Ooooer!
The heat's got us cookin' this week. It's supposed to be ninety-five degrees today? Chances of thunderstorms, some crazy evening clouds, and plenty of heat to keep you satisfied during the day. I was off in the relative cool of the fairy ponds yesterday evening - enjoying some relax time.
If I didn't have to be at work on weekdays, I'd be out at the coast right now though. Or on the river. Or i'd be up somewhere high, where it's windy (in theory).
I hope everyone had a grand Fourth of July. This weekend was supposed to be adventure weekend on Shasta - however my solo trip was eventually cancelled. In essence, I got persuaded to stick around for the festivities. I slept through the parade, which was wonderful, and enjoyed a leisurely afternoon of BBQ and brews.
Travis enjoyed a leisurely weekend as well - Saturday he rode the Salmon River Loop down in California - 100 miles, starting in Etna, over 10k of vertical! Absolutely beautiful country down there. I was stoked to hear that Travis and team were hitting upwards of 60 mph on the downhills. Get 'em boys.
And this week? Travis, Davi, Bryant, Sarah, Mike and myself have all been hard at work - advising, selling, organizing, consulting, and facilitating. My weekend starts tomorrow! I'm off to Shasta finally to climb Friday and Saturday - about time I made up for my slacking.
Also, I should note that a group of local climbers and myself are heading up to the Greensprings tonight, 6:30 p.m., to meet with some folks from the Mail Tribune - they're doing a story on local climbing. If anyone wants to join, please feel free. We're meeting at the shop, or you can meet at the crag any time after seven!
There will be plenty of adventure coming your way soon - throughout the end of July and most of August! The Trinity Alps, the Sierra Nevada, plenty of backcountry climbing locations, and some awesome road trippin'. Stay tuned - and enjoy the sunshine!
Showing posts with label Travis Caldwell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travis Caldwell. Show all posts
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Well, last weekend was less than exciting. Frank, Mike, and myself all worked both days - enjoying the mix of both clear and strange weather, and our lovely customers.
Travis had some races up in Portland. Due to an error with timing, he beat second place by twenty minutes. Alright, he's not that fast. However, Travis is still very fast. Faster than you or me. I'm sure once they get their times sorted out up there, he'll find out that he placed very well.
At least for me, all this work and little amount of play is enough to substantially reduce morale. Luckily we're not stranded at sea, or we'd have issues. Here at the AOS we find ways of improving morale - this includes but is not limited to: dancing, tying knots, talking in weird voices, making bagel sandwiches, making fun of each other, and talking about people in 3rd person while they're present.
All of this works fairly well in keeping us motivated and excited. When these activities fail, we have an eight cup coffee-maker.
Oh! I should mention a note about our most recent SOU graduate, and 'morale buster' (This is actually a positive label, though it seems harsh). Sarah Spector somehow managed to graduate this last Saturday 'on good faith', though she still has three credits left to complete! We're very proud of her, and we are also very excited to be seeing more of her around the shop. Learn more about Sarah here. Stop in and give her a big high-five.
So, though the weekend was fairly depressing, Frank and I managed to get out climbing at the Greensprings on Sunday evening. A group of us from the shop joined several other climbers up at the crag last night as well. It was very refreshing to see so many people out on the rock! Michael Daole, our ski-tech. Mike Reinert, our encyclopedia. Even Mackenzie Duffy from the Rogue Rock Gym! First time in a while that i've seen more than one rope up at once. We got a bit of a drizzle around nine, but everyone was very happy to be out.
I'm not entirely sure what the rest of the staff will be up to this weekend, but I do hope that it is full of adventure and activity. I will be driving south to Yosemite on Friday night to climb some multipitch for the weekend, and I'll be back by Tuesday. Hopefully the weather holds - it's looking great so far.
Before we know it July will be here, so take advantage of the more moderate temperatures we're having this month! I was out in the park earlier this week on a sunny day and it was lovely - not too hot, not too cold. Whatever you find yourself doing this weekend, I hope that it is exciting and safe.
Cheers.
Travis had some races up in Portland. Due to an error with timing, he beat second place by twenty minutes. Alright, he's not that fast. However, Travis is still very fast. Faster than you or me. I'm sure once they get their times sorted out up there, he'll find out that he placed very well.
