An easy climb is a homecoming after time away.
- August 18, 2017
- Team: Art
- Hike: 503 trail to Little French Creek meadows
- Stats: 4.9 miles, 1988' gain, 5:20 hours RT, Class 1 + Class 2 bushwacking
Note: click images to see a larger version in a new window
| Our goal for the day was the highpoint of Center Ridge. This peak is in the middle of everything, but close to nothing. After some debate, Art succumbed to my persuasion and we parked at the trailhead for Trail #503. |  |
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Initially, the trail follows an old logging road. |
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Then near another trail sign, it drops off the hillside. It's a little hard to find, so we instead bushwhacked off the hillside to the trail we saw below. And there's our objective on the other side of the valley, with Little French Creek meadows down there. |
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The trail hasn't been cleared for a while. Art counted 140 trees across it by the time we hit the meadows. So be the time we got there, it was already hot. And the waist-high grass made ti pretty humid. The dogs knew how to get comfortable. |
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Crossing the meadows, the trail disappeared completely. You couldn't even see your feet as you waded through the grass. Once across, we hiked up the hillside looking for the trail. The map and GPS each showed the trail, but in slightly different locations. We did a wide search and could not find any sign of trail or tread. But there was a ton of deadfall.... |
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We discussed the rising temperature, the 140 logs we'd have to cross to get back to the truck, and the relative merits of continuing up the ridge. The trees up there on the ridge are probably the ones lining the first part of our trail. Time to head back. |
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Poor Sam the black dog was suffering from both heat and old age. It took almost double the time I estimated to get back. But we did make it. Gorgeous hike. Great explore. |
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