A ride up Fairview Peak is worth the 4000 foot climb as it provides a reflective journey back to the early mining days when Bohemia City was alive with prospectors and prosperity. The area which had a hotel, stores and a Post Office, was named after a immigrant miner, James "Bohemia" Johnson who discovered gold here in 1863.
Drive to Brice Creek Road 22. Follow Brice Creek past Cedar Creek, Lund Park and Hobo Campgrounds. Park 1 mile past Hobo Camp at the intersection of Road 22 and Champion Creek Road. Be sure to carry plenty of water; there is no dependable water source on this long ride.
To start the ride, continue on Road 22 for about 4.5 miles to Noonday Road 2212. Turn right on Road 2212, and begin the long climb up Noonday Ridge. Once on top of Noonday Ridge, you can see Fairview Peak southwest above the Champion Creek drainage. Along the ridge the road roller-coasters until meeting with the top of Champion Creek Road. If you are short on time or burnt out, you can save about as much as an hour from the ride by making the descent of Champion Creek Road now, rather than backtracking from the lookout.
Continuing west along Noonday Road takes you up another grade. At approximately 0.5 miles on the left is a road which drops a short distance to Musick Mine County Park. This is a primitive Lane County park with meager facilities. The buildings and mine on this site should be viewed from a safe distance as they are dangerous when entered. Some display no trespassing signs, as much of the land and all the mining development are private property.
The best way to enjoy the site is to bring a copy of the Lane County Historical Society vol. XXVI, No.2, The Way It Was series. This booklet provides numerous letters, interviews and newspaper articles referring to life during this area's turn of the century mining boom. Photographs in this booklet are fun to compare with the current landscape and building remains.
From Musick Mine, the climb is approximately a mile to the summit of Noonday Road and the turn off to Fairview Peak. The 1 mile climb to the peak is steep, but the satisfaction of riding 4000 vertical feet, though brutal, makes it seem worthwhile. If that is not enough, then the view from the fire look-out is reason enough to keep climbing.
To descend back to Road 22, backtrack to the summit of Noonday Road and then back down to the intersection of Champion Creek Road. Champion Creek Road is rocky and steep with some tight switchbacks. The road is also dotted with many placer claims as well as a few mine shafts. Stay out of the shafts! At the bottom of the first steep descent are the remains of the Champion Mine. Upon reaching the intersection of Road 22, there is a good swimming hole which is accessed approximately 40 yards east at a grassy turn out. This is a good place to cool down and wash off the road dust.
Dave Reuter
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