Mendocino County Outdoor Recreation Group

Is a River Alive? by Robert Macfarlane was recommended reading by an organization that I follow: "POST Canoe Club, boaters who paddle Northern California Rivers (mostly) in canoes but also in any craft that can be human powered on moving water." and based in Berkeley, CA.

The link to the book is here: Is a River Alive?. It's a New York Times Bestseller. 300 pages, 3 distinct sections in the book. I would like to plan for six weeks of sharing. Part One is "The river of the cedars (Ecuador)", Part two is "Ghosts, Monsters and Angels (India)" and Park three is "the Living River" (Nitassinan/Canada).

The Galley Book Store in Mendocino, Mendocino Book Company (707 468-5940) in Ukiah and The Book Juggler in Willits are stores, that can order this book for you.

The photo by David Nelson above is from a long ago meetup at the north boat ramp at Lake Mendocino reservoir, going up the inlet on the East Fork Russian River.

About our walking - We typically have walked 2 miles and taken stops to observe nature. We have this book to share about as we walk. We have walked up to four miles. We always leave an "out", if necessary.

If it rains, bring a rain jacket, umbrella, and be prepared for slippery trails.
Favorite places to walk that we could explore as part of the book study stroll. Please comment on your own favorite creekside or riverside walks. Mine are:
1. Low Gap - Orr Creek
2. West Side Ukiah - Standley Street - Gibson Creek
3. Masonite road, (with a permit) on weekends - Ackerman Creek
4. Mendocino - the haul road up Big River or Montgomery woods which is a tributary to Big River.
5. Cloverdale - Riverside park.
6. End of Gobbi - Skate park, by the Russian River.

P.S. Thank you everyone who has participated so far in the most interesting discussions on our book study strolls. From "Entangled Life" to "The California Naturalist", to the "Oak Woodlands", I have learned so much about our outdoors at Low Gap Park!
Elizabeth

Join me as I return to a favorite creekside location.
The first time I was here, the trip was led by a BLM ranger, and we looked for bald eagles. We didn't see any. I went back. I've seen the bald eagle soaring high above the ridge dividing the trailhead from the cache creek destination. I also saw a golden eagle one hike.
Join me as we climb this ridge, almost 3 miles with a five hundred foot gain in the first 2 miles. and returning with the same climb and distance. this is an "in" and an "out", hiking the same trail both ways.
We will take time to stop and look for mushrooms, identify plants, look for wildlife tracks.
This will not be a super fast hike because we want to make sure we catch all the correct trails and see the beauty of the wilderness. Uphill, I go about 1.5-2 mph, Downhill, I go about 2.5 mph.
Bring your basic ten essentials. Bring your two-way radios. Last time I was there, there was no cellphone service. Locals, can you comment on this?

We will carpool from Ukiah at 8am from Starbucks on Perkins at the freeway. Plan on being on the trail between 10am and 4pm. There will be time at our destination for sitting by the creek or exploring the nature in the area. Bring your sketch pad, camera, meditation book, comfee backpack chair, bird book, and enjoy Cache creek in the deep winter. Who remembers the name of the local that brought a tea kettle and picked wild herbs years ago when we came here?

Check your batteries for cell phone, gps. Do bring 2 quarts of water, lunch, hiking poles, layers of clothing, something to sit on at Cache Creek Baton flat.
Please study the map... know your way back to the car, on your own. Things happen in the great outdoors that need each of us to be aware.
The following description is accurate: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/redbud-trail-cache-creek-wilderness?u=i&sh=vsc7zz. The free version of AllTrails will take you to this link. If you need, just google Redbud Trail to Baton Flat in Cache Creek Wilderness to find more information.

Don't trust the trailhead, Remember Hwy 20 is the major route from 101 to I5 between Santa Rosa & Eureka. Don't leave anything of value in your car. This is also a holiday 3 day weekend with the potential for more traffic than usual.

Time Details:
8am Meet to carpool Starbucks in Ukiah.
9:30 Arrive at the trailhead, no later By signing your name here, we know to wait for you, usually we wait about 10 minutes.
10:00 Be on the trail in the steep hill climbing area.
11:30: Arriving at the top of the ridge, we'll stop and look around at the distance mountains. Bring a backpack chair, if you like, and enjoy the view for a good 20". Have a drink of water.
12:30 Lunch at Creekside - explore the creekside and further trails. Draw, paint, read a book, play your harmonica, uke, enjoy being in a popular backpacking camping spot, take a nap. There's not that many trees at Baton Flat, so I hesitate about bringing a hammock.
2pm Head back to the cars before dark.
3:30 Drive home to Ukiah.
5:15 Sunset

Those of you from Lake County+, we'll see you at the trailhead about 9:30. For all of us, this plan is assuming we have a beautifully clear winter day. RAIN CANCELS.
Thank you for reading this far! Feel free to comment or send me a private message through meetup.
Elizabeth

Update: For years, Norm T led scout trips into this area of his "backyard" of Lake Co. He continues to lead backpacking trips for Spirit of Adventure and friends, even while moving to grass valley. Norm agreed to lead us to the Baton Flats picnic area. Thank you Norm!!!