At least for me, all this work and little amount of play is enough to substantially reduce morale. Luckily we're not stranded at sea, or we'd have issues. Here at the AOS we find ways of improving morale - this includes but is not limited to: dancing, tying knots, talking in weird voices, making bagel sandwiches, making fun of each other, and talking about people in 3rd person while they're present.
All of this works fairly well in keeping us motivated and excited. When these activities fail, we have an eight cup coffee-maker.
Oh! I should mention a note about our most recent SOU graduate, and 'morale buster' (This is actually a positive label, though it seems harsh). Sarah Spector somehow managed to graduate this last Saturday 'on good faith', though she still has three credits left to complete! We're very proud of her, and we are also very excited to be seeing more of her around the shop. Learn more about Sarah here. Stop in and give her a big high-five.
So, though the weekend was fairly depressing, Frank and I managed to get out climbing at the Greensprings on Sunday evening. A group of us from the shop joined several other climbers up at the crag last night as well. It was very refreshing to see so many people out on the rock! Michael Daole, our ski-tech. Mike Reinert, our encyclopedia. Even Mackenzie Duffy from the Rogue Rock Gym! First time in a while that i've seen more than one rope up at once. We got a bit of a drizzle around nine, but everyone was very happy to be out.
I'm not entirely sure what the rest of the staff will be up to this weekend, but I do hope that it is full of adventure and activity. I will be driving south to Yosemite on Friday night to climb some multipitch for the weekend, and I'll be back by Tuesday. Hopefully the weather holds - it's looking great so far.
Before we know it July will be here, so take advantage of the more moderate temperatures we're having this month! I was out in the park earlier this week on a sunny day and it was lovely - not too hot, not too cold. Whatever you find yourself doing this weekend, I hope that it is exciting and safe.Cheers.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Summer is here. Maybe Thursday if we're lucky.
Well, this Memorial Day weekend was spectacular! It finally felt like summer to me, if only for those several days of sun.
Frank actually didn't end up going to the Marble Mountain Wilderness this weekend.
Funny enough, I knew that last week - soon after I wrote last week's post - but I purposefully decided to withhold it from you. The expedition has been postponed temporarily, pending snow-coverage. Apparently Frank didn't feel like digging out the cave entrance (Come on, Frank).
Frank Debaugh did, however, encounter incredibly thin snowpack on Mt. Mcloughlin. It was a less-than successful day of skiing. However, the Mammut Nirvana backcountry pack that Frank was carrying had a very successful day. Observe, the holiest of holy ski-carry systems - doin' double duty.
And Travis?
I never know what Travis does with his weekend. I think it usually involves bicycles.
Also - just a reminder to take care of yourself! Some of our lovely staff members were feeling a bit under the weather recently. Reminds the rest of us to eat healthy and get plenty of sleep!
I was lucky enough to enjoy the company of my whole family from New York City and the Bay Area this weekend - both sisters and my brother-in-law. I have several family members that love to climb as well! We spent a family day at Greensprings and climbed several routes, including Marge's Navel, and the classic Razor Crack. We had the whole crag to ourselves!
As you local climbers know, both of these climbs are perfect for casual days at the crag, (and family outings, apparently) and they have excellent rap bolts. Marge's Navel can also be climbed all the way to the top past the first set of anchor bolts for a 'Full Marge', at 5.11a. Razor Crack has some of the burliest rap chains i've seen, period! Rock quality on both climbs ranges from good to great, and Razor Crack has some fun moves that are easily protectable. Stem without using the crack for the 5.11 variation!
Of course climbing is always most fun when you have more than one day in which to adventure, but on lazy Sundays with the family, sometimes the barbecue and the local microbrew can be more appealing! Which . . . was the case this weekend.
So, what did you do with your Memorial Day weekend? Boating, hiking, climbing, skiing? Entertain us with your stories - on our Facebook, at our front counter, or in the comment box below!
It's gonna be a busy week for everyone it would seem, but Summer is fast approaching!
Take care, and we'll see you all in the hills this weekend.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Holy Nor-Cal Snowpack, Batman!
What did you do with your weekend?
Frank and Travis both raced cross-country at the Spring Thaw on Saturday. They placed well, and had a blast!
