BACKPACKING IN JEFFERSON

BACKPACKING
IN JEFFERSON

Located in the mountainous border region of northern California and southern Oregon, the State of Jefferson is more a state of mind than a political reality. Here lies plentiful wilderness and undesignated wildlands. These accounts of backpacking and dayhiking are a work in progress (as are we all).

Preface

Why do you older folks still backpack?

A word for the younger backpacker

The Backpacks

That's All Folks is a valediction to backpacking in an account of our four-day trip to Trout Camp on Clear Creek in the Siskiyou Wilderness, Smith River National Recreation Area, Klamath National Forest (August 7-10, 2014)

Stepping Across the South Fork tells of our three-day return to Black Rock Lake in the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness of the Shasta Trinity National Forest (July 31-August 2, 2013)

Gulches Have No Names describes our four-day backpack into Long Gulch Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness of the Klamath National Forest. Or was it Trail Gulch Lake? (August 7-10, 2012)

Every Trip Is Different is an account of our three-day return to the familiar Deadfall Lakes in the Shast-Trinity National Forest. (July 9-11, 2012)

Twenty-Fifth Anniversary tells of our three-day anniversary backpack into Little Boulder Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. (July 26-29, 2011)

Closing the Circle is an account of our four-day backpack up Shackleford Creek to Campbell Lake, Cliff Lake, and Log Lake in the Marble Mountain Wilderness of the Klamath National Forest. (July 27-31, 2010)

Serious Mistakes tells of our three-day backpack into the Babyfoot Lake Botanical Area of the Kalmiopsis Wilderness in the Siskiyou National Forest eight years after the Biscuit Fire to see if the fire touched Babyfoot Lake. (June 21-23, 2010)

What the Hell Is That Rock? tells of our four-day backpack into Jamison Lake, Rock Lake, Wades Lake, and Grass Lake in the Lakes Basin Recreation Area of the Plumas National Forest. (September 15-18, 2009)

Following The Trickster is an account of our four-day backpack with Nancy and Patricia into Fox Creek Lake, Virginia Lake, and Section Line Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness of the Klamath National Forest. (August 21-24, 2009)

Watershed describes our four-day backpack into Taylor Lake and Paynes Lake in the Russian Wilderness of the Klamath National Forest. (June 22-25, 2009)

Shih Huang Ti and The Lost Dog relates our five-day backpack into Tangle Blue Lake and Big Marshy Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. (September 8-12, 2008)

As If Seeing For The First Time tells of our four-day backpack into the Devil's Punchbowl and Buck Lake in the Siskiyou Wilderness of the Klamath National Forest. (July 29-August 1, 2008)

Into the Granitic Heart is an account of our five-day backpack to Canyon Creek Lakes in the Trinity Alps Wilderness of the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. (September 4-8, 2007)

A Lake Too Near recounts our overnight backpack to Tannen Lake, an easy half-mile hike inside the boundary of the Red Buttes Wilderness, and the horror of Bolan Lake, which lurks just outside. (August 10-12, 2007)

Anniversary with Eagles describes our five-day backpack to Stoddard Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness where Barbara and I first met 21 years ago. (July 1-5, 2007)

Highway 299 Revisited is a narrative of our four-day backpack with two friends along the Summit Trail from Pepperdine Campground to Patterson Lake high in the South Warner Wilderness of the Mococ National Forest. (August 27-September 4, 2006)

The Ghost of Old Judge Waldo describes our five-day backpacking trip to Blue Lake in Blue Canyon and on to Island Lake in the Sky Lakes Wilderness of the Rogue River National Forest. (August 8-12, 2006)

A Campsite Lost and Found is an account of our four-day backpack to Cold Spring and Bigelow Lake along the Grayback Ridge Boundary Trail in the Siskiyou National Forest Roadless Area. (July 9-12, 2006)

Short Trip From Rat Trap Gap tells of our two-day backpack from Rat Trap Gap in the Trinity National Forest to North Yolla Bolly Lake in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness. (June 10-11, 2006)

Odd to Have Chairs relates our week-long horse-pack trip with four friends to Morris Meadow and three-day backpack on to Emerald Lake and Sapphire Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. (August 27-September 2, 2005)

Paying Our Respects to Granite is an account of our five-day backpack from Big Flat, up Kidd Creek, to Ward Lakes, with a dayhike to Horseshoe Lake, in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. (August 2-7, 2005)

Ants Atop a Fallen Gravestone describes our five-day backpack up Swift Creek to Landers Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. (July 12-16, 2005)

Shoshone Mike's Stronghold tells of our initial exploration of the Black Rock Desert, High Rock Canyon, Emigrant Trails National Conservation Area in Northwestern Nevada and our two-day backpack into the Little High Rock Canyon Wilderness. (June 4-12, 2005)

Foreman Phil's Favorite Place describes our five-day backpack from the Haypress trailhead to Bridge Creek, Cedar Flat, and Pleasant Lake and out the Sandy Ridge trail via Monument Lake in the Marble Mountain Wilderness. (August 1-6, 2004)

An Illusion of Going Somewhere is an account of our five-day through-hike up Boulder Creek, to Lion Lake and Foster Lake, and out on the Union Creek trail in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. (July 7-11, 2004)

The Coffee Pot's Grow'd Fur tells of our return to the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge, where we hiked in at Blue Sky, camped in Stockade Canyon, and climbed Warner Peak before cutting our four-day backpack to three. (May 31-June 3, 2004)

Backpacking with Susan is an abbreviated version of our four-day backpack into Deadfall Lakes and Mount Eddy in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest. This was the first backpacking trip ever for Rick's 20-year-old niece Susan. (September 4-7, 2003)

If Boulder Peak Were a Foot Higher is an account of our four-day backpack to Upper and Lower Wright Lakes and Boulder Peak in the Marble Mountain Wilderness. (August 2-7, 2003)

Garden at the Top of the World tells of our five-day backpack to Little Duck Lake and Eaton Lakes in the Russian Wilderness. (June 28-July 3, 2003)

In Search of Barnhardy recounts our four-day backpack into DeGarmo Canyon and Barnhardy Valley in the Hart Mountain National Antelope Refuge located in southeast Oregon. (June 3-6, 2003)

Thither Lead Myriad Paths is an account of our three-day backpack in on the Deacon Lee Trail to Russian Lake in the Russian Wilderness. (September 1-6, 2002)

Beneath the Imposing Cliff tells of our four-day backpack up the Pine Creek Trail to Patterson Lake high in the South Warner Wilderness. (August 7-10, 2002)

You Can't Get To Hayfork From There is the story of our five-day backpack to Square Lake and Long Lake on the Ides Cove Loop Trail in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness. (June 29-July 4, 2002)

Deer Ate My Hat recounts our five-day backpack up Stuarts Fork of the Trinity River to Morris Meadow in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. (June 2-6, 2002)

Shortcut Into Grizzly Lake is a reminiscence on our four-day backpack with Mr. Popper into Grizzly Lake in the Trinity Alps Wilderness. (August 27-30, 1994)

Sinkyone Washout is an account of my ill-fated, two-day solo backpack to King Peak in the King Range National Conservation Area. (May 1992)

Comments, questions, and licensing inquiries are welcome. Send them to: Richard Platz

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