Calendar

Past Activity

California Redwoods

  • Start date: 09/27/2018

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 09/30/2018

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

This trip is based in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Elk Creek Campground (northern Calif). Campground has running water and showers available (coin operated I believe). There are lots of great hiking options in the vicinity, including: Fern Canyon, beach hiking, and numerous groves of redwoods to explore. Planned itinerary: Day 1: Drive to Prairie Creek Redwood SP with a sack lunch stop at Illinois River Forks State Park (near Cave Junction). Set up camp; explore Visitor's Center & Elk Prairie Trail. Day 2: Hike the Miner's Ridge/Fern Canyon/James irvine Loop trails; Day 3: Drive 24 miles south to Patrick's Point S.P. where we can explore the bluff trail, plus the numerous side trails to viewpoints and Agate Beach. Day 4: Break camp; hike the Cathedral Trees Loop; Stop on our way home at Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park to stretch legs on two co-joined 1/2-mile loops. This itinerary is the leader's suggestions; participants are free to do their own thing while at Prairie Creek..

FOOD: Potluck for Thursday evening meal. ALL OTHER MEALS ARE OWN YOUR OWN. Bring your own cook stove, cooking equipment, etc.

Members have sign-up preference for 3 days after the trip is posted. Within 5 days of signing up, mail a check payable to Obsidians ($40 members, 45 non-members) to the leader (Kathy Randall): 4495 Corona St, Eugene 97404.
The costs include the campground fee and trip fee only. The first dinner will be a group potluck. ALL OTHER MEALS ARE ON YOUR OWN. Cancellation policy: if you cancel prior to Sept 7, you will forfeit $10. If you cancel thereafter, you will forfeit the entire amount. A pre-trip meeting will be scheduled at a later time.

  • Event Leader: Randall Kathy

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Extended Trips

  • Area Type:

  • Departure Location: Amazon Park, 28th & Hilyard entrance parking lot

  • Rating: Easy

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 590

  • Season: 2018

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: Tent, sleeping bag, & pad; cooking stove, pots and utensils; food for 3 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 3 dinners (bring potluck dinner item to share for first evening). Camp chair; Daypack with the 10+ essentials.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 25

  • Member Fees: 40

  • Elevation Gain: 600

  • Non-Member Fees: 45

  • Committee: Extended Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

This exploratory Extended Trip turned out near perfect, except for the rain the last 2 days. On our drive south, we stopped to eat our sack lunches at Illinois River S. P. - a quiet, little-used park along a slow-moving stretch of river. Once we reached Elk Prairie Campground in Redwood National Park we found that our reserved spots were somewhat lacking in adequate tent sites. With some creativity we got all our tents set up. With that chore completed, we set off through the campground for a loop hike via the Prairie Creek and Foothill Trails. We hiked at the slowest Obsidian pace ever: the amazing mix of huge trees captivating us at every twist in the trail. Elk Prairie had recently been burned (purposefully) which reduced our elk sightings. However, one bull with a huge rack entertained us right in the campground. We also saw a doe and her fawn on a later outing. Dinner back at camp was topped off with a delicious raspberry cheesecake. Day 2: This was our big 11+ mile loop hike to Fern Canyon. We passed more amazing big trees along the trail until we finally dropped into Fern Canyon, where Home Creek gurgles between high cliff walls about 15 feet apart that are draped in dripping ferns. Truly a spectacular place! At the end of the canyon we broke out onto the beach with the ocean still about 1/4 mile away. We found a huge petrified log on the sand perfectly situated for our lunch break. Then we hiked south along the beach to pick up the Miner's Ridge Trail that took us back to camp. Day 3: We drove south to Patrick's Point State Park to enjoy stunning rocky headlands, hidden cove beaches and great scenery. Unfortunately, the rain returned before we could walk down to Agate Beach (next trip!). We escaped to the Visitor Center and then drove to Trinidad for lunch at a restaurant. Mother Nature gave us a break after lunch allowing us to visit another hidden beach nearby with interesting rock formations and waves. Day 4: A second wet night and we were ready to head home, but not without stopping at Jedediah Smith N. P. for a nice hike to break up the long drive. We had lunch in Cave Junction at an all you can eat buffet for $10!

Members & Guests signed-up & waitlisted

  • Number of spots on trip: 12
  • Number of spots available: 0
No. Status Full name Phone Transportation Needed? Trip Fee # Can Take?
1 Signed-Up Randall, Kathy 541-844-5916 N 45
2 Signed-Up Cooper, David 541-868-5427 N 40
3 Signed-Up Cooper, Carla 541-517-6785 N 40
4 Signed-Up Frank, Nikki 541-954-3050 N 40
5 Signed-Up Adey, Steve 541-520-9285 N 40
6 Signed-Up Rundle, Tom 541-653-0741 N 40
7 Signed-Up Townsend, Clarence 541-517-6396 N 45
8 Signed-Up Townsend, Clarence 541-517-6396 N 45
9 Signed-Up Masin, Rachelle 541-547-4742 N 40
10 Signed-Up Cordon, Steve 541-513-3452 N 45
11 Signed-Up James, Daphne 541-683-7488 N 40
12 Signed-Up Bryan, Keiko 541-342-1240 N 40
13 Signed-Up Shields, Richard 541-431-6690 N 45
14 Signed-Up Steggell, Dorene 541-343-7018 N 45
15 Signed-Up Rice, Cindy 541-513-0131 N 40
16 Signed-Up Harris, Jean 541-953-0268 N 40
17 Signed-Up Curtis, Alan 541-345-2571 N 40
18 Signed-Up Rolfe, Jorry 541-206-9501 N 40
19 Signed-Up Stockdale, Chris 541-221-2293 N 40