I should also note up-front that our lovely Sarah Spector - despite being swamped with school, never having any free time to climb, kayak, or do anything fun, and having to work almost every weekend - has at this point only two and a half weeks left at SOU! So, the next time that you happen to be in the store on a Tuesday, a Thursday, the odd-Saturday, or a Sunday, you should congratulate her on her almost-completed Environmental Studies degree! She may still be our morale booster and Hardgoods Buyer-in-training (don't know how she does it all), but she's a damn good student as well. Go Sarah! Now you can come adventure with us on weekends too!
Alright, alright.
Well, this weekend was interesting to say the least.
Because of a general lack of climbing partners, I decided to take a very early season backpacking trip to the Marble Mountain Wilderness, located south and west of Fort Jones, CA. The weather, which was dubiously labeled as partly cloudy, with a chance of thunderstorms and rain, ended up cooperating wonderfully! However, we should have brought our tele gear alongside our backpacking boots. Hiking through knee and waist deep snow - full on saturated springtime snowpack - can rarely be considered a lot of fun. All things considered, an early-season trip like that is always a rare and unique experience. You've gotta be flexible with your plans and expectations. This time, however, every single bit of it was fun. Even the sweaty, wet, and cold parts. In retrospect, I might have chosen less food and no bivy sack just to make room for ski boots.
I took off from work around 5:30 pm on Friday, and was packed, supplied with food, and on the road with my buddy Elliot by seven. By nine p.m. we were at the trailhead - Lover's Camp, several miles off the Scott River Highway. My original motivation was to hike in that same evening, and set up camp in the dark. By the time we'd arrived at the trailhead, a long work day had definitely caught up with me. We made some delicious food, and got a great night's sleep. In the morning, we skipped breakfast and were on the trail by eight. Before noon we had made it to what was essentially the only dry campsite in the entire valley above 5,000 feet. The last several miles were grueling, as the snowpack made progress very tedious. Later that day I did spy some crafty little rock nooks where one could have snagged a bivy further above the valley, but I was satisfied that we'd opted for a lower campsite near the caver's cabin. More access to streams for water. More comfy. We enjoyed a lazy day with a short excursion up to 6,400 feet, got plenty of sun, and were happy to watch the thunderstorms and rain roll right on by to the north.
Definitely a funky sort of trip - half backpacking, half waging war against wet snow. The whole time I was wishing i'd had the determination to pack in tele gear, but the original mission this weekend was to check out what the season had in store for us down in northern California. I didn't feel like packing 30+ lb. in for an overnight. I have to admit that the skiing definitely would have been worth it, however. The Marbles have a much higher than average snowpack right now - every single creek and river I saw was busting at the seams. This definitely means we're going to have a lovely and long backpacking season - with the best trips being taken later in the summer. Elliot and I also saw a 150-200 foot overhanging wall, with tons of pumpy climbing, and some tiny cracks - all in beautiful rock! The face was located about three miles up from Lover's Camp, off the trail. Very inspiring. Backpacking trips this summer might have to be modified to include a combination of climbing, caving, and trekking! Anyone who wishes to join is more than welcome.
And alas, now it is Tuesday. Friday seems so, so far away.
Don't let it get you down though. The ability to keep yourself stoked on the little stuff is invaluable. And don't forget your chocolate. I find that it's almost impossible to face a day head-on without a little chocolate.
I know the weather this week isn't going to be ideal, but get out for that trail-run! Meet up with AOS climbers at the Rogue Rock Gym or our local crags after work! I'm always stoked on outdoor climbing (Frank too) basically at any time of the day - including after dark.
Also, I should note that if anyone can come up with a successful way to get Bryant Helgeland climbing outside on a given afternoon/evening, I'll definitely buy that successful motivator the next round at the Creek, or wherever he or she holds their evening forays into the mysterious and relaxing. Seriously, I ask him every day. *Sigh*
Before I go, I have to add that if you've got an adventure idea that you think the AOS crew would like to know about (this includes just about everything), then stop on by and propose your weekend expedition, or share your story with us! We get stoked on other people's ideas, and we love hearing about your adventures as well.
We'll see you out there, enjoy the crazy southern Oregon weather this week!
Frank and Travis both raced cross-country at the Spring Thaw on Saturday. They placed well, and had a blast!
