McClellan Butte Trail 4/23/2022

The Mountains to the North

Shortly after my last blog entry I was going down a steep, slippery hill on the Tolt Pipeline Trail when I slipped and did something to my right calf muscle. I have been semi-resting it (walks but no hikes) and icing it and I figured today I would put it to the test.

Calf is feeling fine after the hike so I figure to make up for lost time and go out again tomorrow.

I parked on the little pullout off SE Homestead Valley Road (the road that you hit when you exit I-90 at Exit 38) and went up NF9020 to the PTC, east on PTC to McClellan Butte Trail, up that trail to NF9021, and then down and back via 9020 (intersection is just past Garcia).

6.7 miles, about 2 miles of hill on the route, very nice and peaceful (good views at times to the north):

Looking Through the Trees

except for the annoying and potentially dangerous appearance of two guys with guns, illegally shooting targets. The shooters should not be there and, in addition to the noise and the danger, they leave a terrible mess. The ‘shooting gallery’ up there is like a junkyard of gun detritus. Ugh.

But a nice day. Days are getting longer, bit by bit, warmer, and summer is looming. I definitely need to make up for a forced 2 week layoff from the mountains.

The track:

Track