I attended the first of three presentations on Mount Shasta watersheds last night at the Weed Mercantile Mall in Weed. Several representatives from local non-profit agencies, local companies, and government agencies described the groundwater and … [Continue reading]
Bigfoot in British Columbia, and Hiking in Northern California?
Found this article about Bigfoot footprints and sightings in British Columbia. Seems local British Columbia Bigfoot hunter Larry Sommerfield made a cast of a footprint with four toes that's 16 inches long and 10.5 inches wide. He says he's also seen … [Continue reading]
Mountain Lions and Northern California Hikers: What to Do
I've done a lot of hiking on the trails of Northern California, but I've only rarely seen a mountain lion. Hiker interactions with mountain lions are rare. but you need to know what to do.Mountain Lions and Hikers: Northern California I've … [Continue reading]
Walking in Moonlight
Thoughts of all the things that keep me busy these days woke me at 5 A.M. I got up, brewed a quick cup of french roast, and headed outside with my old golden retriever Molly.We walked into the still pre-dawn. No wind, the air soft with the … [Continue reading]
Hiking Mount Shasta’s Old Ski Bowl Trails to Green Butte
The hike up the Old Ski Bowl on Mount Shasta takes you all the way to the cross-country route to Green Butte. You'll get good exercise from the steep climb, and you'll have wide-ranging views.Stephanie and I had another Cascade volcano adventure … [Continue reading]
Hiking Ridge Lakes Trail and Lassen Peak Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park
The Ridge Lakes Trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park is a steep climb from Sulphur Works, but the beauty and solitude justify the effort. And Lassen Peak? It's the highest point in the park. It started Saturday afternoon with tomatoes. Two dozen … [Continue reading]
Subscribe to the Northern California Hiking Trails Blog!
Get notified every time I make a post. Look at the upper right portion of the blog for your two options.1. E-mail notification. This is how I subscribe to some blogs. Here's how it works. If I blog on a given day, you will get one e-mail … [Continue reading]
Laurie Bagley globetrots to the top of Africa
My friend Laurie Bagley gets around. In 2006, Laurie became the sixth American woman to summit Mount Everest by the North Col route. Now some may consider that a big deal, but I summited Mount Eddy twice in one week in 2006, and it's only 20,000 feet … [Continue reading]
Hike to Seven Lakes Basin on the Pacific Crest Trail
Ah, September in the high country. A few warm days, many cooler days, the first frost, the first blush of autumn color. Explore these contrasts on an easy six-mile, round-trip hike along the Pacific Crest Trail to Seven Lakes Basin, one of my … [Continue reading]
Rafting the Klamath River and Lower Sacramento River
I took advantage of the recent heat wave to raft the local waters of the Klamath River and the lower Sacramento River. A different way of moving through the wilderness, this time powered by my arms with the gravity assist of the river … [Continue reading]
Photos: McCloud River Waterfalls and Squaw Valley Creek
I've just posted some high-resolution pictures of Lower McCloud Falls and Middle McCloud Falls on the McCloud River to the Northern California Hiking Trails web site. I also posted images of Squaw Valley Creek, a McCloud River tributary.I decided … [Continue reading]
When Hikers and Backpackers Meet Horses on the Trail
Horses and their riders always have the right of way, so step to the side of the path and let them pass. Speak softly to the riders to let the horses know that you are human and no threat. And keep your dogs under firm hand control; this keeps both … [Continue reading]
Mount Shasta’s Stature Keeps Growing
Especially in height. Turns out the illustrious landmark of Siskiyou County is 14,179 feet above mean sea level, not 14,162 feet. Mount Shasta's new elevation measurement comes from the National Geodetic Survey. Shasta's relative ranking didn't … [Continue reading]
More information on where to hike to avoid smoke from wildfires
The National Weather Service office in Medford and the National Weather Service office in Sacramento are now providing maps that show areas with high concentrations of smoke from the wildfires. Use these to help you determine where to hike and … [Continue reading]
Hiking to Middle Deadfall Lake near Mount Eddy west of Mount Shasta
Finally! The smoke from the huge fires in western Siskiyou County and Trinity County shifted away from the Mount Shasta area. My sweetheart Stephanie Hoffman and I took full advantage for an impromptu hike.We chose the Deadfall Lakes (Hike 52 in … [Continue reading]
Backpack Lassen Volcanic National Park: Cinder Cone, Butte Lake, and Snag Lake
This is a real gem and one of my favorites. It takes you into the remote northeast corner of Lassen Volcanic National Park for a 14-mile backpacking trip, but you can also do it as a long dayhike. Its top features is a climb to the top of Cinder … [Continue reading]
Answer regarding smoke and Sylvia Lake/Lyons Lake hike
Hello Aaron, I'm making this a regular blog post because Wordpress won't let me put links in the comments section. (I'm working on this!) I went to the Cal Fire homepage for Northern California and looked at the latest incident report and the … [Continue reading]
Mount Shasta’s Growing Glaciers
Global warming is causing most glaciers worldwide to melt; however Mount Shasta's glaciers are an exception. Shasta's glaciers have about doubled in size since the 1950s. Scientists think this is due to the warmer Pacific ocean releasing more water … [Continue reading]
Hiking and Swimming at Sims Flat on the Upper Sacramento River
Sims Flat along the upper Sacramento River has a hiking trail around the perimeter of its campground, and you can also walk along the banks of the west side of the river in either direction, with many great swimming holes to entice you on hot summer … [Continue reading]
Wildfires and Hiking
Up in the Mount Shasta area the various fires have put a crimp on my summer hiking plans. I’ve still done a few, but fewer than I had hoped. I’m fortunate to live in a rural area, so I have lots of hiking and nature right out my front door. So … [Continue reading]
Welcome to the Northern California Hiking Trails Blog
Welcome to the Northern California Hiking Trails blog. I’m John Soares, co-author of 100 Classic Hikes in Northern California, third edition and author of 75 Hikes in California’s Mount Shasta and Lassen Volcanic National Park Regions, revised … [Continue reading]
