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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 Home News Latest Stories ACCESS Senior Shoebox Project needs donations Chinese cultural association gets grant to teach traditional dance Mexican man pleads guilty to growing pot in forest near Ashland SOU's Hannon Library sells surplus books Tree trimming set along Medford streets Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Mexican man pleads guilty to growing pot in forest near Ashland Emergency Services Medford police shoot bear near Jefferson Elementary Police shoot robbery suspect in Klamath Falls Man pleads guilty to injuring 2-year-old while driving drunk Politics and Elections Buckley again named Ways and Means Committee co-chairman Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Granlund cartoon: GOP wrecking balls Ballot measures played little role in mobilizing voters in state Senate race 'Euphoria' over pot initiative Education Good news for SOU: Enrollment's up Mom gives school lobby a makeover Crater students present play about Thoreau's night in jail Half of Oregon's community college enrollees need remedial classes Marketta Gregory: Stretch yourself for God Environment Birders sought for bird counts Grow 'em before you plant 'em Since You Asked: Biomass One makes steam-generated power Organic squash creates a bountiful harvest for ACCESS Prospect-area cow death likely not a wolf kill State News Police shoot robbery suspect in Klamath Falls Nation - World Obituaries Cletta Marie Yocham Robert Morris Anderson Ethel Margaret (Slagle) Knips Death Notices In Loving Memory of Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Sports Latest Stories Ashland High students aim for film festival Young scores 22 to help Oregon top Detroit No. 1 UConn women stunned by No. 6 Stanford, 88-86 Trail Blazers rally past Pels Wild shot enables 'Canes to upset Gators Varsity 541 College Sports Young scores 22 to help Oregon top Detroit No. 1 UConn women stunned by No. 6 Stanford, 88-86 Wild shot enables 'Canes to upset Gators Woman gets OSU apology in 1998 probe Playoff twin bill set for SOU Saturday Pro Sports Trail Blazers rally past Pels Nuggets snap Cavaliers' winning streak Steelers rally to defeat Titans, 27-24 Painkillers probe in NFL long way from over For 2014 Seahawks, the margin of error is gone Community Sports Results / Standings Business Latest Stories Demand from LNG terminals would likely boost natural gas prices People in Business, Nov. 18 Greg Zyla: Growing up in the fabulous ’50s Silvio Calabi: Aston Martin’s new Vanquish is a super GT Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Real Estate News Financial webinars offered for veterans and their families Home prices rise across Jackson County New I-5 interchange puts south Medford on fast lane to fast food People In Business People in Business, Nov. 18 People in Business, Nov. 8 Transportation Medford airport passenger counts sky high in October Erickson reports third quarter profit Lithia reports $34.5 million third-quarter profit Agriculture Latest count shows Measure 92 supporters narrowing deficit Revenue rises for Harry & David's parent company Where do all those leaves go? Opinion Latest Granlund cartoon: Adrian Peterson suspended Guest Opinion: County voters rebuffed judicial appointment process Our View: Kicking the can down the road Letters to the Editor, Nov. 18 Fix health care reform, don't scrap it Editorials Our View: Kicking the can down the road Our View: Wyden's O&C bill may be the answer, or not Other Views: A chastened Kitzhaber must tend to business Our View: Cheers and Jeers Our view: Saigo brings an energy to SOU campus Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, Nov. 18 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 17 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 16 Letters to the Editor, Nov. 14 Letters to the editor Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: County voters rebuffed judicial appointment process Fix health care reform, don't scrap it Reflections on the election in Oregon and beyond Measure 89 provides equality for women Eagle Point needs public transportation Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: Bourbon-bacon pie crust perfect with pumpkin Dr. Elaine Heffner: Put yourself in your child’s shoes Shayne Looper: Breathe the fresh air of eternity Home Help: Spruce up your home with quick DIY painting projects Food for Thought: Embark on a culinary trip around the world Food Community blog: Bourbon-bacon pie crust perfect with pumpkin Food for Thought: Embark on a culinary trip around the world Book Notes: In Mark Bittman’s new cookbook, faster is better Community blog: Pumpkin, salted caramel pair tradition, trendiness Joanna McQuillan Weeks: Jessica Fisher creates frugal, fabulous recipes Home and Garden Home Help: Spruce up your home with quick DIY painting projects Beyond curb appeal: When it pays to stand out Use the hidden meaning of color to enhance your home 17 things you never knew about turkeys Dear Monty: 10 tips toward a quality offer on a home Health Community blog: Lazy Able-Bodied People Could Live Here Here's a hand up you can use Community blog: Happy Holidays? Surviving and Even Thriving in the Dark Times Dr. Murray Feingold: ‘Grief is the price we pay for love’ Health Watch: Tips for post-workout recovery Hiking Biking Faith Religion news: Seattle-based mega-church dissolves Religion Briefs 'Walk the talk' Religion briefs Christ Unity Church shows 'Gen Silent' Milestones and Achievements Local farmers need more products in grocery stores Ashland honey festival draws swarm of visitors Fundraiser to benefit Medford Senior Center New Arrivals The meaning behind Veterans Day Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Thanksgiving comes early at