September 4: Sky Lakes from the Cold Springs Trailhead (p 118 in 100 Hikes) Hike leader Margita LaGrotta TH: Take DIM to 140, right (east) for 3.2 miles and then left (north) on 3651 for 10.1 miles to the TH. EDT 75 minutes.  Description: Loop trail into the Sky Lakes Wilderness passing a half dozen lakes.  Distance: 8 miles, elevation gain 700 feet.  Weather Forecast. RT mileage: 110 miles.

September 11: California border to Observation Peak on the PCT. New Hike - Meet at 8:00 AM TH: Turn at Ruch and head south for 9.3 miles. Just past the Country Club cross the bridge and take the second left onto Beaver Creek Road / FS 20. Up FS 20 for 14 miles to Silver Fork Gap. Cross the intersection and take the road at 11 o'clock which is FS 2025. Continue on FS 2025 for 4 miles to Donomore Gap and park on the right. EDT: 90 minutes. Description: By popular request we are going to hike the first Oregon segment of the PCT right from the border. We last hiked in this area in 2004 but have never actually gone down to the border crossing. So, from the TH we will head south on the PCT to the border and the California / Oregon sign which marks 1,600 miles on the PCT from the Mexican border. We will then loop back up to the PCT and head northwest past Kettle Lake to Observation Gap. From there we will head up the ridge to Observation Peak for lunch. After lunch we will return on the PCT to the TH. Distance: 6 miles; elevation gain about 1,600 feet. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 110 miles.

September 18-19: Overnight to Shasta

Wednesday: Castle Lake Trail to the Mount Bradley Lookout (p. 331 in Trinity Alps & Vicinity) Meet at 8:00 AM at Stubblefield's (1111 Highwood Drive) TH: Take the central Mt. Shasta exit 738, go west to the stop sign. Left onto South Old Stage Road and bear right onto West A. Barr Road at the Y junction. At the four way stop continue straight on West A. Barr Road, past the Mt. Shasta Resort, the east side of Siskiyou Lake and over the Box Canyon Dam to a junction with Castle Lake Road, approximately 3 miles from I-5. Left on Castle Lake Road and continue 7.5 paved miles to the end of the road and the TH at Castle Lake. EDT: 1:30. Description: Take the Castle Lake trail east with views of Mt. Shasta and Castle Crags along the way. Follow the ridge to the Mt. Bradley lookout for views of much of northern California. Distance: 11 miles, elevation gain 2,800 feet. Weather Forecast. Total overnight mileage - hikers: 200 miles, non-hikers: 160 miles.

Overnight at the Mount Shasta Resort. BYOE (thats everything - beverages and appetizers) to a pre-dinner get together on the deck of one of our Chalets. Dinner in the dinning room (or on the terrace, depending on weather) at 7:00 PM. Breakfast at 8:00 AM. Sack lunches will be available from the restaurant for the Thursday hikers. All of the units have microwaves, coffee makers and refrigerators.

For those interested in an alternative activity, there is a trail around Siskiyou Lake which is best accessed directly across the road from the resort entrance (the body of water behind the cottages is an arm of the lake and the trail does not pass behind the cottages). We understand that it is best to do this trail counter-clockwise.

Thursday: Castle Crags ( p. 214 in 100 Hikes); TH: Take I-5 south to exit 724, Castella. Enter the Park and pay the $8 per car day use fee at the Ranger Station / entrance. Park in the lot across from the entrance station behind the island. EDT: 10 minutes. We are going to take the Flume Trail up to the PCT and then the Crags Trail to the Indian Springs vista point below Castle Dome. After lunch we will go back down the Crags Trail to Bob's trail back to the cars. Distance: 9 miles; elevation gain about 3,000' Weather Forecast.

September 25: Rogue River Trail from Hersberger Road north to Foster Creek / Highway 230. New Hike. TH: Go past Union Creek and bear left on Highway 230 for 0.9 miles to Hersberger Road. Left on Hersberger, cross the river and proceed 0.7 miles to the TH. EDT: 80 minutes. Description: We are going to check out this section of the Rogue River Trail. Nice walk through the woods beside the river up to Foster Creek. Return the same way. Distance: 10 miles; elevation gain about 700'. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 140 miles.