Applegate Lake Loop

As 2014 comes to a close, we were able to get in a few more hikes - #67 & #68 for the year.  One of those recent hikes was at Applegate Lake.

Time for the last hike of 2014!

Despite the colder temperatures, recent rains and cloudy forecast, we made our way up to Applegate Lake along with our son & daughter in-law  (and of course Katie).  We started at the French Gulch trailhead and did a "lollipop" hike consisting of the Payette-Calsh-Osprey-Prospector-Sinns-Payette trails.  That combination may sound impressive, but the hike only took a little more than two hours and covered just over five miles.

Lake...What lake?????  See the vehicle way down there?

At the start, the Payette trail provided us with views of the lake (or lack of the lake) which is still very very very low.  We saw one vehicle at the lake edge and did not know whether someone had driven down to fish or if the vehicle had been exposed by the receding lake.

Some sort of yellow fungi stuff -- yuck!

Mushroom along the Sinns trail segment -- good enough for a pizza!!

Now that's what we call FUNGI!!

After just under a mile, we intersected with the Calsh trail.  This portion took us up (and up and up) along the side of a ridge and provided us with great views of steep ravines that were green with moss.   The trail also provided us with a wide variety of mushrooms and fungi which seem to be along every trail we have hiked over that last couple of months.  We encountered our first down tree across the trail too, but it was easily passed.

Once we reached the Dagelma trailhead parking area, we stopped for a break and took pictures of ourselves with Smokey the Bear!!

A short quarter-mile hike down the Osprey trail took us to the Prospector trail.  The Prospector trail is actually a loop (1.6 miles) trail that you can do from the Dagelma Trailhead, but for today we were using it as a connector trail to get back to the lake.  The lower portion of the trail took us along the other side of the ridge that we climbed on the Calsh trail.  As the sun came out we were treated to views of the surrounding mountains which still had a light dusting of snow.  Portions of the trail were very dense with manzanita brush providing us with segments that were more like tunnels to hike through.

Katie peers ahead at one of the "manzanita tunnels"

 

One of many "manzanita tunnels" along the Prospector trail

Eventually we connected to the Sinns trail.  It was time for going downhill!!!  Slowly but surely we descended along this .8 mile trail segment catching glimpses of the lake until finally connecting with the Payette trail again at the lake shore.  Since the first portion was not a retracing of the start of our hike, we had new views of the lake and dam and it's low level.

View of Applegate Lake looking towards the dam from the Payette trail.

The trail worked it's way around what use to be inlets of the lake until we arrived back the at the French Gulch trailhead.  Evidently some other folks decided to get out and enjoy the sunshine as there were now four vehicles in parking area in addition to ours.

So our hiking for 2014 is done, but our memories of them will continue.  We hiked 68 times for just over 311 miles --- 91 more miles than last year!!  We hiked our longest single hike (see our Redwood National Park posting) and did 3 hikes that were over 10 miles in length.  So now it is on to 2015 and a whole new year of hiking and making memories.

We want to close by wishing each of you a Happy and Healthy New Year.  Thank you for following along with us and for your comments and notes.  As the saying goes "Life is either an incredible adventure, or it is nothing at all".  Here's wishing you an incredible adventure in 2015!!!

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol

Elk Creek Trail -- 300 miles!!

Hopefully the title of this posting did not confuse you -- we did not hike 300 miles along the Elk Creek trail. But we did hike the Elk Creek trail and as a result we reached 300 miles hiked for the year 2014.

Closed to cars, but not hikers!

During the late Autumn and Winter months it is hard to find trails that are not all mud and water, so we ventured up highway 62 just past Shady Cove to the Elk Creek trailhead.  The day use area is closed for the season, so we had to park our car at the gate and hike down the road to the day use area where the trail begins.  It was quite chilly at 37 degrees when we started hiking and the first part of the road was mostly in the shade, making it seem even colder.

We eventually got to the trailhead and enjoyed viewing the inlet stream that flows into Elk Creek.  The bridge  crossing offered us a great viewpoint and photo opportunity

Downstream view from bridge of the inlet stream

The bridge at the beginning of the Elk Creek trail

Upstream view from bridge of the inlet stream

When we hiked the Elk Creek trail earlier this year, we enjoyed all of the green meadows & the unique wildflowers along the road.  Hiking it today provided us with meadows flooded with pools of water, an Elk Creek that was full and fast, and even icicles on rock formations.  Each season has it's own beauty.

Meadows with Elk Creek in the background

It's cold - icicles on rock formation along trail

A little more water in Elk Creek this time!!!

We enjoyed hearing and seeing Elk Creek along our hike and Katie especially enjoyed running leash-free along the road.  It was evident that cows use this road/trail quite often, but we did not see any today. Katie was not sure what to make of the cow plops and probably was a little worried about what type of animal would go so much.

Mushrooms instead of wildflowers

The cold and clouds melted away as we hiked and we enjoyed some nice warm sunshine and blue skies for most of our hike.  It may have been just a quick 2 hour hike today, but it is always nice to get away from all the man-made chaos (especially the after Thanksgiving weekend) and enjoy God's creation.

Teasel along the Elk Creek trail

There is just one more month to go to finish out the year, but we are hoping to get a few more hikes in.  It's hard to believe that we have hiked 300 miles this year -- a far cry from the 54 miles we hiked our first year!!

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol

Lithia Park - Ashland

Lithia Park is one of those places that you take for granted because it's in your own backyard.  This 93 acre park has a lot to offer from wildflowers in the spring, to a cool creek and shade in the summer, an outdoor ice skating rink in winter and in autumn, the beautiful orange, yellow and red foliage. It was also recently rated as one of the top 10 Great American Spaces.

The park has a great trail that takes you through the park to the upper reservoir.  Once there, connecting trails to the watershed, fairy ponds and Mount Ashland branch off in all directions.  Along the trail there are benches and stream access points that allow you to take a break and relax and take in the sights and sounds.  There is also a large playground for kids and occasionally musicians performing in the park.  It is a great place for a family day trip!

What Autumn beauty!!

So we decided to pay another visit to Lithia Park before the colors of Autumn were gone.  We started at the north end of the park and walked the trail past one of the ponds.  We had to stop for a few minutes as a group of ducks had decided to make a crossing.  We walked past trees in their orange, red and yellow autumn colors all the while within sight and sound of Ashland Creek. Since the sunshine was out and the temps were in the 60's, many other folks had the same idea of a Sunday stroll in the park!

View of the first pond area

Duck crossing!!!

We didn't hike the entire trail, rather we cut across one of the many bridges over Ashland Creek and returned on the opposite side of the creek where we encountered even more trees in their Autumn beauty.  It was a beautiful one-hour stroll that left us wishing every day was like this!!

The park floor also was covered in color

Even a family of fungi were out for a sunny day in the park

 

Autumn color and blue sky - what a combo!!

European Swindle fruit/seed pod

Of course hiking (or strolling) does work up an appetite, so our next stop was the Great American Pizza Company - best pizza in Southern Oregon!!! Pictures don't do justice, but take a peek at the pizzas below and let us know which you think sounds and looks better!!!

New York Tomato Pie pizza on sourdough crust

Vegetarian pizza on whole wheat crust

If you live in the Southern Oregon area, maybe you should check out Lithia Park for a day. (and the Great American Pizza Co)  Or maybe there's a park in your area that you take for granted.  Either way, get out and enjoy the outdoors while you can.  Life is an incredible journey!

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol