Highway 162 (Covelo Road) up Indian Dick Road
Visiting Northern California during the spring of an El Nino year means rain. Waking up to a morning where the sun broke through the living room window seemed like the best chance to see how far up toward the Yolla Bolly Wilderness Area we could make it before the snowy roads cut us off. We grabbed rain gear, snacks and the 4 wheel drive and off we went. The clouds rolled in quickly as we cut along the Round Valley floor, since it was clear we weren’t going to beat the rain, we stopped in at the Covelo Ranger Station and discovered they have created two new wilderness areas we were unaware of existing in the region; the Yuki Wilderness and the Sanhedrin Wilderness with a dedication ceremony set to happen later this March. I also found out that in National Forests dogs are welcome on the trails if they are on leashes, as opposed to the National Parks where dogs aren’t generally allowed outside of developed areas like campgrounds. Next time I plan a family road trip that includes the puppies I will have to map out a National Forest route.
We headed out past the other ranger station and up Indian Dick Rd. where we found water falls shooting out of the mountainside, vistas of the river in full roar, blooming trees and a mix of snow and slush showers. The going was slow with lots of trees down along the road but we made it to the snowline. The national forest runs along the left side of the road but the right is privately owned and it takes a bit of driving to feel confident that you won’t be trespassing and with the pot gardens dotting the hillsides you don’t want to stumble upon a plot inadvertently. Along the way we spotted one trailhead but it was in the midst of a burned out area of forest which would lead to a day of over and unders on the fallen trees, so we opted for an access road that was leading up for a few miles to see what we could see.
It was a nice wide road but it was made a bit difficult by the running water and the continual incline. It didn’t take long to hit snow and wish for some warmer gear. Though I did thank my South Dakota acclimatization for helping me feel comfortable in the 34 degree drizzle. We came prepared for short jaunts into the rain and so we had our raincoats with a few layers underneath. The water would pool a bit on my hood and I found it fun to dip my head and watch the cascades of water rain down. After a bit the water started penetrating my legs and they grew numb, similar to when you go running in the rain. But it was worth the discomfort to get to hear the water rushing down all of the waterfalls and to feel the mysticism of the foggy mist rising along hidden meadows you could imagine housing mythical beasts.
There were burrowed holes all over that were probably made by the wild pigs and we followed coyote tracks in the snow for a good bit of the way. The snow covered in a patchy way that lead to surprising patches of green moss and some mushrooms popping out as if Smurf village was snowed in. The forest showed fire damage in places and it was striking how the Manzanita can be just as lovely even when charred.
We went until we came across the main water flow and realized we would be wet-booted no matter which way we attempted to cross, which seemed like a good indicator it was time to turn and head back to the car. It was good to go out and practice hiking in inclement weather. It wouldn’t have been bad to set up and dry tent and roll into a warm bag at the end of the afternoon, but it was nice to instead turn on the butt-warmer in the car and arrive home to hot bowl of Grandma chicken noodle soup and a spot next to the warm wood stove.
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