Mostly Modoc County 2005


This year, Dave and I spent our summer time off doing some more exploring in the far reaches of Northern California. Since we had spent little time in Modoc County in the past, we decided to concentrate on this. I collect California postmarks, so this also gave us an opportunity to get some of the rarer small towns. Each picture may be viewed in much larger form by clicking on it.
Black Butte is a prominent landmark on Interstate 5 as you approach the Weed turnoff on Highway 97 for the Klamath Basin area. When we see this, we always know it isn't that much further to go!
		Just past the turnoff from Highway 97 to 160, right at the state line, you will pass a dry lake that appears to be an adjunct to Indian Tom Lake, just south of this dry area. The lake bed is dazzlingly white, and some prankster placed a metal shark fin in it years ago...
Further down Highway 160, you pass through the Lower Klamath Wildlife Refuge. This area used to be wetlands prior to the damming of the Klamath River flows, and is now fed artificially. Bird populations can be huge, and pelicans are in abundance.
		We arrived at our property and relaxed after the long drive. Sunset was beautiful, with clouds reddened by the sun, and a nearly full Moon making an appearance.
The next morning, we headed out into Modoc County via Highway 139. Southeast of Newell, a good view can be had of the Medicine Lake Volcano complex and Glass Mountain, a recent (~1,000 years ago) flow of pumice and obsidian. The mountain really shines in the summer.
		A great view of Glass Mountain can be obtained via Google Earth. From here, the rather octupus-like nature of the flow can be seen.
Alturas is the county seat, located about 90 minutes from Tulelake. It is a nice town with some interesting architecture, including this spectacular courthouse built in 1914. The dome is painted copper. We had a great lunch at Mexican restaurant here, and be sure to check out the Museum and the Southern Pacific locomotive.
		We journeyed southward to Likely, This very small town with an unusual name has a cool general store in a building dating from the 19th Century.
We next headed back up Highway 395 through Alturas to the Highway 299 East turnoff, which took us through the gorgeous, wild Warner Mountains to the town of Cedarville. Another beautiful small community, there are lots of interesting buildings, and this old sign advertising Coca-Cola. Judging by the look of the kid's eyes, I'd say this is from the days when Coke still had cocaine in it...
		Heading north out of Cedarville, you get great views of the vast Surprise Valley and several alkali lakes. This view is from the northern part of the valley near Fort Bidwell.
Fort Bidwell was a very quiet town with virtually no activity and no open businesses other than the Post office, that we could see. Beautiful views abound. Dave came up here in 1991 to work a ham radio contest (WPX) and said that the electrical noise was virtually non-existent. At the north edge of town is the abandoned school, built in 1917 (children are now bussed to Cedarville).
		Returning from Fort Bidwell, we stopped at a rise in the road to view the Upper Alkali Lake. I took this panorama, which can be viewed in large size by clicking on the image.
We had heard about a site called Chimney Rock on Highway 395 that sounded interesting. While locating the site, we ran across these oddly-shaped rocks that were not visible anywhere else.
		Chimney Rock is named for the fact that an early pioneer of the area, Thomas Denson, built his cabin next to this rock in 1870, and found the rock to be so soft that he carved a fireplace and chimney right out of it! The rock is now right next to the railroad tracks.
The rock shows evidence of an old shoreline from when this region was much wetter than it is now. It appears that much of this part of the West was very wet thousands of years ago.
		We returned from Modoc County back to the Tulelake area for the evening. A beautiful , warm night was waiting, and the moon lit up the basin.
We headed into the Lava Beds the next day for some hiking. On the way there, this bird (a meadowlark?) was perched on the wires observing us.
		At the beginning of our hike, we noticed this cottontail rabbit hovering silently near some brush.
We hiked to the Thomas-Wright Battlefield site, where members of the US Army were massacred by Modoc Indians during the Modoc War. This panorama shows the entire site, with Hardin Butte at the right.
		On the trail near Black Crater is this dead juniper covered with moss.

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