Xythian's photos
Manzanita Lake and Lassen
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Manzanita Lake
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From Herd Peak Lookout
Herd Peak Lookout
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I chatted with the fire lookout for a good hour or so. She grew up in the region and had been doing this for ~30 years and I learned a lot of local and fire lookout history.
Road to Herd Peak Lookout
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I read about it on the Internet so surely it's a good idea to go visit it. Along six miles of this.
Light
Ice
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Inside Skull Cave in the closed area. This was the last time my hands were free as behind me from this shot is a bunch of boulders to climb over to get to the open area of ice. The cave is as chilly as you might expect for containing ice in July.
Entrance to Skull Cave
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Here is where I could feel the chilly air -- from 70 or so to probably 60 or so after descending a short stairway -- and not even in the cave yet.
Narrowing
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This is about as narrow as I saw in the cave. I put the DLSR away after this to free my hands and avoid bashing it against the floor or wall. Caves come much smaller, of course. I am a little startled that the GPS trackpoint appears to be accurate.
Ceiling is sharp and unforgiving
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I had been debating if it was worthwhile buying the $7 "bump hat" in the visitor center. It was. Now I have cave helmet as a souvenir instead of a scalp scar.
Passage in Valentine's Cave
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The light is mostly supplied by a "Kick" light (small battery powered LED light). The Kick threw a much wider swath of light than my flashlight or headlamp. This was where light from the entrance was no longer visible. I shut the flashlight(s) off briefly here and experienced the profound darkness available in caves.
Entrance Sign
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Along 199 into the smoke
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It got increasingly smoky as I closed on Grants Pass. I didn't hear about the fires until after I got to Klamath Falls.
River Access
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Route 199 from Crescent City to Grants Pass in the Smith River National Recreation Area has many of these "river access" points all with easy access to the river.
Along the Ossagon Trail
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Along the Ossagon Trail in Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. It's about 1.5 miles from the Parkway down to the ocean.
Tree
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Sunbeam
