Hidden Falls Regional Park

New map of park



Bridge like the one that got so vandalized

 Only 3 of us went down to Auburn on the cool autumn day.  We hiked down the Poppy Trail to South Legacy Way and then up on various bird-named loops, eventually getting to Salmon Run Bridge.  We mostly had the trail to ourselves, although once in a while bikes rode past us.  We were shocked at one bridge to find a young woman security worker picking up the debris from a badly vandalized bridge.  It had happened 2 nights ago and was so senseless.  All the upright dowels and one of the supports had been kicked out. 


Canyon View Falls



Naked Buckeye

 The trails were fast and nicely graded so that we ticked off 10 miles and with plenty of elevation gain.  What a great resource for the community. 


Platform at Canyon View

New address

www.facebook.com/notanotherhillblog

We're Moving!!

I have just posted this week's post on Facebook as the software is much easier to deal with than BlogSpot's software.  It is also more egalitarian as others might want to their comments and maps.  At least that's the way I hope it will work.  Yesterday we circumnavigated Devil's Peak.  Hope you can find the page: Not Another Hill Blog

Mt Tallac and South Tahoe

Four of us camped at Fallenleaf Lake. We hiked 4.5 miles by the lake. The next day another hiker joined us (after multiple construction delays) for our big hike up Mt. Tallac.  And so  we started. Up, up, up. High steps. Lots of them. Forever. Big granite chunks. 3400 ft elevation gain. Beautifully crafted (state Park?) trail. Views that knock your socks off. After being passed by various young folks, we actually got to the top. And we had it to ourselves. Don't know why. Hate to think about that trail on weekends, especially in the summer. Crowds.  The view from the top range from Lake Tahoe to the Desolation Wilderness. So then we started down. And much to our surprise, it took the same amount of time to lower ourselves down those infernal steps. Oh our knees and thighs. And joints. We got to the car just as it was dark. 10.4 miles. 

The rain set in that night and the following day. We took a rain walk over to Tahoe. 4.5 miles of flat. In the afternoon we researched camping at Blue Lakes. The rain turned to snow as we drove and by the time we arrived at the lakes, a real snow storm had kicked up. The road in has been paved. Lots of trails in there, including the PCT. 

Alone the last day, the two of us took advantage of the crystal clear fall day. We parked easily at Eagle Lake picnic area and hiked up to the lake. More huge granite steps. Amazing trail work. Although, it is supposedly only a mile into the lake, we managed to hike 5 miles by exploring further trails. 

Here are the photos from all 4 days. Unfortunately they are somewhat random. 

Bliss State Park.  Friday on way home. 

   

Fallen Leaf Lake Tuesday

Mt Tallac from top of moraine towards beginning of hike. 

Mt Tallac

Selfie on Tallac

Top of Tallac

Thursday at mouth of creek where Kokanee spawn. But they weren't there. 

Eagle Lake with Jake Peak. 

Friday Eagle lakes hike. 

Fabulousl Eagle lake hike

Eagle Lake

Painted Rock Trail

This week's blog is written by Peter.

John and I did this hike Wed, starting way down the Soda Springs road from earlier hikes…we couldn’t drive all the way to Soda Springs (a gate was in the way)  so we walked in a mile, mile and a half, to the trail head.  It was 12 miles more or less with the last mile being kinda brutal.  Lovely day, and we met a through hiker on the PCT, which we joined a mile or two south of Tinker’s knob.  Said hiker was in his sixties and heading south to pick up a section or two that he said he’d missed.  Other than that, nobody.  The trail was great, less great, goat track, while inclining up and up.  The cabins/people around Soda Springs do NOT want company; this made evident by numerous signs, etc.  A long, fun day; ending with John and I learning how to change a tire on the Tundra.  Successfully, I might add.

The Google Earth path shows the trail looking to the west, more or less.

Peter

=

PCT from Jackson Meadows

Four of us camped right by the PCT at East Meadow Campground.  The weather was cold and windy which worsened during our stay.  The others arrived earlier and hiked south on the PCT.  When we arrived we decided to take the "shortcut" to the southbound PCT as well.  Big mistake.  Our topo on the Gaia app didn't show the correct position of the PCT so we headed directly up a very steep hillside, clinging on to vegetation while searching.  Meanwhile, the others hiked far enough south in order to be turned around by the increasing cold and wind.  We finally found the PCT and headed south as well but turned around right about when we hit the ridge and outcroppings.  We got back to our campers quite cold.  A bit later it was spitting rain and snow with more rain during the night.

The second day we were joined by another hiking group member and we took off north on the PCT. The hiking was fairly easy with some large elevation gains and losses. Our goal was to get to the Milton Creek Bridge which is where we hiked to last year when we camped at Wild Plum, near Sierra City.  We ticked away the miles, finally arriving at a Milton crossing.   It didn't look right. But checking our mileage, we were shocked that we already had hiked nearly 8 miles!! That would make a round trip of 16 miles. We hatched various plans of a hiker returning for a car but the miles he would have to drive scotched the plans. As a result, we all hiked back and managed to survive the 16 miles. Hence there is a short section between the two bridges that we haven't hiked. 

The last day we decided a rest was needed so we moved camp to the Little Truckee River, north of Truckee. We traveled to Sierraville and soaked in the hot pools. In the morning the outside temperature was 26. No wonder we were so cold.  

Sand Ridge Lake

Six of us hiked over Andesite Peak down the Hole in the Ground Trail to Sand Ridge Lake. A random hiker with a dog joined us as we overtook her at the beginning of Castle Valley. Although the weather was hot, the lake was cold with a cool breeze blowing over it. Attempting to enter the lake, one of us found that the bottom was like quicksand and he immediately lost one water shoe. The rest of the time we attempted and failed to retrieve it.  After lunch we walked back to the PCT and Peter Grubb Hut. There we found a lone thru hiker going north to south. He felt like he had to race the possible weather that MIGHT come to the very high passes along the John Muir Trail. Between the heat and the mileage (11 miles, 1400 ft elevation gain) we were quite tired by the end of the hike. 

 

Second Divide

Six of us hiked 10 miles with a 2500 elevation gain on a largely bike trail out of Downieville. In fact, it is part of the Downieville Downhill Ride from Packer Pass. Second Divide has few features to distinguish it, sometimes a view of the creeks it lays between, a couple of interesting mining cabins, and a pleasant forest.  the trail is quite dusty and would be more pleasant after the rains begin (hopefully). 

Big Sugar Pine

Tunnels by PCT & Emigrant Trails

Eight of us hiked from the PCT south from old highway 40 to the Mt. Judah loop trail, then to the Emigrant Trail that takes off between Donner Peak and Mt. Judah. From between Judah and Donner, the trail heads down towards Cold Canyon and Horseshoe Bend. Towards the bottom we cut over on a dirt road to the railroad beds. From the top of a tunnel we watched a very long freight train emerge below us. We wondered how movie actors manage to jump on top of a moving train and not roll off. We returned via the railroad tunnels using flashlights for the darkest sections. 

Emerging train. 

 Now where did I put that flashlight?

9.5 miles 2000 ft elev gain. 

3 Ladies

Because of heat and a time commitment, six hikers from the 8 o'clock group hiked fewer miles and less elevation gain than usual. We opted to hike the 3 Lady Lakes from Boreal.  Although swimming was a possibility, a cool wind blew off Lake Flora which dampened our enthusiasm. However there were quite a few dogs around and an increasing number of people as well.