Remembering Russell Towle

2011-07-12T13:02:00.000-07:00

I'm Ken Smith, I'm the "Dad" in this image, and I remember Russ so vividly from our time in Palo Alto, that I recently googled him, and was saddened to find a 'remembering Russ' blog, but thrilled by the life he lived. I have to tell you, he was Russell Towle even at age 9-10. A lot of credit should go to Russ's Dad. I remember one trip Russ, his Dad and I went on down to Needles National Monument to go spelunking. Pretty big adventure for a 10 year old. Another thing Russ and I did, along with Jack Burns (pictured), is we hiked up Palo Alto's paved creek beds until they became concrete conduits, and kept going, for a whole day, and we came up through a conduit miles from home and didn't recognize where we were. We had to call one of our Moms. I don't remember who, but I bet it was Russ's because his family would have understood. Reply to ken@ideasmith.com .

2011-01-26T10:04:00.001-08:00

I would like to dedicate a song I wrote years ago to Russell. I have read Russell's Blog many times as I am an avid hiker/environmentalist/prospector and I have always found his writing to describe these beautiful places as very inspirational. Because of his writing I have hiked some of these places he has described. I hope the rest of us can pick up the torch he carried and continue to preserve these wild and historic areas.

This song is called "First Light". This song came to me as a vision of the sun rising over the mountain tops somewhere in the Sierra Nevada. It could be anywhere as you hear this song play.

http://candd.biz/main/songs/firstlight.mp3

A picture of Russell I don't remember seeing...

2010-11-19T17:09:00.001-08:00

Just because ...

2010-08-07T00:01:00.000-07:00

I'll always miss you brother.

Nov 4 2001 - Russell, Janet, Gem, Greg, Gus and Gay:

Sept 9 2006 - Gay, Greg, Janet & Russell:

Sept 9 2006 - Gay, Greg, Janet & Russell:

Sept 9 2006 - Gay & Russell:

Death is nothing at all

2010-05-08T17:30:00.000-07:00

by Henry Scott Holland (1847-1918).

Death is nothing at all. It does not count. I have only slipped away into the next room. Nothing has happened. Everything remains exactly as it was. I am I, and you are you, and the old life that we lived so fondly together is untouched, unchanged. Whatever we were to each other, that we are still. Call me by the old familiar name. Speak of me in the easy way which you always used. Put no difference into your tone. Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow. Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes that we enjoyed together. Play, smile, think of me, pray for me. Let my name be ever the household word that it always was. Let it be spoken without an effort, without the ghost of a shadow upon it. Life means all that it ever meant. It is the same as it ever was. There is absolute and unbroken continuity. What is this death but a negligible accident? Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight? I am but waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, just round the corner. All is well. Nothing is hurt; nothing is lost. One brief moment and all will be as it was before. How we shall laugh at the trouble of parting when we meet again!

A delightful memory

2010-03-21T16:52:00.000-07:00

Here is Russ, in I think, 1989—reading a Tintin comic to Gay's sons Gus and Gem. During the first couple of years we all lived together, every birthday and holiday was a reason to buy another Tintin, until we had the whole set. The boys learned to read by poring over these Tintins, as did Janet and Greg later on. Russ had a voice for each character, and loved to point out obscure details in the illustrations. Tintin, Snowy, Captain Haddock, Professor Calculus, Madame Castafiore, the evil Rastapopolous... archetypal characters, all!

Russ would be so proud...

2010-01-14T12:26:00.000-08:00

I was just reading Janet and Greg's Blogs... and it made me think about just how very proud of both of them Russ would be. I do wish he was around to participate... as it was through his responses to Janet that I saw such a sweet, tender side of Russell. When I'm out walking around picking up rocks I think a Russ a lot... he would have liked them.

a zome temple

2009-10-06T09:51:00.000-07:00

I just learned today of this tragedy. I had a brief email correspondence with Russell in 2007. At the time I'd just designed and built my first Zome - zonohedral dome. He was very generous and encouraging of the work I shared with him.

I discovered this blog while looking Russell up to share my latest creation. I think he'd have enjoyed it.

www.bootiesattva.blogspot.com

I'll be thinking more about this.

Rob

rob(at)zomadic.com

1966 Pacific High School

2009-09-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

I started at Pacific High School, a progressive school in California, in 1966, the year Russ was getting ready to leave. At Pacific, you left when you were done; there was no obligation to stay for 4 years. I stayed for 3.

Rusty (he was called either that or Russ; the Russell period would be in the future) was a wanderer then. He was seen around the campus less than most people. He was off hiking and hitch hiking most of the time...down to the beach, up to the mountains...usually with his guitar.

It was nice when he was around. He was one of those people who would be warm and receptive to your possibilities even though he was a few years older than you and, in high school, that was a pretty cool thing. He was wonderfully soft spoken; he sang that way too and I liked listening to him play his guitar and sing folk songs.

We lost touch for a long, long time. We met again in the late 90s. I thought I was quite different: fatter, more confident, more articulate. But Rusty was very much the same: soft spoken, warm, interesting and interested. I could tell he had become a very happy person. I also had the feeling that he'd left me far behind.

Dean Farwood

First Annual Russell Towle Memorial Backpacking Adventure

2009-08-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

Friends and Family,

On August 7 - 9, a group of us met at Wabena Point and backpacked down Palisade Trail to the Royal Gorge - Russell's favorite wilderness paradise, his echoing canyon of canyons! It was an incredible adventure, so if you missed it, read all about it here! And plan on coming along next time!

http://gambolinman.blogspot.com/2009/08/royal-gorge-first-annual-russell-towle.html

Russ, and the Royal Gorge

2009-08-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

I (this is Gay) have spent many hours this past year, transcribing Russell's hand written journals, both to preserve and share them, and to make them easily searchable. I have far to go on that project... you'll be hearing more... but I want to share now some excerpts in which he mentions the Royal Gorge. He and I visited there together in 1988, on August 3rd, and that day turned out to be a pivotal one in both our lives. I will revisit the Royal Gorge with some precious friends next weekend, immersing myself once again in my love for Russ, for life, for this planet and its wonders.

The first entry is a long one, mentioning Royal Gorge only at the very end. In it Russ gives us a vivid snapshot of himself at age 26. After several years living on the coast at Año Nuevo, he was then living in the shack he'd built, 'wren shack', on his parents' property in Grass Valley. He'd just obtained and begun to develop his Moody Ridge property, which he refers to as 'canyonland', and he calls his planned cabin site 'cabañita'.

11/3/75 sunny morning in wren shack. tim & jim & i went out to canyonland day before yesterday and camped overnight on cabañita. taffy, tim's dog, was very nervous all night long, barking and growling and pacing around. we didn't sleep very well, but got up before dawn and brewed some coffee. yesterday we hiked down to green valley and the north fork of the american river, descending via the gulch that heads up at the springs near cabañita, past many tiny cascades and waterfalls, mossy gardens with a species of buttercup in full bloom, and an interesting zone of [brecciated] serpentine that had a band of tufa accumulation ~ quite odd. the river was beautiful, easily twice as big as the south yuba, with many old mine and cabin sites, and a weathered grave marker, wooden, reading 'joe steiner - 1860 1949' ~ i found an old silver u.s. navy spoon with an embossed anchor on the handle. we hiked upriver to where an old suspension bridge used to be, and where there is a beautiful cliff of smooth marble rising nearly sheer from the river for a couple hundred feet. hiking back up to cabañita on the green valley trail was tough, and when we finally packed all our stuff back out to the jeep, the battery was dead ~ my father had left the fire radio on the day before. so we had to walk over to alta on the railroad tracks and call craig, tim's old buddy, to come give us a jumper with his 4X4 bronco. but we finally made it back.

had a dream out at cabañita that i wish i could remember ~ strange. somehow i was involved with some sorcerers in an old world city, ancient stone buildings and marble statues everywhere, a dark stormy night, crowds of people ~ that's all i can bring back from that one.

the headframe of the gracie mine on my dad's property out by nevada city is in danger of falling onto some high-power lines, so my dad wants to pull it down with one of the fire trucks that has a winch and cable mounted up front. there is extensive six-by-six framing in the headframe, some of which i may be able to salvage for cabañita. on one of the main six by six someone carved, years ago, the word 'phantasmagoria' ~ that one especially i would like to retrieve, if it isn't busted too bad. it calls to mind visions of a group of young people who dropped acid together one fine night, a warm summer evening perhaps seven years ago. they partied up at the old gracie mine, the old silent tumbledown gold mine, giant relict of yesteryear. the headframe was sturdier then, a fine outsize jungle jim to scramble over and perch upon, to reflect on the sound of rushing water from the nearby ditch, to loll about and laugh and pass around joints and carve 'phantasmagoria' into an old wooden beam... i would love to build 'phantasmagoria' into cabañita ~ i've had my eye on that timber for years now. i recall when my dad first showed me that property out there, one of the first things i noticed was that distorted word ~ and while we stumbled about in the brushy forest, my dad pointing out little bits of flagging tied in this bush or that tree, trying to communicate to me his visions of roads here, building sites there and then again over there, my mind was wandering, i was chuckling to myself about the acid party of years past, and the weathered old timber with soul, 'phantasmagoria'

soft afternoon light setting cedar walls aglow. i hope to use a lot of cedar in cabañita. i need help if i am to build this cabañita. i need determination. the road, the trail ~ they are done. now to get the materials in. but the design, the design. i have not settled on it. perhaps a sixteen foot diameter dodecagon with sleeping loft? that's a big project! one more heavy storm and the road may be impassable. i should probably settle for less, for a smaller cabin ~ twelve foot octagon with sleeping loft. i've decided to build right to the edge of the cliff, may necessitate a split level ground floor, as some of the serpentine bedrock protrudes in the site. maybe i'm pushing this too fast ~ maybe it'd be better to wait for spring, do some tripping in guatemala, take my time and make my money and do it right. but then again if i let my perfectionist tendencies get the upper hand, it may never get built, like the octagon at año nuevo. compromise ~ half a pie is better than none ~ should be my philosophy here, i think. don't get too fancy. that spot, tho, is so fantastic ~ almost phantasmagorical ~ it deserves my best effort.

