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Calling All Humboldt County Photographers

April 8, 2022 by Backcountry Press 7 Comments

We are working with First 5 Humboldt to develop a hiking guide for kids and families. We would love to feature your photos of these landscapes and people visiting these places!

We want your photos!

Both with and without people (kids and families).

Submit Photos Here With Your Google Account

Don’t have a google account? email mk@backcountrypress.com

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12 Wonderful Humboldt County Hikes

June 20, 2020 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Rees Hughes shares some of his favorite hikes from his book, Hiking Humboldt Volume 2. This was recorded in a ZOOM Webinar during sheltering in place for COVID-19.

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Zig Zag Trail

March 6, 2020 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

The Zig Zag Trail

Prairie Creek Redwoods National and State Parks

Map from Conifer Country

This area of California contains some of the largest redwoods on Earth and holds extensive old-growth forests, protected as a national park in 1968. This particular walk, using the Zig Zag Trails and Prairie Creek Trail, is entirely in old growth. It offers an enigmatic temporal departure into a rare forest type. In addition to redwoods, other conifer specimens like Douglas-fir, western hemlock, and Sitka spruce are coupled with clandestine western redcedar and Port-Orford cedar—be sure to look carefully and learn your conifers well. Watch for grand firs that occur infrequently along the road, particularly at the south end of Elk Prairie.

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Trillium Falls Trail

January 25, 2020 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Trillium Falls Trail Map from Hiking Humboldt Volume 1. Map by Jason Barnes.

Description: It is amazing that, just a stone’s throw from Arcata Redwood Company’s Mill B, these old-growth redwood groves would survive. Much of the credit must go to the efforts of the Save the Redwoods League. A number of the leaders and benefactors are memorialized on the plaques on this walk. This trail passes 10-foot Trillium Falls and spends more time in the forest before gradually dropping back toward the wetlands along Prairie Creek. These wetlands are one of the most dependable locations for viewing Roosevelt elk. As interpretative displays in the Elk Meadow Day Use Area illustrate, from 1948 until restoration in the 1990s this was the location of Arcata Redwood Company’s Mill B and its massive 8-acre asphalt-covered log deck.

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Eureka Waterfront Trail

December 4, 2019 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

The route is now complete!

In mid-November 2019, the city of Eureka completed the Eureka Waterfront Trail by connecting a one-block section on 1st Street. This now allows bikers and walkers to hike from Tydd Street to Herrick Avenue — all on paved Trail!

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Rees Hughes and Humboldt Trails

November 12, 2019 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Learn about current and future opportunities with the Volunteer Trail Steward program and Humboldt Trails with this interview with Rees Hughes. For 10 years now Volunteer Trail Stewards have made it possible for the county and municipalities to expand our trail system. Maintenance and upkeep is always a concern, but volunteers have kept costs so low expansion is possible.

More opportunities available at Humboldt Trails.

Stream the Rees Hughes Interview
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2019 Humboldt County Trails Updates

November 12, 2019 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Inland Mountains

Chris Valle-Riestra is an exceptional volunteer and trail steward–with a particular fondness for the Klamath Mountains. He has been spearheading trailwork in the Orleans Ranger District for many years and knows the trails well .

He has updated conditions of trails on the forest for fall 2019. Click through to the hiking descriptions and read his comments.

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Big Tree – Elk Prairie Loop

November 1, 2019 by Backcountry Press 1 Comment

Prairie Creek Redwoods National and State Parks

The most extensive accessible trail system in Humboldt County is in the Elk Prairie/Big Tree areas of Prairie Creek Redwood State Park and Redwood National Park. This trail system offers many ways to mix and match the trails that network this area. Included in the route are magnificent old growth redwoods, picturesque Prairie Creek, the open grasslands of Elk Prairie, a nature trail, and miles of accessible trail.

Big Tree – Elk Prairie Hiking Basics
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Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park

May 20, 2019 by Backcountry Press 2 Comments

Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park

Hiking and wildflower adventures

Learn more in our book!

Description: Located on a bend in the Van Duzen River, Owen R. Cheatham Grove is a majestic patch of old growth redwoods spared by the founder of what would become the Georgia-Pacific Plywood and Lumber Company. The short hike loops through the grove. From the west side of the parking area two trails lead across the riverbed to the Van Duzen River. Grizzly Creek Redwoods State Park offers a small network of trails on the north and south side of the Van Duzen River. A summer bridge crosses the Van Duzen to 1.5 miles of additional trails on the south side. The north side trails include a nature trail with interpretive signs, a meandering walk up and down the hillside east of Grizzly Creek, and a stretch of trail west of Grizzly Creek.

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Potawot Health Village

September 3, 2018 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

The natural and intentional landscaping has matured into something quite special at the Potawot Health Village in Arcata, California. A sinuous series of wetlands have been created, native grasses and other plants reintroduced, and an extensive food garden and orchard established. While none of the trails are particularly long, they can be combined for a pleasant walk. By parking on Janes Road or in the Mad River Hospital parking lot and walking on the marked shoulder of the entrance parkway into Potawot the walk can be extended. A self-guided nature tour is available with numbered stops on the trails. Seating and a picnic table are spaced around the grounds.

 

Getting there: Drive 10 miles north on US 101 and take Exit 716B (Giuntoli exit), proceeding on Giuntoli Lane to the west (follow the roundabout to the third exit). The route passes over 101, rounds a traffic circle and continues on west, veering left (south) and becoming Janes Road. From the initial turn onto Giuntoli Lane to the signed entrance to Potawot is about one mile. Turn left into the entrance parkway for 0.3 mile to parking. Several access points to the trail complex exist south of the parking lot and entrance parkway.

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Highlights from 2017

January 3, 2018 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Welcome to a Brave New Year

Here are a few highlights from the world of Backcountry Press in 2017.
Happy Trails and other adventures in 2018 and thanks for your support.

 

Hiking Humboldt v2 Released
Rees Hughes and Jason Barnes teamed up to create an incredible guidebook to Humboldt County.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wildflowers of the Trinity Alps Released
Ken DeCamp, Julie Kierstead Nelson and Julie Knorr teamed up on this ode to the Klamath Mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Podcast with Ken DeCamp
The author of Wildflowers of the Trinity Alps discusses the history of the new book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Eclipse
On 8.21.2017 a once in a lifetime event occurred, witnessed herein on Oregon’s Ochoco National Forest.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Obi Kaufmann’s Favorite Books 2017
Wildflowers of the Trinity Alps makes Obi’s favorites list for the year, thanks Obi!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mapping California’s Rarest Conifer
CNPS and Michael Kauffmann worked to map and inventory yellow-cedar in the Siskiyous.

 

 

 

10 Extraordinary But Little Known Humboldt County Walks

September 8, 2017 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Thursday, October 12, 6:30 – 8:00 pm
HSU Library Fishbowl (2nd Floor of the HSU Library)

Humboldt County WalksReady to find your new favorite place to go for a walk?

Hear tales from the trail as Rees talks about Humboldt County walks and shares images to inspire (and inform!) your next hike. All walks featured appear in the book Hiking Humboldt Volume 2: 101 Shorter Day Hikes, Urban and Road Walks.

These include walking the 0.4 mile long Loleta Tunnel, exploring Lacks Creek and Schoolhouse Peak/Lyons Ranch, walking the Ft. Seward Road or the Dyerville Loop Road, finding fossils on the Centerville Beach to Fleener Creek Loop, and more.

This is a free event. Please be in touch with questions: hughes@humboldt.edu

#whatdadslike

June 16, 2017 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

#whatdadslike

1. whittled stick
2. weather radio
3. nerdy mechanical pencil
4. Hiking Humboldt Vol. 2: 101 Shorter Day Hikes, Urban and Road Walks
5. external hard drive
6. power tools
7. bigfoot action figure
8. meat rub
9. heart rock
10. beach scores
11. Joe
12. custom Lego vehicle
13. crocheted woolen beer coozie
14. old tools
15. sentimental photo of dadding
16. kid art
17. badass binos
18. foolproof corkscrew

Humboldt Made

May 9, 2017 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

One of our main goals here at Backcountry Press is to work with business partners as close to home as possible. With recent shifts in on demand printing, were able to print both Hiking Humboldt Volume 1 and Volume 2 on recycled paper right here in Eureka at Times Printing.

Times Printing
The friendly staff at Times Printing in Eureka, California.

From their website:

Times Printing has a long and rich history in Humboldt County.  A fourth generation, family owned and operated business, the company has enjoyed serving the region since 1854.