I should also note up-front that our lovely Sarah Spector - despite being swamped with school, never having any free time to climb, kayak, or do anything fun, and having to work almost every weekend - has at this point only two and a half weeks left at SOU! So, the next time that you happen to be in the store on a Tuesday, a Thursday, the odd-Saturday, or a Sunday, you should congratulate her on her almost-completed Environmental Studies degree! She may still be our morale booster and Hardgoods Buyer-in-training (don't know how she does it all), but she's a damn good student as well. Go Sarah! Now you can come adventure with us on weekends too!
Alright, alright.
Well, this weekend was interesting to say the least.
Because of a general lack of climbing partners, I decided to take a very early season backpacking trip to the Marble Mountain Wilderness, located south and west of Fort Jones, CA. The weather, which was dubiously labeled as partly cloudy, with a chance of thunderstorms and rain, ended up cooperating wonderfully! However, we should have brought our tele gear alongside our backpacking boots. Hiking through knee and waist deep snow - full on saturated springtime snowpack - can rarely be considered a lot of fun. All things considered, an early-season trip like that is always a rare and unique experience. You've gotta be flexible with your plans and expectations. This time, however, every single bit of it was fun. Even the sweaty, wet, and cold parts. In retrospect, I might have chosen less food and no bivy sack just to make room for ski boots.
I took off from work around 5:30 pm on Friday, and was packed, supplied with food, and on the road with my buddy Elliot by seven. By nine p.m. we were at the trailhead - Lover's Camp, several miles off the Scott River Highway. My original motivation was to hike in that same evening, and set up camp in the dark. By the time we'd arrived at the trailhead, a long work day had definitely caught up with me. We made some delicious food, and got a great night's sleep. In the morning, we skipped breakfast and were on the trail by eight. Before noon we had made it to what was essentially the only dry campsite in the entire valley above 5,000 feet. The last several miles were grueling, as the snowpack made progress very tedious. Later that day I did spy some crafty little rock nooks where one could have snagged a bivy further above the valley, but I was satisfied that we'd opted for a lower campsite near the caver's cabin. More access to streams for water. More comfy. We enjoyed a lazy day with a short excursion up to 6,400 feet, got plenty of sun, and were happy to watch the thunderstorms and rain roll right on by to the north.
Definitely a funky sort of trip - half backpacking, half waging war against wet snow. The whole time I was wishing i'd had the determination to pack in tele gear, but the original mission this weekend was to check out what the season had in store for us down in northern California. I didn't feel like packing 30+ lb. in for an overnight. I have to admit that the skiing definitely would have been worth it, however. The Marbles have a much higher than average snowpack right now - every single creek and river I saw was busting at the seams. This definitely means we're going to have a lovely and long backpacking season - with the best trips being taken later in the summer. Elliot and I also saw a 150-200 foot overhanging wall, with tons of pumpy climbing, and some tiny cracks - all in beautiful rock! The face was located about three miles up from Lover's Camp, off the trail. Very inspiring. Backpacking trips this summer might have to be modified to include a combination of climbing, caving, and trekking! Anyone who wishes to join is more than welcome.
And alas, now it is Tuesday. Friday seems so, so far away.
Don't let it get you down though. The ability to keep yourself stoked on the little stuff is invaluable. And don't forget your chocolate. I find that it's almost impossible to face a day head-on without a little chocolate.
I know the weather this week isn't going to be ideal, but get out for that trail-run! Meet up with AOS climbers at the Rogue Rock Gym or our local crags after work! I'm always stoked on outdoor climbing (Frank too) basically at any time of the day - including after dark.
Also, I should note that if anyone can come up with a successful way to get Bryant Helgeland climbing outside on a given afternoon/evening, I'll definitely buy that successful motivator the next round at the Creek, or wherever he or she holds their evening forays into the mysterious and relaxing. Seriously, I ask him every day. *Sigh*
Before I go, I have to add that if you've got an adventure idea that you think the AOS crew would like to know about (this includes just about everything), then stop on by and propose your weekend expedition, or share your story with us! We get stoked on other people's ideas, and we love hearing about your adventures as well.
We'll see you out there, enjoy the crazy southern Oregon weather this week!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Please Insert Adventure Here
If there is one thing an injury does its provide you with down time. If there is one thing that couch time provides is an opportunity for the imagination to do it's thing. If there is one thing that I do well it's think up big imaginative schemes and ideas. My idea's around adventures usually get crazier with every passing day that I don't get my adventure fix. Therefore, I think it may be needless to say, but 2010 is going to be full of epic trips.