~ later, and the sun has set. a warm day ~ crickets thrill as i have not heard in weeks. but cool enough so that the old electric heater is going here in wren shack. a copper bowl mounted on a frame with a heating element in the center, glowing springs wound about a ceramic cone. i watched ridges glow in the sun's dying light, watched the shadow of the coast ranges creep across the foothills, at this distance and low sun angle so diffuse as to be barely perceivable as such ~ by the time the sun is just touching the coast range, only a rosy glow is left on the higher sierran ridges.

it's funny i'm so preoccupied with this cabañita that i care even less than usual about my personal appearance. i sleep in my clothes and wear the same pants, socks, and shirt for a week at a time. i eat my regulation fare: granola, cheese sandwich, tacos. coffee first thing in the morning. it is a rare day when muscles don't ache. callouses build up on my hands. i should eat better. eat some eggs once in a while maybe, or get some vitamins. i've been a man obsessed. i want a break. i wish it was over, that i was sitting in cabanita watching sunglow on cedar, playing my guitar, singing my songs, writing my memoirs. with my old lady by my side. i am sad and lonely in the midst of this drive to accomplish cabañita. i need somebody to love. and i must find meaning in my life, must find it anew. this stream without a channel may dry up otherwise, disappear into the desert sands of a hermit existence. just as at one time i felt it necessary to suspend involvement in the religious meaning i had discovered in life, after an effort of many years; and to fill the vacuum left, affirmed vigorously the attitude that i should look at myself and the world with my own eyes and no one else's, which involved me in an intense study of earth sciences, natural history etc., ~ now i feel the need perhaps to suspend my involvement in that path, at least as far as identity/persona trips go, and reach for a new relation between myself and the world about me and within me. once again i feel like plowing it all under and letting nature take its course; i begin to feel heavy with knowledge and short on spirit. partly because i know no one who shares my intellectual interests, no one with whom to explore ideas and theories. when i attempt to share my appreciation of some of the wonders of the universe with my friends, i generally seem to miss the mark and am taken as a boaster and a show-off. whatever my ideas about myself, the impetus to advance my understanding of the universe has lessened, partly at least because of the canyonland and cabañita. i was looking forward while backpacking last summer to some really intense research on geology pertaining to the sierras and the west in general, to better understanding of plant relationships and classification, to developing knowledge of the california indians ~ but all that has taken a back seat for now. i am in another world almost, where i grit my teeth and battle bushes, where i strain at the yoke like a beast of burden, where i am often too tired to want to socialize. today has been a rest day. tomorrow i will go and finish the trail, and take a long hard look at the building site, and take measurements. and it should be the last time i go out there without a load of materials for a while.

~ still later, after watching some monday night football (with howard cosell!) and poring over the desiderata mrs. anderson sent my father, items relating to the canyonland property, the morgan asbestos mine, the mollie claim, etc. some old photographs, one with the jagged rock blades across the canyon from lover's leap in view in the background.

a pulsating sea of crickets laps at my cabin walls, and manzanita [choirs sing songs not so easily heard.] the eery arias of the cedars are something else again and i will see rainbows over the sierra crest from cabañita, rainbows falling into the royal gorge. i will see the morning star. a river of fog in the canyon, wrens making love. and loads of lightning. from cabañita i will see many fine things.

new adjectives for living in canyonland: 'upcanyon', ''downcanyon', and actually the only new one: 'crosscanyon'. something on the other side of a canyon from something else is, properly speaking, 'crosscanyon'. in my dictionary. ah, bullshit. canyons, cañons, gorges, gulches, valleys, arroyos ~ i like them.

just went through my routine of capturing vespulid wasps and releasing them outdoors, vespulid wasps clinging to my eastern window, on warm days such as today they are quite active. i catch them with a film can and a piece of paper.

That beam was indeed placed as a rafter in the "Little Cabin", the variously colored letters of the word visible from within the sleeping loft.

Three months later...

2/8/76
...
today i amused myself by sitting at the dining table in my parents' house, plotting cross-sectional views of three different parts of the north fork of the american river canyon. one transect was at lover's leap-giant gap ridge, an impressively steep, V-shaped section. another was a mile upriver. extending from my land down to the river and ascending to green valley trailhead on giant gap road. the other was across the royal gorge, some twenty miles upstream. call the three sections A, B, C in the order described above. see top of page. the bedrock in the region of A is extremely resistant to weathering; in area B is serpentine occupying a fault zone & very weak; and in C is, again, highly resistant but probably somewhat less so that at A. i have not visited the C area and wonder if it was even occupied by a valley glacier ~ it is V-shaped as it would be if stream-cut; but hints at a U-shape ever so slightly. north is to the left on the three drawings; one would [be] facing upstream, in a northeast direction in A and B and east in C. C is only ten miles from the sierra crest, the peak on the left is snow mountain; to the right is the foresthill divide, separating the drainages of the north and middle forks of the american river, and largely capped by volcanic mudflows & volcanic ash, with old river channels & their gravel deposits meandering around. beneath lies the bedrock and the pre-volcanic, pre-uplift terrain. some granite but largely older paleozoic metamorphic rock. snow mountain rises above the level of the mudflow, i believe, which is about 7000' in elevation in the vicinity; downslope at moody ridge the mudflow surface lies just over 4000 feet in elevation.

a party of maidu indian hunters might set forth from camp one fine fall day, and pause on a low prominence atop a ridge with a broad top and canyons dropping away thousands of feet on either side. as the upcanyon winds swept past occasional eddies and surges would set the oak leaves dancing and glinting in the sun, while the whispering rustling flow of sound would be punctured by the various taps and thuds and sharp reports of falling acorns. looking across the tops of ridges paralleling the one they were on, they would see row upon row of forests so even and so effectively hiding the deep canyons between that it looked almost as if it were one broad, forested plain rising imperceptibly to the rocky battlements of the sierra crest, already whitened by the first snow fall of the season. and looking at the ridges, the hunting party would know that, a little ways below the summits of each one, were networks of heavily-trodden animal trails connecting the springs that regularly occurred at the base of the clay-like zone of volcanic ash. often the zone would be easily identified by eye from afar by noting the tendency of the black oaks to dominate the upper slopes and the live oaks those below.

and 4 months later...

6/11/76
...
~ early evening. cumulus clouds have thinned to reveal cirrus feathers above. woodpeckers laugh, jays buzz. the shadow of moody ridge across the canyon. the amphitheater... i commented to rick and susan the other day that the feeling i get from this area is one of mountains as opposed to foothills. rick said, yeah, and the gateway to the mountains from the foothills is giant gap.

yeah!

and the gateway from the mountains to the high country, the royal gorge.

really it's all one: the west slope of the sierra nevada. as the afternoon advances the clouds retreat, east towards the crest. snow mountain's crown lost in fog. to be there now! cold, wet (raining perhaps), dark; will the clouds lift to allow the last rays of the sun to bathe the summit in their cool light? and grosbeaks sing.

Twelve YEARS later...

8/3/88 Morning; I await Gay, who is scheduled to arrive this morning for a hike, possibly to the waterfalls below Wabena Point, in the Royal Gorge. The heat wave has slacked off, thank goodness.

8/4/88 Morning. Stiff and sore after the hike in and out of the Royal Gorge yesterday. We drove directly to Wabena Point and descended the spur ridge leading to the two waterfalls visible far below. Encountering a little brush near the top, which gravity helped us through, we had mostly open going over rocky and increasingly steep terrain. When we'd visited The Step near Wabena Point in June we'd seen a cliff facing upslope on the near side of the river which appeared to offer a good route down to the base of the falls from the ridge we planned to descend, and so it happened. The unusual cliff flanks a narrow gully entrenched by the glacier parallel to the river, a gully choked with enormous boulders and graced by enormous canyon live oaks. It was hot. The sun beat so strongly upon the vastness of stone all around us that, well, it was hot.

