Hiking

This week I discovered a great place to view wildlife and plant life and get in a great hike, and it's surrounded by highways and their traffic. Because of where it is and its limited accessibility, few people go out there and many wouldn't think of it as a great hiking place, but it is. It's basically the promontory you go around on the 18 from Baylis Park to almost Rim Forest. I have been three times this week and have seen four deer, 10 diffferrent types of birds, bear tracks, and several of the most beautiful heritage-quality Jeffrey Pines and oaks that I've ever seen in these mountains. You can park at Baylis and go straight up the hill, or go up the 189 to Pinecrest Camp and park across the street past the stone pillars and walk in any direction uphill. Go all up in there and get lost. You'll be glad you did.

Wonderful information! I wanted to go hiking today, but didn't know where to go, so I drove up Hwy 18 a bit, and waited around for some decent sunset shots. This area you've been to sounds great and I am thrilled at the thought of getting some wildlife shots tomorrow. Think the best times to see the critters are early morning, what do you think?

Anaroo: Early morning is always the best. A lot of fresh grass and snow puddles there so it is perfect for wildlife at this time of year. Also, I think the animals like this area because it is relatively big, they have gotten accustomed to traffic noise and know it's not a danger to them, and when people show up in one part, they can shift their habits temporarily to another area. I have been going there at about 8:15 a.m. after dropping off my son at Grandview and that's a good time--even better now with daylight savings time.

Lee, isn't this the same area that the Royal Rangers want to build their camp?

KBfromTP

Enjoy it while you can.

You mean that beautiful place is going to be turned into a camp? There is a camp already right across the street!

I believe the area across the street from Pinecrest is where they're going to put the 50-acre camp, but I could be wrong. It probably won't extend to the promontory above the 18.

Gee, I always thought they were putting that camp down the Pinecrest Road somewhere. No matter where they put it, it sucks.

I have never been camping it sounds like fun.

Some of us don't think the Royal Rangers have much to do with camping.

Yeah, it's more like the "camping" we used to do in the Army out along the former East-West German border fence.

PLEASE voice your opinion tonight at the Sr. Citizen's Ctr. in twin Peaks. A public meeting regaring the Royal Rangers is just waiting for your input, one way or the other.