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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Mt. Ashland hopes to build on good year ... Wolf pack grows as OR-7 slows down ... Sounds of Crater Lake ... Mt. Ashland hopes to build on good year ... Wolf pack grows as OR-7 slows down ... Sounds of Crater Lake ... HIKING Little-known Mt. Eddy serves up surprises Near Weed, it's the tallest mountain west of I-5 Comment By Lee Juillerat for the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Lee Juillerat for the Tidings Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Lee Juillerat for the Tidings Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM More on Mt. Eddy --> How to get there From the Rogue Valley, drive south on Interstate 5 to exit 751, turn right, and after 0.4 mile turn left onto Stewart Springs Road. After 4.5 miles turn right onto For... » Read more X More on Mt. Eddy How to get there From the Rogue Valley, drive south on Interstate 5 to exit 751, turn right, and after 0.4 mile turn left onto Stewart Springs Road. After 4.5 miles turn right onto Forest Road 17, also known as Parks Creek Road, for about 9.3 miles. Park at the large trailhead clearing at Parks Creek Pass. Why Mount Eddy? Mount Eddy honors Olive Paddock Eddy, the first woman to climb Mount Shasta. She and her husband, Nelson Harvey Eddy, moved in 1856 from New York to far Northern California, where he became a successful Shasta Valley rancher. It's believed the mountain's original name might have been Num-mel-be-le-sas-pam, or "west blaze mountain," by Wintu Indians. For trivia fans, Mount Eddy is the tallest mountain in the United States west of Interstate 5. Depending on the source, Eddy's summit is listed as 9,025 or 9,037 feet, while the elevation gain from the trail is variously listed as 2,170 to 2,850 feet at different sources. Only scattered remains of a lookout, which operated until 1931, exist on the summit. According to the Aug. 5, 1920, Bakersfield Californian, J.S. McClemmons was on the telephone at the lookout when lightning struck the building, blowing a 4-foot hole in the wall and, ironically, setting the structure on fire. McClemmons was initially knocked unconscious but recovered quickly enough to put out the fire. He then hiked to Sisson, now Mount Shasta City, where he was treated for burns and released. » Social News Sparkling blue mountain lakes, colorful wildflowers and — peek-a-boo — an edifying view of Mount Shasta. For years, hiking friends have praised Mount Eddy. And, like the nearly unanimous response from most folks, my reply was, "Never heard of it. Where is it?" Now I know. Located west of Weed, Calif., Mount Eddy is tall but often overlooked. It doesn't stand out, because it's surrounded by other mountains nearly as tall and it's dwarfed by Mount Shasta. Still, at an elevation of 9,025 feet, Mount Eddy is the highest in the Klamath Mountains. From its starting point along the Pacific Crest Trail west of Weed, hikers and backpackers have three choices. The shortest and easiest hike goes about three miles along the PCT to a junction with Lower and Middle Deadfall lakes. Middle Deadfall Lake, the largest and deepest of a series of lakes, is not to be missed. People can find a lakeside spot to rest, eat and swim before returning to the trailhead. The second choice climbs another mile up the Mount Eddy Trail to Upper Deadfall Lake, a smaller but yet another beautiful lake. Like Lower Deadfall and Middle Deadfall, Upper Deadfall is seasonally vibrant with an array of wildflowers. No matter what distance, take along a flower book. At various elevations, the rainbow array includes asters, blue and yellow lupine, Indian paintbrush, scarlet gilia, red columbine, larkspur, yarrow, marigolds, corn lily, angelica, wild onion, buttercup and, in boggy areas near streams, the carnivorous pitcher plant. The pleasant, gradually uphill hike to the lower and middle lakes go through occasional meadows and crosses streams. Before reaching timberline, the forest evolves from red and white fir and Jeffrey and Ponderosa pine to western white and foxtail pines. From the lakes, reaching Eddy's summit requires a steady uphill effort. It's another 1,230 vertical feet from Upper Lake along a series of well designed and laid-out switchbacks. The reward is more than worthwhile. Especially astonishing is the smack-dab-in-your-face view of Mount Shasta, which stays out of view until reaching the summit plateau. It's a peak experience. Farther off are Mount McLoughlin, Mount Lassen, the Trinity Alps and Castle Crags. Easy to overlook, literally and visually, is Black Butte, seemingly nestled in Shasta's protective shadow. The broad summit also features remnants of a long-ago lookout, with scattered boards and smatterings of concrete foundations. Climbing Eddy isn't a religious experience, but it is a spirited, edifying hike. Lee Juillerat has been writing about outdoor adventures in Southern Oregon and elsewhere for more than 30 years. He is also a regular contributor to the outdoor-travel website High On Adventure at www.highonadventure.com . He can be contacted at [email protected] or 541-880-4139. By Lee Juillerat for the Tidings DailyTidings.com By Lee Juillerat for the Tidings Posted Aug. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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