During my hike I had already decided I would postpone fetching my bike and instead first drive east then north to "ground-truth" a possible "midpoint" PCT access between hwy 140 and Crater lake via a spur trail from Seven Mile Marsh Campground west of the Seven Mile Guard Station west of Fort Klamath, that would offer a two-loop alternative to the single loop involving what would be a long bicycle ride down hwy 62 from Crater Lake then south along the west side of the marshy upper Klamath Lake basin to hwy 140 then a long climb west up hwy 140 to the PCT trailhead parking (where I just finished hiking north to) between Lake Of The Woods and Fish Lake.
Specifically, my plans, hatched out based on my smoke-escape motivated northbound scouting-drive last summer, assisted by my Delorme Oregon Road Atlas, was to take NFD 3231 (according to Delorme) off of hwy 62 just south of that southern "finger" of the National Park Boundary along route 62. According to Delorme, NFD 3231 becomes NFD 3200 which passes Seven Mile Guard Station (west of Fort Klamath. (At that Guard station is a road 3334 west along seven mile creek to the Seven Mile Marsh Campground with the spur trail to the PCT. Continuing south on NFD 3200 according to Delorme brings you to a three-way junction (with eastbound Seven Mile Road.) The southern branch of that Y is Primary Forest Route 34 AKA Westside Road which terminates at hwy 140. But last year coming from hwy 140 I had missed the left turn at what I expected to be that "Y" junction to Seven Mile Guard Station, and I just drove on past Ft Klamath to Crater lake.
I Figured this time I could leave food and water at the Seven Mile Marsh Campground, if that turned out to be feasible, then return to Howard Prairie Lk by way of Klamath Falls, lingering there long enough to do my laundry, update this blog, get more food & water. Except, I already didn't have enough water (the 6 gallon jug I had along was empty, and two of three additional gallon jugs were empty, the last was half-full, but I was thirsty, so that would go fast. I assumed I'd find water in Fort Klamath (I thought I remembered blowing past a small store there last year on my way to Crater lake.)
This time, driving eastbound down hwy 140 I noticed that while the eastbound paved shoulder was a comfortable 3ft wide, the uphill westbound side it was a mere 1ft! WTF! Another strike against a bicycle climb up 140!
Approaching the "maze" around Fort Klamath, I again missed the turn to the Seven Mile Guard Station, instead blowing through a high-speed curve to the right as Westside Road becomes Seven mile Road. Again blew through Fort Klamath not sure if I remembered noticing a store. Found myself entering the little southern extension of Crater Lake Park before I slowed down. No problem, turn around and look for the right turn I'd take onto NFD 3231 on my potential two-loop bicycle ride from Crater lake to the Seven Mile Guard Station. Couldn't find it! Found a gravel road labeled NF350 opposite a snow park at the approximate location, which might correspond to the eastern part of Delorme's NFD 3213. Maybe NFD 3231 connects to NF350?
But I didn't bother driving down NF350 to find out, unfortunately. Instead decided to approach it from the other end. Drove back to Fort Klamath and did find the west turn onto Nicholson Road that led to the Guard Station. Again noticed a high speed curve directing traffic onto southbound Hackler Road rather than continuing west no Nicholsen Road to the Guard Station. But I was now onto them now! The same people keep taking down the signs to the secretive community of Bodega Bay at the south end of Point Reyes National Seashore! (Not sure why that would be in this case though - to keep people away from the Seven Mile Creek maybe? Rest of the valley plain is cattle pasture.)
The paved Nicholson Road extension curved north becoming NFD 3200 at the Guard Station intersection. I decided to save for later exploring the northern end of NFD 3200 becoming NFD3231 then maybe NF350 before hitting Crater lake hwy 32. First priority was to check out that road NFD 3334 alongside Seven Mile Creek to the Seven Mile Marsh campground/PCT spur trail trailhead. That was the left turn at the "traffic-diversion curve" onto a gravel road, which passed by a driveway to a set of buildings that must be the Guard Station, followed shortly by a "Y" split with the right turn northward labeled as heading to the Seven Mile Marsh trailhead. Yay! Upward ho! It started off pretty level, becoming gradually steeper as it curved west. Only problem, it was rather course, sharp-edged crushed gravel. Not good for road-bike tires. But still doable aerobically in my lowest gear. And slow speed in this setting beats slow speed on high-speed hwy 140 psychologically. Continuing on, there's an equestrian trailhead on the left, and straight ahead a sign promising a hiker's trailhead. The road becomes very steep - I would definitely be walking my bike at that point, so would definitely be taking the equestrian trail if I even made it that far. No place to turn around my car, so continued on about two miles to the trailheaad, having a sign saying PCT 1 1/3 miles. Rather steep terrain well above the creek No sign of a marsh or campground, as the Delorme map would suggest. Back down to the Equestrian Trailhead. Sign says PCT 3 1/2 miles. So the signs at least are consistent.
