Klamath National Forest

by

CA – Klamath National Forest, Living Memorial Sculpture Garden (August 2021)

I returned home from a couple weeks in the Redwoods (link) to more smoke, bad air quality, hot temps and forest closures.

Where oh where to go? There were only a few places showing consistent good air quality. The coast, the Flagstaff area and the Washington cascades. Of course all it takes is a change of winds to dictate new smoke zones.

Since I’m not really a coastal gal and having just spent a couple weeks there, I chose north. I grabbed a bunch of maps prepared to run from the smoke, using Purple Air as my guide.

I stopped to stretch my legs at the Living Sculpture Memorial Garden (link) near Mt Shasta.

It was still quite smoky and I was happy to have N95 masks.

The images are powerful and my timing was appropriate as there had just been deaths in Afghanistan.

This was one of my high school teachers.

Mt Shasta was nearly invisible due to the nearby fires.

You can see on Gaia the colored blobs which represent this year’s fires. Two crossed Highway 97 which I was driving, the Lava and Tenant fires. The Antelope Fire is still burning and hopefully will be snuffed out with plentiful snow and rain this fall.

I was testing an air purifier (Amazon link) suitable for car use with USB power and rechargeable batteries. I’m happy to report it made a huge difference driving through smoky areas as well as sleeping in lower AQI than optimal.

Gaia has a new map layers showing AQI for today and tomorrow. I drove 6 hours to land outside the yellow zone where I found blue sky. I’d hoped to stop at Crater Lake but it was completely smoked in according to my resources, with AQI around 300. The purple blob is where my house lives and what I’d be breathing if I hadn’t escaped. Last year I purchased an air purifier for my house (Amazon link). It helps but being stuck inside is not my idea of fun.

Ah happiness is finding blue sky!

I found a dispersed campsite where I could enjoy some fresh air.

I enjoyed watching the sunset and had hopes for good AQI for nearby hiking the next day.

My heart is filled with much empathy to those who can’t escape and especially those who have homes, family, friends and communities at risk.

DATE(S): Aug 31, 2021

RESOURCES:

Other Jaunts in California (link)

by

CA – Klamath National Forest, Kangaroo Lake Botanical Area (June 2021)

The Klamath National Forest is home to many rare and endemic species. As such they have several botanical areas which have been protected (link) including the Kangaroo Lake Botanical Area. “A 430 acre site located on the southeast edge of the Salmon/Scott River Ranger District  (T40N, R7W, SEC 14).  The area varies in elevation from 6000′ to 6857′.  It provides a diversity of plant habitats ranging from wet seeps and meadows to rock walls. The high level of habitat diversity is associated with a correspondingly high botanical species diversity. Sensitive plant species present include Phacelia dalesiana and Epilobium siskiyouense.” Source: Klamath NF

I have fond memories of Kangaroo Lake from my childhood when we camped nearby, and my dad spent hours fly fishing.

On this day though we were out to explore the Fen Nature Trail, a word that only came to my attention over the past few years.

We found plenty of fens with Darlingtonia californica aka Cobra Lilies or California Pitcher Plants.

We were hoping to find the rare Scott Mountain Phacelia, which I’d been lucky enough to stumble across unexpectedly a few weeks earlier at a different location (link).

Are you hiding down here?

How about here?

Success!

Calochortus elegans aka Elegant star tulip and Northwestern mariposa lily

Calochortus nudus aka Naked Mariposa Lily

Owl’s Clover with bug for extra credit.

Allium (onion) but not the rare one.

Sedum (aka Dr. Seuss trees)

Buckwheat, but not the rare species.

Blue Flax

Penstemon newberryi

Bladderpods

Intense butterfly or moth mating.

We enjoyed several views of Kangaroo Lake and distant views of three other listed botanical areas including China Peak, South China Peak and Cory Peak. Someday I’ll make it a priority to spend a day botanizing in those areas as well.

