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ENLARGE
Framed by branches on a nearby ridge, Castle Rock stands tall in a forest of green in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness Area of the Cascade Mountains. The Castle Creek Trail runs down the drainage to the right.
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ENLARGE
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Skookum Lake lies in the foreground and a creative timber cutting site is on the far mountainside. The lake is a half-mile walk from the trailhead. The site in the background is a scientific study area.
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ENLARGE
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Rattlesnake Mountain is a landmark in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness in the Cascade Mountains of eastern Douglas County. Fish Creek Valley is to the east (right) of the mountain, Castle Rock is southwest and Whitehorse Meadows to the northwest.
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Standing at the trailhead in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness, Rattlesnake Mountain loomed big to the right and Castle Rock was a gray sphere to the left.
The two landmarks rise up out of the 33,200-acre wilderness in the Cascade Mountains about 70 miles east of Roseburg. Castle Rock is surrounded by a green forest and its rock top has an elevation of 5,829 feet.
Rattlesnake Mountain overlooks both the forest and several scattered meadows at an elevation of 6,656 feet. The names are appropriate because Castle Rock has a fortress look and Rattlesnake Mountain’s ridge line that heads north from its face has some curl in it.
Through this week, both landmarks will be comforting sites that will help provide direction as elk hunters wander around those woods during the day and then look to return to trails, roads and campsites late in the afternoon.
Two weeks ago on a blue-sky morning, Gary Frazier and I walked from the trailhead. Twenty minutes later at a fork in the trail, our options were to go left and downhill on the Castle Creek Trail or head right and side hill around the west side of Rattlesnake on the way to Whitehorse Meadows.
The Castle Creek Trail is 9 miles and offers the hiker several miles of walking under a canopy of forest branches and needles near the creek. Most of the trees are 200- to 300-year-old Douglas firs. Castle Creek is one of two major creeks that feed into the South Umpqua River. The trail’s elevation drops from 5,600 feet at the east end to 2,900 at the west end near the South Umpqua. That means at the end of the day, the hike back is uphill.
So we took the right fork that headed north, cutting across the left side of Rattlesnake Mountain and dipping into and out of numerous steep, narrow drainages. Our intention was to check out Whitehorse Meadows, hike uphill and cross country to Mosquito Lake that is near the top of Rattlesnake Mountain, then walk over the mountain and down its face to return to the trail.
We found Whitehorse Meadows about three miles down the trail. We had the couple-hundred-acre open area to ourselves for a lunch break except for one other hiker who was off in the distance.
The two landmarks rise up out of the 33,200-acre wilderness in the Cascade Mountains about 70 miles east of Roseburg. Castle Rock is surrounded by a green forest and its rock top has an elevation of 5,829 feet.
Rattlesnake Mountain overlooks both the forest and several scattered meadows at an elevation of 6,656 feet. The names are appropriate because Castle Rock has a fortress look and Rattlesnake Mountain’s ridge line that heads north from its face has some curl in it.
Through this week, both landmarks will be comforting sites that will help provide direction as elk hunters wander around those woods during the day and then look to return to trails, roads and campsites late in the afternoon.
Two weeks ago on a blue-sky morning, Gary Frazier and I walked from the trailhead. Twenty minutes later at a fork in the trail, our options were to go left and downhill on the Castle Creek Trail or head right and side hill around the west side of Rattlesnake on the way to Whitehorse Meadows.
The Castle Creek Trail is 9 miles and offers the hiker several miles of walking under a canopy of forest branches and needles near the creek. Most of the trees are 200- to 300-year-old Douglas firs. Castle Creek is one of two major creeks that feed into the South Umpqua River. The trail’s elevation drops from 5,600 feet at the east end to 2,900 at the west end near the South Umpqua. That means at the end of the day, the hike back is uphill.
So we took the right fork that headed north, cutting across the left side of Rattlesnake Mountain and dipping into and out of numerous steep, narrow drainages. Our intention was to check out Whitehorse Meadows, hike uphill and cross country to Mosquito Lake that is near the top of Rattlesnake Mountain, then walk over the mountain and down its face to return to the trail.
