October 21st  Six hardy hikers drove and then hiked to the site of the unfinished Buck Rock railroad tunnel, (originally named Tunnel 13), through the Siskiyous. All that is left today is a big, black hole and a pile of jagged rocks from the blasting in the mid 1880's by Chinese laborers.  In 1887 the tunnel was abandoned in favor of a route above Cole's Station in Hilt.

September 30th  Six of us enjoyed a delightful day in Sky Lakes Wilderness on Sept. 30th. We were in "huckleberry heaven" as we hiked through a forest of Shasta red fir to Round Lake, Blue Lake, Meadow Lake, and Horseshoe Lake. After enjoying our picnic lunch at Blue Lake, we hiked the upper loop trail where the huckleberries were especially plentiful. Hiking 6-7 miles is "a piece of cake" when you're having fun with friends and collecting huckleberries!

September 15 & 16   Four adventurous hikers traveled to Brookings to explore beautiful beaches and breathtaking vistas while enjoying fabulous weather and spending the night in a yurt at Harris Beach State Park.  Always ready to learn something new, we stopped to admire insect devouring Darlingtonias at the Botanical Garden off 199.   Hikers left their footprints at Harris Beach, Lone Ranch, Cape Ferrelo, Whaleshead, Port of Brookings Harbor (where farmers market and craft fair vendors made some sales – watch for giant ants in local front yards) , Azalea Park, Chetco Point, and the beach at Kamph campground in Smith River. Four legged companion Daisy provided constant entertainment and logged at least double the mileage of her two legged friends.  A brief stop at the amazing Burl Gallery in Kerby on the way home completed the outing.

July 15th  What a beautiful day for the wildflowers. As we climbed up the trail we were greeted by a different flower around each corner. We tried our best to identify each one but there were more then ever. I can see why they call it Grizzly peak.  Lots of berry bushes coming on.  Beautiful views of Ashland and Immigrant Lake.

June 17th  Nine of enjoyed the sunshine and great company while hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail which traverses over the Brown Mountain lava flow. The trail follows the Cascade Canal for about 1/2 mile and then changes to a red cinder surface with slight elevation gain in the midst of huge black boulders. We observed fantastic views of Mt. McLoughlin and found a shady area along the trail to eat our lunch.

April 29  Six enthusiastic hikers enjoyed a trip to view waterfalls along the Umpqua River on Friday, April 29. Snow started falling before Prospect and accumulated to six inches or more by the time we reached Diamond Lake. After coffee and lunch at the lodge, the hardy hikers were ready to continue their adventure. Roads to Lemola, Clearwater and Whitehorse Falls were still buried in snowbanks. Watson Falls, the highest in southwest Oregon, was a breathtaking "winter wonderland" as it plunged 272 feet over the edge of a basalt lava flow. The trail to Toketee Falls went through a forest of Douglas fir and red cedar with views of a churning gorge. Stone and wood stairs led to the viewpoint overlooking the two-tiered Toketee Falls which plunges over a sheer wall of volcanic basalt. We befriended a young lady traveling around the U.S. with her dog and were recognized in her online blog along with Renate's invitation and hospitality to spend the night at their alpaca ranch.