Taprock Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon to perform two shows 'Alice in Wonderland' opens at Theatre Convivio 'Red Noses' a romp through slapstick and pathos Hawaiian slack-key guitarist Makana plays the Unitarian Theater 'Red Noses' a romp through slapstick and pathos SOU presents 'The Drunken City' The power of human spirit Music Youth Symphony of Southern Oregon to perform two shows The Farr Side: CMA telecast was a disappointment Hawaiian slack-key guitarist Makana plays the Unitarian Rogue World Ensemble presents 'Gather 'Round' Focus on Tanya Gabrielian as Rogue Valley Symphony evokes the Baroque Community Events Review: Randall Theatre's 'Secret Garden' still enchanting Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhiits by regional artists Spookadelic Halloween Funktacular promises a lively dance party Puss 'N' Boots Costume Ball and Auction Dining Thanksgiving comes early at Taprock Word of Mouth: Brunch at Brothers' Restaurant Blue Toba is a cultural experience Back Porch Bar & Grill Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obituaries Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines & Special Sections NEWS NOW Mexican man pleads guilty to growing pot in forest near Ashland ... October employment report shows Oregon gained 9,900 jobs ... Our View: Kicking the can down the road ... Mexican man pleads guilty to growing pot in forest near Ashland ... October employment report shows Oregon gained 9,900 jobs ... Our View: Kicking the can down the road ... MY ADVENTURE Abbott Butte trek lifts the spirit Hike in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness By George Sexton for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By George Sexton for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am By George Sexton for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 14, 2014 @ 12:01 am » Social News If walls could talk, oh, the stories that the Abbott Butte fire lookout tower could tell. The long-retired lookout is a remnant of a different era when a Forest Service flush with funding and purpose invested in administrative and recreational infrastructure on public lands and kept a sharp eye out for wildfire from remote peaks offering sweeping views. Most of those old lookouts are long gone, but the Abbott Butte tower is still standing, although admittedly with a tilt that suggests the end is near. The gorgeous views of both the Rogue and Umpqua watersheds remain just stunning as ever while the tower slowly succumbs to time, entropy and gravity. Like any peak worth bagging, Abbott Butte is not defined by just what one finds at the top; it is the journey and the unexpected discoveries along the way that make the backcountry hike to the summit memorable. There is simply no way to get to the Butte without enjoying an adventure that offers the some of the very best of the backcountry, ancient forests, and vistas that we are so fortunate to enjoy in Southern Oregon’s remaining wild places. Located amongst old-growth forests and meadows in the Rogue-Umpqua Divide Wilderness, Abbott Butte is literally the dividing line between the iconic Rogue River and the Umpqua Watershed. Snow that falls on the south and east sides of the peak feeds the North Fork of Abbott Creek before reaching the Wild and Scenic Upper Rogue River a little downstream of Union Creek. But precipitation that falls just a few feet north or west forms the headwaters of Squaw Creek and joins Jackson Creek on its long journey through the Umpqua Watershed to the Pacific Ocean. Perhaps no two rivers are so intertwined with the social and ecological history of Southern Oregon as are the wild Rogue and the mighty Umpqua. It is a special treat to hike the Divide Trail that winds along the gaps, peaks and ridgeline between the two watersheds, getting tantalizing glimpses of ancient forests and occasionally longer views to the clearcuts and logging roads that dominate many of our lower-elevation public lands. I have hiked much of the Divide Trail over the years, generally trying to time my trips to correspond to the spring wildflower bloom. But I had never visited Abbott Butte despite having heard rumors of the big trees, rock outcroppings and wild views. So in early November I rolled the dice hoping for good weather and drove the 10 miles up from Woodruff Bridge over the Rogue River to the Huckleberry Gap Trailhead at 5,250 feet. We could have been slogging through sleet all day, but instead as we climbed above the clouds and fog we were greeted by a soft morning light that refracted the previous night’s dusting of snow and highlighted the green and white hues of the forest canopy. It was gorgeous. Abbott Butte is only about two and a half miles from the trailhead, but it feels wilder and more remote. The trail is faint and the vistas are immense. It is a place to discover the wildness that Henry David Thoreau wrote offers the “preservation of the world” through its benefits to the human spirit from independence, self-reliance and appreciation of our place in nature. I like to think that 60 years ago a Forest Service seasonal fire lookout posted at Abbott Butte could enjoy the same feeling of peace and renewal that the wilderness peak offers us today, and that 60 years from now the Butte will still serve such a noble purpose. George Sexton is the conservation director for the Klamath Siskiyou Wildlands Center in Ashland.   By George Sexton for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By George Sexton for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 14, 2014 @ 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. 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 Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs 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. 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