Many times over the years I had taken trips into the Marble Mountains from a multitude of trailheads. Never had I made it all the way through the Marbles, and thus hadn't seen some places in the center of this wilderness.
Additionally a friend, Steve Addison, was leading a California Conservation Corps/Americorps trail crew for the summer in the Marbles and I had the option for trail food and trail magic if connections were made, it worked out great. I had talked with the folks at the Forest Service to work out details.
Saturday-July 26-Etna Summit to CCC Camp near Summit Lake
It took two carloads to get everyone in our group to the summit. Mr Sandals, Princess, Moxie, Just Paul, One-Speed, and me, Tortuga.
The Marble Mountain Wilderness, feeling at home.
Moxie went with me for this adventure. We were to meet with the crew, we'd talk with them a bit about career and life oppotunities, in return we'd get some food and head out in the morning.
When I got to the camp I called out to Steve Addison, and he didn't recognize me. I did the same as with Laurie Bundy, told him to look close, and that he knew me, and he still couldn't figure out who I was. He was shocked when I told him. I guess I do look different.
I was trying to play Cupid in this adventure, unsuccessfully. It was fun to try. It was a success with being able to talk to this good group of young adults about life, careers, etc. They asked really good questions of Moxie and me.
Moxie and I were treated to fresh fruit, already filtered water, and coffee from a French press in the morning. There were also chairs at the camp. A wonderful treat in the wilderness. The little diversion from the trail was a success.
Sunday-July 27-Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District and Memories.
Marble Valley
Marble Valley Cabin
Bear Lake on the HCOK Ranger District
October 1, 2008 a fire we had going in the Elk Creek area on the Happy Camp/Oak Knoll Ranger District took a huge, unexpected run. I won't forget that day. This view of the area brought back some haunting memories.
Monday-July 28
The Bridges of Grider Creek
Bill Roberts, a local icon and friend, did much of the work on these bridges years ago, and on one of the bridges did major repairs recently during my tenure at Happy Camp.
The early morning hike down Grider Creek was one I had done before three or four years ago. On that trip I saw four bears. No such excitement this time, just lots of poison oak.
Grider Creek
Klamath River
I made it to Seiad Valley for lunch at the cafe. Theresa met me there, then spotted water, food, and some gear for me up the trail so my load would be lighter the next day.
Strawberry and Unicorn were having a tough day Sunday. They brought up a couple of times they weren't going to walk the six mile road walk in to Seiad Valley, they were going to hitch a ride. When I walked the road not a single car came by, it was obvious they would not get a ride. Theresa, Moxie and I drove the truck to Grider Creek Campground to see if we could get the two young ladies (Unicorn is just 16).
We found Strawberry and Unicorn, and they were delighted! What we hadn't planned on were the other five hikers who also very much wanted to skip that road walk. Ten people in a truck is like an old comedy routine with clowns and a Volkswagon.
We then went to Happy Camp where we visited with friends and picked up three large pizzas to take back to thru-hikers hanging out in Seiad Valley. Seeing friends, like Frank and Jode Henderson, was great. The upcoming stretch of trail was one Frank and I had trouble with once due to snow. With heat like this snow won't be a problem this time! The pizzas were a big hit.
The herd, or bubble, seems to have caught up. Early in the hike I would rarely meet anyone, now about twenty or twenty-five people were waiting to attack the climb in the morning.
105 degree temperatures had everyone plotting the best way to tackle the nearly 5000 feet elevation gain coming out of Seiad Valley going up to the Siskiyou Crest. To make it worse was a south facing slope and the Goff Fire of 2012 which burned off a fair amount of the limited shade that used to be there.
My plan was to have a lighter pack (Theresa's help with getting things spotted at the top made that possible) and get a very early start. We stayed in the back of the truck along the banks of the Klamath River trying to get at least a little cooler.
Seiad Valley at mile 1662.
