Eleven hikers (including a new one) drove up Highway 66 to the PCT intersection for the trail heading to Little Hyatt Lake. We returned to Ashland via DIM, accessed via the road alongside Howard Prairie. Our hike took us through old growth trees of various species, including Douglas Fir and Cedar. We stopped upon reaching a recently downed and huge Douglass Fir, cut in many bright red chunks to clear the path. Given the number of rings, we assumed it had reached at least 400 years in its lifetime. It made for an ideal and colorful group photo. Other than some Aster, most colorful wildflowers were dormant, but we saw a lot of Oregon Grape with their blue berries, as well as white Snow Berries.
Reaching the Little Hyatt Lake dam at 10 AM, early for lunch, we continued on the PCT for another mile and back, continuing to enjoy the peace of the forest. Social conversations abounded, but we reserved a couple of ½-hour periods of quiet so we could listen to the sounds of nature and its wisdom. After climbing over the rocky transition between the PCT and the Lake, we meandered down to the ‘traditional’ AHG shoreline to sit on a log and view the Lake while enjoying our lunch and various stories told.
Following an extended break for our lunches, conversations, and views of Lake, we returned to our cars up the hillside we had come down to reach the Lake. We were pleased to have seen a Belted Kingfisher and Common merganser hens, and heard Red-breasted nuthatch and Osprey. The weather could not be beat – mild early fall temperatures and crystal blue skies. Our hike in all amounted to 4¾ miles and about 450’ elevation gain.
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