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Nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts have a unique opportunity this summer to combine wilderness adventure with meaningful conservation work. From August 9–13, Ascend Wilderness Experience is hosting the Klamath Mountain Adult Backpacking & Botany Trip, a five-day guided journey through one of California’s most botanically diverse regions.

Set in the Kangaroo Lake Botanical and Geologic Areas along the Pacific Crest Trail, the trip invites participants to explore the stunning landscapes of the Klamath Mountains while contributing to a vital scientific project: the Klamath Vegetation Mapping Program. This initiative, led by California State Polytechnic University in Humboldt, California Native Plant Society, Bigfoot Trail Alliance, and other partners, aims to map plant communities to support biodiversity and climate resilience.

Two trip options are available: an 11-mile backpacking route along the PCT or a basecamp experience at scenic Kangaroo Lake. Both include flexible day hikes and hands-on plant surveys with expert botany, ecology, and geology instruction.

Leading the educational component is Liz McGee-Houghton, a seasoned botanist and educator with over 15 years of field experience. She’ll be joined by professional backcountry guide Andrew Nelson, who has worked extensively with Ascend and is in his third year with the vegetation mapping team.

No experience is required—just a love of nature and a spirit of discovery. The suggested donation begins at $750 per person and includes meals, gear, instruction, and optional transportation from Weaverville.

Participants will help survey and document native plant life, contributing to one of California’s most important ecological mapping efforts.

Do you love to nerd out about plants? Do you like to volunteer? Do you like to backpack and hike? If yes, consider joining Ascend during our Adult Botany Trip where you'll get to learn from field experts and help collect data for a Klamath Mountain Botany Survey in the Kangaroo Lake Botanical Area of the Klamath Mountains.

Date: August 9-13
Location: Kangaroo Lake Botanical & Geologic Areas, Pacific Crest Trail

Apply HERE

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Hiking With a Purpose: 

The Klamath Vegetation Mapping Program is a partnership between:

• California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (CPH)
• California Native Plant Society (CNPS)
• California Department of Fish & Wildlife (CDFW)
• Bigfoot Trail Alliance

CNPS formed a vegetation sampling team with funding from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. It includes CNPS staff, Michael Kauffmann from the Bigfoot Trail Alliance, Cal Poly Humboldt Professors Lucy Kerhoulas, Rosemary Sherriff, Erik Jules, and many students.

The goal is to inventory and map plant communities in the Klamath Mountains to help fill critical data gaps about vegetation types and biodiversity. This work also supports future life form classification and wildland fuels mapping, vital for fostering climate resilience in one of California’s most ecologically important regions.

During this Ascend Adult Botany Trip, guest botanist, Liz McGee Houghton, and Ascend Wilderness Guide, Andrew Nelson, will lead the group in botany exploration as well as meet up in the field with project partners and field scientists.

For more information click here.

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Kangaroo Lake – Overview

Location:
Kangaroo Lake is located in Klamath National Forest, in Siskiyou County, Northern California. It sits within the Scott Mountains, a subrange of the Klamath Mountains, and is easily accessed via a forest road or by hiking along the Pacific Crest Trail. This location is in one of the most botanically unique areas of the Klamath National Forest with multiple designated Botanical and Geologic Special Interest Areas all within walking distance.

Camping:
There’s a small developed campground at the lake with picnic tables, toilets, and fire rings, as well as dispersed backcountry sites for those seeking a wilder experience. 

Thanks to the hard work of dedicated volunteers, sections of the Haypress and Let’er Buck trails in the Marble Mountain Wilderness are now cleared and fully accessible for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts.

The Ascend Wilderness Experience Crew restored 3 miles on the Haypress Trail, which includes a portion of the upper Let’er Buck Trail. Their work included clearing 69 logs, re-establishing .25 miles of tread, and rebrushing a full mile of trail.

Meanwhile, the Bigfoot Trail Alliance Volunteer Crew tackled 1.7 miles of the Let’er Buck Trail, which had been heavily impacted by a high-intensity burn. In total, the Bigfoot Crew removed 86 downed logs, .75 miles of trail tread was restored, and brushing on dense overgrowth was cleared. Several segments had become nearly invisible, but are now well-defined and free of obstructions.

Six volunteers contributed more than 85 hours to the effort from both teams, and the two teams conquered their goals in the short amount of time afforded to them. Totally AWEsome!

With these efforts complete, the trail is now open as a loop through Haypress Meadow, home to a rare grove of lower-elevation hemlocks—a unique natural feature worth the hike.

This collaboration wouldn't have been possible without U.S. Forest Service - Six Rivers National Forest. They not only guided us on what was labeled a priority, but the USFS representative who joined us was a huge help with the trailwork; they worked very hard to make sure this project was completed. AWEsome all around.

Thanks to the hard work of a dedicated crew, the Waldorff Crossing Trail is now in much better shape for hikers to enjoy. From the trailhead to Raymond Flat—about 1.5 miles—crews completed major maintenance, including installing new signage, clearing 16 downed trees, brushing back overgrown sections, and restoring about a mile of trail tread.

The effort was led by 3 staff members, 1 Forest Service representative, and 2 volunteers who together contributed 32 hours of volunteer time. With steep terrain and heavy lifting, this was no easy task, but their work has made the trail safer and more enjoyable for all.

Next time you're out there, keep an eye out for the new signs and enjoy the improved trail!

Ascend Wilderness Experience recently completed a successful trail project deep in the Marble Mountain Wilderness along scenic Wooley Creek—a river-sized tributary nestled near the tri-county border of Siskiyou, Humboldt, and Trinity counties, just outside Somes Bar.

Partnering with the Six Rivers National Forest and Bigfoot Trail Alliance, staff and volunteers put in solid work restoring 6.5 miles of trail. A wild and wet winter left roughly 75 fallen trees—many of them heavy hardwoods like Tan Oak and Madrone—blocking the trail. The team cleared debris, brushed overgrown sections, and retreaded eroded portions to help reopen this beautiful stretch of wilderness.

Next up, Ascend is heading to the Waldorff Crossing Trail system in the Trinity Alps near Helena, CA May 3-4, and the Haypress/Let 'Er Buck trail systems in the stunning Marble Mountains near Somes Bar May 8-11. Both of these upcoming May trips are car camping adventures, offering even more opportunities to get involved, give back, and enjoy time outdoors in some of Northern California’s most ruggedly beautiful backcountry.

Ascend has adventures planned throughout the summer and fall, with free trips available for adults, teens, and potentially youth (pending funding availability for 2025). One trip, the Adult Botany trip will have a fee to join as our first “fundraising trip”. Multiple hikes and volunteer opportunities are scheduled from May through October.

Interested in joining a trip or know someone who would love to get out on the trail? Head to the LINK for all the details or call us at 1-530-739-1177 Monday - Friday 9 am - 5 pm. And don’t worry if you’re missing gear—Ascend’s fully stocked Gear Library ensures that everyone can access the wilderness, no matter their equipment situation.