With no snow on the ground and Lassen Land Trails and Trust’s big Cabin Fever event planned for tomorrow, organizers have changed up their plans and will now be taking a hike over the pristine desert wilderness of Bass Hill and Bald Mountain before heading back to the depot for some warm soup.
“Sadly the rangers at Lassen Volcanic National Park and at Lassen National Forest have advised us that there is not enough snow there or anywhere readily accessible for the snow events scheduled for Saturday, January 24th,” explains LL&TT Executive Director Louise Jensen. “We have an alternative hike starting the morning of Saturday, January 24th and will finish in plenty of time for the 5 pm soup dinner at the Depot.”
Andrew Haut, Trust volunteer and intrepid hike guide, will lead as hikers navigate cross-country to the Bald Mountain promontory on the East end of Bass Hill. The round trip is a modest 4 miles and the elevation gain is 1000 feet, but according to Haut the hike is off-trail and steep in places and the pace will necessarily be moderate with plenty of pauses.
Hikers can expect to see deer, jackrabbits, golden eagles, quail, chukars, or sometimes even a mountain lion track. Bald Mountain is the site of an exciting new trail under development by the BLM and in the news lately.
Gather at the Lassen Land and Trails Trust’s historic Susanville railroad depot, 601 Richmond Road in Susanville at 8:30a.m. to car pool and caravan, starting at 9:00a.m. sharp, to Byers Pass Road, about ten miles East of Susanville. The group will caravan from the Depot at 9:00a.m. to the starting point on Byers Pass Road.
Jensen reminded hikers to come prepared, wearing or bringing hiking boots; daypack; layers of clothing for temperature regulation; water; lunch and snacks. Trekking poles or a hiking stick are very useful in this off-trail terrain, even if just an old broomstick. A camera and binoculars would not go amiss.
Everyone is welcome at the Historic Susanville Railroad Depot at 5:00p.m. for an array of hot, homemade soups, breads and cookies. Just want to eat out? Well, then simply come to the depot for dinner! The soup dinner is for a $10 donation per person and a $5 donation for children 12 and under. While filling up on great soups, enjoy a no-host bar.
For more information about the Trust’s work or about trails to enjoy, please visit www.lassenlandandtrailstrust.org.