Here is just a taste of the type of stuff that we will be doing: Attempting a Ski Mountaineering trip to summit six Cascade peaks in six days, attempting to kayak from the plaza in Ashland to the Pacific Ocean, go rafting in at least two new countries even if they are neighboring ones, winter approach multi-pitch climbing, and a spattering of other expadentures such as local adventure running, climbing, skiing, biking, and boating trips.
The other effort that will be made this year in our adventure posts is more details on how we pulled off the trip along with beta on where to stay, shop, eat, and etc. There will also be more photo documentation of the trips and hopefully good video too.
So please stay tuned and if you have any ideas for a cool adventure let us know.
Here is just a taste of the type of stuff that we will be doing: Attempting a Ski Mountaineering trip to summit six Cascade peaks in six days, attempting to kayak from the plaza in Ashland to the Pacific Ocean, go rafting in at least two new countries even if they are neighboring ones, winter approach multi-pitch climbing, and a spattering of other expadentures such as local adventure running, climbing, skiing, biking, and boating trips.
The other effort that will be made this year in our adventure posts is more details on how we pulled off the trip along with beta on where to stay, shop, eat, and etc. There will also be more photo documentation of the trips and hopefully good video too.
So please stay tuned and if you have any ideas for a cool adventure let us know.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Smith River Gorges
A couple weekends ago I awoke to 20 degree temperature and and ice/frost combo on the ground. I decided to do the most logical thing, GO BOATING!
There was four of us going (myself, Dan, Frank, and Chris), so we took an 11.5" raft to r3 and then a creek boat kayak for the 4th. We weren't sure what to expect from the gorges because the flows were quite a bit lower (500cfs in the Middle Fork) then we would have liked. But it didn't prevent us from making a day of it.
We ran the Middle Fork first. Because the flow was so low some of the rapids were a bit tighter and steeper making them really fun. The continuos 1.5 mile run went really fast! We ran the South Fork Gorge second, and it was even lower flow so it was even tighter and steeper and faster. We had good clean lines, no swimmers, no carnage, and a lot of cold water winter boating fun.
The Smith River is by far one of the most gorgeous river's in our area. The combination of the clear water, the california warmth, and the redwoods is unbeatable, and if you time it right you can see some massive Salmon. The easy road-side access also makes logistics a breeze for shuttling and doing multiple runs in the same day. There is also a lot of variety in the difficulty level which can accommodate all skill and comfort levels.
There are a lot of different write ups out there about the Smith, but here are our favorites: California Creek's, and Oregon Rafting.
Frankie taking his sweet time!
There was four of us going (myself, Dan, Frank, and Chris), so we took an 11.5" raft to r3 and then a creek boat kayak for the 4th. We weren't sure what to expect from the gorges because the flows were quite a bit lower (500cfs in the Middle Fork) then we would have liked. But it didn't prevent us from making a day of it.
We ran the Middle Fork first. Because the flow was so low some of the rapids were a bit tighter and steeper making them really fun. The continuos 1.5 mile run went really fast! We ran the South Fork Gorge second, and it was even lower flow so it was even tighter and steeper and faster. We had good clean lines, no swimmers, no carnage, and a lot of cold water winter boating fun.
Oregon Hole
Photo Credit: Will Volpert
The Smith River is by far one of the most gorgeous river's in our area. The combination of the clear water, the california warmth, and the redwoods is unbeatable, and if you time it right you can see some massive Salmon. The easy road-side access also makes logistics a breeze for shuttling and doing multiple runs in the same day. There is also a lot of variety in the difficulty level which can accommodate all skill and comfort levels.
Dan somewhere in the South Fork
Photo Credit: Will Volpert
There are a lot of different write ups out there about the Smith, but here are our favorites: California Creek's, and Oregon Rafting.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Moab Utah
Meca: "The biggest, best thing. The most mega." (Urban Dictionary) There are few locations that can truly be described as the meca for their sport. Moab is one of those location, and is most definitely the rock climbing meca.
The reddish colored sandstone walls and towers loom in the distance as you approach, and they only get bigger, bigger, and bigger. There is an endless amount of climbing to be done, so be prepared and don't let it overwhelm you.