We hiked the trail to where it connected with the PCT. Our trip was less than 3.5 miles and about 750′ of elevation gain/loss.

Bonus: roadside botany on our drive to the trailhead

When I spied a group of rare California Lady’s Slippers (Cypripedium californicum), I was giddy. They were freshly washed after a little overnight rain.

Apocynum andrsameifolium aka Dogbane

Shasta Leopard Lily

Sidalcea, Checkerbloom.

Rhododendron occidentale aka Wester azalea

Showy Milkweed (creative edit)

My botany fieldtrips have been such a fun rehab diversion. It’s highly unlikely in “normal” times I would have taken a day to drive 3-4 hours to spend 5 hours hiking 3.5 miles, followed by another 3 hours of driving. It was a wonderfully long 12-hour day filled with friendship, education, photography and visual delights.

by

CA – Russian/Marble Mountain Wildernesses, PCT Eye Candy

This is the reason many fall in love with the PCT. The trail meanders, winds, rises and falls. It’s of dirt, grass, sticks and stones. Most of all it’s about dreaming and stories. Who built these trails? Who wandered here before me? What did it look like decades ago? Who will I meet, what will I see? Where will I lie my head each night?

I’ll let the photos tell the story of my jaunt between Carter Summit and Man Eaten Lake, about a 35-mile section. I shared stories about the lakes I visited in a previous post (blog link).  The wildflowers deserved their own post as well (blog link).

Adventure Date(s):

  • July 8-14, 2020

Hike Details:

This is my one-way track from Carter Summit to Man Eaten Lake. It includes the lakes I visited as I hiked north but not the ones from the southbound trip. I’d say it’d be fair it was around 85 miles with 13,000 feet of elevation gain and loss.

Tips:

  • Order your map in advance or call the ranger station to see if they have available.
  • Obtain your California campfire permit online in advance (it’s required for your backpacking stove).
  • Mileage in Art’s book were quite different than those I obtained from my Gaia track and noted above.
  • Guthook/Atlas app is great for viewing current water conditions.

Resources:

Links:

I participate in the Amazon affiliate program and may receive a commission on qualifying purchases linked in this post. It doesn’t affect your price but it helps support this site.

 

by

CA – Russian/Marble Mountain Wildernesses, a PCT Wildflower Jaunt

In addition to the debut of a PCT Swimmer’s Route (blog link), there were plenty of wildflowers to be found between swimming destinations. These photos were taken on a 35-mile section between Carter Summit and Man Eaten Lake.

Collomia grandiflora (Large-flowered collomia)

My book calls the blue in the center pollen; I assumed it was stamen. It’s been a few years since I’ve seen these so I was excited to find them along the trail. I’ve never seen them in groups or patches, always solo with maybe one companion. Hey, that describes me.

Allium

I should have taken more photos. These plants were so whimsical.

Lewisia cotyledon, Siskiyou lewisia

These beauties were fairly plentiful along this section of the trail.

Polemonium ? Jacob’s Ladder ?

I wasn’t able to easily identify these. These blooms were a rare sighting on the trail.

Penstemon and Paintbrush

There were multiple varieties of penstemon along the trail and it probably the most plentiful bloom on this trip.

There were several varieties of yellow flowers along the trail. They added a nice punch of color.

In wet areas I found Leopard Lily. Tigers have stripes, leopards have spots. At least that’s what I was told by a local botanist. 

Western Pasqueflower aka Anemone occidentalis

The first of the season Dr. Seuss mop heads. It was still a bit too early to find the best messy hair versions.

Pyrola crypta (Pine-drops)

This was by far my most exciting find. I had yet to see blooming pine-drops.

Lilium rubescens, Chaparral Lily, Redwood Lily

Not positive on the ID, but loved smelling these lilies before seeing them. They were just starting to bloom. I saw a lot more buds than blooms. Such showstoppers!

And a few more just because I can never get enough.

