On Monday Ashland residents found themselves buried in a cold thick fog. Our hiking group hoped the forecast was correct and we would find the sun on top of the Lewis Loops.

Eleven of us departed Rite Aid parking in a near-freezing fog which began to lift as we headed up to the top of Morton Street. Then we turned onto the earthen Ashland Loop Road for a bumpy mile up to the White Rabbit parking lot.

It seemed like many had the same idea for escaping the fog as 12 more AHG members were waiting for us near the TH. The total of 23 hikers must have been a record for a January hike!

Since we were a mixed crowd of new and longtime members we introduced ourselves and I thanked those who had contributed four chocolate bars and a nice Thank You card.

The morning sun was making its way up through the forest as we started up the White Rabbit trail to a right onto the Caterpillar Trail.
There was a little snow on the trail, but the sun made the surroundings a bright green off Madrones and Manzanitas and off the big Pines.

The Caterpillar Trail wrapped around the hillsides then dipped down to cross FS2060 and up the other side to the start of the Gimble and Gyre trails that make up the Lewis Loops. (Many of the trails in this part of the Ashland Watershed are named after characters and descriptions in Lewis Caroll's books about Alice in Wonderland). The first trail takes you down to a lookout point where you can view Mt. Ashland and Wagner Butte seemingly next to each other. And, on the way to and from the point, you might see the snow-capped peak of Mt. McLoughlin through the trees.

Some had snacks and water around the Scout Troop 112 picnic table while at the viewpoint. Then we headed back up the lower trail to the upper trail that took us to our lunch spot with a closer view of white Mt. Ashland.

After lunch and chocolate passed around we headed down off Lewis Peak and the windy trails back to parking.

On the day, the hike was 5 miles with 1,000' of gain. We found the sun and the temperature rose to the mid to high 40s.

We are fortunate and thankful to find our own Wonderland in the Ashland Watershed.