CALIFORNIA SURVEYS IN KLAMATH

FOREST SERVICE SURVEYS WERE DONE IN TEAMWORK IN 1979 - 1980'S. WE WERE GIVEN LARGE AREAS TO SURVEY AS OUR PROJECTS FROM MOSTLY THE TIMBER CREW CHIEF. WE SURVEYED AREAS FOR TIMBER SALES AND PLANTINGS THAT WERE FROM 1000 ACRES TO OVER 6000 ACRES.

THE FIRST YEAR I WORKED THERE I WORKED OUT OF KLAMATH CITY. MY HUSBAND AND I WORKED TO SURVEY AREAS THAT HAD BEEN MINED IN THE 1850'S. WE USED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS TO LOCATE THE HISTORIC DISTURBANCE AREAS, ROADS, AND SITES FIRST. WE SPENT MOST OF OUR TIME FIGURING OUT WHERE WE WERE AS THE TOPOGRAPHY WAS DIFFICULT TERRAIN WITH MANY CONIFERS AND OAKS. THERE WERE SO MANY ROADS THAT WERE UNMARKED WE SPENT MUCH TIME GOING DOWN THE WRONG ROAD. WE FOUND MANY DEPOSITS OF STONES ALONG THE CREEKS WHERE THEY WERE MINING FOR GOLD AND WE FOUND SOME CAMPS OF TIN CANS AND BOTTLES. I ALSO INTERVIEWED SOME OF THE LOCAL SENIORS WHO KNEW THE AREA WELL AND COULD TELL ME MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY AND WHO WAS AT CERTAIN MINING CAMPS. I ALSO INTERVIEWED SOME NATIVE AMERICANS WHO LIVED HERE AND ALONG THE KLAMATH.

THERE WERE VERY FEW PREHISTORIC SITES HERE AS THE FOREST WAS SO DENSELY COVERED WITH DUFF THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO LOCATE MANY FLAKES OR PROJECTILE POINTS. WE DID LOCATE SEVERAL CABINS AND IDENTIFIED WHO BUILT THEM.

THE KLAMATH RIVER HAD MANY SALMON THERE WHEN WE WERE THERE AND THE INDIANS HAD MANY LARGE VILLAGES ALONG THE RIVER. IT WAS A GREAT SUMMER OVERALL.