Post by toejam on Mar 10, 2019 9:13:11 GMT -8
There's a guy in my town I've been scheming backpacking and trail work trips with - I'll refer to him as "L." We've had plans rained out several weekends recently. On Friday I was thinking about hiking in the Silver Peak Wilderness the next day and thought I should call him. When I picked up my phone I saw he'd already left me a message suggesting the same thing. It's great to have a hiking buddy like that.
He suggested a destination I'd tried after rain two years ago and was stopped by a really deep creek crossing. But he was o.k. with my idea, which was taking some tools to some off-network trails we'd hiked before to make sure they were clear. My favorite trails in the Silver Peak Wilderness aren't on the Forest Service list, although one was a road to a mine and the other was used by homesteaders over 100 years ago. But several locals use them because they are the best access to some amazing views. We were hiking uphill from the coast in the mud by 9:00.
L has been studying local flora and stopped to take lots of pictures and inform me of the common and scientific names of many flowers. We found a large patch of chocolate lilies, which don't last long and always excite local mountain lovers.
I just got some new Silky folding saws for clearing trails. This 500mm Katanaboy quickly chewed through this log I've been stepping over for years.
Rain clouds blew in, defying the forecast probability, around noon. After lunch at Dutra Flat we had to put on rain gear for the hike back. There were more trees on the trail I wanted to clear, and we had to do it in the rain.
Before:
After:
We climbed to the coast ridge and into the teeth of the squall. L stretched out his long legs and set a good pace as our rain gear and layering systems got a good test. This 2000' ridge usually has amazing views of the ocean.
We had some trouble following the meadow down the mountainside because of fog and not being able to see the spot where we needed to get back on the road. But we were careful and followed the faint path. The watery blast eased as we lost elevation, and the sun broke through the clouds as we neared the coast.
He suggested a destination I'd tried after rain two years ago and was stopped by a really deep creek crossing. But he was o.k. with my idea, which was taking some tools to some off-network trails we'd hiked before to make sure they were clear. My favorite trails in the Silver Peak Wilderness aren't on the Forest Service list, although one was a road to a mine and the other was used by homesteaders over 100 years ago. But several locals use them because they are the best access to some amazing views. We were hiking uphill from the coast in the mud by 9:00.
L has been studying local flora and stopped to take lots of pictures and inform me of the common and scientific names of many flowers. We found a large patch of chocolate lilies, which don't last long and always excite local mountain lovers.
I just got some new Silky folding saws for clearing trails. This 500mm Katanaboy quickly chewed through this log I've been stepping over for years.
Rain clouds blew in, defying the forecast probability, around noon. After lunch at Dutra Flat we had to put on rain gear for the hike back. There were more trees on the trail I wanted to clear, and we had to do it in the rain.
Before:
After:
We climbed to the coast ridge and into the teeth of the squall. L stretched out his long legs and set a good pace as our rain gear and layering systems got a good test. This 2000' ridge usually has amazing views of the ocean.
We had some trouble following the meadow down the mountainside because of fog and not being able to see the spot where we needed to get back on the road. But we were careful and followed the faint path. The watery blast eased as we lost elevation, and the sun broke through the clouds as we neared the coast.
