Cougar Bluffs, near the North Umpqua Trail

(Click on any picture for larger view and slide show)

Please excuse my blog tardiness, but I had issues with my computer not liking my blog site (hopefully the dislike is only from things electronic and not human). So after several months of no blog, I finally got it working. I will create some quick back-log blogs of my past hikes. Until then, here is this hike’s blogginess…

The trail is easy near the river

After browsing my Umpqua Forest map, I chose what I knew would be a very strenuous hike, starting from the Wright Creek trailhead on the N.U.T. then departing the N.U.T. and heading straight uphill  towards Cougar Bluffs. The multiple switchbacks and tight contour lines on the topo map indicated a definite uphill battle. In fact, I calculated a 3000 foot ascent from the Umpqua River up to Cougar Bluffs. Straight up. Someone please check my temperature, I must be a bit loopy for attempting this….

North Umpqua River in the morning

The hike began with a quick warm-up of about a mile of scenic beauty along the river, until I departed the saneness of the well-traveled N.U.T. and began my climb up the steep hill.

4 miles to Cougar Bluffs... and all uphill!

The sign near the junction said “Not Maintained”, which did not sound promising at all. Fortunately, the trail was actually pretty easy to travel on. Well, except for the steepness and all. Just a trivial matter I had to contend with….

A scenic yet cruel hillside

After quite a few back and forths across the hillside, the heavy breathing set in, along with the perspiration. I constantly scanned the trailside looking for opportunities to stop and take pictures of anything that would give me an excuse to take a breather. Those were few and far between.

Oh, what a tangled web thy weave, Mr. spider...

Oh, it’s here that I must pause and mention that stable people don’t actually hike this trail, thus, leaving the spiders the freedom to spread their sticky webs across the trail, all of which I’m sure I ended up on my sweaty forehead. Spiders don’t bother me like they do a lot of people. But honestly, can’t a guy enjoy a self-induced torture hike in peace without the constant thwapping of a spider web in his face?

Level ground... yeahh!!

I did have a little respite of sorts when the trail leveled off into a vast lushness of green trees and under-growth of the same. I even took a selfie! Which is, I set the camera on the timer to get a shot of me traipsing through the only level spot of this hike.

The trail eventually spit me out onto a rarely used spur road which I followed for about half a mile until it connected with another more used road. About 30 yards up this road, another trailhead continued my journey up the hill again.

More hill

More switchbacks. More spider webs. More sweat. I’m not complaining. Just stating the facts. The payoff would be at the top. And the downhill trek back would be my reward for this uphill struggle…

Oh, so pretty

I knew I was near the top when I saw rocky formations with all sorts of flora showing off their colorful blooms. (I bet THEY didn’t have to sweat to get all the way up here…)

Late spring is colored in yellow

Eventually, the trail again led me to another road near the top. Yes, you could drive up to Cougar Bluffs, but then it wouldn’t be called a hike, would it?

Mt Thielsen and Mt Bailey to the east

The first sight I saw was Mt Thielsen and Mt Bailey to the east, still capped with snow. The view around the entire bluff area was somewhat obscured with the tops of trees, but that didn’t matter. There were plenty of other things to look at. Like flowers!!

No cougars, just floral things

Ohh, purple!

Ohh, blue!

Thielsen and Bailey again

Looking north

Colorful bluffs

More color

After some picture taking, I shed the backpack and ate my lunch in the shade, soaking up the quietness all around me.

Just amazing colors!

When my much-deserved rest was over, I decided to begin my descent down the mountain. Funny, for some reason, it seemed to be much easier going downhill…

Can I take these home with me?...

I attempted to make good time going down the hillside, but as any hiker will tell you, it can sometimes be harder going downhill. Always putting the breaks on, your toes pushing the tips of your boots, shins straining against the… ahh heck, who am I kidding, this was much easier than going uphill!! Wheee!!

As I quickly made my way down, I thought to myself, who the hell would come UP this thing? It seemed much steeper going down than coming up. Weird…

A sight for sore eyes... and legs

Using my hiking poles as assurance against any unstable footing I may have and to off-set my exuberant speed I was enjoying, I safely made it to the river.

