Leave from Safeway parking lot in Ashland at 9:00 AM unless otherwise indicated. Bring water, lunch, hat, sunscreen and rain gear. TH = trailhead; EDT = estimated drive time; PCT = Pacific Crest Trail; DIM = Dead Indian Memorial Highway. 100 Hikes = 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon, Second Edition

September 1: Mt McLoughlin (p. 110 in 114 Hikes) - Meet at 7:00 AM; TH: Take DIM to the end at Highway 140.  Turn left (west) onto 140 for 1.9 miles to Fourlmile Lake Road (FS 3661), turn right towards Fourmile Lake for 2.9 mi; then turn left on FS 3650 for 0.2 mi to TH parking lot; EDT: 90 min Description: Up, up, up and more up all the way to the top; only the last 1.2 mile, 1300 ft elevation gain portion is really steep; climbing to the summit is not mandatory. This is a demanding hike.  Please bring enough water to stay hydrated (3+ liters). Hiking poles are useful on the descent of the upper mountain as we come down over the boulder field.  Distance: 9.5 mi; elev gain: 3,975 ft. RT mileage: about 90 mi.

September 8: Blue Lake Basin (p. 112 in 100 Hikes) - Take DIM to its end point at Hwy 140; turn right (east); after approx 3 mi go left on FS 3651 for 8.5 mi; turn left onto FS 3659 for 1.3 mi to parking area at TH; EDT: 90 min Description: Hike through Sky Lakes Wilderness Area towards Blue Lake; return same way; you can shorten the hike by stopping to pick huckleberries along the trail. Distance: 10.6 mi RT; elev gain: moderate, since this is a gently undulating trail. RT mileage: 115 mi

September 15: Wizard Island - Meet at 6:30 AM so that we can make the 9:55 AM boat. The boat ticket is $38 / person. A hike, a boat ride, a hike, a boat ride and a hike all in one day! This is considered by many to be Oregon's most spectacular and unusual hike. EDT is 2 1/2 hours to the Cleetwood Cove trailhead on the north rim of Crater Lake. Please bring your Golden Eagle Pass if you have one. From there it is 640 feet down to the water on a 1.1-mile switch back trail. The boat ride to Wizard Island takes about 40 minutes, visiting Devil's Backbone, Lalo Rock, an incredibly beautiful waterfall, the Phantom Ship, the lakes 1,932 foot deep spot and much more. From the Wizard Island harbor it is a 764-foot climb in a 1-mile series of switchbacks to the summit of the cinder cone. The boat ride back skirts the south shore of the lake and takes about 1 hour. Plan to be back at Safeway by about 6 PM. RT mileage is 205 mi

September 22: Squaw Meadow and Gray Butte (Mt Shasta) (p. 218 in 100 Hikes) - Meet 8:30 AM. TH: Take I-5 72 mi south to Central Mt Shasta exit 738; drive thru town 1 mi, then go left on Everitt Memorial Hwy 12.7 mi to Panther Meadows parking lot. EDT: 90 min Description: Let's try something completely different this year and do the loop in a counterclockwise direction, having lunch atop Gray Butte. The Squaw Meadow loop starts at 7,440 ft and reaches a high point of 8,300 ft; Distance: 6 miles; climbing: 1,800'. RT mileage: 180 mi

September 29: Little Grayback to Mule Creek Trail - New Hike. TH: From Ruch travel south on Upper Applegate Rd towards Applegate Lake.  Leave shuttle car at Mule Mountain TH.  Continue towards Applegate Lake.  Cross the dam and follow the road 1.5 mi; turn left for 2 mi to French Gulch divide TH; EDT: 60 min. Description: steady climb across the southern slopes of Little Grayback Mt toward Squaw Peak.  Cross the ridge and drop down via the Mule Creek trail. Distance: about 9 miles; elev. gain: about 1,500 ft; RT mileage: 100 miles