2.1 - Sunday, March 2

Distance: 22 miles
Time: 6 hours
Conditions: Packed and unpacked new snow

Set off heading north from Lake of the Woods on Route 140 (road from medford to Klamath Falls). Took only my skate skis, which turned out to be a mistake. Having only a small day pack was a big improvement on previous attempt to bring camping gear.

Started off with a big long downhill in dry, cold new snow. Very fast. Once it leveled off, problems began. Only a few snow mobiles had been by since the new snow, and the track was a little too narrow for skating. I slogged along as best I could, though uphills were definitely a problem.

At Pelican Butte, all tracks ended and I was now breaking trail. From there the trail descends steeply down into Rock Creek. Remember, I'm on skate skis. Definitely called for some creative skiing on the downhill. Eventually hit a logging road for a long slow exit to the Westside Road down in the Klamath Basin.

Started hitching and got picked up immediately by a guy in a 1963 Volvo sports car. I was back in Ashland that afternoon.