My recommendation for camping is to take a left on Hwy 128 just after you cross the Colorado on your way into Moab. Roughly 7 miles up the road will be Big Bend Campground. It is a BLM maintained camp ground and is very nice as well as reasonably priced $10/night. It is conveniently located in the middle of the majority of climbing locations. Castleton Tower is about 10 miles further up the river, and Wall Street is about 10 miles the other direction. The added bonus to Big Bend Campground is the bouldering (Big Bend Boulders in the guide books) is right across the street. Big Bend Boulders is a phenomenal place to bolder and following suite to all of Moab has some very challenging routes.
For climbing there isn't a much cooler place the Wall Street (aka Potash Road). It also offers an assortment of climbing level's including a few top-rope options. All the belaying could be done from the roof of you Winnebago with the tunes bumping. Just make sure you don't deck out on the hood. Beyond Wall Street, if you can climb 5.12 and have a lot of gear then you will be in heaven because the options are almost endless and only stifled by your physical ability and gear budget.
Water! It is the dessert after all, so you will need and consume a lot of water. There is a natural spring on the right hand side of the Hwy 128 when you turn off for Big Bend. It's the water that all the outfitters and who's-who's use. Drink at your own risk and if your paranoid filter it.
While your in town there is a nice laundromat, grocery store, and hostel (lazy lizard) if you don't want to camp. Also, be sure to go into Pagan Mountaineering while your there. The staff is a great resource, and they carry some pretty cool stuff too.
Whatever you do, do not poach camping. The area is patrolled heavily, and they will issue you or your group a ticket. Which, speaking from experience, is not the best way to start your morning.
The reddish colored sandstone walls and towers loom in the distance as you approach, and they only get bigger, bigger, and bigger. There is an endless amount of climbing to be done, so be prepared and don't let it overwhelm you.
My recommendation for camping is to take a left on Hwy 128 just after you cross the Colorado on your way into Moab. Roughly 7 miles up the road will be Big Bend Campground. It is a BLM maintained camp ground and is very nice as well as reasonably priced $10/night. It is conveniently located in the middle of the majority of climbing locations. Castleton Tower is about 10 miles further up the river, and Wall Street is about 10 miles the other direction. The added bonus to Big Bend Campground is the bouldering (Big Bend Boulders in the guide books) is right across the street. Big Bend Boulders is a phenomenal place to bolder and following suite to all of Moab has some very challenging routes.
For climbing there isn't a much cooler place the Wall Street (aka Potash Road). It also offers an assortment of climbing level's including a few top-rope options. All the belaying could be done from the roof of you Winnebago with the tunes bumping. Just make sure you don't deck out on the hood. Beyond Wall Street, if you can climb 5.12 and have a lot of gear then you will be in heaven because the options are almost endless and only stifled by your physical ability and gear budget.
Water! It is the dessert after all, so you will need and consume a lot of water. There is a natural spring on the right hand side of the Hwy 128 when you turn off for Big Bend. It's the water that all the outfitters and who's-who's use. Drink at your own risk and if your paranoid filter it.
While your in town there is a nice laundromat, grocery store, and hostel (lazy lizard) if you don't want to camp. Also, be sure to go into Pagan Mountaineering while your there. The staff is a great resource, and they carry some pretty cool stuff too.
Whatever you do, do not poach camping. The area is patrolled heavily, and they will issue you or your group a ticket. Which, speaking from experience, is not the best way to start your morning.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Expadentures at Altivation on Lamorial Day Weekend
I live by several philosophies. One of the main philosophies is that the last weekend of summer has to be epic! Okay, so that isn't actually a philosophy that I live by, but I did decide this year that I wanted to cap off summer and launch into fall with a good solid adventure filled weekend. As the weekend drew closer I was getting very nervous about the likelihood of any adventure happening because flow's were down, people were out, and weather was getting bad. But we rolled with the punches and kept the adventure weekend alive. Since funding for the weekend was tight we had to come up with idea's that were not going to break the bank, and since not everyone had a four day weekend we had to stay fairly close to home.
Day 1 - Friday
We started off the weekend with a fun and easy float down on the Klamath River. The section is known as the Tree of Heaven run. It is a solid class II run with arguably the best play wave around thrown in for good measure. While it doesn't offer much in the way of excitement, it does offer a relaxing day on the water and in the sun. You know this because it is always sunny in California. We brought a 12' raft and frame and a playboat kayak. We used the raft, but strapped the kayak down as a stern ornament for the day. We had a couple good attempts at surfing the raft in the playwave and a good lunch/dinner along the bank.