From red fir and lodgepole pine we had dropped into live oak and douglas fir and bay-laurel, native grape sprawling curtains, a few incense cedar -- poison oak! It was hot, the unusual cliff had blocked out all vestiges of the river's sound, the world had shrunk from the far-flung alpine vistas at the canyon rim, Devils Peak, Castle Peak, Tinkers Knob, Snow Mountain looming across the gorge; shrunk to a canyon increasingly dominated by Snow, Snow with its little grove perched higher and higher above us, shrunk into a canyon enlivened by the roar of waterfalls, one of which's top we could now see -- then shrunk into this intimate gully sweltering, hidden, closed, guarded, quiet, knowing only itself, encircled by cliffs, choked by the giant angularity of mega-boulders --

a turn to the right, a traversal of trees gnarling to a single blade of stone hundreds of feet long up which we climbed to see that we'd Arrived at the lowest waterfall/pool. But what a pool! It was elliptical in outline, cliffs falling sheer into the water from three sides, two waterfalls converging to meet at the pool's surface, but the color, the color -- the incredibly deep green color betokening incalculable depths. Alders, willows below the pool. Nice big boulders along its edge upon which to sit; we sat, we ate quickly -- I'd skipped breakfast and was famished, it was probably, hmmm, one in the afternoon. A 2,500-foot descent. We ate.

We plunged into the pool, water clear water cool. Water shallow beneath the falls, water at low flows, levels, volumes, all of the above, water dashed white and enlivened by falling ten, twenty feet. Water cool, climb out, dry into hot sun and strong canyon breezes shimmering the pool and then dive, and swim, and peer into the impossible and wholly undiscernible depths. Trout, ouzels.
Trout and ouzels and granodiorite -- no -- the rock scoured white to a distance of ten feet or more above the pool, suggesting that the river does indeed roar during the snowmelt. The repeated and intense scouring has not permitted trees near the pool, and the purity of water and rock and air and very little else has an otherworldly character. Perhaps primitive, like, only First Things allowed here.

A ledge provided access across the cliffs to the next pool/waterfall just above. Tiny circle of an impossibly deep pool, water falling twenty feet in column to plunge into deep water, we swim beneath the plunge, are massaged, pounded.

After explorations in the area and more swimming in the Big Deep, we proceed upstream, rock-climbing. After a flat stretch, another sequence of pools and falls, little falls, we stop below a pretty little double fall, photograph, continue, clambered, were amazed by the discovery of another Big Deep. Triple waterfall over blank vertical granodiorite (we'd passed the contact zone) surrounded by other blank flat cliffs, deep, deep, big overhang along one side: amazing in the extreme! Above, another deep, deep pool, no waterfall. Flat stretch, then, as we approach the confluence of Palisade Creek, another large waterfall and pool, this one a double fall, very pretty, with rocks suitably positioned for up to seventy-foot jumps into the pool. A large camp-site not far away signaled the proximity of the trail and bridge. Sure enough; and we hiked up the trail in gathering darkness, arriving at the car when stars grew bright. Home at midnight, sleep, awake, drink coffee, smoke substances. Finally after all these years,

the ROYAL GORGE

And on a looseleaf binder page, inserted into the journal at this point and dated 8/11/88:

The Royal Gorge

Sun and stone and mountain throne:
the Royal Gorge.
light bright lances
gently shattered rippling patches
dance embracing cliffs, trout,
dance also the ouzels,
dance the waters falling
into pools of deep and many dimensions.

bones of rattlesnake victims like driftwood heaped:
the Royal gorge.
take a foot, take another
and still another:
take four thousand feet and reach
rocky tops of Snow Mountain.
and atop those tops
obsidian clues to vanished hunters:
loping bear, jumping deer, wood-rat, thou,
sing! sing! sing to me
the men who lounged atop these tops,
Washo

granite jewels close-pack to fill space,
all around, up, down:
Royal Gorge.
distant roar single hands clapping,
waterfall upon waterfall,
pool upon pool,
ouzel upon ouzel, trout on trout,
eagle golden over all of everything.
to leap, to dive, to swim,
perchance to dream, that
certain stars shot madly from their spheres,
and blended raging raging maelstrom of
torrential Spring,
and remained by way of blessing,
the echoing, echoing, all-reflecting
canyon of canyons:

Royal Gorge.

Following His Tracks

2009-06-17T10:22:00.001-07:00

I do a lot of walking in this area (although certainly not a lot compared to Russell). Many times over the years, I've worked my way deep into some little-known canyon, seeking their hidden mysteries, and on my return found email from Russell describing his own trek into the same area just a day or two prior. On far more occasions, however, the same kind of email would appear, tipping me off to new places to explore.

I revisited such a place a couple months back, off the beaten track, no sign of other travelers having been here for a long time. Very likely the case, too, considering the heavy brush in the area was recently burned off by a fire.

At the hike's turn-around point I sat down to eat lunch, a rocky point with views deep into the NFNF canyon. And there, at this same point, was one of Russell's clipped trees, neatly cut off at waist level. I felt like I had just missed him on the trail.

He saved flies and spiders too...

2009-06-04T07:41:00.000-07:00

and there was never such a thing as a fly swatter in our home! We had independently developed the habit of simply catching the little critters and releasing them outdoors.

Once, we were gone for a few days, and when we returned, found that the cabin door, which didn't latch firmly, had opened in our absence, and a mouse had taken the opportunity to set up residence in the insulation lining of the oven. For three weeks we tried to catch that mouse but it would NOT be caught--a very feisty mouse. It was wreaking havoc with my sleep, running around, chewing things up, leaving turds everywhere... Russ finally did resort to the snap mouse trap.

Russ's reverence for all life forms, for all of nature, actually (living and not) was deeply rooted. Part of it was from his insatiable curiousity about it all. He was driven to learn EVERYTHING. And once he learned something, he wanted to share it with everyone.

Gay

Another Russ Story

2009-05-31T11:32:00.000-07:00

First off, I should start by saying that I didnt know Russ really at all but for those of you who loved him so much, I do have one more special little Russ story for you....................

I am a fisherman and recreational gold miner and I was doing some research one day on the internet and found some very helpful commments by Russ about the North Fork American canyon. Since he left his email address on the post, I emailed him a simple inquiry and was pleasantly surprised that he emailed back his phone #.

I called him and we chatted for the better part of an hour. I was very grateful that he gave so much of his precious time to a complete stranger, sending more information to me via email. I was also completely taken with his love for nature and especially the area that includes the North Fork Canyon. Without his help, I am not sure I would have been able to find my way down to the spot I wanted to access. Yesterday, I was rereading an email that he sent a couple of years back and though I would look up his website again, only shocked to find news of his tragic accident.

I only had an hour of time to spend with this warm and generous guy but it was quite special. I feel very sorry for his family and their loss. This has been just another reminder of how precious life is and how important it is to live it to the fullest while we are here. I got the impression that Russ lived an unusually rich life and everyone who knew him should be very grateful that they knew him.

David James, Manhattan Beach CA dsj1776@gmail.com

Russ in a creek in his younger days...

2009-05-16T17:07:00.001-07:00

Thought you'd all enjoy this picture of Russell hanging out in a creek as a kid... Doesn't this look like it could be a picture of Greg? It's not. Really. Enjoy.

Russell saving ticks!

2009-05-09T13:14:00.000-07:00

I was chatting with Laura and Russ (her boyfriend) last night (yes, they are back in California), and as I watched Russ try to gentley catch some flying bug to let it go outside, it reminded me of one of the WEIRDEST things I remember my brother Russ every doing. Rich's dog, Fanky, had a big, swollen tick on his belly. Russ carefully removed the tick using the "counterclockwise unscrew" method, and then took to tick outside to let it go, because it deserved to live. I vividly remember thinking he was crazy, and was just "too" something... Now, in hindsight, it's just another example of someone who genuinely cared about all living creatures... even blood-sucking ticks! Oh, this was probably the summer of 1972; why I can remember this, I'll never know.

Beautiful hanging crystal...

2009-05-04T15:48:00.000-07:00

The other morning I was relaxing with a strong cup of coffee and enjoying the sunrise. As it peeked through my front window, suddenly there were little rainbows everywhere. I had finally hung my beautiful crystal that Russell gave to me in honor of Julie's birth. It was in her room when she was a baby, and somehow got "lost" in one of the moves. I was so happy to find it recently, and to remember receiving this special gift from my brother when I had my first child. Looking back at a few pictures, he did enjoy getting down on the floor with Julie, and seemed quite taken with her. This crystal is the only gift I can clearly remember that Russ ever gave me, and I LOVE IT! Sure wish he was here with us, but I'll think of him each time the sun mixes with the crystal and gives me those gorgeous rainbows. Shellie

New stories, anyone???

2009-04-07T17:20:00.000-07:00

Okay...here's the request: How about some NEW stories about Russell on this blog? I keep checking hoping to find new tidbits about Russ that I never new. It is wondeful to read about different times in his life, and see old pictures. I kind-of think we all keep looking here. It's been eight months... and some times it seems like a lifetime ago and other times it is fresh and raw. Hang in there everyone... and PLEASE post something new.

Nine Expeditions to New York Canyon

2009-03-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

I found the following while searching thru an archive of the content from Russell's iMac (with permission from Gay). The entire book totalling four-hundred and thirty 8½" x 11" pages is contained within this archive. Only the CD cover art, preface and introduction are included below. Yes, something will be done to preserve the entire book.

There is an incomplete list of "Books by Russell Towle" in this prior blog post.

Richard L. Towle (Russell's brother)
Alameda, CA

Nine Expeditions to New York Canyon

Preface

Since 2001, or slightly before, I have written extensively about the North Fork of the American River, in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, for my North Fork Trails email list. Today, in April, 2007, there are about one hundred and twenty subscribers. Some have been with me since the beginning of the list.

