Big Creek Road Loop

Parallel creek

Lunch time view
bear grass and Lake Cushman

I dropped my daughter off at school and headed for Big Creek.  I was sick at the end of last week, I felt dizzy and light headed.   I took a few days off from hiking and decided to do something easier than Mount Rose today,  just in case I was still sick.

I tried to find a road that some hikers posted about using to start their hike, but I had no luck finding it.  I parked outside the gate at Big Creek camp since my forest pass is in my Jeep and I was unable to find the road.  I went up the loop in the counter clock wise direction and I found it to be a much more pleasant way up, with less hiking  logging roads. 

I made it to the look out by 11, I spent an hour having lunch and then I decided to go up and have a look at the lower Ellinor trail, just because I love the forest up there.  When I reached the junction I was startled by another hiker.  He turned out to be the same man that I saw on Mount Rose two weeks ago.  We had a nice conversation and he was relieved to find out that I am not always as grumpy as I was on Mount Rose Tuesday before last.  He was relived  because it seems like we might run into each other on the trail a lot.

On the hike down I decided to finally see where the old road or trail that leads to the right goes.  I knew it went to the road I tried to drive up.  As I veered off the trail onto the road the rain began to come down pretty hard, but I did not mind, since I had my raincoat on and I was pretty much done taking pictures.  I was surprised to find that the road/trail almost immediately dumped me out onto the road.  I felt ripped off.  I did not want my hike to end so soon.  Still, I walked down the road about ¼ of a mile back to my car.  I won’t be taking that route again unless I am in a big hurry to get to the summit or my leg is broken.

I was back to my car around 2pm.  Whatever sickness I had last week did not affect me at all today.

8 miles round trip with 1,800 feet elevation gain

Music to keep me going

Amanitas

Bear grass and Lake Cushman

One of the new benches on the loop trail

Rytidiopsus robusta 

Wild Rhododendron



This is next to the sign I posted a picture of last week.

No parking here without a valid ass