Adventure Date(s):

  • July 8-14, 2020

Hike Details:

This is my one-way track from Carter Summit to Man Eaten Lake. It includes the lakes I visited as I hiked north but not the ones from the southbound trip. I’d say it’d be fair it was around 85 miles with 13,000 feet of elevation gain and loss.

Tips:

  • Order your map in advance or call the ranger station to see if they have available.
  • Obtain your California campfire permit online in advance (it’s required for your backpacking stove).
  • Mileage in Art’s book were quite different than those I obtained from my Gaia track and noted above.
  • Guthook/Atlas app is great for viewing current water conditions.

Resources:

Links:

I participate in the Amazon affiliate program and may receive a commission on qualifying purchases linked in this post. It doesn’t affect your price but it helps support this site.

by

CA – Russian/Marble Mountain Wildernesses, Jan’s PCT Swimmer’s Route

We have high routes and peakbagger routes, so why not a swimmer’s route? I was craving some time on the PCT after my recent travels on unmaintained trails in the Trinity Alps, and thought it would be fun to visit some lakes adjacent to the PCT. I started hiking north from Carter Summit off National Forest Road 93, PCT mile marker 1580.

1. Siphon Lake

My first detour was a side trail to Siphon (or Syphon), Water Dog (or Waterdog) and Russian Lakes. It’s less than a mile from the PCT to Siphon Lake and another to the junction of Deacon Lee Trail. The sign shows the spelling with a Y but the maps, guidebook and online references indicate an I.

From the PCT, this lake rates high on the ease of access scale.

I had good intention of swimming in Russian and Waterdog Lakes but after a late start from the trailhead and lollygagging a bit too much at Siphon, I had to turn around after hiking to the Deacon Lee Trail junction. It looked to be quite a descent and since it was already 7pm I knew I was pushing my luck so those lakes will be saved for a future trip. There is a cairn route to Russian Lake about halfway between Siphen and Waterdog Lakes thus I at least got this photo of Russian Lake and Peak.

I camped at Siphen Lake and had a great swim. There were plenty of fish and newts. I wandered around finding evidence of previous siphening activity in the form of pipes. I was told by a local rancher that the lake was used for nearby mining however I also saw online that it was used for agriculture purposes. I tend to believe the mining theory as Foster Mine is in close proximity. There is a well established camp near the lake so I’m guessing it’s quite popular with the equestrian crowd. Although I had the place to myself I wouldn’t count on it.

2. Bingham Lake

Since I was doing an out-and-back hike, I visited this lake on my return trip. It involves a rocky scramble following cairns. I got off track on my way, going up higher than needed. Tip: the route takes you up the rock pile then to the right into the woods then back to the rock pile then stays near the outlet creek. It’s about .25 mile to the lake from the PCT. There are numerous campsites and it appeared to be a moderate use lake. On the morning of my swim, I had the lake to myself.

The lake was a perfect swimmer’s paradise. With a nice rocky entrance, deep clear water, and great temperature even for this 8am swim. The sun was in my face so I couldn’t get great photos. For those interested in peakbagging, you start from Bingham Lake to summit Russian Peak.

3. Statue Lake

This is one of the more challenging lakes to access. There are at least three ways to reach the lake. The most common is from Statue Creek which is the way I hiked. There is a cairned trail starting where the creek crosses the PCT. Sadly this area was devastated in the 2014 fire making the unmaintained trail a bit of a mess. I got off track a few times but ultimately found myself faced with a wall of huge boulders which needed to be navigated prior to reaching the lake. When I found a campfire ring I figured I was in the right place. It was a little less than one mile and 400 feet elevation gain from the PCT to the lake.

The lake is behind this ridge. You can see the PCT traversing about one third of the way down. Where the PCT rounds the corner is supposedly one option for access. I camped at this spot one night in hopes of finding the access but with the burn you’d have to be really motivated to work your way through the boulders, dead brush and down trees.