My topics include historic trails, environmental issues, geology, the flora, fauna, history and prehistory. These topics arise, most often, in the course of describing this or that hike, somewhere in the great canyon. The equivalent of several books, in the counting of words, has been generated, and it has long seemed good to publish an archive of North Fork Trails. The emails are sent as plain text, and I regret that it is not possible to attach photographs and maps. I love maps, and generally, if I am out hiking, I have a camera with me.

The task of combining the entire archive of writings, with its parallel archive of photographs, has seemed so large, so daunting, that I never quite get around to it.

It occurred to me, recently, that it would be interesting to collect all the emails which have to do with one particular locality, and combine them with their corresponding photos. This electronic book, or eBook, is my first attempt at such a correlation. It contains accounts of nine expeditions to the great 560-foot waterfall in New York Canyon (a tributary of the North Fork); in two of the nine, I failed to reach the falls, or to even see them. Yet these failed expeditions form part of the story.

The expeditions took place between May of 2001 and June of 2005. Hundreds of photographs are included. The PDF file format allows one to zoom in on the photographs, and capture detail far beyond what is usually seen on the internet, for instance, or even in a “real” book, where page size often prevents such detail from emerging.

So, be sure to zoom in on the photos, and the maps.

I have also included a short sketch of the geology of New York Canyon, with geologic maps.

—Russell Towle, April, 2007

Introduction

The great 560-foot waterfall in New York Canyon is hidden from easy view. I first saw it from a small airplane, in the late spring of 1975, following an unusually heavy winter, which had buried the Sierra Nevada under many yards of snow. At the beginning of April, 57-foot-high lift towers at the Squaw Valley ski area were hidden under the snow! By June, more than ten feet of hardpacked snow still covered the high country, and waterfalls everywhere were at historic high flows, as hot weather settled in for the summer.

Flying up the North Fork American towards the Sierra Crest in that little plane, my friends and I were astounded by the many waterfalls. I barely glanced at New York Canyon’s Big Waterfall. During the early 1990s, I received a Tahoe National Forest document describing several Sierran rivers and streams, with a view to their inclusion in the National Wild & Scenic River system, and I read, then, of New York Canyon’s 560-foot waterfall.

Surprisingly, I waited nearly ten years to visit that cliff-bound, magical place. I scouted the area, however, becoming increasingly familiar with the Sailor Flat Road, and with the upper basins of the two forks of New York Canyon. In 2001 I made the first of nine expeditions to New York Canyon’s great waterfall, but failed to gain even a distant view of the thing. I could hear it, faintly. An infinitude of brush prevented movement towards the vague roaring and booming.

Nine PDF files record the nine expeditions, in this “eBook,” and I have included a tenth PDF file (NYC_Maps.pdf), of maps and landscape renderings; an eleventh (NYC_Geology.pdf), of geologic maps; and this file (NYC_Preface.pdf) makes twelve. Here I wish to provide a more general introduction to this very special place.

In the general scheme of California’s Sierra Nevada, Yosemite Valley is but one of many deep canyons scoring the broad western slope of the range. During the Pleistocene, that is, within the past two million years, each such canyon had its own glacier, which extended from the summit ice fields about half-way down to the Great Central Valley, which is only a little above sea level.

Like all these other canyons, then, the “Great American Canyon,” of the North Fork of the American River, has an upper, glaciated reach, and a lower, stream-eroded reach. It is only about eighty miles long. From the peaks at its head, such as Mt. Lincoln, Anderson Peak, Tinkers Knob, and Granite Chief, one can see Lake Tahoe, only a little ways south and east. These peaks rise to about nine thousand feet in elevation.

Like all these other major Sierran canyons, the North Fork’s canyon deepened drastically during the Pleistocene, and deepened much more rapidly than its tributaries. Hence the tributaries often form what are called “hanging valleys.” New York Canyon is just such a hanging valley.

New York Canyon enters the North Fork at 3200 feet elevation, and heads up on the Foresthill Divide (the ridge dividing the North and Middle forks of the American River) at about 6800 feet elevation. It is only three miles long, and has two forks, an East Fork and a West Fork. The big waterfall is on the East Fork, just above its confluence with the West Fork. In those three short miles, New York Canyon descends 3600 feet. Hence there are many many waterfalls along both forks of the canyon, and many cascades.

Different types of rock lead to different canyon morphologies. For instance, one of the greatest contrasts in Sierran geomorphology is exhibited by the adjacent upper canyons of the South Fork of the Yuba River, and the North Fork of the American River. The former is incised mostly in granite, the latter, mostly in metamorphic rock, often metasediments, often something like slate. As a result, the North Fork Canyon is vastly deeper than the South Yuba canyon; at Kingvale, the South Yuba is less than a thousand feet deep, while a few miles south, the North Fork American is over three thousand feet deep. The “digital landscape” renderings in the NYC_Maps.pdf file give an idea of this strong contrast between two canyons otherwise much of a muchness.

Like the main North Fork canyon, New York Canyon is incised into metamorphic rock of various kinds. In particular, there are large masses of chert and siliceous sandstones and quartzites, which all have a relatively massive texture, and stoutly resist erosion. To the east, these quartz-rich rocks give way to slates, and adjacent Sailor Canyon has no 500-foot waterfalls. It has many smaller waterfalls.

At the North Fork American, the forest of New York Canyon is typical of the “Transition Zone,” being a mixture of Ponderosa Pine, Incense Cedar, Douglas Fir, Kellogg’s Black Oak, and Canyon Live Oak, with Bigleaf Maple, Dogwood, and White Alder, along the creek itself. Up on the Divide, at 6800 feet, and in the upper basins of the two forks, we find pure stands of Red Fir, with masses of Mountain Alder around springs, and Jeffrey Pine in sunny, more open locations. The Sugar Pine is well-represented in the middle reaches of New York Canyon, as is the White Fir.

Finally, as will become apparent in my accounts of the nine expeditions, it is not easy to reach the great waterfall. Vast brushy areas and steep cliffs interfere. Also, by the time the Foresthill Road is free of snow, and one can drive to the head of New York Canyon, the snow has also melted from the upper basins, and the waterfall has subsided. It is most difficult of all, therefore, to reach the waterfall during high flows. The remoteness of the waterfall, the steepness of the cliffs, the rapidity of the current (should a ford of the stream be necessary), are all serious hazards. Also met are the more typical dangers, of rattlesnakes and poison oak.

—Russell Towle, April, 2007.

Sad News

2009-03-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

I'm very sad to hear of Russell's passing. My name is Cynthia McDaniel and I am the granddaughter of Alleen Towle, daughter of George G. Towle and Bertha Brice. I contacted Russell in the past regarding family history. Does anyone know how I can get a copy of Russell's Dutch Flat Chronicles? Thank you. camcdaniel@cox.net

Happy Birthday, Russell

2009-03-08T13:58:00.001-07:00

My Mom had this picture of Russ on his 3rd Birthday... and she wrote the story below. This has been a tough 7 months... loving thoughts to all of you. Shellie

All Russ wanted for his third birthday was a Hopalong Cassidy jacket, pants, hat and guns. Thus this washed out Hopalong Cassiday outfit that was the most joyous birthday present he ever received. So joyous, in fact, that he just had to sleep in it for a night or two. I should add, that with reluctance on his part, the hat and the guns were carefully placed next to his bed. So joyous, in fact, that it probably did not see a washing machine for several days.Strangely, if you asked me to remember what he got on any other birthday I could not come up with an answer. That third birthday was so far above any others for him at that time and for me in my memories. We lived in Connecticut at the time and I do believe that this picture was taken at the quite large beach house we rented as we had sold our house and had to move about six weeks before we were to head for California.

Russell's 60th Birthday

2009-03-01T19:38:00.000-08:00

UPDATE on weather/road conditions, Friday 7 March: Scratch that last post! This is actually Greg, but my mom wanted to let you all know that the road isn't as good as previously stated. You can make it in if you have good clearance or four-wheel drive, but otherwise, it's likely you'll get stuck. If you want to leave you car out at the Alta exit from the freeway, feel free, just give us a call and I'll come out and pick you up. Happy March! Greg.

UPDATE on weather/road conditions, Friday 6 March: We saw increasing sun today, and patches of ground are now showing up under some trees. The road in has gotten pretty easy; it's tracked down to the road surface, so it should not be a problem for anyone. There's still lots of lovely snow in the meadow, good texture for igloo and sculpture building. Down at the cabins where more ground is showing through, it's muddy. Gloves and boots are in order!

UPDATE on weather/road conditions, Thursday 5 March:
Weather looks promising, dry for the weekend, partly cloudy. The snow that we got on Tuesday (about a foot) is melting rapidly but still covers the ground everywhere. We did a lot of shoveling Wednesday and can now drive to the bottom of the meadow with our 4WD cars. Anyone driving a 4WD will not have problems getting in here even now. By Sunday, I'm confident that even 2WD vehicles will make it OK... but Saturday—can't be sure yet.

The meadow is absolutely beautiful when snow covered. My memorial dreamcatcher has taken a hit though; one of its support ropes has broken so that it has flopped over and hangs low and doesn't look now like it was ever round. That's OK, it evolves... I think we should make fanciful snow sculptures to surround it with sparkling whimsy ; )

The guest of honor can't be here, but we'll celebrate his fascinating life anyway. Join Gay, and Greg (and maybe Janet, Gem, Gus) at the cabins, anytime during the weekend of March 7-8. Bring food to share, music to share, but YOURSELF mainly.

