Applegate Lake

September 23, 2018

Autumn.....just the sound of it is enough to make us want to hike,  It is our favorite season of the year and along with Spring, is one of the most beautiful times to get out and hike.  So we wasted no time and got out on the first full day of Autumn for a hike at Applegate Lake.

A view of the very low but still beautiful Applegate Lake from the Payette trail

We started at the French Gulch trailhead and hiked along the Payette trail which follows the shoreline of Applegate Lake.  However, this shoreline had no lake as Applegate Lake is very very very low.  So our first mile or so was along dry lake with a shoreline.  We did notice a few Autumn colors in the trees and spotted a large Osprey nest up on a tree, so not all was disappointment at the start.

Osprey nest along the Payette trail

Autumn sunshine and blue skies!

We continued on the flat Payette trail for about 4 miles which did provide us with some beautiful views of various portions of the lake.  We then turned off onto the Osprey trail which headed uphill to the Prospector's Loop trail. Our plan was to hike the loop trail, but after about a half mile, we came across a very large tree across the trail.  The picture does not do justice. Our choices were to hike either up or down the very steep ravine 20-30 yards to the end of the tree and then hike either up or down the ravine to get back on trail.  Not our idea of fun with all the poison oak and since Katie voted "no" to make it a 3 - 0 vote, we turned around and headed back to the Osprey trail.

Road block and turn around spot on the Prospector's Loop

We then hiked up the Osprey trail to the Dagelma trailhead parking lot and started down one of our favorite trails, the Calsh trail.  This short trail wanders down and around the ravine from the trailhead to the lake shore where it intersects the Payette trail.  With the sun out, blue skies, and a slight breeze, it was a wonderful hike along the Calsh trail.

A little color of Autumn along the Calsh trail

After rejoining the Payette trail we hiked back to the French Gulch trailhead and our car having finished a beautiful 7.2 mile Autumn hike.  Get out and enjoy Autumn yourself.

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol

Sterling Mine Ditch Trail -- Deming Gulch TH

September 3, 2018

We decided to spend our Labor Day laboring on the trail.  But since it was a flat and fast trail, there wasn't much laboring, just blue sky above the beautiful woods.

Time to hike!  The trail awaits.

The Sterling Mine Ditch Trail from end-to-end is 26 miles long.  We have hiked various portions of the trail from 4 of the 7 trailheads available, and today we hiked another portion from our 5th trailhead, the Deming Gulch TH.

View along the flat Sterling Mine Ditch Trail (ditch to the right)

As mentioned earlier, the SMDT is a flat trail and our from the Deming Gulch TH to our turnaround spot, proved that point.  Only the occasional dip of the trail into the "ditch" provided any uphill or downhill grade.  There were also two basic scenery views along the trail.  Some sections were in the open sunshine which provided views of the surrounding Applegate Valley, while other sections passed through forested ravines that provided cool shade with lots of trees to enjoy.  Both were welcomed and enjoyed.

Some sections provided views of the Applegate Valley

Other sections were dominated by trees and shade.

After hiking toward Grub Gulch for just over 3 miles, we took a break and then backtracked to our starting point.  We then hiked a portion of the trail between the Deming Gulch TH and the Armstrong Gulch TH to add a few more miles to our hike.  I guess you could say we did an out-and-back hike in two different directions.  When all was said and done, it was an enjoyable 8.3 mile labor of love.

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol