Document text
0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Flores-Zambrano pleads guilty in drug-trafficking case ... Crews near 50 percent containment on Stouts fire ... Justice Court in Central Point breaks ground on new digs ... Flores-Zambrano pleads guilty in drug-trafficking case ... Crews near 50 percent containment on Stouts fire ... Justice Court in Central Point breaks ground on new digs ... MY ADVENTURE An unexpected trail A not quite "Wild Trees" adventure in the redwoods Comment By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 19, 2015 at 12:01 AM --> SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE The Mail Tribune wants to share your adventure. We’re looking for accounts of hikes, climbs, river runs, fishing trips, bike rides, ocean outings, camping trips, w... » Read more X SHARE YOUR ADVENTURE The Mail Tribune wants to share your adventure. We’re looking for accounts of hikes, climbs, river runs, fishing trips, bike rides, ocean outings, camping trips, wildlife encounters and anything else you’ve done outdoors. Email your 500-word story (and pictures if you have them) to Mail Tribune features editor David Smigelski at [email protected] . » Social News Fungi were sprouting from the side of a massive redwood tree like tiny white umbrellas. My wife and I stopped to inspect, marveling at how delicate yet sturdy the stems and caps appeared. Just a half-mile away, in busy Simpson-Reed Grove along Highway 199, such leisurely scrutiny might be considered rude. We would probably be blocking the way of someone coming up from behind us. But the trail we were on was deserted, except for us. It didn’t even have a name, as far as we knew. I have had experiences like this many times in nature, not just in Northern California, but from Central Oregon to southern Utah, too. Slight distances away from the guide-book highlights, I have found sanctuaries of peace and quiet, as beautiful as the starred attractions. Places where you don’t have to worry about blocking someone’s photo op. And where you don’t have to listen to anyone prattle on about what they ate for lunch. All it takes to find these places is a little curiosity. My wife and I came upon the trail with the marvelous fungi tree while walking along Walker Road, which abuts Simpson-Reed Grove. We thought we were heading down to the Smith River. Instead, a narrow path, across from a sign marking the Ernest L. and Lou R. Adams Grove, caught our eye. “Wonder where it goes?” I said, and took it. My wife followed skeptically behind, noting how unpromising the path looked. More than anything, though, she was afraid I was about to “pull a Wild Trees.” Let me explain. On May 11, 1998, two guys parked their car along Highway 199, probably not far from Simpson-Reed, and wandered into the redwood forest, unprepared for a long outing. What Steve Sillett and Michael Taylor did for the next several hours is chronicled in Richard Preston’s book “The Wild Trees.” In brief, they belly-crawled through huckleberry thickets. They flopped over fallen redwoods and Doug-firs. They bled and they cursed. They became very hungry. None of this resembles what I consider a fun time in nature. Nevertheless, ever since I read the book, my wife remains on high alert when we are visiting the coastal rain forest, watching my every move, ready to intervene if it looks like I’m thinking of emulating Preston’s heroes. After all, the payoff for the misery that Sillett and Taylor put themselves through was remarkable. They stumbled upon a pocket of enormous conifers previously unknown to experts — “collectively, the largest redwood trees on earth,” according to Preston. This was not the first time these two friends had pushed into the old growth, between Eureka and Crescent City, obsessively searching for bigger and bigger trees. But they really hit the jackpot on this day. They named their find the Grove of Titans. The grandest tree, which they dubbed the Lost Monarch, is now recognized as the largest living redwood in the world, containing at least 40,000 cubic feet of wood. Its trunk measures 30 feet across. Sure, it would be very cool to discover a hidden grove of towering giants, and bestow names upon all the residents. But I am thrilled, on my nature outings, when I find anything unexpected — even an easy trail, a mile or so in length. And that I didn’t have to torture myself to reach. Yes, the path off Walker Road turned out to be bona fide, setting my wife’s mind at ease. We even came to a sign, revealing its name to be the Leiffer Trail. Following the arrows pointing to the Leiffer and Ellsworth Loops, we eventually hiked up a moderately steep slope, for an elevated view of the forest, then down the other side. A few minutes from crowded Simpson-Reed, we were wandering in a world of our own. The trees in this neck of the woods will need another century or more to reach the Mythic Goliath category — but they are still plenty impressive. We took a liking to one hefty fella who sported matching burls with ferns growing on them. When we returned to this trail recently, we had it all to ourselves again. Trilliums were in bloom, brightening the forest floor with spots of white. But, somehow, while taking the Leiffer Loop, we came off the trail at a different place than where we got on. If this happens to you, you could backtrack, of course. Or you could turn right and keep walking until you reach Walker Road, then turn right again to head toward Highway 199. No mention of the Leiffer Trail appears in the Redwood National and State Parks info I have accumulated over the years. Nevertheless, the “trailhead” on Walker Road is easy to find once you know to look for it, across from Adams Grove. The exact location of the Grove of Titans, on the other hand, remains a well-kept secret among rangers and biologists. Practice your belly-crawling before you set off in search of it. Paul Hadella is a freelance writer living in Talent. Reach him at [email protected]. By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Paul Hadella for the Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 19, 2015 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... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site 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. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501