IMPORTANT--check back here on Thursday evening or Friday for an update on our weather/road conditions. If the current series of storms results in snow at this elevation (4000') the road may become difficult or impassable, and we don't want anyone to get stuck. If the road is going to be a problem, we'll move the gathering somewhere else, below the snow.

"Geometer Remembered", ...

2009-02-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

an interesting blog post by Kirby Urner.

Thank you Kirby!

Richard's DVD Collection of Russell...

2009-02-12T16:03:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have received the DVD set Richard put together... WATCH IT! Jeff and I spent a wondeful rainy afternoon watching Russ in his element. How fortunate we are to have this to watch whenever we need to see Russell's smiling face and hear his intelligent voice. (We also hear a bit of irritation and sarcasm at times... LOL). Anyway, many thanks to Rich and Chris for all your hard work. For those of you who haven't seen the footage, it's great. It's so hard to believe it's been six months... some days it seems like yesterday, and some days it seems like an eternity. Shellie

Thanks Russ...

2009-01-29T23:33:00.000-08:00

Greetings,
I have been averted to posting anything here out of some sort of fear of not having anything to say that meets the caliber of who Russell was and what I have learned from him. This is utter nonsense.

I have always held him in the utmost regard, not only for his vast, synergistic knowledge, but for the moments (usually during hikes, of course) that he recognized my enthusiastic interest and indulged it. Unfortunately, like for everyone else I am sure, this becomes all too apparent after the fact. I just received a copy of some of his raw interview footage on DVD in the mail and was sincerely taken aback by how authentic his presence was, even rendered through time and media.

Without getting too sappy, as the time for this has passed (and I cry too easily, it turns out!) Russell is truly an inspiration for me in multiple aspects of life. It is all too easy for over used words and phrases to be construed as such, but this entire experience has been a vivid illustration of what is really important in this life. I hope that someday I might attain half the existence and accomplishment that Russell has shown me and everyone else. Thank you.

I'll see y'all on the trail...
Cheers, Ian Baker

2009-01-11T20:58:00.000-08:00

Dear Towle family and friends

Hello, my name is Thomas Dargie, I am 26 and I live in grass valley, I was recently researching a summer adventure trip to the royal gorge. I have done alot of exploring in nevada county and i want to branch of to placer.

This is how I learned of russell, he sounded just like a tuffer modern day john muir. I am very sad to hear about what happened to him, I have a feeling a man like that would be in a great place and watching over his family,

The reason for my post is to find out is there anyway possible maybe to volunteer trail work or anything that I can do In respect for a great man. I would love to be able to hike with somepeople that knew this man, Thank you for you time it is trully appreciated,

P S, If its not already in the works, but a book should be written about this man and the stuff he accomplished

Russell wearing Bullwinkle hat on Christmas day 2005

2009-01-09T14:30:00.000-08:00

photo courtesy of Carol Towle.

Russell and siblings in ...

2009-01-01T00:01:00.000-08:00

Old Town Auburn on June 20th 2004 (per the timestamp on the photo) after lunch at Cafe Deliacias.

From left to right: Richard Towle, Karen Mingst, Russell Towle, Shellie Archer:

Russell's affection for Tolkien

2008-12-02T17:46:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone, it's Janet again. Today I finally got a collector's edition, one-volume copy of the Lord of the Rings books by J.R.R. Tolkien, and it reminded me of my Dad.

Dad loved to talk about the LOTR books. Whenever he got irritated at my incompetent attempts to write about nature, he'd tell me to go and give the Tolkien books another spin; he thought that Tolkien was a master at clearly depicting landscapes and geography. Dad told us on more than one occasion that in his younger days, he had read the trilogy out loud to groups of friends more than 3 times! The whole thing!

I also remember that when I was in 6th grade, a boy had asked me on a "date" to go and see the Fellowship of the Ring movie. Dad said that he wouldn't let me go until I had read the books - truly bizarre, considering that I had never been grounded and in almost all matters I had an absolutely free rein. But not when it came to Tolkien! Dad held firm on that.

So, I read the books (not really, I didn't pay much attention and I skipped over most of The Two Towers), and Dad said that I could go -- but he came along and sat in the row of seats right behind me and my date!

An upcoming event of interest, sponsored by Protect American River Canyons (PARC)

2008-11-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Autumn American River Rendezvous - Slides, Music & Stories Inspired by the Sierra Nevada Mountains, Rivers & Foothills.

Click the link above for the full details of this event to be held this Wednesday evening, November 12 from 6:30 - 9:00 pm.

Keith Sutter, award winning nature photographer, will show images from his personal and family adventures in the high Sierra and the foothills.

Ron Gould, Board Member from the North Fork American River Alliance (NFARA), has a cache of images taken from his personal hikes and adventures with Russell Towle and friends in the Wild & Scenic North Fork.

Eric Peach, PARC Board Member, will present slides and updates on issues in the American River Watershed.

My Ode to Russell Towle

2008-11-08T15:58:00.000-08:00

I am so sad to learn that Russell has left us. Above are a couple of photos that I took of him. The first shows him with his good old pruning shears at the tree he referred to as the "Blasted Digger". I tried to tell him that "Digger" was a derogatory term and Grey Pine would be better. Russell said that he knew it was a racist term but they were racist times and he was going to be true to history. I was fine with that. You'll also note those pruning shears in his hands. Each time I went out with Russell he had those shears with him to help keep the trails open. He's pointing up toward Giant Gap rattling off one of his stories. You've got to love those Russell stories, he had so many of them and always told them with enthusiasm. The other picture is at the cabin in Secret World. Russell was a GOOD man, damn I'm sad he's gone.

I didn't know what to think when I first shook the hand of this man, with the curly gray hair and frumpy clothes, and the stuble on his chin, reminiscent of a hobo. And in spirit I suppose he was somewhat of a hobo; he didn't fit in with conventionality, you see, Russell was a free soul. And I later learned that he had hitched rides upon the rails, and I wasn't surprised, for by then I learned his spirit yearned for freedom, and I supposed mine does too, but Russell didn't live as I, from 9 to 5, he followed his soul and somehow got by living close to nature, as I wish that I could. And he played the guitar and he sang in Portugese and he discussed paleobotany and history and geology and who know how many ologies this hobo free spirit of a man was versed in, for he was a far more complex of a man than I, and as a true hobo, Russell never did condescend, you see, this man that I knew, he was genuine; he loved knowledge and life and lived with enthusiasm. And when I first shook the hand of this hobo of a man, with the stuble on his chin, I looked into his eyes and I instantly liked him.

I know you're not resting in peace Russell, you're free and you're blazing trails through the cosmos. Maybe one day you can take me on some of those trails as well.

Ronald Edwin Lane

Commenting on Janet's Post below....

2008-11-07T16:55:00.001-08:00

... but where everyone can see it. I'm with Janet. I would love to see more words here (and pictures). I didn't get to come to the Saturday part of the weekend... so all the people who spoke that day I didn't get to hear you... (hint hint!)
Mary Jo

Random Memory

2008-11-03T17:31:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone! I don't want to bump Uncle Rich's pictures of the mallet down - I was so glad to see something new posted on here! But I wanted to share a memory of my Dad, and to encourage others to do the same. I really like hearing/reading stories about him... this blog seems to have been mostly dedicated to pictures so far, but I wouldn't mind some more text.

When Greg and I were pretty young, we'd drive out into Dutch Flat with Dad and go to the playground/tennis courts by the community center. The tennis courts are enclosed by a fence – we would go inside, Dad would shut the gate, and then we would start the game. I think it came from Tintin, but there's no telling, really. It wasn't a complicated game. Dad would start stomping around in a very exaggerated way, yelling "Stop in the Name of the Law" in a very self-important, gargly voice, and Greg and I would run away, squealing.

Sometimes he'd push us on the tire swing. Well, not really push. He'd spin us in circles until we got ridiculously dizzy. He made swings for us out at the cabins, too. The one made of thick wire is still there. It used to have a comfy cushioned seat until some bees decide to make a home in there with the cotton balls. He made us rope swings too, which he would test out first. He was excellent at climbing trees. He could go way out on the thinnest branches, and he would take all kinds of risks. But whenever Greg or I wanted to climb a tree, he'd immediately turn serious and try to pass it off as the most dangerous of pastimes.

A couple of years ago, Uncle Rich and Aunt Chris gave us a bunch of Terry Pratchett books, and Dad absolutely loved them. Back in July, during one of my weekend-visits home, he finally convinced me to start reading one of them. But he wouldn't hand me the book – he had a whole long list of characters and scenes he wanted me to pay special attention to. After I finally started reading, he made a point of checking up on me frequently. He came over to the Big Cabin to make some coffee when I was about 30 pages in. He got very excited, and insisted that I give him the book so that he could see where I was at, and what was coming, and oh, didn't I like that character? And what did I think THAT part meant? And wasn't THIS funny? I could see Mom rolling her eyes from where she was sitting behind him. He tended to "look over your shoulder" as you read a lot, if it was one of his favorite books.