I had completed a 10 mile hike, ascended and descended 3000 feet, and was ready for flat ground...

Great river on a great June day!!

Seeing the river was like seeing a comforting face that said “Welcome back, you crazy, crazy man”.

10 miles and a 3000 ft elevation gain. What is wrong with me??! ;-)

 

California's LOST COAST TRAIL May 2014

I went on a 4 day backpacking trip in northern California on the LOST COAST TRAIL in MAY 2014. This was a spectacular backpacking trip and I will remember it always.

The slide show I created has The Little River Band's "Cool Change" accompanying it.

For higher quality versions of the pictures used in this video, please see my LOST COAST album.

Relax and enjoy the serenity that this video invokes :-)

Lookout Mountain, Umpqua National Forest, Oregon

 

(Click on any picture for larger view and slide show)

 

NOTE: See the end of this article for directions to the shortest hike I know of in Douglas County with tremendous views of mountains in every direction!!

 

 

There are a few things that you learn as a hiker:

First: have your hike well-planned.

Second: Have a back-up hike planned, just in case.

Third: If the first two plans fail, then just wing it.

 

Ok, so you already know where this one’s heading …

 

After hopping out of bed with more enthusiasm than I do for work (imagine that) I was up and out the door greeting the rising sun on my way to said planned hike on this fine mid-March morning!

 

My planned hike!

A sign of things to come...almost stopped in my tracks...

 

The actual sign which almost stopped me...

 I soon found myself on an ill-maintained forest service road, which involved negotiating my truck under a fallen tree, stopping to move a few pint-sized boulders out of the way, and then wondering what I was getting myself in to when I read the sign at the trailhead which read “Caution: This trail is not maintained and may be difficult to follow”.

 

Ok, this sounds like a challenge.

 

What the heck, let’s get this hike going…

 

 

I was stopped by this quaint creek...

 

Minutes later, on my short walk back to the truck after taking a few pictures of the quaint little creek which I was unable to traverse, I pondered my backup plan. So, my planned hike was cut short by fast flowing water from a quaint little creek. I think my gps logged ¼ mile. I’m not sure now, I deleted it in shame.

 

Ok, on to the backup hike!

 

 

My backup hike was on the southside of the Umpqua/Tiller divide, with the map displaying a much saner trail. Things should be good, as long as I don’t encounter too much snow on the road which could prevent me from getting over the ridge. I just have to make it up the hill…

 

 

... and then I was definitely stopped by the snow...

...So, after turning around just short of the top and heading back down the hill, I was starting to hate snow, quaint creeks, and signs with ominous warnings. Yes, this is where I just wing it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time to wing it! Look out, mountain!

 

 I decided to check out LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, which by name alone sounded like the place to be on a crystal clear day like this. My sons and I had attempted it a few years ago, but after a long, uphill walk on the road due to a fallen tree across the road, and failure to find the faint, unmarked trailhead, we had called it a day. I decided I would give it a try today…

 

Ok, I think I can go that far.... that distance won't stop me

 I was once again threatened by snow on the road, but was able to park within 50 yards of the trailhead. Armed with my gps this time, I located the trail quickly.

 

The trail sign itself was posted PAST the timberline behind all the trees about 20 yards up the hill. No wonder it was hard to find the first time!

 

The sign said ¼ mile to the top. Really? I drove for 2 hours up and down umpteen miles of forest service roads only to hike a whopping ¼ mile??

 

Actually, by this time I was ready to skip the main course, which is hiking, and go straight for dessert...

 

 

Nothing's gonna stop this little guy!

The trail still had some snow on it, but not enough to worry about. With the rhododendrons showing their buds, but not yet in bloom, I eagerly walked past them to get toward the top.

 

There were several interesting rock formations on the way up, with one phallic-looking spire appearing as if it could’ve benefitted from a dose of Viagra. Reminded me of some fellow hikers I know...

 

 

Nothing stopped this phallic rock!!

 

Upon arrival atop the somewhat flat and rocky top which is Lookout Mountain, I was awarded with tremendous views across what felt like most of southern Oregon!

 

Lookout Mountain used to be home to a fire lookout, with just the cement pillars remaining.

