Moments in Dirt and Ink

Mendocino National Forest DAY 1  |  WORK DAYS 2-3  |  DAY 4  |  WORK DAYS 5-6  |  DAY 7 Yellow line for day 7. Click for interactive map The last day and we were heading back to Green Springs, then drive on out. It was hot. We figured we'd be wishing for that cold that we had on Monday. I don't think we were quite there, though. We were relishing shade once the day got into afternoon. Leaving Last Camp. Some gear left (far left) is for the mules to pick up and some for the next group to use. Over the ridge to the next valley south, Hammerhorn Mountain at the right. Further around to see Solomon Peak from the other side, or at least the ridge to it. Hammerhorn Mountain up ahead. There's a dip between it and the nearby ridge. I looked at the north side of Hammerhorn Mountain and wasn't sure where there might be a trail although we were told there had been one. It just looked like one would get to wandering in some rough st...

Mendocino National Forest DAY 1  |  WORK DAYS 2-3  |  DAY 4  |  WORK DAYS 5-6  |  DAY 7 Red line for day 1. Click for interactive map A few years ago when looking at the access for Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness from Covelo, I found the major roads hadn't even been opened. Many are only kept up to standards for high clearance vehicles. When I saw the Bigfoot Trail Alliance trip out of Green Springs Trailhead , I wanted to go, but the last desperate email to find a ride only got a usable offer some 2 days prior, after food had been purchased. I sent out one more email to Petr (the leader of this trip) to see if there would be vegetarian fare with the surprising response that there would be plenty. At the very last minute, it all worked out! I could go! While packing, I popped my camera on a bin lid, then decided to go looking through said bin. Something balancing on the lid made a great crash, and when I looked, my wonderful-as-th...

Caltrans vista point Click for location. The unassuming sign for the parking just says "vista point" and points at a block of parking spaces on the side of CA-1, but there's much more than that. Signs beside the parking help to point out how much more. One talks about the small wetland. It was this that drew the interest to purchase the parcel for preservation in the first place. One talks about the ocean preserve off the edge of the cliffs. The oldest illustrates the trails. One is accessible with benches every 100 feet, which is great except that it doesn't really help to see more to go parallel to the cliff. This trail rates a "meh" in my book. The other trail trots right on down to a bench up upon those cliffs looking out over that marine preserve. This one is absolutely brilliant. There are also more trails that are dirt, but as this is a wetland and I haven't got any Wellies, I didn't get very far on the one that loops around to the end ...

MacKerricher State Park Click for map. I'm not sure if I'm sneaking into the state park or not because the state consistently fails to mention if a park is free to visit. I tend to assume a state park will cost, but many do not and others only have fees in a few areas. (Hum, maybe I should take note of that. If I have not stated a cost to visit a place, it is because it was free when I went. Most places I go are free.) I cannot find any fees associated with any areas of MacKerricher State Park outside of the campground. There is certainly none from the little parking area at the north end which also accesses the Old Smith Ranch which is part of the Mendocino Land Trust. It's a handy spot to access the Ten Mile Dunes and that's what I'm looking for. I haven't been on dunes for a while. There is also Inglenook Fen, the "only remaining coastal fen in California". What's a fen? It's a peat forming wetland where the water wells up from the ...

Jug Handle State Natural Preserve Click for map. I noticed an Earthcache that looked interesting as it asks for study of an area with some unusual geology. The marine floor has been uplifted without tilting slowly over time resulting in terraces. Leaching processes slowly change the nature of the soil so that it supports different plant communities as it ages. Up the hill, where it is oldest, the soil is so bad that the forest that grows upon it is severely stunted. There's no fee to stop and see. Brochures for the interpretive trail are available at the trailhead or can be downloaded . It says, "Welcome to the Jug Handle State Natural Reserve. You are standing on one of the most interesting geological areas in the northern hemisphere. Here, time, geological forces and climate have all interacted to form a staircase of distinct plant communities and associated soils, culminating in the unique Pygmy Forest." Alright then. Signs to explain how this bit of land ...

Jackson State Demonstration Forest Click for map. I heard there was a cute little waterfall and decided to go see it. Many of the roads in Jackson State Demonstration Forest are closed this time of year due to the wet, but the one to the waterfall is not. Signs for the various roads come after making a turn to give confirmation, but no direction. My offline OpenStreetMap shows a pair of roads getting where I want. I found a rather nice map at a picnic area showing the roads properly so that I knew which to turn up to get to the waterfall and which would get me to Chamberlain Creek Conservation Camp (AKA "the prison"). Besides the waterfall, the area also boasts some old growth within this working forest. I found the parking area empty of cars so should get to have it all to myself. The only markings for the trail visible from the road is the wooden railing with a "TH" attached to it. Wooden railing is all that marks the trail from the road, but once...