(It was later that we found out that there was an algae bloom warning for this section and it was being advised to not have contact with the water)
As we drove back north through Ashland Frank jumped out of the car and Wrenna and I continued on to the North Fork of the Rogue River near Union Creek. We crept/snuck into the Abbot Creek Camp Ground a little after midnight and quickly setup our tent and crawled inside.
Day 2 - Saturday
We awoke and maintained a leisurely morning eating oatmeal and slacklining, and then we were off to Mount Thielsen. From where we were camped Thielsen was a short 45-minute drive. Early on into the hike we could see a weather system moving towards the mountain, and a fair number of hikers heading the opposite direction we were. However, we continued to push on through, and as we reached the tree line we were embraced by the wind and rain that had been scaring everyone else away. Not to be deterred by mother-nature we dawned our rain wear and pushed on.
Once we reached an upper section of the ridge where the coverage was non-existent we sat with our faces turned into the wind and felt the rain and wind prickle our faces until we were good and cold. Being content with embracing mother-nature we headed down off the ridge. On the descent I realized that I have no grasp for time or distance when it comes to hiking. I was shocked at how long it took us to get back to the trailhead. Also, not having done much hiking all summer long, my feet and legs were very happy to be back to the car and back in my Chaco's. By the time we got back to camp we had enough time to cook some food and collect firewood. I think that campfire might be my favorite part of camping (side note: I hate the word camping and you will probably read a blog post soon about that).
Day 3 - Sunday
Seeing as breakfast is the most important meal of the day we again took our time eating more oatmeal and doing some more slacklining before heading out to Mount McLoughlin. Driving to the trail head took longer then estimated because the obvious directions weren't so obvious. Once you are on the gravel road continue straight to the parking lot. Do not take the right turn that says McLoughlin Trail.
McLoughlin is a sweet hike. The trail doesn’t stay flat for very long and becomes rather steep quickly. The forest is really beautiful, and once we got above the tree line the views became spectacular. I was really shocked at how far we hiked before we reached the tree line. From the road McLoughlin deceivingly looks bare. Unfortunately, for a second day the weather was not very cooperative. The storm from the day before deposited ice on the summit, so combining that with high winds, cold temperature, and waning sun we had to forgo the summit on day two as well.
The descent was quick and a bit painful do to the steepness and our legs being tired from the previous day’s hike. We jammed it out and headed back into Ashland for a quick presentation for isBreathing , reloaded, refueled, and picking up Frank. We were back out at camp before we new it enjoying the campfire and the evenings dessert.
Day 4 - Sunday
Unfortunately, we slept through our put-on time we had planed with Bryant and Johannah, so to make up for it we ate. We cooked up a big egg scramble cooked over the open flame and then took down camp and headed to the put in for the River Bridge section of the Rogue River.
The day was hot, but the water was, as always, super cold. So at the heat of the day we inflated the raft, rode the bike shuttle, and dawned our dry suits. River Bridge is currently sitting at the top of my favorites list for a day run. The rapids are technical drops but low consequence and the scenery is beautiful and offer solitude. This time of year the flow is pretty low which made for a bumpy and boney ride. We encountered a couple logs in the river that couldn’t be avoided and required us to line the boat around them. There were a lot of moves that had to be made in this 5-mile stretch of river and all of them were tight. Frank and Wrenna were awesome bow paddlers and got really good at bouncing off of rocks and down the river. By the time we hit the reservoir at the end of the run I had sweated close to my body weight into my (aka Franks) drytop, so I let the other two row the rest of the way and I relaxed and started re-hydrating. The drive back to Ashland was a quiet one, and not because excitement wasn’t filling our bones, but because exhaustion was more set in.
I have to say that Labor Day weekend 09 was on of the best weekends I have had all summer and was just some good old fashion adventuring! It definitely was inspiring and rejuvenating. Plus, it gave me time to plot and work angles for more adventures to come.
We want to give a special thanks to the SOU Outdoor Program for the use of the raft, and to The Ashland Outdoor Store for a long weekend.
