Hike to Gilham Butte

In October, a handful of hikers went up to visit Gilham Butte, a high point between the Mattole River and Salmon Creek. Some of us were with ISF and some not. This steep ridgeline was never homesteaded or logged. It remained government property and is now administered by the Bureau of Land Management. There is no public access, but a neighboring landowner led the group in.

Identifying distant high points with a map at one of the rare openings.

Gilham Butte tops out at about 3,060 feet. Our guide, the adjacent landowner, has been maintaining the access to the undeveloped land surrounding the peak by brushing out a former logging road.

Right at the boundary between private and public land, the change of ownership was obvious, with the appearance of Douglas-firs three feet in diameter and larger, plus massive hardwoods.

Crowded trees lose their side branches in their youth. The stubs here indicate these were pioneer specimens that grew in the open.

Fir invasion was obvious throughout the area, including some dead and dying hardwoods being shaded out by firs. Note the dense stand of young trees in background.

This giant Douglas-fir grew up in the open, as old branches all the way down the trunk demonstrate.

Huge double-trunked tanoak

At the summit, we discovered that a crew from the Mattole Restoration Council had come up from the other side and created a shaded fuel break along the divide.

Relaxing at the summit.

More on the history of saving Gilham Butte here: https://www.ancient-forests.org/gb/history.html