Frank Hill Road - Ashland 2-27-23

Photos by Jerry and Randy

Track download from Randy: Frank Hill Road 2-27-23.gpx

We had another good turn out Monday as 15 hikers gathered next to Liz's house on Ashland Mines Road for a snow covered trek up Frank Hill Rosd. Many were doing this hike for the first time and Liz was our experienced leader as she uses the hike for conditioning.

The very first part of the road was icy in the shade so was perhaps the trickiest part of the hike. There are three steady uphill climbs on the road, before it reduces down to a footpath and continues up onto a ridge.

On the way up the road Randy stopped to take a photo of an old jalopy in a yard (maybe a 1929 Ford Model A).

We actually did have some hiker's luck on the day, as the predicted falling snow of 1 to 2 inches didn't happen and we didn't get much wind even those gusts of 30+ mph were also predicted.

The Frank Hill Road to trail can offer great views of the Rogue Valley on a clear day, but Monday, with another winter storm heading in, featured low clouds that covered some mountain views. (I will schedule this hike again in Spring with warmer weather and many wildflowers to enjoy).

The hike seems to tell the tales of broken dreams as we came to three excavated spaces for homes never built; although we did discover a nice Airstream and truck that were not there during our 2021 hike.

Most of the group made it up to the site of two trailers long since abandoned. (We wonder how they ever got up to that narrow space). From there Liz led the group back down to warmth and refreshments at her beautiful home.

We had gone 5+ miles and gained 1,200'.

Jerry, Randy and Bob continued up the ridge for another 300' and gained the summit at 3,480' which we decided to call in 2021 Liz Butte!

It was a great day with good company!
Rich