The statue of Statue Lake.

From the lake I hiked up to this secret passage.

On my return trip I looked for it from the PCT and upon finding it, my thought was there was a reasonably direct route up the front side and through the notch.

4. Paynes Lake

This is a no brainer stop as it’s right on the trail. There are plentiful campsites although it can be busy as they are used by both PCT hikers and others accessing the area from several nearby trailheads. I was happy to capture this early morning alpenglow view. You can also reach Albert (aka Albers) Lakes from a nearby unmaintained trail. Since I’d visited Lower Albert previously I skipped on this occasion; Upper Albert is still on my list but I remember the manzanita bushwhack and am not very excited at the prospect (blog link).

5. Smith Lake

I looked for use trails as I hiked north with plans to swim on my return trip. I found a cairn marking the route along the PCT at the far northern end which is ultimately the route I followed. This is the view of Smith Lake from the PCT looking east toward Mt Shasta.

It was a steep descent but much less worrisome than Man Eaten as the footing was solid. By the time I reached this tree I was disheartened to see how much further I had to descend especially when I looked over and saw an even steeper route.

At this point I decided I better turn on my tracker so I could find my way out. Since I don’t have a clean recording I’m guessing it was about 500′ in 1/3 mile.

But finally I was almost there.

It was another perfect swimming lake! I found a campfire ring but zero indication of any flat area appropriate for camping.

6. Ruffey Lake

This is a popular day hike trail from the Etna Summit trailhead. The trail is in excellent condition appearing to have been recently maintained. The switchbacks were reasonably graded although you still descend 350 feet in about a half of mile. This view includes both Ruffey Lake and Etna Mountain.

The best place to swim is the rocky side of the lake, shown below in the distance. There’s an easy use trail around the lake and a short-cut trail straight down off the main trail.

There were tadpoles, guppies and fish near where I swam. This lake is a bit more mucky than some and I’m sure gets worse as the summer progresses. On this day like most of the other lakes I visited I had it to myself and I found it perfect for swimming.

7. Fisher and Marten Lakes

It’s a long dry 14-mile hike from Etna Summit to these lakes. I would revise this route to exit at Etna Summit and get back on at another trailhead such as Kelsey Creek or Shackleford Creek. I enjoyed a great swim in Fisher Lake which is right next to the PCT. It’s another lake that is fairly shallow and could be muddy a little later in the summer. It’s twin is Marten just a short distance away, also along the PCT.

Newts are like an aquatic lizard.

8. Man Eaten (aka Maneaten) Lake

I saved the best for last! Having been to this lake previously via other trailheads further north I knew this would be a great turnaround spot (blog link). I won’t lie it’s not a fun descent as it’s a combination of scree and steep loose dirt as you drop 500 feet in about 1/2 mile. This is the view from the PCT.

Finding turquoise-colored water in northern California is a rare treat. It is a deep lake with crystal clear water.

I met a group of 4 teenagers and a dad hiking out as I was arriving. They had caught several fish and sadly appeared to leave behind a bunch of trash. I was so glad I could collect before it ended up in the lake.

The lake outflow provided a nice waterfall.

I’d always wanted to camp at this lake so getting to witness sunset color was the perfect dessert for this trip.

The next morning as I hiked out, I was gifted this reflection.

Lakes I didn’t visit:

Jackson Lake – this is a lake on private property.

Lipstick Lake – I visited this one from the Ducks Lakes side a few years ago so wasn’t interested in a Take 2. That trip made a lasting impression, in a very negative way (blog link).

Taylor Lake – there is a steep use trail from the PCT down to to the lake but this one is much better reached from the direct trailhead.

Adventure Date(s):

  • July 8-14, 2020

Hike Details:

This is my one-way track from Carter Summit to Man Eaten Lake. It includes the lakes I visited as I hiked north but not the ones from the southbound trip. I’d say it’d be fair it was around 85 miles with 13,000 feet of elevation gain and loss.

