2.2 - Monday, March 3

Distance: 35 miles
Time: 4 hours
Conditions: Boilerplate crust and softened crust

Left Ashland at 3:30 AM to head back over to the Klamath Basin to pick up where I left off. This is an incredible valley if you have not seen it. It's just south of Crater lake and reminds me of Jackson Hole. Huge open flat valley bottom. In the right conditions, it could be a skater's paradise.

I decide to park at the northern end of this section at Annie Creek Sno Park and then ski back south to where I had ended up the previous day, and then back.

Finally conditions were perfect - rock hard trail and almost hard crust in the valley. When I broke out of the trees and headed out onto the huge open valley in pre dawn, it was an awesome moment. You could ski for miles and miles, which I did - then doubled back.

I did not have any plans for later in the day after this section, but I realized it was still plenty early and sufficiently cold to do more skiing. I drove around to the north entrance of Crater Lake to pick up the trail where I had left it last week.

This trail to Chemult is a rocket fast downhill for miles. I was able to pole and coast for a long way, even though it was now a little soft. I then left the trail and cut over to the road (Route 138) and followed that east all the way to 97. Skating along the road was great. Even though things were a little warmer in the afternoon, the surface was fully supportable. I cruised through the trees and ended at Diamond Lake Junction, where 138 hits 97.

Now I had the matter of retrieving my car, which was parked 15 miles up that laser straight section of road at the north entrance. I tried hitching. No luck. The weather along the crest was deteriorating. I fully intended to be warm and dry in the Dawson House in Chemult that night. So I began to run. I figured only 15 miles. I had my sandals, which worked pretty well. I actually felt fine and know I would have made it ok, but a Porsche SUV took pity on this lone runner about two miles into the slog, and I got a ride.

All in all, a great day in two amazing spots.