Before being renamed Times Printing in 1939, the company was known as the Times Publishing Company.  Originally the print shop for the area’s first newspaper, the Humboldt Times, Times Publishing Company printed the newspaper and other jobs such as books, business cards and letterhead.  In 1946 Arthur Smith bought Times Printing, thus cutting its ties to the Humboldt Times and becoming an independent company.

Thanks for supporting independent publishing printed in Eureka!

Hiking Humboldt book bundle

May 1, 2017 by Backcountry Press Leave a Comment

Hiking Humboldt

Primeval forests harboring the world’s tallest trees.  Sea cliffs, pristine beaches, and towering coastal sand dunes.  Mountain prairies, meadows, and vistas.  Rivers, lakes, lagoons, and bays.  Bears, elk, seals, otters, and birds galore.  And solitude – lots and lots of solitude.  Humboldt County offers all this and much more to the intrepid hiker. Hiking Humboldt volumes 1 and 2 will take you to every publicly accessible corner of the county.

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Our most recent Podcast

Trivia Challenge: Wildflowers of the Klamath Mountains

https://backcountrypress.com/podcast-player/21109/trivia-challenge-wildflowers-of-the-klamath-mountains.mp3

Download file | Play in new window | Duration: 19:11 | Recorded on July 8, 2022

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Backcountry Press
Look who’s popping up! Does this mean it’s off Look who’s popping up! Does this mean it’s officially #wildflowerseason in the redwood forest?

#scoliopusbigelovii #slinkpod #fetidadderstongue #californianativeplants #redwoodforest
9 Years Ago: Our family on the front page (below t 9 Years Ago: Our family on the front page (below the fold!) telling the story of our first book and the creation of @backcountrypress.

Lots of changes to our #familybiz since then!

• minus 1 dear pup
• plus 1 dear cat
• plus 1 little brother
(• plus serious growth of big brother!)
• plus the publication of a dozen more books AND the creation of this fabulous Backcountry Press community!

Thank you so much for being a part of it!!
A new look for your head coming at ya later this w A new look for your head coming at ya later this week!

We just need to find a more competent model. Any volunteers?!?
 
(P.S. Stay safe and cozy, California! 💦)

#itsafamilybusiness #childmodel
Just a bit breezy out there!! For our fellow weath Just a bit breezy out there!! For our fellow weather fans: Surface Wind Speeds. I could watch this map all day…

You can too. Find it at our L I N K.

(Thank you for the hot tip on this #mesmerizing #interactivemap @marie707antoine !)

#bombcyclone #wind #iloveweather #weatherwatchers #atmosphericriver #map  #stormscoming #pacificcoast #pacific #californiastorm #westcoast

http://earth.nullschool.net
The Smith River is the most undeveloped and protec The Smith River is the most undeveloped and protected river remaining in California, and the largest completely undammed river from source to sea in the state.

It drains the high elevation flanks of the western Siskiyou Mountains, who’s thin, rocky soils shed water from winter storms faster than any other watershed in the Klamath Mountains.

This River commonly rises insanely fast—from 5,000 to 80,000 cfs within 24 hours.

It’s an absolute joy to watch this wild river flowing swift and clear, full of welcome winter rains.

- - - - -

We were turned on to the concept of Slow TV by @b_funke.jpg and @gabriellegopinath. We love watching the rivers flow, the mountains catching morning light, the fog slowly settling between ridges. Apparently when you record this it’s called Slow TV! Would a YouTube channel featuring such *shows* from the Klamath Mountains interest you?

Also, please support the @smithriveralliance. They do such important work to care for this watershed!

#klamathmountains #smithriver #slowtv #delnortecounty #delnorte #northerncalifornia #wildrivers #smithrivercalifornia #serpentine #siskiyou #wildcalifornia #river #atmosphericriver
#protip: *How to keep your tot-sized hiker happy w #protip: *How to keep your tot-sized hiker happy while also decreasing your holiday sweets stash so you don’t have to eat it all.

HINT: Tie the @lindt chocolate to a stick with a blade of grass and dangle it in front of your tot as you hike along. Allow them to grab it only when the laughter subsides. This should buy you an extra mile or two.

*This pro tip will not be included in Hiking Humboldt Kids, a new book we’ve been working on with @first5california Humboldt, due out this spring!

#hikingwithkids #hikinghumboldt #redwoods #redwoodforest @ospreypacks #takeahike #parentingtips #parentlife #humboldt #humboldtcounty
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