[pct-l] Cali-OR border

[Steel-Eye]

Good afternoon, Erich,

There is a road system from Grants Pass or Jacksonville that passes within
1/4 mile of the Cal/Or border.  I've been on that road system a number of
times.  Those are "unpaved" all-weather roads, i.e. gravel surfaced, and
just about any average passenger can negotiate them provided there are no
localized problems such as slides, washouts, downed timber, snow, or locked
gates.  It would be good to contact the responsible USFS District office
prior to departure to get a road status report.

I don't know what experience you, or your chauffer, have with these kinds of
roads, but here are a few things to consider:

-  Most of those roads are now called "forest access roads", which is a
relatively new, politically correct way of saying "timber access" or
"logging roads".  As such, there may be logging truck and/or heavy equipment
traffic.  Just be alert:  Those things can't stop or maneuver out of the way
of a car as quickly as you may like, particularly on hills and around some
of those sharp switchback corners.

- This is a heavy snow year in Oregon.  Even near the Cal border the roads
could be closed by snow well into the summer, particularly if there are no
active logging operations.  The roads may or may not be gated for snow
closure.

-  If there are logging operations in the area you will probably see
evidence of recent, heavy road usage.  In one regard that's good because
those roads will have been opened and maintained that summer, while other
less-used roads may not.

-  Also, if there are logging operations off one of the numerous side roads,
the heavy traffic can make that side road look like the main road you're
trying to follow.

-  It would be helpful if you had GPS coordinates of the main turn points.

-  Pay attention during the return trip.  The roads and turns look different
coming from the other direction.

-  Late summer may well be fire season, and it's possible the roads could be
gated.  Be sure to ask the FS office about closures.

-  Start with a full tank of gas.

There are the driving directions to the OR-CA border that another hiker
pieced together from maps and day-hiking books. WARNING: They appear correct
to me but I haven't made the drive with these instructions in my hand.

>From Medford (north of Ashland on I-5), take OR238 Jacksonville Hwy through
Jacksonville, then southwest 7 miles to Ruch.
Fork left (south) on Upper Applegate Road. After nine miles, branch left
(east) onto unpaved FS 20, aka Beaver Creek Road.
Drive 14.5 miles to Silver Fork Gap.
Go left/southeast/downhill on FS 2025, signed for Donomore Meadows.
Drive 4.1 miles to where PCT crosses at saddle. Walk right (south) on PCT
about a quarter mile to the register at the border.

Steel-Eye

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Erich Meyers" <elric1911 at hotmail.com>
To: <pct-l at backcountry.net>
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 12:12 PM
Subject: [pct-l] Cali-OR border

Anyone familiar with the CA-OR border and how hard it is to get to?  I want
to walk all of the OR section of the PCT but i don't know if i can afford
the extra couple days to start at Seiad.
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