By the way, he was horrible every time a new Harry Potter book came out. It was bad enough that me and Greg had to take turns reading... but with Dad taking a turn too, we all got frustrated! Plus he didn't have school in the morning, so he would always get ahead of us in the story and then hint at all the exciting events to come... oh, it was frustrating!

-- Janet

Four pictures of a small wooden mallet made by Russell.

2008-11-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

I vaguely remember Russell making a pair of mallets (one larger than this) out of scrap oak firewood while he was building the Wren ~~cabin~~ shack on Highland Drive in the 1970's.

2008-10-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

The last couple of months I've taken the time to go back through most of my pictures from hiking trips with Russell and friends. It has brought back many nice memories of Russell and the great times we had exploring the North Fork. Catherine was also part of many of those trips and she kindly has shared some of her pictures from some of those hikes and others with Russell. Catherine has many nice photos and I will post a few here for her(don't want to overload you too much). I think I've figured out where most of these pictures were taken.

With Gus and Greg on Big Granite Creek.

Deep in Giant Gap on the HOUT. Love the two differing expressions.

Along the HOUT. Hmmm, what were they thinking? One of them is using the wrong arm.

Always curious.

Hauling garbage out of Green Valley. I wonder how much garbage this man hauled out of the canyon in his life.

On the Pinnacle Ridge of Giant Gap with Lovers Leap in background.

One of the big cedars in Four Horse Flat along the Big Granite Trail. One of my favorites, just love that smile.

Thanks Catherine, I've really enjoyed looking at your pictures.

Ron

Preparing for the Multi-Media Tribute, Oct. 11

2008-10-20T10:53:00.001-07:00

Chris Towle, Gay Wiseman, Ron Gould, Ralph Little, Carol Towle, Janet Creelman, brother Richard Towle, and sister Karen Mingst with many, many others.

A pano of some of the amazing art by Russell ...

2008-10-15T16:00:00.000-07:00

that was on display inside the Dutch Flat Community Center over the weekend.

Links to the Fiskars posts ...

2008-10-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

on the "in the Fiskars Garden" blog:

  A Very Special Inquiry
  Russell Towle at Canyon Creek with his Fiskars Loppers

Fiskars donated twenty loppers - all of them were given out during the tribute weekend as an incentive for a US $100.00 membership in the North Fork American River Alliance (NFARA).

The engraving on the loppers was originally proposed as:
  "Less lip, more lop! In memory of Russell Towle, 2008".

The engraving ended up as:
  "Veni, Vidi, Recidi - Russell Towle 2008 - NFARA".

Which translates to "I Came, I Saw, I Lopped".

Thanks to my sister Shellie for the picture below:

A link to the tribute by Stephen Wolfram ...

2008-10-14T19:45:00.000-07:00

http://blog.wolfram.com/2008/10/10/russell-towle-1949-2008

2008-10-13T14:45:00.000-07:00

I first met Russell in January of 2003 after being on his North Fork Trail email list for a few months. For me it was the start of an incredible journey exploring this fabulous canyon we call the North Fork. With Russell leading the way with his vast knowledge of the North Fork's trails, history, geology and more, it was like I had jumped aboard the North Fork Express. I'm amazed at how much of the North Fork I visited with Russell in such a short time. There is no need in me trying to tell you about these great adventures as Russell has chronicled them well on his blog.

Exploring and hiking the High Old Upriver Trail through Giant Gap was one of the adventures I really enjoyed. Many long day hikes in and out of the canyon to find, follow and clear more of this incredible route through Giant Gap. Here is Russell at the tunnel through the spur ridge of Lovers Leap. The other end of the tunnel opens out onto the shear wall of a gully.

Here is Russell, with his trusty Fiskars loppers (and Lucky!), at the blasted out overhang along the route.

It was amazing that Lucky follow us all the way to the point where a little climbing was required.

Russell was obsessed with the waterfall in New York Canyon. He did nine hikes trying to see and seeing this tall waterfall tucked in New York Canyon, I accompanied him of 2 or 3 of these hikes. Here is Russell when we approached the fall from the river on our April 2004 trip down the Royal Gorge.

The previous year we had done a trip into the Royal Gorge with Greg. Here are Russell and Greg at one of the waterfalls.

This was a neat little place to visit. Russell had been tipped off about this place by a friend that called it the “Railroad in the Sky Mine”. After Russell made a trip out to see it he called me as would sometimes do saying “Ron! You just got to see this!”. Thanks Steve!

With Catherine on the Tadpole Cliffs above the Iowa Hill Ditch.

In Big Valley.

Truly some of my best hiking experiences have been hiking and exploring the North Fork with Russell. I miss him dearly.

[posted by Ron Gould]

Saturday Breakfast in Dutch Flat

2008-10-10T14:41:00.000-07:00

Just to let everyone know, the Methodist Church in Dutch Flat is hosting a fabulous pancake breakfast from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The church is directly accross the street from the Dutch Flat Community Center, where the "hikers" are meeting at 9:00 a.m. The cost is only $5.00, so we'll see you there! Also, the "Art Center" will be "open" shortly after 9:00 a.m., so if you're around c'mon in and hang out. Can't wait to meet everyone! Shellie

Pictures from Char, Cubby and Wayne

2008-10-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Summer, 2002

2008-10-06T14:30:00.000-07:00

My family gets to visit Dutch Flat occassionally, for Thanksgiving or for short visits on our way to the High Sierras with my dad. We would often see and do things with Russ and his kids. In the summer of 2002, we stopped over for a few days and Russ took us exploring near my aunt and uncle's house where we peeked into an old hand-dug gold mine and tramped over hills that had scatterings of petrified wood and remnants of Chinese diggings. The highlight, by far, was the trip to Smart's Crossing, I think it was called, to pan for gold....After a hairy drive down a narrow, semi-washed out dirt road and down a narrow trail, we came to a pristine, cold stream. It was a hot day and all the kids immediately went swimming, having dressed for the occassion. Russ simply stripped down to his altogether and then got down to the business of showing us how to dig out the bank mud to find gold. My kids were a bit surprised, to say the least, but after a moment were jumping from rocks and playing. This picture says it all.....~~though I haven't figured how to get it upside-up!!!~~

We always had interesting adventures with Russ and will miss him.

Kathy McCloskey, Rodney Bachtell, Zachary Bachtell, Matthew Bachtell, and Nathaniel Bachtell

2008-10-06T09:22:00.000-07:00

Professional photographer Jerry de Wilde was at Año Nuevo in 1970, photographing Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters while they were filming the never-finished movie, "Atlantis Rising". They used Russ's driftwood cabin as the location for the "princess's home". I stumbled upon this shot of the cabin in thumbnail size on Jerry's website and contacted him to see if I could get a bigger image. He sent these two, and has given me permission to post them here. They're the clearest photos I've ever seen of the cabin!

Also, Jerry found in his archives this headshot of Russ from that time. He was 21.

AND, there is a full body shot of Russ (taken same day as the portrait) that will be included, printed large, in Jerry's show opening this month at the Morrison Hotel Gallery in New York City. He is in full hippie mode. You can see a snapshot size version of that one here:
http://www.morrisonhotelgallery.com/photographer/default.aspx?photographerID=72&photographID=3916

[Photos courtesy of Jerry de Wilde, copyright 1970/All Rights Reserved.]

Thanks Jerry!

2008-10-04T09:29:00.001-07:00

I just found this photo from summer of 1988. That's Dutch Flat artist Steve Patrick on the right. We are on the top of a mountain, I believe Anderson Peak on the Sierra Crest. This is a self-timer shot. Russ is holding the summit register, and the camera is perched on the summit cairn. I wonder what we wrote in the register? Wonder where summit registers end up?

See, my hair wasn't ALWAYS gray ; )

Check out Russ's fancy hiking footwear. This was typical.

Gay

There are two articles about Russell in the ...

2008-09-30T19:30:00.000-07:00

Dutch Flat Community Center 'Community' newsletter Fall 2008 issue aka Volume 21 - No. 3:

  "Russell Towle, A Passionate Life" on page 11 by Susan Prince.

  "Tribute to Russell Towle" on page 13 by Jim Ricker.

There is another article about Russell in the Protect American River Canyons (PARC) online newsletter 'The Confluence' Fall 2008 issue:

  "PASSIONATE NORTH FORK ENVIRONMENTALIST, WRITER, HISTORIAN RUSSELL TOWLE DIES" on the cover by Jim Ricker.

On page 7 is this:
  "Euchre Bar Trail to Southern Cross & Black Hawk Mines"
    Sunday, October 12
    Rugged, approximately 6 mile round trip hike in memory of Russell Towle led by Ron Gould.

Russell wrote about this making ?same? hike with Ron Gould on his NorthForkTrails.blogspot.com blog entry "Down and Up and Down and Up".

A panorama ...

2008-09-28T19:30:00.000-07:00

made from eleven pictures taken from "the cliffs" near the cabins:

Full image is 13,699 x 2,775 pixels and 54.1MB.

A view into Green Valley from ...

2008-09-27T18:00:00.000-07:00

the cliffs near the cabins:

I updated the "Books by Russell" posting with ...

2008-09-12T22:30:00.000-07:00

a picture of the cover of "The Dutch Flat Diary of Isaac Tibbetts Coffin".

This particular blog post can be seen here: "Books by Russell".

