Leave from eitherRite Aid parking lot on Ashland Street or Comfort Suites parking lot, Exit 19 promptly at 9:00 AM as indicated. TH = trailhead; EDT = estimated drive time; CSNM = Cascade Siskiyou National Monument; RT = round trip mileage; PCT = Pacific Crest Trail; DIM = Dead Indian Memorial Highway. Coordinator: Liz Landreth 707-2699. Website: https://ashlandhiking.org or https://ashlandhike.org
The wildflower walks focus on botany, geology and ecology. There is plenty of time for stopping and discussion as well as for taking photographs and birding so birders are encouraged to bring binocs. There are no specific walk distances - it all depends on the number of species we encounter; we get our exercise running off into the underbrush! Figure a minimum of 4 hours for these excursions. Bring water, lunch, hat and sun-screen.
PLEASE NOTE: Wildflower Walk locations are subject to change due to weather and bloom conditions. Contact me if you are not on my WW distribution list so I can add you for last-minute updates.
August 2: Mt. Ashland + Crater Lake
Meet at Liz's house at 8:00 AM and then stopping in Phoenix
Hundreds of flowers, two waterfalls, a wildflower garden, a floral wall and dozens of sooty spires -- quite a full day. Well worth the longer drive to play tourist for a day. After the 1-1/2 mile "Wildflower Garden" loop, we head along East Rim Drive, with its narrow lanes, terrific views and dizzying dropoffs, to Vidae Falls then Plaikni Falls off the Pinnacles Road before capping the day off at the Pinnacles.
Directions: Take 1-5 North 11 miles to Highway 62 Exit 33. Take 62 Expressway. Turn Left and continue on Highway 62 for 47 miles. At Highway 14/62 split, bear Right and continue on Highway 62 16 miles to Crater Lake National Park entrance to the Park Headquarters parking lot and Castle Crest Wildflower TH. EDT: 2 hours. RT: 190 miles. Weather forecast.
August 17 or 18: Mt Ashland Wildflower Bowl
Meet at Rite Aid Parking Lot on Ashland St, Exit 14, 9:00 AM
An AHG WW favorite, guaranteed to excite wildflower enthusiasts of all stripes. With so many flowers to see, we never seem to make the 2-/12 miles to the turn to Grouse Gap.
Directions: Take I-5 South 9 miles to the Mt. Ashland Exit #6; turn Right onto old Hwy 99 for 0.7 miles, then Right on Mount Ashland Ski Road 9.5 miles past the ski lodge area. At the gate take dirt road FS-20 for about 1,000 ft (before the campground) then turn Left on FS40S15 and head downhill about ¼ mile to the PCT crossing and TH. EDT: 40 minutes, RT: 30 miles. Weather forecast.