Hike #32 - Canyon Overlook Trail, Zion National Park, UT

The 1 mile round trip Canyon Overlook trail is well worth hiking if you are visiting Zion National Park.  The views of Zion Canyon from this spot are breathtaking.  There is only approx. 100' elevation change overall making it an easy hike for most.  The trail starts near the East entrance of the Mount Carmel Tunnel.  The slot canyon of Pine Creek is also accessed here.  From the Overlook you can see The Great Arch which lies recessed into the cliff face below the Overlook and East Temple which rises more than 2,200' above the canyon floor.  Paul Pastore and I hiked this trail on July 14, 2013 late in the morning after hiking Angel's Landing. It was extremely warm that day.  I recommend getting an early start before 8 a.m. to hike in July at Zion National Park.

 

Hike #31 - Angel's Landing - Zion National Park, UT

July, 2012 I hiked Angel's Landing for the first time.  It was one of the most frightening hikes I had ever done and I did not think I would do it again.  The last 1/2 mile is intimidating as you carefully step along a narrow ridge that has a 800 to 1200' drop on each side.  The heavy metal chain becomes your best friend.  After doing this hike a second time, I was much more comfortable and knew what to expect.  Once you have hiked this towering monolith, you will have a new perspective and respect as you gaze upon it from below.  The out and back length of the trail is 5 miles.  The first 2 miles is paved including the switchbacks known as Walter's Wiggles just before you arrive at Scouts Landing.  The elevation gain is 1488'.  The last 1/2 mile is not recommended for anyone having a fear of heights or young children.  I recommend not carrying a pack on your back for the last 1/2 mile to help keep your balance.  You would also not want to get caught in the rain on this trail since the rock becomes very slippery.

 

 

 

Hike #30 - Cleetwood Cove Trail, Crater Lake National Park, OR

The Cleetwood Cove Trail is on the North side of Crater Lake, 11 miles from Rim Village.  The trail has a steep (11%) grade and is 1.1 miles to the boat landing.  This is a very popular trail since it is the only legal access to the shore of Crater Lake. Tour boats are available to take you to Wizard Island where there is another trail called the Wizard Summit Trail. At the rocky shore, some people were jumping from the rocks into the cold water.  We decided to only get our feet wet.  The water was crystal clear.  Below 200', the lake stays at 38 degrees year round.  It rarely freezes.

Hike #29 - Watchman Peak Trail, Crater Lake National Park, OR

On July 5, 2013 Paul and I spent the day at Crater Lake National Park.  This was my first time seeing this incredibly BLUE lake and I couldn't get enough pictures and views from the various trails.  We first climbed the 1.6 mile Watchman Peak Trail.  The trail climbs 413' and is open mid July through October.  The trail still had quite a bit of snow and in some areas it completely covered the trail.  From the top you get the best view of Wizard Island.
Geology: The rocks exposed along the trail are dacite, originally part of a 50,000-year-old lava flow on Crater Lake's predecessor, a large volcano known to geologists as Mt. Mazama. After Mt. Mazama blew up its summit in a cataclysmic eruption 7700 years ago, the old lava flow was left as the Watchman, a crest on the gaping caldera's rim. Since then the caldera has sprouted a cinder cone (Wizard Island) and gradually filled with water.  http://web.oregon.com/hiking/watchman_crater_lake.cfm

 

 

Hike #28 - Chinese Diggings/Beebe Woods Trail, Jacksonville, OR

The Chinese Diggings trail in the Woodlands Forest Park, is rich with history of the Chinese miners that worked in Southwestern Oregon between 1850 and 1900.  This 1/3 mile moderate trail,connects with the Rich Gulch trail to Hill Street and to the Beebe Woods trail and on through to Applegate Street. This is the best place to view old water ditches and mining tailings piled up by teams of Chinese workers. The trail is the most extensively mined site within the Rich Gulch Mining District. There are two trail side exhibits.
Southwestern Oregon mining communities consisted of people from a number of different ethnic groups. Chinese miners represented the largest single ethnic group in the region. Arriving with the first gold discoveries in the early 1850s, the Chinese remained in the area until the 1880s.
http://www.ohs.org/education/oregonhistory/narratives/subtopic.cfm?subtopic_ID=237

Hike #27 - Britt Ridge Trail - Jacksonville, OR

The one mile Britt Ridge Trail begins behind the Britt Festivals Pavilion on West Fir Street. It passes through a transitional forest with open views of the Historic Jacksonville Cemetery and nearby gulches. The forest is lush with vegetation and the trail is packed dirt making it easy to hike, jog or push a stroller.  We saw several people walking their dogs.  Peter Britt is a well known figure in the area and many things are named after him.  He was an original homesteader in the area and this trail and nearby Sarah Ziglar trail pass near his original homestead which has Oregon's oldest giant Sequoia tree.
Peter Britt is best known as an accomplished photographer and horticulturist in Jackson County. But according to his biographer, he was also "by turns, miner, mule train packer, bee-keeper, financier, property magnate, government meteorologist, first vintner in the Oregon Territory and a father of the region's fruit industry." http://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/entry/view/britt_peter_1819_1905_/

Britt outdoor amphitheater

Peter Britt

Hike #26 - Liz's Trail , Jacksonville, OR

Another trail we hiked in Jacksonville Woodlands Forest Park the week of July 4th was Liz's Trail.  This 2 mile hike was most memorable because it had a strenuous steep climb.  This trail branches off of the Petard Loop trail and is on private property.  The trail is named in memory of Liz Braislin.  The forest includes Madrone and Oak Trees as well as many varieties of birds, wildflowers and insects.  Most days we saw very few if any people.

Hike #25 - Rich Gulch Trail, Jacksonville, OR

The week of July 4th, 2013, Paul and I visited friends near Medford, OR.  The quaint, historic small town of Jacksonville was delightful and we especially enjoyed the 1100 acre Woodlands Forest Park.  The Rich Gulch trail is just one of the many trails we hiked that week.  This is a one mile moderate hike and well maintained. "The site of one of the richest gold strikes in the history of the Western United States. Stretches between the West Fir Street trailhead and South Oregon Street. Follows old hydraulically mined gulches and glory holes dating from the 1860s. Twelve illustrated interpretive signs encircle the deeply incised gulch narrating the mining history of the area." http://www.jvwoodlands.org/trailmap.html

 

Hike #24 - Parker Creek Canyon near Globe, AZ

As part of our canyoneering/rappelling training, our guide Shawn recommended Parker Creek Canyon near Globe, AZ.  From Phoenix, the drive to reach the trail took approx. 2 hours including a very rough road.  A high clearance vehicle is recommended.  We rented a Hyundai Santa Fe which made it ok but we scraped the bottom a few times and there were a lot of branches scratching the sides of the vehicle.

The quartzite canyon is breathtaking to say the least.  We rappelled 5 descents ranging from approx. 15' to 80'.  We also slid down several water slides.  The water was ICE cold and literally took your breath away.  We hiked in June so even though the temperature was in the high 80's in the canyon, I was shaking from the cold water for almost an hour.  I would wear a shorty wet suit if I do this canyon again.  It is important to check the weather conditions due to heavy water flow especially in the spring.  The overall distance of the hike is only 2.72 miles but it took a full day due to the amount of rappelling, swimming, boulder hopping and scrambling up the last steep hill with lots of loose rock and dirt. 

For directions to get to this canyon see: http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=2eedf265-a4d6-43ba-8599-7fa7aff732b5