March 6: Ashland Watershed

March 13: Viewpoint Mike (Lost Creek Lake)
TH: From Medford drive Highway 62 past the turn off to the Lost Creek Lake fish hatchery and take the next right into the TH parking area; EDT: 60 minutes; Description: very nicely laid out trail parallels Highway 62 as it climbs through varied terrain to a large rock outcrop with good views of the surrounding area. Continue on to lunch at the borrow pit overlook and then down to the Lost Creek Lake East Shore trail for the return.  It is a short, but fun, bushwhack from where we cross Highway 62 down to the East Shore trail which is about 250 feet below the road. If you would like to read the very compelling story about the GPS unit that was lost on this bushwhack and then miraculously found two years later you can find it here. Distance: 7 miles RT; elevation gain: 1,600 feet. Weather Forecast. RT mileage: 100 miles

March 20: Kelsey Creek Trail to Maple Falls (p. 45 in Best Hikes of the Marble and Russian Wilderness Areas) Meet at 8:30 AM. 
TH: Take I-5 to Yreka and follow Highway 3 to Fort Jones. Right on the Scott River Road for 17 miles. Cross the Scott River bridge and immediately make a left on Kelsey Creek Road for 1/2 mile. Do not cross the second bridge but continue straight past the house to the roomy trailhead. EDT 90 minutes. Description: The Kelsey Trail was built by the army in the middle 1800s as a supply line from Crescent City to Ft. Jones. Follow Kelsey Creek to Maple Falls. Distance 9 miles RT; climbing 2,900'. Weather Forecast. RT mileage 150 miles.

March 27:  Sterling Mine Trail - Little Applegate TH to Bear Gulch TH (p. 144 in 100 Hikes)
TH: Instead of heading down through Jacksonville and Ruch we are going to try the more direct route via Anderson Creek Road again. This should save us about 20 miles each way. You may recall that we tried this last year but were stopped by snow on the ridge. From Safeway, head up Highway 99 to a left on Rapp Road in Talent. Straight on Wagner Creek Road for 0.9 mile and then right on Anderson Creek Road for 11.4 miles to Little Applegate Road. Right on Little Applegate for 0.3 mile to the Little Applegate TH where we will drop the shuttle car and then on 2.4 miles to the Bear Gulch TH. EDT: 50 minutes. Description: This hike combines portions of two hikes that we have done in the past. The major benefit is avoiding the walk back on the road. Trail starts out uphill, finishes downhill. Good views of the Siskiyous to the south and coastal ranges to the west; Distance: 8.2 miles; elevation gain: 1,100 feet. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 50 miles.