Hiking

Mount Arrowsmith

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I expected to cruise right on through Canadian border control as usual. Dream on. At first it was the same old song and dance, but then it was ‘walk this way’ for a secondary inspection. Crazy. Then I figured out what had made them draw the line. After all the stuffed RVs, they just found my itinerary unusual for a small EV. I felt sweet emotion when I realized that they were concerned about me. They looked up my blog. Remember when I was walking in the sand in the Yucatan without issues? Eventually, we were able to come together, and I was back in the saddle again.

Anyways, I headed for this UNESCO Biosphere on Vancouver Island. Due to the topography and large trees at places like Cathedral Grove at Cameron Lake, I wasn’t able to get the amazing photo I wanted of Mt Aerosmith reflected in the water. Then I stopped at Loon Lake above and managed to get a bit of the snow peaked, classic rock mountain that dominates the landscape albeit without a reflection. Oh well. The region is quite large and includes greatest hits Englishman River Falls, Top Bridge, Rathtrevor Beach, gardens and more. But with missing my ferry, bad traffic delays and livin’ on the edge—although I don’t want to miss a thing—I didn’t have time to do much hiking. Cryin’. I always plan to come back, and then I neglect to plan enough time to really enjoy this lovely part of Canada. At least I listened to Aerosmith’s Greatest Hits along the way, but you knew that, right?

Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

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The dunes are in the Siuslaw National Forest in Oregon, so the US Forest Service runs this recreation area. The dunes loop walk is almost five miles down to the Pacific, past the nesting plovers (I didn’t see any), along the beach below the high tide line and back over the very tall dunes. Even thought I’ve driven through here several times on different trips over the years, I underestimated how large this area is. They span some 40 miles along the coast and some are 500 feet high. Even when catching my breath at a seafood restaurant over the water in Florence along the Siuslaw River, technically I was still in the recreation area. There are also lakes, several with boats, and 101 runs right through the dunes past twisted shore pines.

You may have heard of the Dune movies, which are based on the books by Frank Herbert, who was a local journalist assigned to write an article about the Oregon Dunes. He visited in 1957, chartered a small plane to view them from above, and learned about both the fragile ecosystem and government efforts to control dunes by planting grass. But instead of just writing an article, he got carried away and researched for years, writing 6 epic novels over 20 years. Unfortunately he died before completing the 7th and final Dune novel, but his son kept writing the popular series. Anywho, if you want to be inspired by walking in the sand for hours and hours, this is the place for you!

Newberry National Volcanic Monument

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This US Forest Service site near Bend Oregon has a long lava tube cave, obsidian, lakes, a view of the volcanic Cascades above and more. 7,000 years ago a lava flow redirected the Deschutes River which now runs along the north part of the monument, and there’s an easy hike to Benham Falls on the river trail. The open season is quite short in summer, with restrictions on visitors to different sections. With the heat these days, the monument should open by May 1st, but whatever. I arrived early before other sections opened in June, and went to see the lava cast forest. I’ve never seen so many clear impressions of tree trunks left behind after being surrounded by lava. See one example below.

Deschutes

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These are Steelhead Falls on the Deschutes Wild & Scenic River near Bend Oregon. The trail is uneven and a bit slippery near the edge in spots, but it’s only about 1/2 a mile from the parking lot to the falls. Tempting to jump off the rock into the water below. There are dramatic bluffs on both sides here, and the river flows 50 miles or so north to the Columbia, where the Lewis & Clark and Oregon trails meet. The upper segment is in the Deschutes National Forest, so it’s managed by the US Forest Service. The Bureau of Land Management runs much of the middle and lower segments, which includes more popular rafting. Steelhead Falls is jointly managed by USFS & BLM, and there are many interesting spots along the whole route. The gorges are gorgeous!

Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument

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The Pacific Crest Trail strolls by Hyatt Lake above, not far from Ashland Oregon, where Northern Californians come up to watch Shakespeare. Honestly the drive up overlooking a deep beautiful valley was far more striking than the pretty lake, but I couldn’t get a decent photograph. The Cascade, Klamath & Siskiyou mountain ranges meet here, and the meadow in the valley is known as Hyatt Prairie. Besides larger animals, the area is well known for bird and butterfly watching, with hundreds of species.

I finally understand the naming conventions of the mountains up here. The Pacific Coast Mountain System includes all the coastal mountains from California up into Alaska. Within that, the Cascades are the young volcanic mountains that run through northern California up to Canada, including Mt Lassen, Mt Shasta, Crater Lake, Mt Rainier, and other stratovolcanoes up to the North Cascades. Within that, the Klamath Mountains are an older range formed by tectonic uplift in northern California and southern Oregon that includes the important Rogue, Smith, Klamath, and Trinity River watersheds, plus the headwaters of the Sacramento River around Shasta Lake. Within that, the Siskiyou Mountains are the stretch that connects the coastal mountains of northern California and Oregon between the Klamath and Rogue Rivers.

This mountainous Bureau of Land Management national monument has fascinating geology, great rivers, and diverse wildlife. The weird mix of soils from ancient seabeds to volcanic debris presents challenges to the plants that have adapted here. Two examples are the cobra lily, a cowled pitcher plant, and the serpentine jewelflower which takes on a purplish tinge here. I recommend reading some of the free Cascade-Siskiyou guides on animals, butterflies, geology and plants before going hiking.

There’s something magical about the smell of the forests up here in Oregon, with the occasional colorful butterfly scooting past, and folks taking their kids fishing while camping by the lake. In town, I tried morel mushrooms and a chocolate porter at the Caldera Brewery, and it was the best meal I’ve had since leaving San Francisco. Folks up here seem to understand the good life.

National Parks to Visit in September

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September is an ideal month for many parks, but I recommend visiting these five in particular: Carlsbad Caverns, Crater Lake, Grand Teton, Redwood and Sequoia.

Besides the magnificent cave, the top experience at Carlsbad Caverns is watching the bats in the evening, and September is best for that. Arrive at least 30 minutes before sunset to get a good seat and listen to the ranger talk.

Crater Lake is surprisingly tricky to visit. The rim road is frequently closed in sections, and the park gets crowded and can be too hot in summer. September is by far the best option, as snow starts falling in October and the road is closed until the end of June.

Grand Teton is simply beautiful in September, with aspen foliage, elk rutting, fat bears, pronghorn, and less crowded scenic drives. Water levels can be low, especially later in the month, so if you want to raft or kayak make a reservation for early September. Plan ahead as the area has gotten extremely pricey.

Redwood has a long season along the temperate California coast, but I like September best. The hiking is easier because it’s dry, the elk are easy to spot, and there are hikes that go through lush green areas like Trillium Falls to give you a sense of flowing water. And after hiking a bit, I had the trees to myself.

Sequoia is another California park where you want to wait until the crowds of summer have passed. It will still be busy, but the weather is still nice and a bit better than October.

Timing is very important for having the best park visit, and these particular parks pay off best in September.

Rogue

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This month I’m continuing to post about my trip up to British Columbia.

The Rogue River in Oregon is iconically wild & scenic, one of the original ones named in the 1968 Wild & Scenic River Act. And folks have found various ways of enjoying it. I dreamt of paddling trips ever since watching the River Wild, but I’m always either too early or too late. With the warmer climate, I think they should start paddling tours by May 1st, if not earlier. The alternative was to take a jet boat, either from near Hellgate Canyon above or from Gold Beach. But I just couldn’t stand the idea of burning all that carbon, so I decided to drive along the edge stopping at overlooks, like the one below.

The Rogue and its tributaries define the popular southeast corner of Oregon. From its headwaters around Crater Lake creeks from Ashland and the Cascade-Siskiyou Mountains add to it before the river runs through the historic city of Grants Pass, where there’s a mini powerboat fest on the river on Memorial Day weekend. (Again, I think the river should be enjoyed without the noise of machines.) Then the Applegate River with its wine trail and the Illinois River from Oregon Caves join the Rogue before it emerges at Gold Beach on the Pacific.

The middle section of the Rogue has no road access for ~35 miles, and unfortunately some of the trails were closed due to serious forest fire damage in this protected area. I would like to return for a long paddling trip someday, but meanwhile I enjoyed meandering back roads and exploring the rest of the scenic canyons and river valleys.

