a little loopy
The road was closed on Monday, so I can't get to the area I'd like to explore, but I'd like to take a few more days than one for that exploration. It does make it ideal to head out on a hike that could be a nice loop, but much of it is along the road. I decided to make a loop through blue canyon, then up Romero trail. Annoyingly, I had just read one account of a trip finishing with this trail saying it might be the steepest in the neighborhood. I thought briefly about going down it instead of up and decided I didn't really want to and I wasn't sure where it came out anyway. I actually spotted the sign for the trail on the side of the road as I drove past, so I could have reversed it all, but still did not.
I found a parking spot not too far from the gate and proceeded down the road to where Blue Canyon comes to the road. As I passed the gate, someone else came up to it in their car, though they seemed mildly more surprised to see it than I was. I continued and there was a vehicle coming up my nicely closed bit of road. The ranger asked if I was going far and I told him my short plans. He nodded, perhaps because I wasn't a fool trying to get to the hot spring the long way or because I would likely be out of it by the time it started to rain, as it eventually threatened.
I passed over a stream flowing very nicely, but it wasn't yet the canyon, so continued on. The cut of the trail on the far side of the canyon was clear, so it was easy to know where I was going. Quite a ways further, just after a bridge, there was the trail simply with a sign saying "trail". A little ways down, there was an information sign which was mostly devoted to the endangered species found in this stream. The tread was good as I followed it down stream. The water wasn't flowing well yet, but would be when that tributary came in. I made it to the first campground without any effort. That is, the trail went right through the middle of Upper Blue Canyon camp, so there was no extra energy needed to get there. It didn't have a sign like I'd seen on the others.
Just before and after the camp, the tread wasn't so good. There was a high reroute because the area had suffered massive erosion. The edge was at the side of the trail and the trail was sloped and loose. It seemed that the next storm would probably bring it down and a poorly placed foot that slipped would bring me down. It was steep and loose and a long way down over the eroded section. I was very careful in crossing.
Keeping on, there were portions of the trail that seemed very familiar although I hadn't been beyond the next camp before. Without too much more poor tread on the trail, I got to the intersection with Romero. The USGS map shows two trails from here to Cottam camp, one by the stream and one that follows closer to below the power lines that started up Romero a little. I started up Romero a short way an decided that I wouldn't search for it after all. I was pretty certain the main trail was the one that supposedly went from up Romero since it didn't cross the stream once and stayed fairly near the power lines, though not under any. The sign said Blue Canyon was 1/2 mile away, but it was very nearly just around the corner. I kept on to Cottam, not too much further, and sketched the only ice can stove I could find.
I ate a little too. Then I headed back the way I came and up Romero. It really was quite steep. There actually were a few switchbacks as it went. It looked like someone had rerouted a couple places, but it was probably a long time ago. Someone had been through trimming branches the week before, or so, too. I made it up to the road above and found that the sign I saw really was the correct one. Turning left, I continued back to the car over the short bit of road left to the car.
I found a parking spot not too far from the gate and proceeded down the road to where Blue Canyon comes to the road. As I passed the gate, someone else came up to it in their car, though they seemed mildly more surprised to see it than I was. I continued and there was a vehicle coming up my nicely closed bit of road. The ranger asked if I was going far and I told him my short plans. He nodded, perhaps because I wasn't a fool trying to get to the hot spring the long way or because I would likely be out of it by the time it started to rain, as it eventually threatened.
I passed over a stream flowing very nicely, but it wasn't yet the canyon, so continued on. The cut of the trail on the far side of the canyon was clear, so it was easy to know where I was going. Quite a ways further, just after a bridge, there was the trail simply with a sign saying "trail". A little ways down, there was an information sign which was mostly devoted to the endangered species found in this stream. The tread was good as I followed it down stream. The water wasn't flowing well yet, but would be when that tributary came in. I made it to the first campground without any effort. That is, the trail went right through the middle of Upper Blue Canyon camp, so there was no extra energy needed to get there. It didn't have a sign like I'd seen on the others.
Just before and after the camp, the tread wasn't so good. There was a high reroute because the area had suffered massive erosion. The edge was at the side of the trail and the trail was sloped and loose. It seemed that the next storm would probably bring it down and a poorly placed foot that slipped would bring me down. It was steep and loose and a long way down over the eroded section. I was very careful in crossing.
Keeping on, there were portions of the trail that seemed very familiar although I hadn't been beyond the next camp before. Without too much more poor tread on the trail, I got to the intersection with Romero. The USGS map shows two trails from here to Cottam camp, one by the stream and one that follows closer to below the power lines that started up Romero a little. I started up Romero a short way an decided that I wouldn't search for it after all. I was pretty certain the main trail was the one that supposedly went from up Romero since it didn't cross the stream once and stayed fairly near the power lines, though not under any. The sign said Blue Canyon was 1/2 mile away, but it was very nearly just around the corner. I kept on to Cottam, not too much further, and sketched the only ice can stove I could find.
I ate a little too. Then I headed back the way I came and up Romero. It really was quite steep. There actually were a few switchbacks as it went. It looked like someone had rerouted a couple places, but it was probably a long time ago. Someone had been through trimming branches the week before, or so, too. I made it up to the road above and found that the sign I saw really was the correct one. Turning left, I continued back to the car over the short bit of road left to the car.