We have been hiking Ishi for the past 4 years, it has some super
rock formations and canyons. But we have noticed that the trails
have not been maintained and are slowly disappearing. This year we dropped a car off at mill creek and drove down to deer creek
with the intent to take the maintained trails (as indicated in red on the map we bought from the forest service). As per the map we went in at deer creek hiked to the Deep hole tie trail
from there climbed 1,200 ft out of the canyon where we hit the Moak trail, we followed the Moak along the ridge to a trail called 2E07 which was suppose to take us to the Lassen trail.
Well as per the forest service map and our several GPS units we
reached the area where the supposed 2E07 trail was to split from the Moak! Guess what the Moak trail disappeared into 4 to 6 ft high buck brush and the 2E07 trail was No where to be found. By this time it was 3:30 in the after noon so we set up camp on the ridge and searched the brush for 3 hours there is no
sign of any trail. We spent the night and decided to turn around and go back out the 7 miles we came in. We got to the car and headed back towards mill creek. We stopped at the Moak trail head and found the sign board with nothing on it, we walked the trail approx. 50 ft. where it disappeared into the buck brush.(Humm maintained trail) We continued to the Lassen trail head and looked at the sign board which has the same map we bought from the forest service and that 2E07 trail was shown
as a proposed trail. So the forest service is selling a map that shows maintained trails in (Red) and there map on the lassen sign board says proposed!! Also trees that have fallen on both the deer creek and mill creek trails are still there after 3 years so we had to break trail around this.
I have been trying to find out what rules are as to maintaining these trails? Something seems very wrong as it takes several years for buck brush to grow 4 to 6 ft, high.
Although Ishi has some spectacular views and rock formations
its not going to be seen by anyone if something doesn't start happening to the trails.
We would like to here from other hikers regarding there views on the condition of the trails.
Well after posting our groups input to non maintained trails
I contacted the Lassen and asked when they last were maintained
and what was the trail maintaince schedule. the reply was just as you said. However the trails from mill creek into papas place
and on the deer creek side going west have not maintained in serveral years. the Moak and the 2E07 have not been maintained for almost 20 years. I was told they have put in for funding if they don't get it then there will be trails shut down and taken off the maps. So the bottom line is just like everything else is these trails will be shut down. As A side note the Lassen use to be known for completing there projects but that has changed, they are now known for not being able to get most all
there projects never done and/or completed.
We also caught and have photo's
of Cal fire's fire bombers practicing down in the ishi wilderness which is illegal acording to the federal wilderness
rules. All air craft has to be 2000 ft above any wilderness. I contacted the Forest service and I got a call from there air op's people, there accuse was there isn't a wall up in the air telling them where they were! big cover up
I have photo.s of them dumping water down on Deer creek, well what about the residue that is in there water tanks?? that should be good for the fish and natural enviroment
SubalpineSam - Apr 24, 2013 12:58 am - Hasn't voted
Cartel Town
Well, we finally made it to Ishi! It is a spectacular place, to be sure. Sadly, all of the local lore says that the cartels have taken over much of the wilderness in areas adjacent to perennial streams. Being a cynic, I am apt to believe that some of this may just be locals trying to keep non-locals out. Then again...
We ran into a fellow who claims to have been living in the wilderness area off and on for the last 30 years. He made all kinds of independent assertions about the presence of cartels and their marijuana groves.
One commenter here has noted that the USFS seems not to be maintaining trails in the area. We certainly found that to be the apparent case. Even closer to the trailhead, the trail was fairly overgrown, with plenty of Ceanothus, manzanita, and (ack!) poison oak encroaching on the trail. A few miles in, as the trail approached one of the perennial streams, the trail disappeared completely into a thicket of chaparral and poison oak.
Our new friend who inhabits the wilderness claims that the USFS is on the take and working with the cartels to turn a blind eye and even protect their endeavors. He claims that the USFS is not maintaining the trails so that people won't go down and get themselves into trouble with the "grass growers."
That's a pretty elaborate conspiracy theory.
But part of me doesn't doubt that perhaps the cartel problem is too big, and that the USFS may in fact just be letting the trails into the more wild areas fall apart so that people can't easily stumble onto grow operations.
If any of this is true it is sad.
Either way, after paying a visit, I have to say this is an amazing place and well worth the effort to get there.
Just don't be shocked if you can't really get to where you think you want to go. We wound up dry camping for 3 nights, bushwhacking through insane chaparral down to a seasonal stream (look, ma! no pot!) once a day for water.
Arthur Digbee - May 2, 2007 6:39 pm - Voted 10/10
lots of good infoI really appreciate the care you took on this site, thanks!
Bubba Suess - May 7, 2007 2:13 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: lots of good infoThanks for the support!
McCannster - May 6, 2007 12:23 pm - Voted 10/10
perfectI just looked into this place about a week ago. The page contains many great pics and info
Bubba Suess - May 7, 2007 2:13 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: perfectI hope you make it out there...just make sure you don't go during the summer. It is HOT.