Day 1 - Friday
We started off the weekend with a fun and easy float down on the Klamath River. The section is known as the Tree of Heaven run. It is a solid class II run with arguably the best play wave around thrown in for good measure. While it doesn't offer much in the way of excitement, it does offer a relaxing day on the water and in the sun. You know this because it is always sunny in California. We brought a 12' raft and frame and a playboat kayak. We used the raft, but strapped the kayak down as a stern ornament for the day. We had a couple good attempts at surfing the raft in the playwave and a good lunch/dinner along the bank.
(It was later that we found out that there was an algae bloom warning for this section and it was being advised to not have contact with the water)
As we drove back north through Ashland Frank jumped out of the car and Wrenna and I continued on to the North Fork of the Rogue River near Union Creek. We crept/snuck into the Abbot Creek Camp Ground a little after midnight and quickly setup our tent and crawled inside.
Day 2 - Saturday
We awoke and maintained a leisurely morning eating oatmeal and slacklining, and then we were off to Mount Thielsen. From where we were camped Thielsen was a short 45-minute drive. Early on into the hike we could see a weather system moving towards the mountain, and a fair number of hikers heading the opposite direction we were. However, we continued to push on through, and as we reached the tree line we were embraced by the wind and rain that had been scaring everyone else away. Not to be deterred by mother-nature we dawned our rain wear and pushed on.
Once we reached an upper section of the ridge where the coverage was non-existent we sat with our faces turned into the wind and felt the rain and wind prickle our faces until we were good and cold. Being content with embracing mother-nature we headed down off the ridge. On the descent I realized that I have no grasp for time or distance when it comes to hiking. I was shocked at how long it took us to get back to the trailhead. Also, not having done much hiking all summer long, my feet and legs were very happy to be back to the car and back in my Chaco's. By the time we got back to camp we had enough time to cook some food and collect firewood. I think that campfire might be my favorite part of camping (side note: I hate the word camping and you will probably read a blog post soon about that).
Day 3 - Sunday
Seeing as breakfast is the most important meal of the day we again took our time eating more oatmeal and doing some more slacklining before heading out to Mount McLoughlin. Driving to the trail head took longer then estimated because the obvious directions weren't so obvious. Once you are on the gravel road continue straight to the parking lot. Do not take the right turn that says McLoughlin Trail.
McLoughlin is a sweet hike. The trail doesn’t stay flat for very long and becomes rather steep quickly. The forest is really beautiful, and once we got above the tree line the views became spectacular. I was really shocked at how far we hiked before we reached the tree line. From the road McLoughlin deceivingly looks bare. Unfortunately, for a second day the weather was not very cooperative. The storm from the day before deposited ice on the summit, so combining that with high winds, cold temperature, and waning sun we had to forgo the summit on day two as well.
The descent was quick and a bit painful do to the steepness and our legs being tired from the previous day’s hike. We jammed it out and headed back into Ashland for a quick presentation for isBreathing , reloaded, refueled, and picking up Frank. We were back out at camp before we new it enjoying the campfire and the evenings dessert.
Day 4 - Sunday
Unfortunately, we slept through our put-on time we had planed with Bryant and Johannah, so to make up for it we ate. We cooked up a big egg scramble cooked over the open flame and then took down camp and headed to the put in for the River Bridge section of the Rogue River.
The day was hot, but the water was, as always, super cold. So at the heat of the day we inflated the raft, rode the bike shuttle, and dawned our dry suits. River Bridge is currently sitting at the top of my favorites list for a day run. The rapids are technical drops but low consequence and the scenery is beautiful and offer solitude. This time of year the flow is pretty low which made for a bumpy and boney ride. We encountered a couple logs in the river that couldn’t be avoided and required us to line the boat around them. There were a lot of moves that had to be made in this 5-mile stretch of river and all of them were tight. Frank and Wrenna were awesome bow paddlers and got really good at bouncing off of rocks and down the river. By the time we hit the reservoir at the end of the run I had sweated close to my body weight into my (aka Franks) drytop, so I let the other two row the rest of the way and I relaxed and started re-hydrating. The drive back to Ashland was a quiet one, and not because excitement wasn’t filling our bones, but because exhaustion was more set in.
I have to say that Labor Day weekend 09 was on of the best weekends I have had all summer and was just some good old fashion adventuring! It definitely was inspiring and rejuvenating. Plus, it gave me time to plot and work angles for more adventures to come.
We want to give a special thanks to the SOU Outdoor Program for the use of the raft, and to The Ashland Outdoor Store for a long weekend.
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