Winter Rushes Towards Spring Eagerly in Spenceville Wildlife Area

The Spenceville Wildlife Area west of Penn Valley, California is one of my favorite winter hiking spots. And each spring it's even better.

I'm especially eager this year to leap into spring. Given my new fangled pace maker I had implanted last fall and the un-characteristically chill of my own 67th winter that followed, I hope to end my personal cold spell in a few weeks. Today I started my 2nd prescription of EECP.

Active exercise is an important component to the procedure. For celebrating the earliest rebirth of spring, there are few better places to begin a new season of hikes other than Spenceville. And to simultaneously renew yourself.

The low elevation foothills location sits on the true transition above the Central Valley above Marysville and Linda, California on the western, front door of Beale Air Force Base. Where Dry Creek scurries over the last drop before leveling into the Central Valley, at a low of only 200' elevation, the rich ecosystem of blue oak gray pine grassland stretch upland to a knob peaking at a believe-it-or-not awesome 1270' elevation. This and several viewpoints offer vistas stretching across the Central Valley where Sutter Buttes stands out against the faded blue of the Coastal Range on the far side of the Valley. These are bragging-rights statistics.

Foothill woodlands like these are the most threatened ecosystem in California's rich spectrum of wildlands (ok, relatively), yet, still available to public uses. Potential subdivisions and ranchettes collectively are the greatest threats to similar lands remaining open. During World War II, the Spenceville area was, in fact, part of Beale Air Force Base. To this day, concrete structures that were used for training and located to spot Japanese war planes before they could attack California still lay along grassy hillsides dotted by oaks.

SierraOutdoorRecreation.com created our own specialized hiking and recreation opportunities Spenceville Wildlife Area Map The trails were not entered using GPS accuracy but simply by own interpretation as I walked each one. That was another great spring.

Wildlife management by California Department of Fish and Game for wild turkeys, upland birds and deer is the primary goal. Fishing for largemouth, bluegill and catfish is often excellent in one of several ponds left over when these were privately owned ranches and farmlands. Other recreational activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and equestrian riding must remain compatible with these objectives. Hunting is allowed September 1 – January 31 for all legal species and during, the reservations -only spring turkey season.

The 60' Shingle Falls is arguably the most scenic year-round, readily accessible waterfall in the Sierra Nevada Range. As the high-country opens up when snow cover melts, several nearby waterfalls are not only taller but more dramatic. But year-round, no. I believe the falls has one of nicest bowl-shaped, plunge pools west of Hawaii.

Few people are even aware that a second, nearly as scenic, falls sits downstream only a quick 300' away. Unlike easy access via the Shingle Falls Trail, these lower falls are not readily viewed. Not only are they unsigned, but they have no name, and require a scramble over a rock rib that some hikers will not, should not, tackle. And watch out for poison oak and the temptation to get the best pictures laying just a little-e-e further out on the rocks.

I prefer to continue up stream of Shingle Falls, and then follow the dozered firebreak uphill to the left (north) until it climbs the ridge and opens into a nearly treeless, dry meadow. Turn left in the saddle and pick up the faint road used by ranchers whose cows enjoy the meadows too. The road ties back to the main trail into the falls in the saddle that sits just above (south) the old Spenceville Road and gate along the trail.

When I'm looking for an extension in my hike back to the vehicle parking area, I like returning using the even-more remote backcountry feel of the North Valley Trail. I'll return to Dry Creek just west of the parking area by using the West Pitman Trail and Pitman Pond.

I'll be doing hour-long EECP (Enhanced External Counterpulsation) treatments for five days a week at least the next eight weeks. After a session, I'll feel totally relaxed and with that extra surge of oxygen-rich blood each time, I'll be looking for some great outings to capitalize on the treatments. In addition to these I've mentioned, I have another half-dozen enjoyable trails in Spenceville alone. Stay tuned.

My personal winter was not very supportive to the "Favorite Winter Hikes" series I launched last November. Still, I have a few more weeks before spring. And there's always next winter.

After my initial EECP treatments in the winter of 2001. I capped my rejuvenation by climbing both Castle and Basin Peaks that fall. And a few thousand miles since. I'll be back. But mostly, I want to enjoy the remaining trip itself. To wherever.