Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Sacramento Rim Trail (FT 105) FR 634 to FR 64D- Lincoln National Forest






We did this little section of the Rim Trail last Friday. It only took a couple of hours of slightly damp, overcast late morning to early afternoon,but that's all we were allotted, as the rains started just as we were returning to the 4Runner parked along FR 634.
  The first 1.25 miles of this section is a very nice, relatively level walk. The single track is almost entirely closed in by second growth pines and firs, although there are occasional  openings with nice stands of aspen, which would recommend it as a fall color hike. The trail is only stony at its initial ascent and then later at the descent to Karr Canyon. Otherwise, our feet were treading soft brown dirt, or even softer needles and decayed cones as we passed moss covered stumps and  watched tiny wrens flit about fallen trees.
 We saw a substantial elk herd of at least 25 individuals up on the low ridge above us and had to wait for awhile ( I'm sure it seemed like a very long while to our excited Scotties) for them to all make up their minds to cross the trail in front us, but eventually they did and weren't seen again.
Unsightly, randomly piled logs,  and sawdust and wood chips covering acres of ground, all evidence of recent logging that precluded the notices posted on several trees made most of the half-mile section past Karr Canyon an eyesore and probably not worth doing unless you're hiking through, or, like me just doing it for the sake of completeness.

We picknicked on a log on the other side of FR 64D in less than ideal surroundings. A few drops fell, and we were quickly on the move. On the return of this out and back, we detoured a bit at the end to walk in a parallel grassy meadow that was staked with wildflowers and aspen trees; a nice finish to a mostly pleasant trek.
 After our hike we drove FR 634 to its end looking for any future campsites.  There are a very few, but be forewarned: this road is very narrow and its quality deteriorates the farther along you travel (although it is still quite good as forest service roads go).

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