Last Minute Labor Day

[home skillet]

The Big Guy, who joined us on part of our recent Idaho adventure, raves about eastern Oregon. It is one of his favorite places. Making conversation as we hiked back out of Big Creek, his topic was the Abert Rim.

We will not be able to join you folks but look forward to photos and a trip report to help us prepare for a trip up there in the future.

Travel safe and have a great trip.



Thanks Ski! We will be sure to bring back as much info as possible.......but after your last report I have developed a "trip report complex" also known as "little trip report syndrome".

Home Skillet

 

[MarkBC]

Warner Mountains circled, Abert Lake at the top.

I think I might try again to re-discover the OR-CA-NV tri-state point... On my July trip I failed due to poor cross-country navigation (and heat).

 

[MarkBC]

OK...meeting Home Skillet and heading out within the hour.
Rendezvousing with the Lighthawks Saturday p.m.

 

[Lighthawk]

Yeah, Mark
We're still a go to meet in Alturas on Saturday.
Just need Susan to get home from her business trip and get the camper loaded.
Then there's the old dog to load up too

I'm looking for suggestions heading into the central Warners from there.
DD posted here about Lake City Cyn Rd a while back. And Bill(r?) has done reports on Mill Falls (we enjoyed our visit there) and Blue Lake CG. But we're looking for more dispersed style camping.

Anyone got any ideas?

 

[Cort]

Assuming we are on the same page...."Central Warners" I take this to mean north of Alturas and south of 140. Take CR 133C or CR 47 at the junction of these two roads continue on toward Lassen Cr Campground (FR 30). When you get to the junction that is signed for Lassen Cr Campground continue on Straight (FR30). You will see Lassen Cr Campground on your right and then enter a gorge on Lassen Cr. Once you are up and out of the gorge primitive camping begins on your right. Several spots on your right are on the creek. I would expect some of these spots to be occupied. You will come to junctions for Blue Springs and Cold Creek (not much up there except 4X4 roads). You will also see signs for Harris Flat (at least my memory thinks you will)....if not you can definitely find Harris Flat on the map. Harris Flat is a private holding and easy to identify by the small cabin/junk and the fences. As you continue on there are a couple of tracks to the left that go to nice sites on Lassen Cr. If you continue on but before you cross the headwaters of Lassen Creek there is a small track that crosses the creek and ends in a very primitive spot. If you go past this track for several hundred feet there is a small camp on the left side of the road.

I think there might be some good spots up on the ridge but we didn't go up that far.

we stayed here for a night on our way to Idaho and found it enjoyable but there are cows in the area.

As an FYI we tried to head over to Ft Bidwell via 47N72 and CR224 (part of the Discovery Trail)....lots of down trees from the junction of the High Grade Trail and CR 224. It does not looks like it is getting maintained and with the financial condition of Modoc Co these days I would imagine the trail could be in the same condition.

Here are a few pics

the small track to the left past Harris Flat

view of camp from the Lassen Cr

Upper Mill Cr CR 224 -- Looking good so far

Upper Mill Creek CR 224 -- Not looking good anymore. After clearing 2 of these I decided to take a walk to see what things looked liked farther on. Things didn't look much better as there were several uprooted trees within 0.5 miles. I cut my losses and backtracked out and ended up taking 140 to the east. This was somewhat disappointing as this area was beautiful and I'm sure it would have even gotten better....oh well next time.

Hope this helps,

Cort

 

[Cort]

I should also add that I highly recommend the Lake City Rd. When we did it at the rally I remember there being several extremely beautiful spots just on the east side of the divide that would work for primitive camping. Plus you could take FR30 all the way there.

Just some food for thought,

Cort

 

[Lighthawk]

I should also add that I highly recommend the Lake City Rd. When we did it at the rally I remember there being several extremely beautiful spots just on the east side of the divide that would work for primitive camping. Plus you could take FR30 all the way there.

Just some food for thought,

Cort


Excellent posts, Cort. Thanks for the good beta.
Looks like some really pretty country. Great photos.
I found this Lassen Crk with a bit of searching to see where you were referring to.

Now if I could just capture that info onto a map. I can save routes to google maps, but need good signal to access while traveling. I hope to pick up a good old fashioned paper map Modoc Country at the Chevron in Alturas. Meanwhile I'm downloading maps on my Droid using BC Nav, which I can access without cell signal. Otherwise, I've always got my tattered DeLorme map/book under the front seat of my Tundra, which has been pretty solid. Still, I feel under-gunned on maps.

 

[Cort]

yep that would be it.....wow those trucks sure do look familiar . A combo of the Modoc map and the Delorme will be just fine. If you have a chance check out the obsidian needles mine. There will definitely be folks up there mining the needles. When we were there one of the old timers was nice enough to hand out some pretty nice specimens to people. Be aware of some of the roads in the Warners, especially in the mining areas there are very sharp extrusions of obsidian.

Cort

 

[Lighthawk]

Be aware of some of the roads in the Warners, especially in the mining areas there are very sharp extrusions of obsidian.

Cort


Yikes! Don't want to slash my BFG's! Thanks for the tip, I'll look out.

Just reading about the Aug 2010 Rally this morning. Somehow I didn't remember that WTW has done some good research (and eating!) in this area already. Guess I was pretty new to the whole scene last summer when I first got my rig. Anyway, it's great info and I am enjoying all the stories and suggestions.

For those that use google map: I learned that if you look at a spot on WTW, and click on the google map where you see a smaller map on your screen, then click VIEW LARGER MAP, which will open a whole page of same map. You then can select 'save to map' on the left side of your screen and Voila! you have just added the spot to your personal map courtesy of WTW. Pretty cool. Extra bonus points if you copy & paste the description from WTW into the description field on your map. It all sounds complex, but it takes about one minute to gather the location and comments and put them in a place where you can see it on your own custom map. Oh yeah, and I will still pick up that Modoc paper map when I get up there.

 

[craig333]

Wish I could join you. Truck is in the shop at the moment. Crossing my fingers I dont get bad news but even at the best I'll be late getting out and short on funds. I'll probably keep this weekend somewhat close to home. Maybe see a friend up at silver lake.

 

[MarkBC]

Home Skillet and I are on 8400' Drake Peak right now. World-class 360 view...except for wildfire smoke
We're headed over to Abert Rim in a bit.
Later.
-Mark

 

[MarkBC]

Abert Rim -- hang-glider launch point, Fremont National Forest -- is where we're camped tonight. 4-LO crawl up the last few-hundred yards of broken basalt to get to the perfect spot, but the FWC Hawk and Titan Expedition Vehicle are fine.
Spectacular view, and the smoke has cleared up quite a bit.

 

[ski3pin]

Abert Rim -- hang-glider launch point, Fremont National Forest -- is where we're camped tonight. 4-LO crawl up the last few-hundred yards of broken basalt to get to the perfect spot, but the FWC Hawk and Titan Expedition Vehicle are fine.
Spectacular view, and the smoke has cleared up quite a bit.


Satellite connection down? You've gotten us use to updated trip reports on the road. More!

Actually, we figure you guys are having way too much fun to think about posting! Enjoy the trip and be safe.

 

[MarkBC]

Satellite connection down? You've gotten us use to updated trip reports on the road. More!

Actually, we figure you guys are having way too much fun to think about posting! Enjoy the trip and be safe.

Alive and well, got home a couple hours ago.
Trip report(s) to follow...but must attend a Labor Day BBQ now!

 

[home skillet]

I think we will close out this thread as the trip is now in the books and refer everyone over to MarkBC's Trip Report.

Home Skillet