Moments in Dirt and Ink

Klamath National Forest Six Rivers National Forest Smith River National Recreation Area Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3  |  DAY 4 Blue and purple lines for day 4. Click for interactive map We woke to a mist rolling over from the low pass to the Illinois River and down through Youngs Valley. Imagine how it might look from the triple point, with the one valley full of cloud, bleeding over to another and the third, perhaps clear? And so the suggestions that we should go up Youngs Peak began. The clouds roll by, right to left, as they thin in the morning sun. We had our breakfast from our unchallenged bear cans and packed up to head out. From here, it is all a repeat with a long road walk. A lone incense cedar stands in the spotlight of the sun. A Nashville warbler sings out strongly to tell that nasty recording who is in charge here. The clouds still roll past, now left to right across El Capitan.

Six Rivers National Forest Smith River National Recreation Area Klamath National Forest Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3  |  DAY 4 Orange line for day 2. Click for interactive map Morning light came to Sanger Lake long before the sunlight. Since I hadn't had time to make a loop on the trail around the lake in the evening, I went around in the morning. Around the far side, where Calypso orchids and Trillium grew and small streams delivered water to the lake, the trail got hard to follow. Morning comes to Sanger Lake. The colored western sky as the sun comes up behind. But the flowers I took pictures of were the thyme leaved speedwells along the north side. They happen to be invasive. After breakfast and packing, I had to go back for a bit brighter pictures before heading down the road to the trailhead. Looking south across Sanger Lake from a campsite that is far too close to the water.

Six Rivers National Forest Smith River National Recreation Area DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3  |  DAY 4 Brown line for day 1. Click for interactive map Daniil said he wanted to go to the Raspberry Lake area in the Siskiyou Wilderness. Drive up and camp in the afternoon, then 3 days around the place. I've been wanting to hit that area, too, so I had ideas. Looking over the data on climbing Preston Peak, I noticed that it might be outside my comfort zone. Some say "high class 2" and others say "several class 3 sections". Looking at the map, the ridge up from Rattlesnake Meadow looks best, but they say there's a class 4 climb right at the end to get over the lower points to the peak. Taking it in, I said here's what I'd do: to Rattlesnake Meadow the first day, try the peak and fail the last little bit before contouring cross country to Raspberry Lake the second day, then wander back on the third. Oh, and there might be a seasonal gate 5 miles f...

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...

Redwood National Park (Map link.) I decided to give the Tey-wo-lew section another chance. (And since it's so short, I could maybe visit those ghost pipes again after.) My first time along it , all I knew was there was a line on the map. I didn't know it was the main highway until that was rerouted inland, then was the Coastal Drive until getting gated a couple decades ago. Finding a wide, fairly level "trail" that was sometimes paved and even lined, was an unwelcome surprise. The day happened to be fairly foggy, so I didn't get any of the views. I checked to make sure there was a reasonable chance of some clear coastline before coming. Unfortunately, my camera managed to make it onto the floor instead of into the car, so that coastline got photographed with a cell phone. It's a shiny new cell phone and it has three cameras, so we shall see. It was bought so I'd be on the T-Mobile network instead of the dying Sprint network, not for a good camera, s...

Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park (Map link.) After hiking a bit of the DeMartin section of the California Coastal Trail for rhododendrons, I crossed the road and started along the Last Chance section for more. The plan was to do another 3 miles to the end of the redwoods, which is also the end of the rhododendrons along this section. The thing is, it is actually about 4.5 miles to that end. This part of the trail is even flatter than the other except for a very short climb of about 40 feet vertical to get up and over a tiny ridge at the start. That connects to an old road that connects US-101 about 100 feet later, so one could easily go around and make the trail even flatter. I didn't do that. I cleared some fallen branch debris off a switchback that was getting cut and went up and over. The little sign that marks the CCT has a crest on the back and is across from the available parking. Once the tiny bit of trail comes down to the old road, it is in an open area wit...

Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park (Map link.) I made my way to the second dirt turnout after the daylight headlights sign (which also has a useable dirt turnout for this hike) next to a memorial grove sign with a tiny California Coastal Trail (CCT) sign on the far side. It is just north of the most recent slide event on the Last Chance Grade , so I decided to go on the weekend when they aren't working and the delays are expected to be less than half an hour. When they are working during the week, the road closes down from 9AM to 11AM (soon to be 8AM to 12PM), which would force a slightly early start for me. Not too bad, but I wasn't feeling the hike length warranted an early start. As it was, I got an easy start just short of 10:30AM. The goal: see the rhododendrons. I started off southbound on the part of the CCT actually advertised as having rhododendrons. Three miles toward Wilson Beach gets to the end of the redwoods in this section, which is a little past the end ...

Redwood National Park Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park Click for map. I spent most of a day working up a map of the California Coastal Trail as it exists between Arcata and Crescent City and I got to wanting to get that last* bit of trail along the DeMartin Section hiked. It's not like I can't come back to see the rhododendrons in bloom if I hike it now. It's good to see a trail in different seasons. This is the one part of the trail that is further inland than US-101, so it might even have some of those hills I've been wanting. I got an earlyish start and found my way to the beach parking beside Wilson Creek to start. (*There is actually one other piece of trail I haven't been on: Enderts Beach Section. This is a short section that parallels road and I probably won't bother with it. If I had a temporary base near Crescent City, it would get included in the places to explore. The 80 mile drive just for it doesn't seem worth it.) False Klamath ...

Klamath National Forest Six Rivers National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Red line for day 2. Click for map. I had a beautiful dawn, noticing that the smoke that was high above the mountain in the evening had dropped a long way below by morning. Then I noticed that another Platypus water bag can no longer be trusted. The first ones went 10-12 years, but that one has a 2015 date on the side. Admittedly it probably has more miles on it than those first ones. All my gear is dying! My Neoair mat shows bright yellow instead of shadowed when held to the light because all the metallization has crumbled. It barely handles the fall ground temperatures. The second water bag was fine, so nothing to worry about yet. Preston Peak glowed in the first light, too. I ate in the growing light of a mild but chilly morning, then pondered my water. I was expecting a hot day and, if the map wasn't lying to me, no water until Harrington Lake. I also had a track that s...