CCC Road: Blowout Creek Trailhead, Bessemer Mountain — Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2023

Our group of three decided to hike the CCC Trail for some reason.  LOL! It ended up being a very wet hike, but it was a new section of the trail for all of us, and we saw some nice waterfalls and forest scenery.

We started at the western (small) parking lot for Oxbow Loop, and made our way to the Bessemer Road. From here we hiked up to the CCC Trail and headed east, reaching West Bessemer Creek as our lunch spot. We then returned the way we came, and continued up the Bessemer Road to Switchback Falls, before turning around again and heading back to the car.

This is a nice area to mess around in if you want some solitude.

PEOPLE: No one! There were no other cars in the parking lot either.

BESSEMER ROAD: Nothing too much to report on the road. It's generally dry walking but there are some small sections with water running down one side or the other. It's clear sailing up to Switchback Falls, where we turned around. The falls are pretty impressive right now. We didn't cross the lower falls, but if you're OK walking through about 4-5" of water, you could get across easily enough to get to the view of the upper falls. See my video link below for a shot of the lower falls.

CCC TRAIL: This report is for the section of the CCC Trail between Big Blowout Creek and West Bessemer Creek, as that's the only part we hiked today. As with most of the CCC Road, there is not a lot of elevation gain, and what there is happens very gradually. The forest is not old growth, but is recovering nicely after many decades, and you can marvel at the massive stumps along the way that remain from the original forest.

This section of the CCC Trail goes along some really cool cliffs for quite a ways, including one that seems to have a nice cave in it. We didn't climb up to check out the cave due to the wetness and our fear of finding a bear, LOL.

The main issue on this trail right now is all the water, though you may find it easier on a day when it hasn't been raining so much. All the creeks and rivers were very swollen today. I didn't bother counting the number of creeks we had to cross, but it was probably over 30. Most are small and easily stepped over with some well-placed rocks, but 4 or 5 were quite large requiring some creative solutions to get across. There are no bridges in this section once you cross the big new bridge in the unnamed creek just east of Big Blowout Creek.  If you want to keep your feet dry, you'll need waterproof boots and probably gaiters. I opted for the trail runners with wool socks, so my feet were constantly wet but not too cold. Waterproof socks might be a good idea too. None of the creeks were especially hazardous, with the possible exception of West Bessemer Creek (see below), so if you are OK just wading right through the water, it would not be a problem.

There are many sections of the trail right now that are covered in water, so it's pretty much impossible to avoid walking in it at some point. But it's not super deep so waterproof boots should suffice.

With regard to West Bessemer Creek, it is definitely the biggest creek along this part of the trail. The water is running fast, and it has some very deep sections. However, there are enough stable rocks in the creek, and a few well-placed logs that it is possible to cross if you're feeling adventurous. I got across OK without using any poles, though I thoroughly soaked my shoes and pants in the process.