Journey Return

Sunday, March 23
Lyons Ranch Loop
Schoolhouse Peak
Redwood National and State Parks
Unceded land of the Yurok Tribe
10.33 miles
1,909′ ascent
1,903′ descent

Hiking day continued from Dolason Prairie Trail.

In the middle of a turn, I veer right off of Bald Hills Road into the small parking area at the Lyons Ranch Trailhead. There are two other cars parked there but no one in sight. I park to the left hand side where the parking surface is completely saturated.

It’s about 2:20pm and I’m ready for more hiking. I walk a ways and then return to my truck to make sure I locked it. I walk a ways and then return to my truck again because I realize that I’ve forgotten my trekking poles. A car rolls in and parks so close to my truck that I’m afraid they’re going to open their door into mine. Finally, on the third try I’m on my way. I follow a road downhill away from the small parking area. There is water flowing everywhere and the road is oozing with wetness. The patchy oak groves still are without their leaves. There are lots of signs to read. Boot tracks, dog prints, elk tracks and poop.

This area is distinct from my morning hike with the wide open prairies and no redwood trees. The trailhead sign reads: “Chilula, Hupa and Yurok Indians sustained themselves on these grassy hillsides for thousands of years. They deliberately set fires in the oak woodlands to enhance the growth of acorns, berries, and grasses that they used for food, baskets, netting and string.

When settlers moved into the area, they established sheep ranches, where prize-winning flocks thrived on grasses created by Indians’ intentional burns. Jonathan Lyons, who married Hupa Indian Amelia Misket, adopted many of her family’s practices and used them to improve his large ranching operation.”

Check this link for a very detailed account of the Lyons Ranch provided by National Park History.

I reach a junction and need to make a decision. I can continue downhill to the Long Ridge Sheep Shed which would shorten my hike by a lot. I decide not to give in to the weariness that I’m feeling, and fork left onto the unmarked High Prairie Road. I gain back all the elevation I just lost and climb up towards Bald Hills Road. There’s a small falcon calling and swooping and my Merlin app confirms that it’s an American Kestrel. I can hear another one far away answering the call. I see a giant California ground squirrel dart across the hillside and disappear into a rock outcrop.

I merge with Bald Hills Road and hike along the dark, asphalt-like surface. I can see Schoolhouse Peak off to my left as a car that was parked at the Lyons Trailhead passes me. I decide that I really want to hike up there. I connect to a dirt road and drop my pack at the bottom. I see another massive marmot-sized ground squirrel zip across the hillside. I zoom up to the top with only my trekking poles and phone, passing the day hikers that had come by in their car. The 360-degree views are incredible on this perfectly clear day. Luckily there’s cell service up here so I can let folks know that I will be hiking later than I had originally planned.

Looking West to the fog and cloud layer on the Pacific Ocean.

Looking East to the snow-capped Trinity Alps.

I retrace my steps down the road to my backpack. I can see Bald Hills Road stretching out in front of me and the next road where I’ll fork off to the right. Bathroom break and then snack time while I walk the road. No cars come by before I bear right onto the unmarked Rock Fork Road. It’s about 4pm and I calculate that I still have six miles to go. I stay on the fork that goes downhill as I can feel the bite of the rocks on my weary feet.

On Rock Fork Road looking back towards Schoolhouse Peak, which is in the upper right corner.

The sun is lowering on the horizon as it blasts through the leafless oaks. I can feel that my arms and my face have gotten a lot of sun this afternoon. My knees are talking to me as I pass the Coyote Creek Barn and Coyote Pond.

I spot another ground squirrel and this time I actually get to see it disappear down a hole. I stop and notice that there are holes everywhere, probably connecting a labyrinth of tunnels. Down, down I go through oak woodlands when I suddenly come upon a calf. I’m slow to recognize it until I see its mother just down the road. Uh oh. The calf runs away up the hillside. The mother is oblivious until she turns around and has me in her sights. My moment of terror is eased when she and calf, go bolting down the road never to be seen again.

The road is so wet and saturated that I easily follow their tracks for at least a mile. After a while, I round another turn in the road and there’s a giant bull on the hillside above me. I use my sweetest, cow-calming voice as the bull trots down the hill to the road ahead of me. It runs a short distance and then stops and looks back at me. I share more calm and loving words and he runs a bit farther before turning around again. I keep moving forward slowly. The gigantic bull stops at a bend in the road and waits for me to come into view. More words like, “don’t worry I’m a vegetarian” and “oh you’re so sweet and beautiful.” The bull drops the biggest cow pie I’ve ever seen and runs around the corner never to be seen again.

I follow the road through thicker patches of oak forest as water pours down everywhere. It’s about 5pm when I pop out onto an open stretch of road where I find some cow bones. Well, that’s slightly unnerving. The hour is growing late and I don’t want to be on the menu of whatever might have killed this cow. Just downhill from me is the Coyote Creek Barn. Hmmm, lots of things named coyote in this area.

I reach a fork with a water tank. I take the downhill fork and then check my track against the preloaded gpx track. It seems like I’m below the line so I head back up to the water tank and realize that there’s another road that wraps around the bend. I follow that and confirm that my track is now on target. Wow, that was a close call! Where the hell would I have ended up if I hadn’t corrected course?

I’m approaching a big bend in the road and I decide I will take a break there. As I start to round the corner, I see that it’s only a few more steps to the Long Ridge Sheep Shed. I was going to take a sitting break but it’s 5:45pm and I should keep pushing. I still have about two miles to go. During a standing break, I eat a snack, drink some water and pop a few preemptive ibuprofen.

A phrase from the PCT pops into my mind. You can be hurtin’ and get there slow or you can be hurtin’ and get there fast. I march on with determination moving as quickly as my tired body will allow. It’s about 6:20pm when I reach the junction that leads to the Lyons Ranch Home Place. I know it’s not that far but it’s just too late to go and explore those buildings. I walk a few turns in the road but with no visible buildings yet, I decide to turn back. I’ll have to save that adventure for another day. The sun is setting into the massive Redwood Creek drainage as my shadow grows long. I still have just over a mile back to my truck.

As weary as I feel, I’m still so grateful to be here at this late hour. The scenery and animal activity is always more spectacular in the early and late hours of the day. I happen upon an interesting shale outcrop in the road surface as I continue climbing.

Looking towards the trailhead and Schoolhouse Peak.

I crest the final rise in the road and can see the small red dot of my truck at the trailhead. Minutes before 7pm I complete just over 20 miles for the day. My totals for the day are 20.29 miles with 4,134′ ascent and 4,103′ descent and I can definitely feel it. I shorten my poles, put my camera away in its case, change my bra and shirt and dig another alpaca hoodie out of my backpack. I maneuver back onto Bald Hills Road and haven’t driven very far when I see some friends off to my left. I back up and put my window down. The Roosevelt Elk are a bit concerned but luckily they don’t run off. They are out enjoying the evening just as much as me.

I decide to pull back into the Dolason Prairie Trailhead for a quick view of the sunset. All the cars and people are gone now and I have the space to myself. What an amazing and special day. I’m grateful for the perfect weather and for the opportunity to physically and mentally test myself. I’m grateful to be in this moment as the world seemingly shatters around us.