 

The views never stopped from up here

 I could easily see Mt Bailey and Mt Thielsen close to the east.

 

Looking toward the north, 2 of the 3 Sisters were showing their peaks. To the south, I could see mountain ranges near Medford.

 

Looking west revealed the coastal mountain range just this side of the Oregon coast.

 



This tree stopped growing, but it kept it's graceful stance

 

 

A majestic view... lucky tree!



After much picture taking, I sat down and soaked in the views, thinking that this must be the best, shortest hike with the biggest payoff.

 

A perfect placed for someone who just wants the views without all that hiking getting in the way.



Or someone who’s just tired of having their hiking plans curtailed by streams or snow-laden roads.

 

 

Nothing can stop this hiker from obtaining a great vista!...

 

 Hiking epitomizes the quote:

“It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey”.

 

I still believe this is true, in life and in hiking. The journey is like the main course, with the destination being the desert.

 

Personally, I prefer the main course over dessert...

...Ok, I did stop to go back and get my camera!

...However, I discovered on some days that sometimes it’s ok to skip the main course and just have dessert.

 

On this day, it was quite tasty :-)

 

 

 

This very short 1/4 mile hike is great for anyone who just wants a view of the mountains. Great for families, but be careful at the top!

 

Click here for GOOGLE directions to Lookout Mountain

 

 



Rogue River Trail and Whiskey Creek

A “surprise hike”. A “moderate to strenuous hike”. These were a few of the warnings, uh, I mean, descriptions of this particular hike on the Friends of the Umpqua Hiking club website. And the adventure began on the last stretch of road just before the start of the hike…

The mighty Rogue River

 

Early spring on the Rogue

Club member Edwin had planned a hike on the Rogue River for the club, which can be quite a spectacular place to hike. However, he increased the thrill factor by starting the hike well above the Whiskey Creek cabin, which required a slow, careful drive down a steep, rocky, and seemingly ill-maintained road. And calling it a road is really giving it too much credit.

 

By the time I had white-knuckled my way to the gathering area for the hike, I was beginning to think this must be the “surprise” part of the hike. Or perhaps the “moderate to strenuous” part. I think this little drive to the trailhead qualified on all accounts.

 

The Rogue River Trail

Knowing this would be a reverse hike (my term), meaning we would start downhill and finish going uphill, the group set off on this pleasant first day of March. A steep, rocky, and seemingly ill-maintained road (hmm, sounds familiar…) was the path we took to descend about ¾ a mile to get to the real trail, which runs parallel on the north side of the Rogue River.

 

 

 

Every step down this easy to walk road, at least downhill, was a reminder that there would be at least that many more punishing steps back up at the end of this hike. And yes, this road is closed to the public and gated at the top, so driving it is not an option. My hiking legs may not forgive me this time…

 

 

 

 



After reaching the river near the cabin, instructions were to turn west and head down river. This is where the purpose of Edwin’s abnormal and harsh drive came to light: Most of us had hiked from the Grave’s Creek boat ramp down to the Whiskey Creek cabin, but not any further. Today’s hike would put some new path under our hiking boots, which is always a treat. We would pay for it going back up that damn road, but hey, this was new territory!

We crossed several creeks on the trail

 

The weather was about as perfect as could be for this time of year, especially after a dreary forecast was predicted for today. The high, light grey clouds maintained a very unthreatening stance, and even allowed the sun to come out and play for short periods. The mild temperatures had everyone shedding whatever extra layers they had began with, tossing excess clothing into backpacks, just like you would yesterday’s garbage to the curb. We don’t need no stinkin’ rain jackets!

 



I want to camp over there!



As is usually the case, slow and fast hikers separate and spread out on the trail. Because of this, our other instruction was to stop around 12:30 wherever we were, eat lunch, then reverse course and head back. This would allow for all hikers to more or less arrive back at our vehicles roughly within the same timeframe.

 

 

 



Whiskey Creek Cabin

On the return leg, all the weary hikers took a quick look-see at the cabin, using it as a stalling point and an excuse to delay the hike back up the steep road. The road which would be the only bane element to this otherwise delightful stroll down the Rogue River.

