We’ve got all kinds of unique local shopping opportunities here in Siskiyou County. Out in Montague Shepherd’s Dream is selling wool bedding products, from mattresses to comforters and pillows. Fluffy piles of wool batting greet you at the door of Shepherds Dream’s quiet shop in the farming community of Montague. The all-wool bed on display is welcoming, and certainly you are invited to snuggle into it in this exploration of natural bedding.
The Shepherd’s Dream sleeping system is based on the all-wool mattress, which begins with more than a foot of wool batting that is compressed into a comfortable mattress. When you lay down on the display bed you’ll be enjoying the full system: the handcrafted Douglas fir bed frame, the wool mattress with padded cover, organic cotton sheets, a light airy wool comforter, wool pillows and neck rolls. Take your time; sink into it. The company’s website extols the benefits of sleeping on a wool bed, noting that wool is breathable and better able to respond to your body’s temperature fluctuations as you sleep.
To learn more about the all-wool sleep system, visit the website at www.shepherdsdream.com. You’ll find a wealth of information about the processes and products and the evolution to the wool mattress. To try out the test bed at the shop, call ahead (530.459.3180) to ensure that the shop is open before you visit Montague, which is about 20 minutes east of Yreka, off Interstate 5.
While you’re in Montague, be sure to stop in at Ms. Lynn’s Tea for a light lunch and the chance to dress up while you take tea. Ms. Lynn’s is just down the street from Shepherd’s Dream.
The April 19th tour of the Lower Klamath Refuge and its surrounding area was quite a treat. We visited a number of sites, including the CCC/POW camp, called Camp Tule Lake, Petroglyph Point, Captain Jack’s Stronghold, the Tulelake Museum and the memorial marker for the Newell Japanese Internment Camp. It was a chilly day, but we braved the wind to hear about these sites and view the wildlife. The wetlands area is just amazing – there are so many birds in the air that it’s hard to stay focused on driving. I found myself watching great Vs of birds wheeling across the sky, peering into the shallows of the lake to watch the red-legged stilts, and marveling at the number of ducks – most of which had their heads down in the water to feed. As I drove through the Lower Refuge I remembered my previous note-to-self that I should always bring a bird book and binoculars when visiting the Tulelake area.
So I’m planning on coming back – with a bird identification book and the binocs, as well as a few other tools. Certainly bringing good hiking shoes so that I can complete the two trails at Captain Jack’s Stronghold – a maze of cheese-grader like lava rock that scrapes at the skin and provided a hideout for the Modoc Indians when they went to war with the US Army back in 1872. A headlamp, since at the suggestion of a Lava Beds ranger, I’m planning on taking an evening hike up Schonchin Butte to the fire lookout where the sunset views are said to be amazing with Mt. Shasta and Mt. McLoughlin rising up in the distance. I’ll put the headlamp to use in the caves as well – the Parks Service has discovered over 700 lava tube caves on the 73 square miles the Lava Beds inhabits. There are a couple of lighted caves, but mostly you’re on your own, especially if you leave the main trail to go to any of the backcountry caves.
I’m also looking forward to Memorial Day Weekend when the evening ranger talks begin. I spoke with Amy, the ranger who gives the astronomy talk, about the Lava Beds’ possible designation as a “Dark Sky Preserve.” This is a new designation from the National Parks Service, as it begins to recognize a clear, dark night sky as a resource – one that an estimated two thirds of Americans can’t view from their homes. I grew up in a rural area and just didn’t realize that not everyone can see that many (or any!) stars at night. Amy said that now is a good time of year for stargazing at the Lava Beds, and winter is especially good for viewing the Milky Way. Her astronomy talk begins with a power point presentation, followed by a laser-pointed tour of the night sky and wraps up with telescope viewing of nebula of the Milky Way, moon viewing and other objects, depending on when you visit. The ranger talks, which rotate through a somewhat weekly cycle, run from Memorial Day Weekend to Labor Day Weekend. Call ahead (530-667-8100) if you want to know which talks will be given; they schedule them one to two weeks in advance.
If you’ve never been to the eastern outskirts of Siskiyou County, mark April 19th on your calendar and prepare for an adventure. The Klamath Basin presents a wide range of landscapes, from the flat reaches of farmland to the mysterious terrain of marshes and vast wetlands to the raw, ragged jumble of the Lava Beds. In celebration of the centennial of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge, a historic tour of the area has been set for April 19th.
The guided tour will cross the boundaries of the wildlife refuge and the Lava Beds National Monument, as well as the boundaries of different eras of history. You’ll see the Civilian Conservation Corps building, the Tule Lake Museum, the Japanese American World War II Internment Camp near Newell, Petroglyph Point and Captain Jack’s Stronghold on Lava Beds National Monument. Local history buffs will be along to talk about the significance each of these locations holds in the area’s history.
The trip begins at 9am the Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge visitors center on Hill Road. A small tour bus is available for those who make reservations; however, you can follow along in your vehicle as well. Bring snacks and drinks, as the tour will conclude around 2:30pm. If you’re looking for a bite to eat afterward, nearby Tulelake offers a few amenities. The only cost for the tour is the entry fee into the Tulelake Museum ($3 for adults, $2 for seniors and $1 for kids 6 to 12).
To reserve a spot, or to learn more about the monthly events held in honor of the centennial, call the Refuge visitors center at 530.667.2231 or visit the website at
www.fws.gov/klamathbasinrefuges
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Local Shopping | Visit Siskiyou April 30, 2008 | 
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