I am certain that this list of books is incomplete ~~and I am still in search of the cover from "The Seven Ages of Dutch Flat".~~ Please leave a comment with any additions or corrections.

Four pictures of a small table ...

2008-09-12T22:00:00.000-07:00

crafted by Russell for Carol from old barn wood salvaged from near Año Nuevo and Manzanita.

Russell and Janet during an early ...

2008-09-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

guitar jam session.

Sadly for us, Janet plays the guitar in the same 'style' today.

Photo almost certainly by Gay Wiseman, used without permission.
Scan courtesy of Carol Towle.

An early Polar Zonohedra ...

2008-09-12T15:00:00.000-07:00

whatchamacallit.

Dot-matrix outlines, hand colored. The colors have been faded a bit by the sun.

Scan courtesy of Carol Towle.

My favorite portrait of Russ

2008-09-06T08:50:00.000-07:00

I took this photo shortly after Janet was born, probably Spring of 1990.
~Gay

2008-09-06T07:33:00.000-07:00

Russell playing guitar

2008-09-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

Russ loved the music of Brazilian artists Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes. When he was home he sometimes spent hours a day playing music, both guitar and piano—and in recent years it was often a version of a piece by one or both of these two men. Using the Macintosh software GarageBand, he would make multi-track recordings of his favorite pieces, playing all the parts himself. In the photo below, he's playing for friend, Rick Creelman, who shared a love for this poignant music.

Listen to Russell playing A Felicidade.

Russ learned Portuguese so that he could understand and sing these songs in their original language. For those of us who don't know Portuguese, here is an English version of the lyrics of:

A Felicidade

Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes

Sadness has no end,
Happiness does.
Happiness is like a feather
That the wind carries
through the air;
It flies so lightly
But has a brief life,
It needs to have a wind that never stops.
The happiness of a poor man
is like
The great illusion of Carnaval;
People work the whole
year long
For one moment's dream,
To play the part of
A king or a pirate or a gardener,
And everything ends on
[Ash] Wednesday.
Happiness is like a drop
Of dew on a flower's petal,
It shines peacefully then swings lightly
And falls like a tear of love.
My happiness is
dreaming
In the eyes of my girlfriend,
It is like a night that
passes by
In search of the dawn.
Speak quietly please,
So she wakes as happy as the day,
Offering kisses of love.
Happiness is a crazy thing
And so delicate, too;
It has flowers and love of all colors,
It has bird nests,
It has everything nice.
Because it's like this, so
delicate
I always treat it
very well.

Russell Summer 1981

2008-09-01T09:15:00.001-07:00

Russ came to Anderson Springs (Lake County) to put the finishing touches on our deck... this was the only time he came to our house... he hated the drive! The deck benches were spectacular, and I remember he had to calculate the corner cuts very precisely, as they had multiple angles to match.

Original Russell - from January 1961

2008-08-31T00:30:00.000-07:00

This was the story written by Russell that Carol Towle read in the meadow a couple of weeks ago.

Story courtesy of Carol Towle
Scan courtesy of Carol Towle and Brian Heck (nephew).

"My Adventures.............. and Romances???"

Page 1

Page 2

Some photos of Greg with his dad...

2008-08-30T07:33:00.001-07:00

1977 Russ (with RED beard) & Shellie in Cabin

2008-08-29T18:06:00.000-07:00

I love this picture! This was definitely the fall of 1977... not 1975 as I first thought.

Little artifacts from Russ's rambles

2008-08-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Russ had an uncanny way of spotting artifacts. Out in some remote place, he would suddenly pause, look about, and say something like, "Hmm, this may have been a Maidu hunting blind... oh look, here's an arrowhead." And sure enough, he'd stoop and pick up a barely discernible tiny flaked piece of stone, an artifact of a life lived long ago, of people Russell somehow resonated with through the intervening centuries.

He collected some of these finds, keeping the small ones in a Sierra cup on a shelf by the mandala window in his cabin, and larger ones on his "treasure rock", an outcrop of volcanic mudflow between his original "little cabin", and the "big cabin" which he built to accommodate his family when we were expecting Janet in 1989.

Janet spread out all the little artifacts last night and we took this photograph. Arrowheads, Chinese coins and "Go" game pieces, bits of trinkets from miners, crystals, fossilized whale bone, etc. In recent years, he left such things lying where he spotted them, and hoped other would do the same.

Recently, photographing flowers

2008-08-27T07:51:00.000-07:00

Russell reads to Greg, 1993

2008-08-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

Russell and Karen around 1955

2008-08-26T08:57:00.000-07:00

An early picture of Russell and Karen in Woodland Hills, CA

2008-08-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Date: coming soon

Picture courtesy of Carol Towle
Scan courtesy of Carol Towle and Brian Heck (nephew).

A letter from Russell at Año Nuevo on January 25 1972

2008-08-23T23:30:00.000-07:00

Letter courtesy of Carol Towle
Scans courtesy of Carol Towle and Brian Heck (nephew).

Note: Karen was excluded from the salutation of this letter because she was at school in Greenville, SC at the time.

Envelope - front

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Envelope - back

A window into an extraordinary mind...

2008-08-22T08:27:00.000-07:00

These were the books on Russ's reading table when he left the cabin on Thursday morning, Aug 7, 2008:

Conversational Portuguese
Common Usage Dictionary, Portuguese/English
French Phrase Book
The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe
Loeb Classical Library Latin/English side-by-side editions of:
- Lucretius, De Rerum Natura
- Seneca, Naturales Quaestiones, vol 2 of 10
- Virgil: Eclogues, Georgics, Aeneid I-VI
- Cicero, Philippics
Cassell's New Latin Dictionary
Sierra Nevada Natural History, by Storer and Usinger
Falcon Guide to Sierra Nevada Wildflowers, by Karen Wiese
Binder, hand labeled "Penrose Tilings", contatining reprints of academic articles on the topic
Regular Polytopes, H. S. M. Coxeter (This was Russell's "bible", always to hand)
Mathematical Recreations and Essays, by Ball and Coxeter
Introduction to Geometry, 2nd Edition, by H. S. M. Coxeter
The Works of Archimedes
Carpe Jugulum (a Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett)

One of Russell's glass creations...

2008-08-22T05:09:00.001-07:00

2008-08-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

This is from the Wolfram Website you can find at

http://library.wolfram.com/infocenter/MathSource/1197/ There is another one there... isn't it amazing how incredibly smart Russell was... and how "all over" the web he is for a guy living in the mountains in a beautiful little cabin...

2008-08-19T12:22:00.000-07:00

I received a letter from Greg, Russell Towle's son last week with the shocking news that Russell had died in a car accident on I80. Since then, I, and many others have been struggling to make sense of the loss. Others who knew Russell better than I have described his many talents and contributions to the Dutch Flat area. I won't attempt to improve on these except to say that he was indeed a gifted Hiker, Geologist, Environmentalist, Mathematician, and Craftsman. These descriptions seem inadequate to me somehow though: they imply fragmentation where there was gestalt.

So how did I know Russell? My parents bought a small plot of land in Alta in the early eighties, upon which we built a small cabin. Although the cabin was small, the lack of power tools made building it a laborious task, and I welcomed any visitors who could distract my parents from the task at hand. Russell visited us several times, having been introduced to us by our long time family friends the Woodhouses, and I always came away with some new knowledge about the area.

The first time he visited, he recoiled at the fact that we were in the process of dispatching a shrubby looking evergreen which had been blocking our trail. It turned out to be a Pacific Yew, which was becoming scarce in the region. Of course, the Yew, beyond its utility in bow making has also turned out to yield a powerful chemotherapeutic called Taxol.

On a subsequent visit, Russell took me gold panning in our little creek and explained what kinds of features in the river bed might catch suspended gold. To this day, I remember the exact part of the bedrock where we moved a large river stone, filled the pan with sand, and a few minutes later were left with a few fluttering flakes of gold.

Russell also led us all on wonderful hikes, some of which have become family favorites that I have walked countless times in the years that followed. The trails to Salmon lake and Smart's Crossing are perfect examples of this, and we will hopefully be doing some of Russell's more ambitious hikes (from his wonderful blog) in the coming years.

I only realize it now that he is gone, but just knowing that a person of Russell's erudition, integrity, sense of stewardship and generosity was up there on Moody Ridge was a very comforting thought. It is heartbreaking to know that he is no longer with us.

Max Nanao
Oakland
August 19, 2008

Russell Towle -- Master Builder

2008-08-19T09:39:00.000-07:00

Not everyone will appreciate the rarity of the top photo. That is Russell on the right, of course, taking a break from his work on my log home in Dutch Flat in 1985. The slim, pensive lad on the left is none other than Hank Lee, who posted the photos below of Russ getting into his tuxedo in preparation for my 50th birthday dinner. Hank has subsequently changed his presentation somewhat.

One of Russell's specialities that most awed me was his incredible talent as a carpenter, cabinet maker, woodworker and builder. My Dutch Flat house is imbued with his work and his special touches. He was capable of doing precise and fine work, and the marvel was that he did it all with a Skilsaw. The lower photo shows an example. Tony Taylor, who built my house, and his crew were stumped by the problem of how to hang my special ceiling lights from the slanted ceiling. They milled around, scratched their heads and found no solution, so we decided to go to lunch at the Monte Vista and talk it over. Russell excused himself and stayed behind. When we returned from lunch we discovered that Russ had solved the problem by designing and constructing with his Skilsaw a perfect mounting box for the hanging light and then mounting it to the ceiling. You see it in the photo. Tony Taylor and his crew were dumbfounded and came away with a new respect for Russell.

