recall hearing that Yellowjacket Creek can be a...

 Baduwa't Flood Plain and Bluffs ; Mad River Bluffs: Feb 28  Me'tsko River and Beach and Dunes ; Little River State Park: Mar 7  Hikshari' Trail extension and Eureka Marsh ; Eureka City Parks: Mar 8  Beith Creek Loop ; Arcata Community Forest: Mar 14  McKinleyville Community Forest ; Community Services District: Mar 19  Ryan Creek and Slough ; McKay Community Forest: Mar 21  Tidytips on Manila and Samoa Dunes ; Community Services District: Mar 26  Less Wet Birds of Arcata Marsh ; Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary: Apr 17  Agents of Discovery at Trinidad Head : Apr 19  Houda Point to the Reservoir ; Community Services District: Apr 19  Grasshopper: Homestead and Baxter ; Humboldt Redwoods State Park: Apr 22-24 Hanson Ridge and Grasshopper Mountain  River Trail   Hikshari' to the Old Growth with an electric magnifier ; Headwaters Forest Reserve: May 20  Henderson Gulch and Ryan Creek ; McKay Communi...