Catman - Apr 24, 2009 7:26 pm - Hasn't voted
Ishi trails NOT maintainedWe have been hiking Ishi for the past 4 years, it has some super
rock formations and canyons. But we have noticed that the trails
have not been maintained and are slowly disappearing. This year we dropped a car off at mill creek and drove down to deer creek
with the intent to take the maintained trails (as indicated in red on the map we bought from the forest service). As per the map we went in at deer creek hiked to the Deep hole tie trail
from there climbed 1,200 ft out of the canyon where we hit the Moak trail, we followed the Moak along the ridge to a trail called 2E07 which was suppose to take us to the Lassen trail.
Well as per the forest service map and our several GPS units we
reached the area where the supposed 2E07 trail was to split from the Moak! Guess what the Moak trail disappeared into 4 to 6 ft high buck brush and the 2E07 trail was No where to be found. By this time it was 3:30 in the after noon so we set up camp on the ridge and searched the brush for 3 hours there is no
sign of any trail. We spent the night and decided to turn around and go back out the 7 miles we came in. We got to the car and headed back towards mill creek. We stopped at the Moak trail head and found the sign board with nothing on it, we walked the trail approx. 50 ft. where it disappeared into the buck brush.(Humm maintained trail) We continued to the Lassen trail head and looked at the sign board which has the same map we bought from the forest service and that 2E07 trail was shown
as a proposed trail. So the forest service is selling a map that shows maintained trails in (Red) and there map on the lassen sign board says proposed!! Also trees that have fallen on both the deer creek and mill creek trails are still there after 3 years so we had to break trail around this.
I have been trying to find out what rules are as to maintaining these trails? Something seems very wrong as it takes several years for buck brush to grow 4 to 6 ft, high.
Although Ishi has some spectacular views and rock formations
its not going to be seen by anyone if something doesn't start happening to the trails.
We would like to here from other hikers regarding there views on the condition of the trails.
Burney Backpackers
Fredd C Dobbs - Apr 24, 2009 10:13 pm - Voted 10/10
Nice WorkThanks for your effort on this page. Looks like a very interesting area.
Catman - May 17, 2009 3:37 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Trails In the IshiWell after posting our groups input to non maintained trails
I contacted the Lassen and asked when they last were maintained
and what was the trail maintaince schedule. the reply was just as you said. However the trails from mill creek into papas place
and on the deer creek side going west have not maintained in serveral years. the Moak and the 2E07 have not been maintained for almost 20 years. I was told they have put in for funding if they don't get it then there will be trails shut down and taken off the maps. So the bottom line is just like everything else is these trails will be shut down. As A side note the Lassen use to be known for completing there projects but that has changed, they are now known for not being able to get most all
there projects never done and/or completed.
Catman - Jan 29, 2010 11:45 pm - Hasn't voted
Ishi April 2009We also caught and have photo's
of Cal fire's fire bombers practicing down in the ishi wilderness which is illegal acording to the federal wilderness
rules. All air craft has to be 2000 ft above any wilderness. I contacted the Forest service and I got a call from there air op's people, there accuse was there isn't a wall up in the air telling them where they were! big cover up
I have photo.s of them dumping water down on Deer creek, well what about the residue that is in there water tanks?? that should be good for the fish and natural enviroment
SubalpineSam - Apr 24, 2013 12:58 am - Hasn't voted
Cartel TownWell, we finally made it to Ishi! It is a spectacular place, to be sure. Sadly, all of the local lore says that the cartels have taken over much of the wilderness in areas adjacent to perennial streams. Being a cynic, I am apt to believe that some of this may just be locals trying to keep non-locals out. Then again...
We ran into a fellow who claims to have been living in the wilderness area off and on for the last 30 years. He made all kinds of independent assertions about the presence of cartels and their marijuana groves.
One commenter here has noted that the USFS seems not to be maintaining trails in the area. We certainly found that to be the apparent case. Even closer to the trailhead, the trail was fairly overgrown, with plenty of Ceanothus, manzanita, and (ack!) poison oak encroaching on the trail. A few miles in, as the trail approached one of the perennial streams, the trail disappeared completely into a thicket of chaparral and poison oak.
Our new friend who inhabits the wilderness claims that the USFS is on the take and working with the cartels to turn a blind eye and even protect their endeavors. He claims that the USFS is not maintaining the trails so that people won't go down and get themselves into trouble with the "grass growers."
That's a pretty elaborate conspiracy theory.
But part of me doesn't doubt that perhaps the cartel problem is too big, and that the USFS may in fact just be letting the trails into the more wild areas fall apart so that people can't easily stumble onto grow operations.
If any of this is true it is sad.
Either way, after paying a visit, I have to say this is an amazing place and well worth the effort to get there.
Just don't be shocked if you can't really get to where you think you want to go. We wound up dry camping for 3 nights, bushwhacking through insane chaparral down to a seasonal stream (look, ma! no pot!) once a day for water.