![]() Federal investigation shuts down multimillion-dollar catalytic converter theft ring.California sheriff found guilty of corruption.Gold Rush town for its legendary doughnut Generations of travelers visit this Calif.Bay Area Safeway temporarily evacuated after customers start coughing.Kyrie Irving's non-apology is as empty and incoherent as that stupid movie.Horoscope for Thursday, 11/03/22 by Christopher Renstrom.It joins with multiple tributaries from other canyons amid a vast watershed.īut despite the sensational trek and great natural beauty, it is the knowledge that the Lost Caves are hidden somewhere below that both captivates and befuddles every visitor who has heard of them. Off to another side, you can see the canyon that creates the tiny, virgin headwaters of what eventually becomes one of California's most dynamic rivers. During that fire, this mountain was buried in smoke and the access roads to the trailhead temporarily closed. Off in the distance, the trained eye can see the distant ruins of a recent wildfire. Within the scope of 100 miles, a half-dozen or so well-known mountain peaks in other wilderness areas are easily recognized. You are surrounded below on all flanks by a sea of conifers. The view is stunning, so eye-popping that rather than a shout, the reaction is often an understated and shocked "Oh!" You emerge from this scramble near the summit, and then with a short huff- and-a-puff, you reach the peak. For this short stretch, you have to pick your way through, a slow, careful scramble, avoiding the loose material. At one point near the top, you face a slope covered with shale and loose gravel. You reach a small but pretty meadow, high on the mountain flank, a natural spot for a break.įrom here, you rise above tree line, the vegetation sparse, with the trail becoming a faint route. You rise steeply and keep on, the high mountain slopes eventually coming into view ahead. The hike, once easy and sanguine, becomes rough, and for some after a half hour, even grueling and doubtful. Ouzels prefer to nest behind the freefall of small waterfalls.Įventually you break off from the trail along the river and start the climb up the mountain. Ouzels, also called dippers for their knee-bending antics on rocks, are the only bird that can feed by picking off insects when flying, swimming or even walking on the river bottom. ![]() ![]() On different treks here, we have seen black bears (mostly black in color, only a few cinnamon), deer, bobcat and a print of a mountain lion.Īlong the stream, I've always spotted my favorite bird, the water ouzel, a charming little fellow, darting up and down the river. In turn, this supports a diverse abundance of wildlife. That gives rise to a dynamic habitat with a diverse variety of trees and plants. One of the first things we noticed is that the base landscape is a mix of granite and peridotite. The surrounding forest is a mix of pine and fir, with a light sprinkling of cedar and various hardwoods, depending on slope exposure. It isn't long and you are walking along a small, beautiful stream, the water cold and clear. The trek starts along an old dirt road, but after passing the wilderness boundary, it narrows to a hiking path. The next morning, you awake refreshed and excited, ready to hit the trail. The nights are very quiet here, and occasionally you can hear the soft distant hoots of an owl calling for a mate as you drift off to sleep. Fishing is OK for small trout, and you can usually catch a few from shore for a camp dinner. So it takes several hours to reach the trailhead, set near a small lake, and most will camp at this lake on the first night in. After entering a national forest, the route to the trailhead becomes a logging road, circuitous with many spurs. It is a long drive to the trailhead from the Bay Area, longer than many want to make. My first trip here was more than 20 years ago, but I'm captivated with the area and have returned several times. For others, well, there will be enough clues in this column for the wise few to cipher it out. Those who have heard of the Lost Caves probably know the answer and can be the first to win a prize. Now, here's your test: Can you guess the name of the mountain? They lead to a complex system of chambers, elevator shafts and tunnels with multi-colored walls, underground creeks and waterfalls. The openings to the caves are well off the trail and hidden by brush. Yet the Lost Caves are a mystery that can shadow every step.
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