Appeal Tribune Wednesday, January 18, 2017 3B
10 adventures at expanded
Cascade-Siskiyou monument
ZACH URNESS
STATESMAN JOURNAL
If you live in the Willamette Valley,
there’s a good chance you’ve only experi-
enced the Cascade-Siskiyou National
Monument through news stories.
When President Barack Obama ex-
panded the Southern Oregon monument
last Thursday, most of the reporting fo-
cused on the pro and con arguments, ref-
erencing the landscape only as an ab-
stract land of rich biodiversity where
mountain ranges collide.
And while Cascade-Siskiyou is unique
— and the only monument in the country
established specifically to protect biodi-
versity — there’s plenty to do there as
well.
If the news coverage has piqued your
interest — or you just happen to be vis-
iting nearby Ashland — here are 10 great
adventures in and near the monument.
The trips here include landmarks that
are part of the original and expanded
monument footprint.
Climb Pilot Rock
The sentinel guarding Oregon’s bor-
der against invaders from the south has
long been a landmark to pioneers. Visi-
ble for miles from the south and east, it is
the second Oregon landmark, after
Mount McLoughlin, that people notice as
they head up I-5 from California.
The immense volcanic plug offers
one of the more thrilling scramble
climbs in the state. Ropes aren’t re-
quired, but are a comfort when pulling
yourself up a steep-ish rock gully, to
reach a spectacular view that looks all
the way to Mount Shasta. An easier hike
stops at the rock’s base. The trip is 3.6
miles round-trip and of moderate diffi-
culty until you reach the start of the
scramble.
Hike Hobart Bluff
A sweet and easy hike through mead-
ows of springtime wildflowers high-
lights this trek to wide-open Hobart
Bluff at 5,502 feet.
The hike follows the Pacific Crest
Trail and a well-marked spur to reach its
destination on a 2.6-mile round-trip.
Hobart Bluff itself is a large forma-
tion of basalt cliffs rising above a small
lake of the same name. Contact the Ash-
land Outdoor Store 541-488-1202 or see
their website for more information.
Fish rare trout at Jenny Creek
One of the prettiest little streams
you’ll ever come across is home to rare
redband trout.
“They are very colorful, with splashy
red sides, as their name implies, but
rarely grow over 16 inches,” wrote Mark
Freeman, outdoors reporter for the
“Medford Mail Tribune.” “Those few
that stalk redbands usually fish for them
with dry flies or nymphs in this strictly
flies-and-lures-only creek.”
BOB WICK / BLM
Fabulous views abound across the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument.
Even if you never catch a fish, just en-
joying the stream’s waterfalls and crys-
tal clear swimming holes is enough.
Siskiyou National Monument for infor-
mation (cascadesiskiyou@gmail.com) or
take a tour with Main Street Adventure
Tours in Ashland, 541-482-9852.
Ski or snowshoe Buck Prairie
PCT backpacking
The Buck Prairie sno-park sits on the
edge of the monument, about 25 miles
east of Ashland. It’s a jumping-off point
for winter sports, accessing 17 miles of
ungroomed trail loops.
One of the best routes climbs up to a
lookout tower where excellent views of
Hyatt Lake and Mount McLoughlin can
be had. But good views abound.
The Pacific Crest Trail winds 19 miles
through the national monument, as read-
ers of the best-seller “Wild” know well.
The area was a critical juncture in the
odyssey of Cheryl Strayed.
Backpack the segment yourself,
through fir forests, oak groves and can-
yons home to assortments of butterflies
and the spotted owl.
Greensprings Inn
Boccard Point
This easy 2.2-mile trail leads to a
spiny outcrop with views of the Soda
Mountain Wilderness, Klamath Basin,
Cascade Range and the Siskiyou Moun-
tains, said Gabe Howe, executive direc-
tor of the Siskiyou Mountain Club based
in Ashland.
“I’ve found a number of obsidian ar-
rowheads in this area (and left them),” he
said.
To reach it, drive to the terminus of
Baldy Creek Road and look for a small
path leading southeast.
Scotch Creek
Hike Grizzly Peak
This popular hotel and restaurant is
surrounded by the monument, and visi-
tors often explore the forest and ridges
surrounding it.
“Many road cyclists make their way
uphill on weekends to dine at the Inn,”
said Joseph Vaile, executive director of
KS Wild, an environmental group that
supported monument expansion.
Horseback riding
The monument offers ideal terrain
for horseback riding. In fact, Dave Wil-
lis, the biggest supporter of the monu-
ment’s creation and expansion, travels
the terrain exclusively by horseback.
Contact the Friends of the Cascade-
Grizzly Peak was named in honor of a
famous bear named Old Reelfoot, the
last known Southern Oregon (or Califor-
nia) grizzly, who roamed the region for
50 years before being shot by a 17-year-
old hunter in 1890 — or so the legend
goes.
The hike up this scenic mountain isn’t
a bear, but it’s not easy either, on a 5.2
mile lollypop loop with multiple scenic
views of nearby Ashland and the Rogue
Valley. The trail begins in forest, passes
a nondescript summit and then features
wonderful views for a mile and a half of
Emigrant Lake, Mount Ashland, Mount
Shasta and Pilot Rock.
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Howe said this tributary of the Klam-
ath River grows some of the most mag-
nificent ponderosa pines he’s seen, in-
cluding some that reach 8 feet in diame-
ter.
“The forest here feels primeval, and it
has some relatively untrammeled qual-
ities,” he said. “The recesses of this
drainage can be accessed on the Lone Pi-
lot Trail.”
Zach Urness has been an outdoors
writer, photographer and videographer
in Oregon for eight years. He is the author
of the book “Hiking Southern Oregon”
and
can
be
reached
at
zurness@StatesmanJournal.com
or
(503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at
@ZachsORoutdoors.
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