Upper Rogue River Trail & Table Rocks

Last weekend, I headed down to my family's cabin on the Rogue River with the rest of the crew. I still needed to get my miles in so I pulled out my trusty version of Sullivan's Hikes in Southern Oregon. In all my years of traveling to the Medford area, I've never really explored the area much because the cabin is more than inviting and entertaining. Recently, I've slowly began expanding my range in Southern Oregon. Earlier this year, I went and ran around Lost Creek Lake, but this time around, I wanted to go check out the Upper Rogue River Trail.

Since Adam and Kerrie were with me, it allowed me to run a point to point rather than an out and back. The plan was to drop me off around the lower Takelma Gorge trailhead then run around pass Natural Bridge to Union Creek. From their I'll pick up Adam and the pup and continue on to the upper Union Creek TH. Basically, taking Sullivan's hike #33-35 in one shot for about 16 miles.

Not really sure what these are. Wasn't in my guide book

Takelma Gorge

Big ass pine cones

And all of a sudden we have concrete and fences. This must be Natural Bridge TH.

Hard to tell from my crappy pics, but this is where the river goes underneath this lava flow and disappears and reemerges about a 100 yards down streams.

When you see this sign, it means you should head right and down stream. I missed the bridge to cross the river even though I looked for it. It was just farther down stream than I looked. 

Said Bridge. Dont miss this.

Another bridge near the campground

Sat by this sign for awhile.

Drive home.

We had a slight mix up which ended up having me wait at Union Creek for about 40 mins while Adam and Kerrie tried to find me. Granted I did take a wrong turn which ended up making me 30 mins late.

Anyway, we eventually linked up, but I didn't take too many pics on the tail end.

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The next day I needed a few more miles so I went to Upper and Lower Table rock to check out them out. They are right around the corner from the cabin, and it had been a while since I had been to the top.

Trail up Lower Table Rock TH

I love the Madrones

Tons of room to stretch the legs up top

Devil's Golf course

View from the top

Flat and straight. There used to be a runway up here.

To the top!

Getting closer! 

Snake!

Kriselle Winery, also right around the corner

UNT
Bryan

Table Mtn and Silver Falls

Table Mountain from the Gorge 400 Trail. Previously taken

This was the first larger volume back to back run that I am supposed to do for my training. 16 miles on Saturday and 14 miles on Sunday. Not sure if my body was up for the challenge given how fatigued I had been feeling earlier in the week. My weekly volume was hitting 60 miles for the first time ever and I was definitely feeling the effects of it.

The large post landslide face of Table Mountain from the PCT

Having never been to the top of Table Mountain on the Washington side of the Gorge, when I calculated the mileage to be almost exactly 16 miles, I knew that I had to give it a go. Although I knew ahead of time that there would be some good climbing and that made me a little nervous given how tired my legs were feeling. That combine with humid-ish 80 degree weather, meant that I would have to  take it a little easier so I would have something in the tank left for Sunday.

Climbing Heart Break Ridge

The saddle. Getting closer 

Looking up the talus field which needed to be climbed. Almost to the top

Looking back down

In the end, I ended up running very low on water with around 7 miles to ago so I had to ration what I had for some time. I lost some significant body weight so I know that I got pretty dehydrated even though I drank 65oz during my 4 hours out. I should have been closer to 80oz which was a rookie mistake on my part. Lesson learned!

Summit Photo

Hard to tell, but this photo has St. Helen, Rainier and Adams. Great view.

That afternoon after the run, Kerrie and I loaded Ellie and headed down to Silver Fall State Park to camp with my uncle and so that I could get up earlier and get my run in before our annual mother's day hike. The temps were a lot more reasonable and my body responded well even though I was still feeling pretty dehydrated.

Upper North Falls

North Falls

UNT

Bryan

Southern Oregon Exploration

Lost Creek Lake

Headed down to the Rogue River this past weekend to help the family own up the cabin for the summer. We had family coming from the Bay Area, Sacramento, Eugene and Portland all converging just outside Medford, Or.

