Sterling Mine Ditch Trail Loop 12-Apr-2015

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VanMarmot
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Sterling Mine Ditch Trail Loop 12-Apr-2015

Post by VanMarmot » April 13th, 2015, 6:49 am

The Sterling Mine Ditch Trail - despite its somewhat off-putting name - is one of the most popular and most publicized trails in Southern Oregon. It's open year-round, is accessible to hikers, mtn bikers, and horses, and features flowers in the Spring and colors in the Fall. The original 26 mi "ditch" was constructed by hand in 1877 to convey the Little Applegate River to a huge hydraulic mine in the upper reaches of the Sterling Creek drainage; the ditch was in use until the 1930s. The mine and the town it spawned (Sterlingville) are now gone but the ditch remains. Thanks to the efforts of the BLM and the Siskiyou Upland Trails Association (SUTA), it has now been reclaimed as a valuable recreational resource. A trail map and directions to the various THs are now available. Our first foray on to the trail was in the Fall of 2013 (SMDT 2013 TR) when we went from the Tunnel Ridge TH to the Bear Gulch TH - the section which includes the trail's iconic tunnel. Yesterday we did a loop around the western portion of the trail system, starting from and returning to the Deming Gulch TH.

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We parked at the TH and gained 1000' walking up the road,

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to the TH at Wolf Gap.

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The trail from Wolf Gap down to the main ditch trail was not part of the original ditch system but was added through the efforts of the BLM and volunteers to provide additional access options that only crossed public lands. This connector trail (which is NOT open to mtn bikes) is well-constructed and well-graded,

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descends through a madrone forest, past some amazingly bulbous specimens (the walking stick is 5' long),

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out into some open meadows with a view of Acorn Woman Peak to the S,

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and Grayback Mtn (arrow) to the N.

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These meadows have all greened-up and are quivering with blooming potential but only a few flowers are out yet - the best is yet to come!

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The trail then goes back into a madrone forest,

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shortly before its junction with the main ditch trail and the ditch itself, which is some 10' deep at this particular point.

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From this junction, it's 8.3 mi back to where we left the car.

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The ditch seems to have been created mainly by sidecasting (all by hand in 1877!) the hillside to make a downslope berm, which is now capped by the trail.

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Not long after leaving the Gap trail, the main trail (arrow) swings SW on to sunnier, less forested slopes,

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from where we could get a look back at Wolf Gap (arrow).

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The 8 mi return to Deming Gulch was on an easy, essentially level trail,

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that gave us plenty of time to take in the sights, including that of a mole who had a fateful encounter with mtn bike tires (or maybe it drowned first and was then squished). :?:

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After about 4 mi, the trail starts to swing N and the character of the terrain changes from sunny, open slopes to forested slopes harboring dense clumps of water-loving plants like miner's lettuce and ferns.

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There aren't a whole lot of different flowers out yet so the clumps of intricate, subtly colored cat's ears drew my attention.

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We crossed the Armstrong Gulch road (another TH option) and 2 mi later were back at the car, having made a complete loop around Pt 3714 and having explored the western side of the ditch trail system. Easy, fun hiking (12 mi RT, 1000' EG) on a sunny, cool, clear (full blubird!) day and on a highly scenic trail with an interesting backstory and lots to see. Brilliant! :D

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WARNING: There is an ABSOLUTELY STAGGERING amount of poison oak in this area, so leaving the trail is NOT recommended. Oh, and did I mention the ticks...

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Last edited by VanMarmot on September 16th, 2023, 5:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

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woodswalker
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Re: Sterling Mine Ditch Trail Loop 12-Apr-2015

Post by woodswalker » April 14th, 2015, 7:27 am

I loved seeing this report. Many years ago I lived near the Tunnel Ridge section of the trail. We always called the ditch trail Coyote Highway trail. Because coyotes and much of the other wildlife in the area used it extensively. In seven years of living there and hiking that trail, I never saw another person on the trail,except once during hunting season. Lymes had just started becoming an issue by the end of my time there so I was always exploring off trail. I always enjoyed the few times I headed up one of those open slopes after dinner, and just plunked my sleeping bag down on some nice ridge. Hopefully somewhere with not to much bear scat! Then strolling home downhill before breakfast. Your pictures really reminded me of those trips.
Thanks, Woodswalker

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VanMarmot
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Re: Sterling Mine Ditch Trail Loop 12-Apr-2015

Post by VanMarmot » April 14th, 2015, 12:15 pm

woodswalker wrote:I loved seeing this report. Many years ago I lived near the Tunnel Ridge section of the trail. We always called the ditch trail Coyote Highway trail. Because coyotes and much of the other wildlife in the area used it extensively. In seven years of living there and hiking that trail, I never saw another person on the trail,except once during hunting season. Lymes had just started becoming an issue by the end of my time there so I was always exploring off trail. I always enjoyed the few times I headed up one of those open slopes after dinner, and just plunked my sleeping bag down on some nice ridge. Hopefully somewhere with not to much bear scat! Then strolling home downhill before breakfast. Your pictures really reminded me of those trips.
Thanks, Woodswalker
Thank you! I really enjoy driving through the Applegate and Little Applegate valleys to and from hikes in the Siskiyous - particularly now that the valleys are all greened-up for Spring. Now, with the completion of the offical ditch trail, this area is going to be busier with more than just coyotes... You were lucky to be able to live there back in the day when it was just the coyotes. :)

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