Humboldt - Horse Mountain / Land of the Lost safety beta

Hi all, 

Thinking of making an impulse trip to the North Coast in the coming weeks, and am hoping to check out the Land of the Lost. 

Being in forest lands in Humboldt: Can any one offer any insights on how safe the area is? 

Picked up the Redwood Burl Guidebook, so I have a sense of the directions and approach. But afraid that taking a wrong turn or messing up on the approach may lead to a bad run in with some bad folks (especially as a minority...). Is this actually a concern here or have I just been watching too much television?

You'd really have to fuck up to mistake a private road up there for the LOTL road. You're fine, especially if you have the Redwood Burl guidebook. MP directions should also be accurate. Also, you've been watching too much TV.

Although the LOTL road has a seasonal closure (a gate where it meets TItlow Hill road - an indication that you are in the right place) to protect against spread of Port Orford Cedar root rot disease. If the gate is closed, it's a fairly long hike in. Might want to call the Forest Service (ranger station in Willow Creek) and check on the gate status.

I would PM Evan Wisheropp. He's on MP.

I've never actually climbed there as I swung by in Nov, was prettttttty snowy. Anyways its super easy to get to (atleast the first locked gate). Freeway forever to titlow hill road , pull left when you see some signage about horse mountain botanical.

The gate was locked when I was up there last weekend, but there was very little snow left on the road. Also, the hike in isn’t too bad regardless.

@evanwisheropp is on instagram as well, and is the author of the book as I’m sure you’ve seen. Feel free to message him. The dude is great. Access is pretty safe. If LOTL is ever closed to snow or other access issues, Cold Springs is also a stellar area to visit.

Wrong turns really only lead you to different crags, but a 4x4 vehicle can safely get you pretty high up the mountain to limit walking, whereas I usually have to park at the base (past the gate, at this point) and hike the rest of the ~0.5mi to where you otherwise can park then hike from there. (Wow that was a long run-on sentence). Either way, check weather before you go for the trip.