The goal of the weekend was to clean, purge and renovate. The girls cleaned and purged the house, while the boys cleaned the sheds and handle the yard. Many trips to the dump later and many chords of wood later, the cabin was starting to come back to life. We also spent most of Sunday staining and waterproofing the outside of the cabin by hand. But with 7 guys on the job, it was quicker than expected.

During this time, I took the liberty of running around Lost Creek Lake via a portion of the upper Rogue River Trail. Had I come one week later, I would have been able to race the Lost Creek Lake 30k. Just missed it. Overall the trail was very flat, with large sections of paved single track around the State Campground. I really enjoyed the first half of the run due to the change in terrain, warm weather and relative solitude.

The second half of the 20 mile run didn't go as smoothly due to a number of potential culprits.

1. I didnt eat very well the day before or have a very substantial breakfast
2. I had a few beers the night before
3. I tossed and turned all night
4. My body wasn't used to such a flat, faster course
5. Elevation (It was only 2000ft, so this is a weak excuse)
6. Heat (It was only high 60s, also weak excuse)

In the end, I think 1 and 4 were the primary reason for a subpar performance. Didn't have enough fuel in the tank, and I was running faster than normal due to the flatness of the course and my body, mainly my glutes, werent having it.

Staircase to Atlantis

I'm sure this bridge has a name. I just don't know what it is.

Red Bells, aka complete guess

Shooting Stars

Giant pine cones. From sugar pines..? made that up too.

Lots of scrub oak and grasslands. Very pretty

Post run relaxation at the cabin.

On the way home from Medford, I need to get a few more miles in so I decided to explore some trails on the way home. Unfortunately, not too many were close to the highway so I settled on the new North Bank Habitat, just north of Roseburg. In the end, the "trails" were all old overgrown roads and the "trails" were very popular with the horseback riding crew so they were very rutted a muddy in place. Despite that I saw no one and the scenery and views were amazing. Havent really ever spent much time in the grassland hills/ scrub oak / madrone landscape. The "trails" were very well marked with signs and maps in most major junctions.

Rolling Ridge Tops

Self-Portrait

Saw about 20 deer, half white tail and half black tail.

This is the official trailhead, but I parked off North Bank Rd. It's a very nice spot with a pit toilet, covered seating area, picnic tables, horse corals, and water.

This land was part of the old Jackson Ranch. This barn was pretty massive and halfway up a very steep slope. Glad that I didn't have to build it there.

Well signed trail junctions

Photo Dump

The Hennery and Nesika Lodge

Still plugging away with my training. I haven't really done any noteworthy runs yet. Most of them have been pretty wet and muddy, although I've had a few dry, warm days. And looking at the forecast, there is much more to come.

All of my weekly training runs have been in Forest Park or Washington Park, while most of my long runs have been scattered around the Gorge.

Some of my longer runs include:

1. OAB up Herman Creek Trail to Cedar Swamp Camp
2. OAB up Eagle Creek to Eagle-Tanner Trail
3. My house to Marquam Nature Park
4. The Elevator Shaft to Nesika Lodge
5. OAB up Tanner Creek Trail
6. Cougar Mountain Trail Loop, Issaquah

I haven't taken a lot of pics, but here are some of them. I apologize for the quality of the pics.

Summit Register on Cougar Mountain

Cougar Mountain Trails

Andrew and I climbing up the Elevator Shaft. High above I-84

Cougar Rock

Women's Outhouse - Nesika Lodge. Not too shabby!

Waiting out a Thunder/Hail/Sleet /Wind Storm. It even started snowing for a bit. Luckily we were at the lodge when it struck because it would have been very brutal to wait it out under a tree or rock.

Washed out photo of the Trail Club of Oregon's Nesika Lodge.

Wood and tool shed. Nesika

Tunnel Falls, Eagle Creek Trail

UNT,

Bryan