I am a woman of a certain age (wink, wink) who has tent camped all her life. When other kids went to summer Rec camp, Mom took my sister and I tent camping, for weeks at a time. In my early twenties I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail from the Sierra Buttes to the Bridge of the Gods. Camping always being my preferred vacation. That is until I became inflicted with an autoimmune disease and the emotional roller coaster intrinsic to chronic illness. Three summers ago, with a little gumption, a paper Forest Service map (yes, I said paper) and my furry BFF, I bumped down a dirt road that lead me in to the Klamath Mountains. I’ve been looking for Bigfoot ever since.
Summertime camping dipping sauce! Dusty feet, pale blue skies, cool rivers and hot rocks. Night that you lean into like a whisper, quiet to get drunk on, and wild discoveries that forever tattoo the heart; this for me is the delicious recipe of summertime camping! If you are reading this, I’m glad you are… distracted … More Summertime camping dipping sauce!
Spring Camping in NW California Bigfoot Country Rain or shine, wind and green, once April’s moon shines full, I start to get camping restless. For many people it’s still a little too chilly (and possibly wet). But I’ve discovered, braced with wool socks and hat, Spring camping is about adventure, excitement, and renewal. The least … More Spring Camping
Sue-meg – special number 62 If you run your eye down the coastline of Wild Escape Guides Bigfoot Country Campgrounds Map A, you’ll bump into a little thumb or point of land projecting out into the Pacific Ocean. Here lies campground 62. The campground sits on land that once belonged to the Yurok. Native to … More Sue-meg – special number 62
That rare combination of events may not be so rare any more. Several years back, while out camping with a couple of friends, we evacuated because of a wildfire. Recently, I dug out my journal from that time and, finally, wrote the story down. As Smokey says, “Are YOU prepared?” One sweltering summer night, my … More That Rare Combination of Events…
Three seasons – fall, winter, spring -after a wildfire. Sunday I wandered into one of my all time favorite, soft, sweet and marvelously lush camping spots- Scott’s Flat and Hell Gate Campgrounds, both along the banks of the So. Fork Trinity River. I knew I wasn’t going to find the familiarity & the beauty I … More after a wildfire…
The warm weather of springtime, in this little part of north west California, is buzzing. Bee’s flit around the azalea blossoms and campers are all a flutter on social media…camping season is nearly here! I finally looked up (from writing the pages for Wild Escape Guides), roused by aromas on the breeze, and the buzz … More Backwoods Aware – Bakers Dozen
Springtime is map time. The time of year I pour over lines and symbols, reading and re-reading, a favorite poem never so loved. Acquiring maps and taking the time to review them helps expand the scope of my wandering. It is also how I am able to find Quiet, Dark, & Wild car camping locations. … More Getting you [OUT] there:
Jan 22, 2021 – thirty days into winter – It’s been warm and cold, it’s been wet and dry, wrapped in long dark nights. Camping? Let’s wait until the weather warms just a bit. But Oh, how it has been on my mind. So, I did a little armchair wandering. I’m pretty excited about what … More Camping an American pastime
A forest can get a grip on you; the scenes, the aromas, the “feel” can wrap tendrils around your heart, draw you in and take root. The Klamath Mountains have drawn me in. There is a mystique about them that completely captivates me. These woods are thickly forested from river bottom to steep mountain top, … More Deep in a Forest
Sitting here at my “desk”, a lovely soft, worn in wooden kitchen table, pouring over photos from summer “fieldwork”, fumbling for words to entice you to follow me into the wilds and then I hear the story of Frederick. Frederick is a field mouse. While his mice friends gather seeds and nuts all summer in … More “I’m gathering sun rays. I’m gathering colors for the gray winter ahead”. – Frederick
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