Leave from the Rite Aid parking lot on Ashland Street promptly at 9:00 AM unless otherwise indicated. Bring water, lunch, hat, sun-screen and rain gear. TH = trailhead; EDT = estimated drive time; RT = round trip mileage; PCT = Pacific Crest Trail; DIM = Dead Indian Memorial Highway. 100 Hikes is 100 Hikes in Southern Oregon, 3rd edition
Hike Leader: Rich Stickle: 541-326-6108
Website: https://ashlandhiking.org
February 5: East Applegate Ridge Trail (EART)
TH: Head up I-5 to exit 24, Phoenix. Left into Phoenix and then right on OR-99. Turn left onto Stage Road then left on Griffin Lane. In about a mile turn right onto West Griffin Creek Road for 2.9 miles which becomes Poormans Creek Road for another 1.1 miles to a T junction and left onto Sterling Creek Road. Go 4 miles to the 4 mile marker and the trail is well marked 100 feet past the sign. 5.5 miles total with lunch on top then back to parking. About 1,100' gain. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 70 miles
February 12: Snowshoeing, etc. at Mt. Ashland
TH: Drive south on I-5, turn off at Exit 6 for Mt. Ashland, drive up a short distance on old Highway 99, and turn right up Mt. Ashland Ski Road. Pass the lodge across the parking lot to reach a dead-end parking area near a closed gate on FS Road 20. A Sno-Park permit is required for each car (passengers should help pay for it). EDT: 30 minutes. Description: Smooth, packed snow on FS20 ideal for snowshoes, XC skis, yaktrax, or even your hiking boots. We'll go up the road towards the Rabbit Ears. WeatherForecast. RT mileage: 30 miles.
February 19:Layton Mine Ditch Trail (Part 1 to Chinese Wall)
TH: North on I-5 to exit 55 for Grants Pass. Follow Highway 199 for 3 miles to a left on Highway 238 towards Williams. South on the Williams Highway to the town of Williams, then south on the East Fork Road to a left (east) turn onto Panther Gulch Road (Bureau of Land Management Road 39-5-2). Head east on Panther Gulch for 2.3 miles (paved, then good gravel) to a T-junction and park. Description: The upper trail heads north to the right off the road. Take the ditch trail out to the constructed Chinese retaining wall. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 100 miles.
February 26: Hike at Steve Stark's 40 Acre Mountain Lake Property
Hike canceled due to snow and ice conditions
TH: From Rite Aid head east on Highway 66 to a left on Dead Indian Memorial Road. Go just past 20 miles to 20948 DIM Road. Description: we'll do a special hike up at Steve Stark's property which had patchy snow Thursday with the promise of more by Monday. Bring your snowshoes but yaks or boots may also work. Dress warm for temps in the 30s and it may be snowing. We'll caravan up to a hard-to-see turn-off, then hike in. We'll hike around the lake. Weather forecast. RT mileage: 50 miles.