We found Whitehorse Meadows about three miles down the trail. We had the couple-hundred-acre open area to ourselves for a lunch break except for one other hiker who was off in the distance.
This area was spotlighted in the news back in 1978 when the Rainbow Family announced an interest in holding that summer’s national annual Healing Gathering at the meadows. After the initial debate concerning several thousand people converging on a wilderness meadow, it was decided the area could not be used because of limited flat, dry space, too many mosquitoes and water supply issues.
So the Rainbow Family ended up holding its gathering a couple miles away and outside the wilderness boundary at Black Rock Meadow.
Whitehorse Meadows remained undisturbed. As we walked across the southern end of the meadow, the only sign we saw were animal beds in the grass and animal droppings.
The hike up the side of Rattlesnake and back to the south was steep. It was a process of climbing for five minutes and then taking a one-minute breather while the blue sky up through the trees never seemed to get closer.
When we finally broke out of the trees and onto an open ridge, Castle Rock was off in the distance. That landmark told us we had skirted around the very top of Rattlesnake, thus missing out on finding Mosquito Lake which was back to the north and west. With it being mid-afternoon, we figured we’d better head off for the trailhead and camp so as not to get caught out after dark.
So the Rainbow Family ended up holding its gathering a couple miles away and outside the wilderness boundary at Black Rock Meadow.
Whitehorse Meadows remained undisturbed. As we walked across the southern end of the meadow, the only sign we saw were animal beds in the grass and animal droppings.
The hike up the side of Rattlesnake and back to the south was steep. It was a process of climbing for five minutes and then taking a one-minute breather while the blue sky up through the trees never seemed to get closer.
When we finally broke out of the trees and onto an open ridge, Castle Rock was off in the distance. That landmark told us we had skirted around the very top of Rattlesnake, thus missing out on finding Mosquito Lake which was back to the north and west. With it being mid-afternoon, we figured we’d better head off for the trailhead and camp so as not to get caught out after dark.
We walked back into camp at about 5 p.m.
The next morning, we walked about 30 minutes down the road to the Wiley Creek and Buck Canyon Trailhead. But after 20 to 30 minutes down that trail, we could tell it was just going to be all downhill into a forested canyon with no views. So we opted to head back to our vehicle, drive several miles and then hike into Skookum Lake.
From the trailhead, the hike is flat for a hundred yards or so and then it is downhill to the lake that can be seen through the trees. It is only a short half-mile to the lake, and a big switchback in the trail that crosses a talus field eases the steepness.
Besides the small, pretty lake, this hike offers a view of some creative timber cutting on a mountainside in the distance (see photo). There are several partial cuts in the Umpqua National Forest such as this one that are designated as scientific study areas. They are currently being studied to determine whether their retention of wildlife, from snails and slugs to deer and elk, is better than the more standard clear cut.
After visiting the lake, and seeing a couple eastern brook trout in its clear water, we headed back up the trail and then home.
The weekend hikes had again reminded us of the natural beauty that lies off the beaten path.
• You can reach Features Editor Craig Reed at 957-4210 or by e-mail to creed@newsreview.info.
The next morning, we walked about 30 minutes down the road to the Wiley Creek and Buck Canyon Trailhead. But after 20 to 30 minutes down that trail, we could tell it was just going to be all downhill into a forested canyon with no views. So we opted to head back to our vehicle, drive several miles and then hike into Skookum Lake.
From the trailhead, the hike is flat for a hundred yards or so and then it is downhill to the lake that can be seen through the trees. It is only a short half-mile to the lake, and a big switchback in the trail that crosses a talus field eases the steepness.
Besides the small, pretty lake, this hike offers a view of some creative timber cutting on a mountainside in the distance (see photo). There are several partial cuts in the Umpqua National Forest such as this one that are designated as scientific study areas. They are currently being studied to determine whether their retention of wildlife, from snails and slugs to deer and elk, is better than the more standard clear cut.
After visiting the lake, and seeing a couple eastern brook trout in its clear water, we headed back up the trail and then home.
The weekend hikes had again reminded us of the natural beauty that lies off the beaten path.
• You can reach Features Editor Craig Reed at 957-4210 or by e-mail to creed@newsreview.info.
