Blanket Cr. 2000

May 20, 2000

I met Josh Hampton and Mike Eagan at what we call the corrals, off the Van Duzen River road at 9:30 AM.

Carl Brandt was meeting the rest of the crew at the Dinsmore Store. The plan was for them to leave the store at 10:30 and meet up with us, which is what happened (partially) Seems that Carl got a call from some stragglers and decided to wait at the store for them. The rest of the bunch met up with us at the corrals. Carl had sent word for us to go on and he would catch up, so the ten of us aired down, locked up and departed, across the river and up the mountain. This is a fairly easy run with a few obstacles, so we took it easy, stopping often in the hope that Carl would catch up. We stopped in an opening at the top of the ridge and let the kids run around and stretch their legs.

By this time we could talk to Carl on the CB, so we headed on up the trail, telling Carl we would wait at Senteny Rock for him and the rest of the crew. Before we got to Senteny Rock, we had one muddy obstacle to climb, it had a bypass, but I think only a couple of rigs used it. When we got to Senteny Rock, we waited for Carl, who showed up after about ½ hour.

Before leaving Senteny Rock, several of us walked up to the next obstacle to check it out. It is a short steep hill with a big rock embedded in the trail and the downhill side washes out a little more every year. It looked fairly difficult this year, the rock had about 4’ showing and the side hill next to it was almost vertical, making it difficult to put your right tire on without slipping into the ditch below the rock. It was made more difficult by being wet! This is a short steep hill, where you would probably roll if you got sideways. After debating the pro’s and con’s, a couple of us decided to try it, if we made it, we would be at the top if someone needed a winch. Mike Eagan and I made it up after getting a front tire about 4’ in the air! After that, with some good spotting from Keith, everyone did a good job of making it up, some getting more air than others; we probably spent a good hour at this spot.

After the fun at the short hill, we went on over to the Beginning of the Blanket Creek Trail, where Mike Eagan and his daughter Kim decided that they only had enough time to get back to Eureka for a planned function.

We started down the Blanket Creek Trail and discovered a 3’ fir tree that had fallen across the trail, it was possible to get around it, but being the Tread Lightly sort, we opted to turn around. Meanwhile Josh had gotten into a ditch that threaten to swallow his Jeep; he couldn’t go ahead, the ditch would have had him for dinner, he couldn’t back up, so he opted for the winch! Well, it would not have been a complete trip without the winch being used. Thanks, Josh. Dennis and I decided we would head for home, but the rest of the crew decided they would take the trail that runs up to Senteny Rock from the East side, after all, it wasn’t even dark yet! Carl told me later that it was fairly easy and no one had any trouble. I don’t have any photos of that portion of the run or of Blanket Creek with Josh in the Ditch! Maybe one of the members will send me some and I will add to the story. It was a great run on a beautiful day in the mountains!

Jim Boyett