Back down to the Guard Station intersection. Now for that Crater lake hwy 32 junction. Started heading north on the paved NFD 3200, noticed a sight saying Seven Mile Guard station at a driveway to those buildings, with two cars parked. looked at the time - 4:45, maybe they're still open. Backed up and drove in, arked in front of the first building. Young lady pops out the door says "Hello! I'm Eva, Who are you?" "I'm a hiker, I guess. Was just checking out the Seven Mile PCT trailhead here, seeing if I could bicycle to it. I'm now trying to check out the connection to here with the Crater lake hwy." Couldn't find the connection from the hwy. Does this road connect to hwy 62?" "I think so." "Good. Do you Have water?" "Mmm... I have some..." "Mmmm, I'm trying to fill a 6 gallon jug." Oh no, I get my drinking water delivered in bottles" (points to the cooler-water jugs on the porch. There is non-potable water from the hose, tastes bad, has lots of iron." "Is there a grocery store near by?" "Mmmm no, there a very small store in Fort Klamath." "So the closest really is Klamath Falls?" "Yes." "Well, I was heading there anyway to use the library." "Could I ask you more about your PCT hiking, if you don't mind?
We had a long conversation, She was stationed there for three months, she said. She was still going to college, at Green... (something or other - I recognized the name, but now am blanking) in Washington. Agriculture, but her interest is more gardening than large scale ag. Would like to hike the PCT, but also taking several years. Also into birding, she said. Mentioned some fledgeling robins in that tree over there. Learning bird songs. Wee had a discussion on our lack of understanding of their language. "Yes, scientists are beginning to discover that they don't know much about bird communication" she said.
The conversation could have been longer, except I had my agenda to complete. In retrospect I _should_ have stayed longer, she seemed very lonely there (what with all the roads diverting people away.) I did ask her if she gets many visitors. She gets some. "There were some people yesterday asking about what what kind of birding was around." I could have asked more about what the Guard Station was all about. I've now learnt more here:
http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/regions/Pacific_Northwest/Sevenmile/index.shtml
I note that this page has directions mentioning NF3300 as the road heading south from here to connect with Westside Road. Delorme's calls this NFD 3200. Now I'm not sure what I actually saw on the signs here, especially since at the West side road end, it's signed as NF3100! Haven't yet double-checked Google maps, though I remember seeing differences, and being confused.
Anyway, I headed off north on Delorme's NFD 3200 confirmed in the above directions. It did come to a "Y" at the point Delorme labels as a straight continuation of NFD3200 and an angled right onto NFD 3231. The sign said hwy 62 Crater Lk was to the right. Took it, still paved, to another intersection with a gravel road signed NF 390. (No mention of hwy 62 or Crater Lake.) I continued straight. After a few more angled intersections with dirt roads, the paved straight-ahead split into two very little used dirt, not gravel, roads. At an obvoius dead end, I turned around, back to the last signed intersection, turned left northeast onto NF390, that wound along for "quite a long while" with no hwy 32 appearing within my sense of space & time should have occurred, so I was lost, turned around, back past the guard station. Wanted to stop and ask again, but also felt a bit foolish, so I passed by and continued south on NFD 3300 or whatever it was. This skirted the edge of a series of marshes, and finally "J'd" left to intersect West Side Road. The road I was on was signed NF3100 (visible only after one has entered the road.) The intersection with high speed West Side Road was an inconspicuous forest road to "nowhere". No signed mention of the guard station, or Seven Mile Marsh Campground/Trailhead, or anything! Still not sure why this seemingly systematic, de-emphasis of or diversion from an interesting point of interest! Likewise Fort Klamath itelf. Why this ghost town in a location that could be a strategic shopping point to fleece visitors to Crater Lake? Somebody should investigate further!
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