Moments in Dirt and Ink

Klamath National Forest Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Purple line for day 3. Click for interactive map While the faint upper portion of West Fork Seiad Creek Trail wouldn't be so hard to follow now that we knew it a little and the lower part is apparently maintained by biologists interested in Baker cypress, the memory of the drenching from the bushes in the short section of the middle led us to the decision to get up early and make the rather longer road walk back down to the car. Besides, new views! Kangaroo Mountain, looming over camp, looks pretty red in the early light. Meanwhile, in the east, a shadow of a big mountain and colors. Once breakfasted and packed up, it was a little lighter and the rocks had become a little yellower compared to the Red Butte. The local pool to our camp, which is definitely has springs in the bottom. A look back to the only pond that was frozen.

Klamath National Forest Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Yellow lines for day 2. Click for interactive map Neither of us had quite got our boots open wide enough the night before and the frozen shapes were hard to put on in the morning in spite of preparing for it. I had elected not to bring along my waterproof socks and I was sorry for it as soon as my boots thawed out. The cold also left my camera battery devoid of sufficient energy to take sunrise pictures. The extra battery, which admittedly only registered 2 of 3 bars when I grabbed it, was also dead. I decided to leave the camera and be stuck with substandard photography equipment for the day. I was also sorry for being lazy about battery maintenance. Leaving Kangaroo Springs, just one pool visible from here. Shasta almost hides in the low clouds in the nearby valleys. Upper and Middle Devils Peaks where the Pacific Crest Trail goes. Our goal for the day was ...

Klamath National Forest Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest DAY 1  |  DAY 2  |  DAY 3 Red line for day 1. Click for interactive map Daniil had the idea that exploring the Pacific Crest Trail and Boundary Trail, one a National Scenic Trail and the other a National Recreation Trail, up by Red Buttes Wilderness looked like a grand idea and noted that it offers three entry options: head north on the PCT from the lot near Seiad, head south on the PCT from the parking at Cook and Green Pass, or the middle route along West Fork Seiad Creek. The pass might not be accessible with it being winter. The route from Seiad looks a bit too long but with some peak bagging opportunities along the way. I thought, by far, the creek side route looked the most interesting and obtainable, assuming the ford isn't too scary. There is definitely a point of view that makes it the most interesting and the ford wasn't too scary. So there's that. There is a large parking area at the ...

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.