 

 



 

 

 



So, one last push up the (say it with me now) steep, rocky, and seemingly ill-maintained road, and we were done with this “moderate to strenuous hike”.

 

Surprise hike complete. Edwin, you’re a cruel, cruel man.

 

On the trail

For Richard O'Neill's story on this hike, click here for the blog.

For more pictures of this hike, check out Richard's Flickr album

 

 

North Umpqua Trail: Marsters Segment

(Click on any picture for larger view and slide show)

 

 

Trailhead sign

I’ve heard it said that if you’ve been a little under the weather, or perhaps getting over an illness, a little exercise is actually good for you, as long as you don’t over-do it and your body is capable. This was the case for me, as I was sick a few weeks ago back in February. Ever since then, I’ve been feeling just kinda “blah”. But once the self-pity subsided and the weather forecast looked cheerful, I decided it was time to trail-test my new backpack I just received from REI.

 



Fern

This hike would be the Marsters segment, which would put another notch in my N.U.T belt. I arrived at the trailhead near Horse Shoe Bend campground about 11:00, and hit the dirt path under a clear, sunlit sky, even though I would never get the chance to actually enjoy it:  I would be on the north side of the hill avoiding the sun as I traipsed through shade the entire hike. Ok, so I wasn’t done with my self-pity yet.

 



My instructions for this hike

The sign at the trailhead instructed me to “be a responsible hiker”, as well as suggest that I make “minor trail repairs” if able to. I always do my best, wherever I hike, to clear the trail of any annoying limb, rocks, and other debris if I can. I had not noticed this sign prior to this hike, so I wondered if they had put it on this trailhead, on this section of the trail, for any particular reason…

 





Shady forest

With pep in my step, I was eager to get my hiking legs moving again after a 3 week hiatus, so I moved swiftly the first mile to see how they fared. They held up well, thank you very much. The trail was a gradual up and down above the river, with evergreen trees, moss, and ferns dominating the scenery. Yep, lots of green today!

 

A little over a mile into my “recovery” hike, I came to a screeching halt, as I came across some “debris”, which was certainly obstructing the path. Ahh, this is where the “responsible hiker” part comes in, eh? I was able to remove the top part of the tree, which had managed to detach itself from it’s heavier bottom, with no problem, but struggled with the heavier trunk, which was at least 40 feet long and very heavy. I was able to rock it back and forth, trying to get it to roll over the bank, but it defied all my efforts. Ok, now I was determined to move this thing. I set my camera down, took my pack off, and dug in. I heaved-ho for nearly 5 minutes, pushing, pulling, and breaking a sweat before the log finally let loose it’s grasp, eventually rolling a whopping 4 feet over the edge. As I stood up panting and sweating over my bark-covered defeated adversary, I managed to blurt out a Stewie-esque “Victory is mine” and bid adieu to this bout with nature.

After my “minor trail repair”, I grabbed my camera and backpack and started off again. Only then did I discover I had not escaped unscathed from my mighty tree battle. With blood running down my right ring finger, I noticed I had sustained a minor injury on my knuckle. Actually, it sounds worse than it was. A little direct pressure and the bleeding stopped quickly. Undeterred, I moved on, hoping I wouldn’t have to kick another dead tree’s ass.

 

 

 

This section of the N.U.T. is the epitome of what green is in Oregon. The trail was flanked by emerald moss and deep green ferns nearly the entire length. The river was almost always within eyesight, with the occasional detour to cross a bridge over a creek, making for some good photo-ops with longer exposure settings on my camera.

 

I eventually reached the end of this section of trail at Marsters Bridge. I took a short lunch break near the river, then promptly reversed course and headed back down river. By this time the sun was at the peak of teasing me while it lit up the hillside on the opposite side of the river. I did, however, get to enjoy a little bit of the sun as it managed to peak through certain southerly facing parts of the trail.

 

With the end of this 7.7 mile hike only a few steps away, I had totally forgotten about my previous illness and any self-pity I may have had. This hike was just what the doctor ordered. It’s amazing what just a few moments of walking in the sun can do for your mood. And kicking a tree’s ass.