Russ' masterpiece at my house was the stunning flagstone terrace he built using a diamond-bladed concrete saw. (Russ was good at sawing.) This is a creation that defies belief. It consists of 2.5 inch thick flagstone slabs cut into intricate geometric patterns, then fitted tightly together on a bed of sand without benefit of any kind of mortar. Future archeologists, when they unearth Squire Canyon, will look upon this terrace and think this must have been a very advanced civilization indeed that could create such a work. I will post photos of it later on.

Ed Stadum

2008 Ano Nuevo Pictures

2008-08-18T21:36:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to the pictures Jeff and I took out at Ano Nuevo. I did NOT take a picture of Merrill's house, because I told the ranger I wouldn't. Hope you enjoy these shots. The last time I was out there was probably in 1969 or 1970, when my dad took me scuba diving. I was worried about what to do if we saw an octopus. Both Russell and Dad assured me there would be NONE... and they were both WRONG! There was a dead octopus tangled in the seaweed about 20 feet down... so exciting for a kid! The trees and brush has grown amazingly over the years... it was quite a hike (for me) to get out to the water.

http://picasaweb.google.com/1331shellie/AnoNuevoReserveAndBeach2008

More Ano Nuevo Pictures

2008-08-17T21:18:00.000-07:00

This was Merrill Bickford's house when it was being built. The Ranger who lives there graciously permitted us to hike out to the dunes where Russell lived in his driftwood cabin, below.

The kitchen in the cabin.

A favorite memory of Russ

2008-08-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

Here are a couple of our favorite photos of Russ, taken at Ed Stadum's 50th birthday party in 1988. Russ looking out of character and very uncomfortable as he was being dressed for the celebration. We miss you Russ and will always carry innumerable fond memories. Hank and Irene

Russell Doing What He Does Best

2008-08-15T19:17:00.000-07:00

Photographing his beloved North Fork Country on our New York Canyon waterfalls adventure, and carrying his indispensable loppers. Once, on the trail, he was exasperated with me for my non-stop yammering, and said, "Tom, less lip and more lop!"

Twelve pictures of Russell (most include family members and friends)

2008-08-15T16:00:00.001-07:00

Top row: Russell. Middle row: Dick, Carol and Karen. Bottom row: Richard and Shellie

Russell, Grandma Irene Towle, Dick

Shellie, Janet and Russell. July 2 2006

Gay and Russell. September 9 2006

Janet (the one with the crazy socks) and Russell. September 9 2006

Russell, Karen, Dick, Richard (stooping), Sally and Shellie. September 9 2006

Greg, Janet, Sally, Dick, Gay and Russell. September 9 2006

Russell at Janet's graduation from Colfax High School. June 2 2007

Russell and Greg at Janet's graduation from Colfax High School. June 2 2007

Gay, Russell and Janet in the big cabin after Janet's graduation from Colfax High School. June 2 2007

Alex and Russell in the big cabin after Janet's graduation from Colfax High School. June 2 2007

Russell at the Dutch Flat Independance Day parade. June 30 2007

Russell with a beard

2008-08-15T13:30:00.000-07:00

From Cassandra Wahlstrom "This how Russell looked when first we met; it was a while ago..."

Russell with a beard:

Big Granite Creek & New York Canyon Treks Exemplify Russell's Adventurous Spirit

2008-08-15T13:19:00.001-07:00

Hi All,

I hope you have a chance to read about the Big Granite Creek Basin and New York Canyon adventure undertaken by Russell and me two years ago. These were two very memorable, tough outings to the back country of the North Fork wilderness he loved so dearly. I will always cherish these adventures and treasure the memories of my time with him, not only on these rugged overnighters, but on several other occasions we had time together - his love affair with Canyon Creek; camping at Big Granite on the North Fork; harrowing episodes hiking the (named by him) HOUT (High Old Upper Trail) and the inimitable and difficult Green Valley loops. I will always be - as everyone who knew him will be - in touch with his spirit when we're out and about exploring the North Fork American River country where he now eternally resides. Tom McGuire

http://gambolinman.blogspot.com/2006/06/tahoe-national-forest-braving.html

http://gambolinman.blogspot.com/2005/06/north-fork-american-river-intrepid.html

Books by Russell Towle

2008-08-14T18:00:00.000-07:00

Incomplete - please leave a comment with any additions or corrections.

Artifacts From the Dutch Flat Forum, 1875-1878: Being a Compendium of Articles, Editorials, Letters, News Items, Etc.

First edition, 1992, 76 pages:

Third edition:

Fifth edition, 1993, 138 pages:

The Seven Ages of Dutch Flat, 1849-1924: A select portrait derived from many sources, including Alonzo Delano
The Seven Ages of Dutch Flat

Giant Gap Press
1993
375 pages

The Dutch Flat Chronicles, 1849-1906

Giant Gap Press
1994
553 pages
Includes texts by Alonzo Delano, Bret Harte, Mark Twain and Richard Henry Savage, as well as extensive selections from the Dutch Flat enquirer, Dutch Flat forum, Placer times, and other area newspapers.

The Dutch Flat Diary of Isaac Tibbetts Coffin, 1870-1903: With His 1863 Texas Hill Diary, and Many Original Photographs

Giant Gap Press
1996
306 pages

A tribute to Russell Towle by Ed Stadum from the summit of the Campo Tencia in Switzerland

2008-08-14T17:00:00.000-07:00

If the embedded video above doesn't work then please try this link

A collection of links ...

2008-08-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

to a small fraction of the Internet presence of my brother Russell Towle

Posts by Russell

North Fork of the American River: Accounts of explorations in the Great American Canyon, Placer County's Yosemite.
link

Zonotopes: My geometrical diary ...
link

Pescadero Memories
link

Of Winds and Whales
link

Half Moon Bay Memories
link

De Rerum Natura aka "My YouTube Movies"
link

Deprecated home page on InReach
link

The Internet Archive WayBack machine archive of "http://home.inreach.com/rtowle/Towle.html"
link

The Internet Archive WayBack machine archive of "http://personal.neworld.net/~rtowle/Towle.html"
link

The History of Dutch Flat: A Sketch
link

CalPhotos
link

The Wolfram Demonstrations Project
link

Why the Rhombic Dodecahedron is a Shadow of the 4-Dimensional Hypercube
link

Wolfram Library Archive: search results for Russell Towle
link

The Mathematica Journal: search results for Towle
link

The Adventures of Tintin, by Russell Towle
link

Pacific High School 1997 Reunion: The Reunion Revisited
link

The Seances of Dutch Flat or, How Lovers Leap Got its Name
link

New Orleans to San Francisco in '49
link

"Keep trail open" a letter to the Editor of "The Union"
link

Posts by others about Russell

Remembering Russell Towle (this blog)
link

A blog of remembrance by my sister Karen Mingst
link

Auburn Journal article: "Dutch Flat environmentalist, author Towle dies in auto accident"
link or link or link

Russell Towle: We hardly knew you
link

Russell... a link to old photos...

2008-08-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

1969: Russ with motorcycle in Los Altos Hills front yard.

1973: Russ looking at double rainbow in Grass Valley backyard.

Here are a couple of my favorite pictures from the "old family slides" that I have been copying. To see the whole album just click on the link. Sure do appreciate Mary Jo starting this blog... and can't wait to see more pictures. Thanks to all who are sharing... love to all of the family, Shellie

http://picasaweb.google.com/1331shellie/FamilySlidesFeaturingRussell

Some Pictures From Ano Nuevo

2008-08-11T08:57:00.000-07:00

As we were looking through Dad's pictures this morning, we found some good ones from his time in his famous driftwood cabin on the beach at Ano Nuevo. Me (Janet), Greg, and Mom all decided that everyone would want to see these pictures first.

Proud Dad with baby Janet

2008-08-10T11:46:00.000-07:00

A poem Julie O'Toole wrote (to herself!) in 1965

2008-08-10T08:58:00.000-07:00

Rustle, rustle rustle
go the little leaves
of my heart
Russell, Russell, Russell.

Everyone - Dec 2006

2008-08-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

Whole Family - More - Dec 2006 -- taken by MJP

2008-08-08T19:11:00.000-07:00

The Whole Family Dec 2006 - Taken by MJP

2008-08-08T19:05:00.000-07:00

Russ singing in Portuguese Dec 2006 - taken by MJP

2008-08-08T19:03:00.001-07:00

Russ talking about Math! Dec 2006 - taken by MJP

2008-08-08T18:55:00.000-07:00

Russ at Julie's 1966 page 2 - Click on photo to enlarge

2008-08-08T13:07:00.001-07:00

Russ at Julie's House 1966 - Page 1 Click on photo to enlarge

2008-08-08T13:01:00.000-07:00

Remembering Russell -- a Blog for Everyone

2008-08-08T12:53:00.001-07:00

This blog is a place for all of us to post our memories of Russell Towle. Rather than make people use the comments function to post, I'm going to display the password so anyone who wants can add to the posts, include pictures, or whatever else you would like to include for all of us who loved Russell.

The password is: janetandgreg