One Heckuva Nap Spot

Discussions and Trip Reports for off-trail adventures and rediscovering lost trails
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cfm
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Joined: June 18th, 2008, 6:49 am

One Heckuva Nap Spot

Post by cfm » June 11th, 2011, 8:25 pm

A few weeks ago, I went out exploring the lower Greenleaf Creek area. I used Don Nelson's TR, and was able to visit Lower Greenleaf Falls and his moss forest. I also set my critter cam along the creek, near a trail covered with milk duds. When I got home, I was looking at the map and I noticed to the east of the creek, there might be a larger scree field, and what looked like an unknown lake.


Here you can see Don's Moss forest marked with the red diamond, and another scree field to the east marked with a yellow diamond. Just above that is an unnamed lake:
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On Memorial Day, I brought my family back to find the lake. We were successful finding it, but it is surrounded by poison oak, and we had to steer the boys carefully. The lake is evaporating quickly, and does not seem to have a source ( other than the sky).

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Today, I returned to visit the larger scree field south of the lake. After retrieving my field cam( no luck again!), and bushwacking a circuitous route, I found this wonderful moss covered slope:
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This area is vast, and has a nice rolling ridgetop, dotted with some big firs that were no doubt to difficult reach by the logging company. Getting here also requires navigation through quagmires of poision oak. But it's worth it! Once you get here, it is very easy to move around on the soft spongy surface:
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The top of the hill has commanding views.

Table Mountain:
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Greenleaf Slide, and Falls:
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I sat down on dry moss, at least 6 inches thick- soooo soft. Perfect temps, and a light breeze to keep the bugs away. It was only 930am, but I got up early, so I just had to take a nap! Heaven.

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Cairn?
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Road building?
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I continued my exploration of this huge open area, and found a very nice vision quest pit:
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It's hard to tell, but this was very well formed and about 4 feet deep. One of the best I've ever seen. A clue to its authenticity is the the thick moss continuing into the pit.
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Another structure adjacent to the pit, almost coffin shaped:
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A truly unique area, and worth exploring if you can deal with the dreaded poison oak gauntlet.

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Splintercat
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Re: One Heckuva Nap Spot

Post by Splintercat » June 12th, 2011, 8:34 am

That's really unique, Jen -- and hidden in plain sight, so to speak. Great find!

I agree, those look like bonafide Indian pits -- someday, maybe we'll learn what they were built for. I posted some images awhile back of a set of small pits and rock stacks up in the Vista Ridge area that are truly baffling to me. It's odd that the Indian oral tradition didn't leave a more detailed explanation of what these were intended for.

Tom

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Guy
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Re: One Heckuva Nap Spot

Post by Guy » June 12th, 2011, 9:15 am

Thanks for the scouting Jen, Great TR.
hiking log & photos.
Ad monte summa aut mors

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