The Umpqua River also begins near Crater Lake, so I also drove the Rogue Umpqua Scenic Byway, which goes past the Upper Rogue’s Gorge & Natural Bridge and the North Umpqua’s Watson Falls, two of many spectacular sights. The North Umpqua River is also designated as wild & scenic, while the lower Umpqua is less wild with calmer water but still a very beautiful part of the scenic byway.

Here are my visits to all NPS park units in Oregon.

Smith River National Recreation Area

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The Smith River is very beautiful, and it’s my favorite of the ‘six rivers’ in Northern California. Jedediah Smith explored the region, and the northern section of Redwood National Park is also named after him. A couple of the most impressive groves are near the river, including Stout Grove and Grove of the Titans. In July & August when the river is low, there’s a footbridge to cross from the Jedediah Smith campground into the Stout Grove. The Trees of Mystery tour (outside the park) lets you take an elevated walkway among the redwoods. If you’ve ever seen the Star Wars movie with the Ewoks, the experience will seem familiar, as many scenes were filmed in this forest.

This Wild & Scenic River is likely the cleanest river and one of the largest un-dammed watersheds in the US, although there have been wildfires away from the coast. There are three forks with plenty of hiking and paddling to enjoy. Crescent City makes a good base for exploring the mouth, the park and heading upriver. The US Forest Service manages this recreation area including many magnificent coastal redwoods that rival the higher altitude giant sequoias in girth. There’s a rare Dawn Redwood from China on display outside the Hiouchi Visitor Center. I find it difficult to photograph redwoods and the river at the same time, but you can see the reflection of a coast redwood in the Smith River below.

Avenue of the Giants

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There’s a 32 mile scenic drive through the Coastal Redwoods parallel to 101 in California along the Eel River, and it’s some kind of wonderful. The Eel River is one of the longest recreational, scenic & wild river systems in the US, and this is one of the prettiest places in the USA. When the kids were little, we paid a bit extra to drive through a tree—just like my grandfather did with his kids in Yosemite in 1952—, and I have happy memories of dining at the old Benbow Inn on the Eel. Over 100 years ago, conservationists who came this way were dismayed by the rapid logging, prompting them to found Save the Redwoods, which got the community to do just that. Today, there are still a dozen or so old growth groves where you can get out, walk, look up and feel very small.

The Eel River empties into the Pacific south of Humboldt Bay, and the Mad River empties north of the bay. The shallow bay has clean water due to tides, and this gives it fine oysters. Try one of the oyster restaurants in Eureka. Many long billed birds—Avocets, Curlews and Willets—rely on this flyway stop. The mouth of the Eel River has been restored, and the eels (Pacific Lamprey) are recovering. This is one of the famed six rivers in this part of Northern California, and it’s exceptional. I’m glad I returned.

Mom, Uncle Nim, Grampy & Grammy in Yellowstone in 1952

Fort Ord National Monument

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The military fort near Monterey California closed in 1994, in 2009 part of the dunes became a state park, and in 2012 President Obama made the rest a national monument. The 15k acre site is currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management with just a few bits of unexploded ordinance in one section, but the rest of the large coastal park on rolling hills is open for hiking, biking and horseback riding. It’s a lovely spot where locals walk their dogs and get some exercise in the fresh air. Much of the site is behind gates that block cars from the roads, but there’s parking in neighboring communities like East Garrison from where folks bike in.

Fort Ord was perhaps best known for being an equestrian military base, supporting the 76th field artillery during WWI and early WWII, complete with an equine hospital. Horse soldiers or cavalry, have a long history predating the USA, although with modern drone warfare even heavy armored ‘cavalry’ like tanks must adapt or become obsolete. Here, I was most interested in the Comanche Horse memorial, and the closest trailhead to that is Jerry Smith. Comanche was the last and most famous parade horse on base, and its rider’s grandfather was a horse soldier during the Native American wars. The ‘original’ Comanche was a survivor of Little Big Horn, and the Comanche buried on a hill in Fort Ord is named for that veteran horse’s bravery.