Outdoor Adventures with Ancient Brit
PCT 2002 - July 3rd
Day 78: Wednesday 3rd July Peak 8166 – Sierra Butte
In the morning I passed above Jackson Meadow Reservoir. A small reservoir was
built on the site in the 1850’s to provide water for hydraulic mining for gold. Hydraulic
mining is the method of mining by washing away the soil and loose rock with the
pressure from giant water hoses. It is very destructive on the environment, causing
horrendous erosion. The dam was raised and strengthened several times before 1883
when it collapsed, probably with the help of dynamite from those opposed to the mining!
The resulting flood caused tremendous damage all the way down to the Sacramento
valley with the loss of at least 6 lives. Fortunately this saw the end of hydraulic mining
and the new bigger reservoir is for flood control and to maintain the water supply for
Sacramento. Having now left the National Parks behind, much of the woodland was
privately owned and for the first time there were signs of commercial forestry. There
were a lot of forestry tracks and areas of selective felling, as well as small areas of clear-
cut. There was a pair of Turkey Vultures doing aerial acrobatics in the updraught from
one of the cliffs. The trail dropped steeply down to Milton Creek, which occupies a deep
V-sided valley, probably eroded away by the meltwater from the massive glaciers in the
Sierras when the glaciers retreated during the end of the ice ages. It was very hot again,
which had the advantage of seeing off the mosquitoes that certainly can’t cope with
these temperatures. There was enough of a breeze to make the temperature
manageable for walking.
After climbing a small ridge the trail dropped further to cross the North Yuba River
on a bridge high above the water in a little gorge. Having dropped down to 4,600ft I was
as low as I had been for over a month. My supply bag was just across the river at
highway 49, a couple of miles upstream from Sierra City. Sierra City is only a small
mountain resort, but it did have a Post Office and store, so most thru-hikers drop down
for supplies. From Highway 49 the trail climbs steeply for about 3,000ft to traverse
below the towering crags of the Sierra Buttes. I set off up the hill with 6 days food plus
plenty of water and some beer. After about 1,500ft of ascent I came across an old
mining trail, where there was the first flat site to put up a tent since leaving the valley.
I was just about to put the tent up when I noticed fresh bear droppings on the edge of
the site and I rapidly changed my mind and continued up the hill. I got up to a saddle at
6,000ft as it was getting dark. Unfortunately the saddle was exposed to a very strong
wind and the soil was so thin and rocky that there would be no chance of getting my tent
up. It was too late to continue up the trail as the next section traversed a steep open
mountainside, so I dropped back into the woods and found a sheltered spot and bivvied
under the stars.
Day 78: 20.8 miles 8.46 hours Camp: E. ridge, Sierra Butte
In the morning I passed above Jackson Meadow Reservoir. A small reservoir was
built on the site in the 1850’s to provide water for hydraulic mining for gold. Hydraulic
mining is the method of mining by washing away the soil and loose rock with the
pressure from giant water hoses. It is very destructive on the environment, causing
horrendous erosion. The dam was raised and strengthened several times before 1883
when it collapsed, probably with the help of dynamite from those opposed to the mining!
The resulting flood caused tremendous damage all the way down to the Sacramento
valley with the loss of at least 6 lives. Fortunately this saw the end of hydraulic mining
and the new bigger reservoir is for flood control and to maintain the water supply for
Sacramento. Having now left the National Parks behind, much of the woodland was
privately owned and for the first time there were signs of commercial forestry. There
were a lot of forestry tracks and areas of selective felling, as well as small areas of clear-
cut. There was a pair of Turkey Vultures doing aerial acrobatics in the updraught from
one of the cliffs. The trail dropped steeply down to Milton Creek, which occupies a deep
V-sided valley, probably eroded away by the meltwater from the massive glaciers in the
Sierras when the glaciers retreated during the end of the ice ages. It was very hot again,
which had the advantage of seeing off the mosquitoes that certainly can’t cope with
these temperatures. There was enough of a breeze to make the temperature
manageable for walking.
After climbing a small ridge the trail dropped further to cross the North Yuba River
on a bridge high above the water in a little gorge. Having dropped down to 4,600ft I was
as low as I had been for over a month. My supply bag was just across the river at
highway 49, a couple of miles upstream from Sierra City. Sierra City is only a small
mountain resort, but it did have a Post Office and store, so most thru-hikers drop down
for supplies. From Highway 49 the trail climbs steeply for about 3,000ft to traverse
below the towering crags of the Sierra Buttes. I set off up the hill with 6 days food plus
plenty of water and some beer. After about 1,500ft of ascent I came across an old
mining trail, where there was the first flat site to put up a tent since leaving the valley.
I was just about to put the tent up when I noticed fresh bear droppings on the edge of
the site and I rapidly changed my mind and continued up the hill. I got up to a saddle at
6,000ft as it was getting dark. Unfortunately the saddle was exposed to a very strong
wind and the soil was so thin and rocky that there would be no chance of getting my tent
up. It was too late to continue up the trail as the next section traversed a steep open
mountainside, so I dropped back into the woods and found a sheltered spot and bivvied
under the stars.
Day 78: 20.8 miles 8.46 hours Camp: E. ridge, Sierra Butte
History of Jackson
Meadow Reservoir
Meadow Reservoir
Gully above Jackson
Meadow Reservoir
Meadow Reservoir
Clearing on trail
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