Tips:

  • Order your map in advance or call the ranger station to see if they have available.
  • Obtain your California campfire permit online in advance (it’s required for your backpacking stove).
  • Mileage in Art’s book were quite different than those I obtained from my Gaia track and noted above.
  • Guthook/Atlas app is great for viewing current water conditions.

Resources:

Links:

I participate in the Amazon affiliate program and may receive a commission on qualifying purchases linked in this post. It doesn’t affect your price but it helps support this site.

 

by

CA – Marble Mountains Wilderness, Mule Bridge Trailhead . . . Spring Jaunting

There isn’t a lot of information available about the trails in the Marbles. Thankfully I have Art Bernstein’s book, “Best Hikes of the Marble Mountain and Russian Wilderness Areas, California” written in 1996 but to date still the best resource (available at Amazon). However, since it is aging, it’s best to visit a local ranger station such as the one in Fort Jones as the Klamath Forest Service website doesn’t offer many clues either although I did find they are keeping a trail conditions report (link). Many years ago I picked up some handouts they offered. I don’t know if those are still available either.

It’s a little confusing that the trailhead name doesn’t correlate with the trail name which is North Fork Salmon River. There isn’t a trail name sign nor other indicator that this bridge is the beginning of the trail.

You know you’re in the right place when you see the wilderness boundary sign.

The trail is in good condition for the first few miles as it meanders along the river, crossing multiple creeks. Most of the early crossings can be easily done without getting your feet wet but later on plan for a couple that are deep and swift.

Along the creek and river was lots of Indian Rhubarb, one of my favorite flowers.

There were also plenty of other flowers like these sedum and Naked Broomrape (Orobanche uniflora).

I believe these are Senecio integerrimus (aka Lambstongue ragwort, Mountain butterweed). It was fun observing them in various stages of development.

And a nice mix of so many more spring blooms with critters as a bonus.

I found a perfect rocky bank for a break where I could watch the river cascading downward. Something caught my eye in that waterfall. At first I thought it was a log but as I studied it more carefully I was amazed to find a river otter. What a treat to watch him bob up and down and gracefully power past me. No photos only the memory of this moment.

While sitting on this special rock, I had a couple of visitors. I couldn’t figure out why they were so inquisitive and hanging out within inches of me until I noticed a new hatch of some type of insect. They were having a feeding frenzy.

It was also on this rock where I found a large distribution of Siskiyou Lewisia.

It took me about 3 hours to reach bridge #2, the last of the easy dry-feet river crossings.

Fire, age and neglect are evident at Abbot Ranch.

At 6.5 miles from the trailhead, this sign marks the junction of Right Hand Fork, which continues to Shelly Meadows requiring a water crossing, much too swift this day. In fact I couldn’t easily determine where the path continued on the opposite shore. This area includes several well used campsites, one which I called home.

The deer used the nearby trail for quick access to the water. They were curious but not deterred by my presence.

The next morning, back at the junction, it was time to continue going north/northwest along the North Fork of Salmon River.

It didn’t take long to find much different trail conditions with some of my favorite obstacles.

Water crossings went from ankle to crotch deep with at least two being through swift water.

There were a couple of sections of trail with fairly serious drop-offs. The trail was sufficiently level and wide, although it might make some hikers and livestock nervous.

The forest was a mix of some mildly burned areas to other more severe areas. These burned areas limit potential camping in otherwise topographically friendly zones bordering the river.

I saw quite a bit of fresh bear scat and activity, but no bears during this visit.

Knowing horses use this trail makes me happy as they help remove the down trees and maintain the trails for equestrian safety.

With the recent burns, conditions seemed right for morels. I believe a permit is required to harvest from the wilderness.

This was an unusual white or albino mushroom/fungus.

