| Date: March 11, 2003 | | Location Mount Baldy Hike | | Where: Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge | | I set out today to explore as many trails as I could at Baskett Slough National Wildlife Refuge. Many of the trails are closed from Oct thru March to protect the wintering birds, but the trail to the top of Mount Baldy and a loop around Baskett Butte are open year around. The trail to the viewpoint on the top of Mount Baldy is a nice smooth trail of fine gravel, good in any weather. At the first junction I turned right to circle around Baskett Butte. This trail has had less care and one needs to be prepared for mud. At the next juction the trail ahead is closed for the Oct to April season, so I took a left that circled over and around the Butte. Here the trail is more a path that snakes through an oak woods with lots of Indian Plum in bloom. This trail then circles back to join up with the Mount Baldy Trail. |  | On the slopes of Mount Baldy I saw six deer feeding without a lot of concern about my presence |  | On the top of Mount Baldy is a viewpoint structure dedicated to former Refuge manager, Rich Guadagno, who was a victim of the Sept 11 tragedy. Here I found Buttercups in bloom. |  | |
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