RETIREMENT TRIP #7

Low Pressure Brings Signs of Seasonal Change

                                                 Kitty-corner across the street from Antlers Motel in downtown Chester is a tire center.  For us this morning that was the quintessence of the word “convenient.”  Dressed and ready to hike before 8 a.m., we discovered the Fiesta had an almost-flat tire on the back passenger side.  The light flashed “Low Tire Pressure” again.



The dusty Mill Creek Trail leads us through
groves of pine and across meadows.

“It’s either a leak around the rim from the gravel road bumping or I picked up a nail,” said Andy.  “It’s not down to the rim, so we can drive it across the street.”

We did, and half an hour later, minus one large screw embedded in the tread, we were on our way.

Andy picked our trail for today, once he had decided there was no way we were driving back down the Drakesbad gravel road.  He chose Mill Creek Trail to Mill Creek Falls, the largest waterfall in the Lassen Volcanic National Park, with a drop of 75 feet.  It was off a main road, parking available, not too long a hike, located at a lower elevation, and not too much climbing along the trail.  Sounded doable!

We set out at 9:20 a.m.  The dusty trail immediately descended.  Little puffs of black dust rose from our heels with each step, and before the trail leveled off the first time, my pants had fine powdery black dust coated from the knees down.

A lone dead pine, branches
drooped from years of heavy
snow, hugs the hillside.

“I don’t believe that guidebook,” said Andy, after the first mile in.  “It said 300-foot difference in elevation.”

“Right!” I told him.  “That’s a total of 300 up and 300 down each direction.  It doesn’t say how many times you do it!”  I was joking, but we had come up and down repeatedly.

The trail descended to a crossing of West Sulphur Creek on a footbridge, and then it passed around hillsides of dried out mules ears.  They rustled with each little breeze.  

Few people see Mill Creek Falls
drop 75 feet into the canyon below.

Gradually downhill through three or four open meadows, it followed through forested areas to the Mill Creek Falls, a distance of about 2.1 miles.  The trek back was harder, because much of it was uphill the 2.1 return miles.  But it was then with more frequent water stops that we appreciated the views of Brokeoff Mountain and Mount Diller.

The waterfall was lovely.

At the confluence of two
streams, Mill Creek Falls
cascades in series.

Mill Creek Falls drops suddenly right near the confluence of East Sulphur Creek and Bumpass Creek.   No fish live in the streams near the falls or for some distance below the falls, because there is too much sulphur from the thermal areas above.  Farther downstream, fish can survive because the water is diluted.

We climbed to the top of the falls and took the boardwalk.  With the two streams coming together and vast contrasts in lighting, it wasn’t an easy photograph.  

Flowers still bloom in the cleft of the
rock at Mill Creek Falls.

Then we faced the long trek back, definitely harder going uphill at the 5,500-foot elevation.  In the 4.2 miles, about 2.7 hours, we passed one middle-aged couple going the other way.  And they weren’t carrying water!

Lake Almanor, just south of Chester, is a huge manmade lake in Plumas County, surrounded by national forest.

On the trail back out, we catch a glimpse
of Brokeoff Mountain near Lassen.

We drove along the 13 miles to the south end and browsed in a wood carving shop.  The carver had hundreds of chain-saw carved bears priced about half the asking rate as New York carvers, but we had no way of transporting.

The lake, about six miles wide, was formed by the damming of the Feather River.  Known as a recreation paradise, the lake is lined with private cottages, campgrounds and an occasional boat launch.

Only once did we get a view of Mount Lassen from one of the pullouts. 



Although low now, Lake Almanor holds
plenty of water going into the rainy season.

Things definitely seem to be closing up for the season here.  Maybe the high off shore is starting to break.  Low pressure is moving in, and fall is coming.  A few puffy clouds lined the blue horizon, and in spite of the penetrating sun at midday, the evenings are cooling off.  Even the Visitor Center at Lassen had very limited supplies.

“We’re just about ready to close for the season,” said the clerk.