The actual signed location of the Lake of the Island trail junction is nowhere near where it’s shown on USGS digital map. It’s quite a ways further west and 11 miles from the trailhead. There’s an unsigned light use trail near where it shows on the map. I didn’t explore but guessed it was to a campsite. The trail is more properly placed on the USFS map.

The Abbot Lake/Wooley Creek junction was a better match to the digital map at 12.25 miles from the trailhead. It too is signed although the trail to Abbot Lake was not evident as it begins through a grassy meadow.

This way to Abbot Lake.

This way to Wooley Creek and several lakes including Horse Range and Wild Lakes as well as Lakes Katherine and Ethel. In the guidebook this is referred to as the Big Meadows/Bug Gulch Trail.

There is a well used campsite at the junction where I found some leftover utensils and this saw which I considered taking for trail maintenance. My pack was heavy with 6 days of food, so I decided to reconsider as I exited.

My next objective was English Lake and then hopefully English Peak.

I loved this big old tree, which I believe is incense cedar.

It was impossible to resist taking a break on top of this huge piece of rock. I was looking forward to a possible view.

And views I found! Looking back toward the trailhead.

The junction to English Lake around mile 14.5 isn’t marked but hard to miss. The campsites are in the shade of the trees. The shoreline is choked with willows making it challenging to find a spot to gather water, fish or swim.

I wandered for an hour trying to find a campsite location where I could see the lake and peak. This was the best I could find. I also wanted as much sun as possible as it was quite chilly with a breeze.

It dropped to a very frosty 25F overnight.

It was obvious I wouldn’t be hiking to 7,350′ English Peak nor over the ridge to Hancock Lake. So I decided to leave camp set up so my tent could dry out while I hiked as far as I could to obtain views of English Lake and Peak from a different perspective.

The trail traverses to the right of English Lake.

Upper English Lake is visible at the top of the meadow in this photo.

This heart of snow may have caused me to detour but it didn’t deter me from continuing upward.

Eventually these slick, post holey, unstable snowfields were a big enough deterrent to encourage a little bouldering for a better view.

This looked like a reasonable objective.

When I made it to the ridge I could see the lookout on top of English Peak.

I could see the distant peaks over the ridge and imagine the location of Diamond Lake, one of my original objectives.

If I would have made it to the lookout, Mt Shasta is said to be visible.

It was exciting to spy Hancock Lake, another hopeful objective of this trip.

English Lake to the left and English Peak to the right.

English Lake

A funny story came out of this trip. About a mile from the trailhead, the bridge had recently been replaced and the crews were finishing up with installation when I arrived. They told me it would be several hours before I could drive across. I parked below the bridge across from another trail. I talked to the crew and verified it’d be okay to park there and gained permission to walk the bridge. As I drove through Etna I noticed a USFS Law Enforcement vehicle at the gas station. I stopped to chat about another issue only to find out the officer was about to initiate SAR on my behalf. The construction guys were sure this “old lady with a day pack” was in trouble. They reported their concerns on Thursday. The officer ran my plates and upon noticing my PCT sticker decided I was probably one of those thru hikers who carries a tiny pack. He was on his way to check on my car again when I appeared. Good thing since I wasn’t expected for a few more days. I have to say I wasn’t offended and instead feel honored to be part of the gray-haired club who’s earned a little extra TLC.

Adventure Date(s):

  • May 20-23, 2020

Hike Details:

Note: This includes extra mileage as I parked a mile from the trailhead. I also spent time exploring, meandering and wandering so just consider it a vague idea as to what your might experience.

Tips:

  • Stop at the Ranger Station in Fort Jones for information on trail conditions.
  • Order your map in advance or call the ranger station to see if they have available.
  • Obtain your California campfire permit online in advance (it’s required for your backpacking stove).
  • Mileage in Art’s book were quite different than those I obtained from my Gaia track and noted above.

Resources:

Links:

I participate in the Amazon affiliate program and may receive a commission on qualifying purchases linked in this post. It doesn’t affect your price but it helps support this site.