Trail Talk – February 2020

After a dry fall, we are finally enjoying some winter weather. A noticeable scent fills our wet woodlands, and any walkabout permeates our clothing with an aromatic (some would say pungent) reminder that we’ve been out and about. For many, our New Year’s Resolution will see us hiking more often. Many of us will take it upon ourselves to venture forth on unfamiliar trails to experience new territory. It is a season of exploration as the days grow noticeably longer and warmer.

The dry, crackly leaves of but a few weeks ago have become fodder for the decomposing organisms underfoot. The crunchy sounds of late fall’s footfalls are replaced by the squishy serenade of sloppy leaf litter. Every season brings its own reasons to get up and head out the door, and here, in the foothills of the Siskiyou Mountains, we see the signs of early spring quickly after the dark days of winter.

By mid-January, the catkins adorn the hazelnuts and alders along the streams in our parks. Young miners’ lettuce, bright green along the trails, speaks of the healthful bounty to follow. Watercress flourishes in the wetland areas, and brave bulbs on the drier hillsides burst forth their leaves in anticipation of spring blooms to follow.

As foggy mornings linger, take time to get out and above their dismal blanket. Hike up onto the surrounding hillsides to gaze out across the white ocean, enjoying a viewpoint in the sun where the strengthening light of spring’s sun warms one to the core. While others lie entrapped in that gray world below, one can toss aside that heavy winter jacket and soak up precious golden sunlight. This is a great time of year to sit on a hillside bench and rejoice in our wonderful place in the world.

In the Jacksonville Woodlands, two benches that invite a morning meditation are found above the Britt Gardens. Panorama Point gives an eagle’s eye view of downtown, while another bench at the top of White Oak Trail offers a more natural vista of the hills to the south. A travelers’ cup of morning coffee from one of our local baristas completes the journey.

Farther afield, in Forest Park, more benches await the sun-seeking visitor. East-facing benches include the Serendipity and Sunrise benches on Jackson Ridge Trail, as well as the Mountain Mahogany Meadows, Upper Twin Peaks, and Cascade Crest Shelter benches along Owl Hoot and Twin Peaks Trail. These viewpoints boast expansive views of Bear Creek Valley and one can gaze far out over the Eastern Siskiyou and Southern Cascade Ranges.

To luxuriate in late morning sunshine, there are many south-facing benches as well, giving the park patron pleasant panoramas of the peaks of our nearby mountains. Alas, another day, and another article is needed to boast of their bona fides.

So… arise, brave Helios, and greet the morning world as she awakens from winter’s deep slumber! And as the song reminds us: “Just you and me, and a little white pup, sittin’ here waitin’ for the sun to come up, and chase the chill away…”