Enchanted Forest
To begin with, this is not a trail that I would normally rank in my top 50% of the hikes we do with AHG. Some of you might push back on that statement, but….
But then there was yesterday’s hike which seemed to have a conjunction of external events that just seemed to come together perfectly. Five of us set out on this misty morning into the valley of the Applegate and up past one of my favorite vineyards to the trailhead. By the time we started the hike patches of blue were breaking the overcast grays and suggesting the possibility of a bright sunlit day. I, following Keeley’s habit tried to suggest that we should hike fairly directly to our lunch stop at the top saddle, and then take a more leisurely pace back checking out the flowers and sights. I suggested that the weather radar(gods) indicated the likelihood of rain moving in around two in the afternoon.
We made about 20 feet and were stopped by red warriors cloaking as flowers, and shortly thereafter, gigantic Trillium and Fairy Bells…. And….and…. This had to be controlled. So, onward to the long gradually steepening trail up the valley floor. The light transition to ray of sunshine bouncing off wet leaves and droplets of dew as the forest transitioned from moss covered oak and madrone to tall stately Douglas Firs.
And, the gradient just kept getting steeper. “Just a littler further to the first switchback then we will rest”. Yea we took multiple short breaks and wardrobe adjustments. The steepest grade comes just past the first switchback after which we were rewarded with our first view spot. The sky had opened to full light, with cumulus clouds marching eastward against a back drop of perfect dark, sky blue. And, just at the end of the grade, before the switchback backs to the east, we spotted a lone Morel. My first in 5 years of hiking in Southern Oregon. Not a bad hike. We left it there, and continued up the last pitch through shoulder high deer brush to the saddle.
And what a surprise. Recent logging and burning had cleared the entire eastern slope. A tepee 20’ tall of cut logs sat on the pass waiting for a torch. The logging was complete, burn scars and some logging mess extend down for several hundred feet. But the view was exceptional. We found a stack of horizontal logs along the road and sat down for our lunch. We look out across valley to the High Cascades still topped with clouds and down across the Valley of the Rogue State Park and up highway 5. We sat there on the log and enjoyed the view and just as Leslie was pulling out the chocolate, Sherry or Marilyn said “hey there is a morel at my feet”. Then we all started looking around our feet and under the logs. Not long after we had twenty cut and encased in luncheon baggies.
The Hike down was remarkable, the forest still glistened, the flowers had completely opened, the lower meadow and grassland danced in a light breeze, and he sun and sky cooperated.
And just because we could…. we stopped at Wooldrige and sat on the lawn and replayed the Enchanted Forest in the comfort of Wooldrige’s garden and the sips of their wine.
Hike Leader: Bob
Photos By: Bob, Leslie
