Our major attraction for this weekend is a hike on a deserted section of the Highline Trail. We have scouted an access a while back and today we just have to follow the GPS points we have already set. This time we drive a bit more on the forest road parking halfway up just to be out of view of the other passing cars. And then we pass an artificial waterhole as we make our way up towards the Highline trail.
Soon we reach the end of the road and from here we have to follow the fence and the informal trail next to it up to the trail which is only 0.1 mile away.
And then here we are, we reach the gate that allows us to pass the fence into unexplored territory. Previously we explored the other way for a short distance but now we want to hike about 6-7 miles west on the trail and finding a lot of very lonely caches.
The one thing that we noticed last time and really is evident today is that this area was burned. Not sure if a controlled burn or a wildfire but for certail we can see that most of the larger trees are gone or cut. It looks like an apocalyptic wasteland for stretches which makes finding the trail difficult.
One reason that the trail is difficult to find is that it was rerouted but the caches are on the old trail. And this is not a short re-route, it is probably about three miles long so missing the old trail intersection is a problem. And we do miss it then we go through manzanita bushes leaving blood from lots of punctures behind us before finally finding the trail, phew, it looks still in good shape.
Soon we find the first cache in the series of caches. All of them are still there even though some obviously were in the burned area. Quite the survivors they are it seems.
We really hate manzanita at this point given how many cuts we have received from it but we still cannot ignore how beautiful it is when whole patches are in flower. Lizards are also out on rocks to try to heat themselves up, it is still cold outside and cloudy.
The old Highline trail is still in relatively good shape, the only times we get scared in this section is whenever it goes down a wash as there is the possibility of it being washed out or that we are not able to pick it up through the greenery. No issues yet though so we are getting more confident. And we always assume that the new trail is close by which, as we will learn later, is actually a false assumption.
The worst are where the burned down areas are combined with washes but we always are able to pick up the trail on the other side, usually with no delays, seems we have become experts at this.
Some of the burned areas are quite desolate and we cannot believe that the caches survived but survive they did even if for some we have to do some digging.
And then suddenly we enter a green area, it seems we have stepped from the burned area into the unburned section. It is quite lush and the reason is that there is a flowing creek, quite a beautiful one actually. We decide to have a picnic here and enjoy the flowing water and the birds while eating a few snacks before moving on.
And then suddenly the path is blocked by a new fence. We do our best to avoid it while trying to find the trail again and again. It seems that the private ranch has built the fence and cut the Highline Trail off, quite annoying. As such instead of using a couple switchbacks we have to climb a mountain directly up to catch the trail again as it skirts around the property, luckily never crossing again onto private land.
Picking up the trail is a bit more difficult here it seems that maybe the ranch has done thinks to make it less obvious. Like throwing animal skeletons on the trail?!
Here we find also some ruins, not very extensive but at least we find the old fireplace of a prior ranch house.
And then we lose the trail completely in a fern forest. When we also have to cross a flowing creek and on the other side there is no trail. At all. We are flummoxed a bit but then follow the GPS track of the trail and pick it up after a few hundred feet of wading through ferns, phew.
The trail now is clearer and soon we reach another possible access road that we will have to investigate for later. But right now we are five miles in and we are quite surprised that we haven’t met with the new trail since we left it, some four miles back. At this point based on the map we have to meet it at some point but we go and go and no intersection.
The trail is again quite eroded and as we continue to find caches and enjoy the flowers and the birds we are also getting more concerned. Maybe we missed the intersection a while back and are now on the new trail? But it certainly doesn’t look like the new trail to us.
And then just as we think there is no chance to meet with the new trail we meet with it. A surprise but quite an enjoyable one as now we can return via the official trail instead of trying to avoid the ranch also on the way back.
The route is actually quite different from the old trail. It seems to be much longer but it avoids many ascents and descends. And it is quite far from the old trail, with every step it seems we are getting farther away from the old trail. Still we recognize every creek we pass as we passed them also on the way in including the one where we lost the old trail further downriver.
This area is also less burned than the old trail, there are even stands of forest standing that we walk through enjoying the shade while looking for any wildlife.
And we do find some wildlife, a beautiful Kingsnake, quite annoyed at us almost stepping on it and a Holzner Cottontail just enjoying the late afternoon.
And then suddenly we start turning back towards the old trail and we cross one fence gate and soon we meet with the old trail and then are at our gate from where we have to descend to the car. We reach it just as it gets dark and at this point we are done and can barely move our legs. But we did most of what we wanted so it is time for a celebratory dinner at the Bar &Grill next to our AirBnB before crashing into bed after a really long day out.
