Written collaboratively by Crystal Rae and Ray Lai
Located in the mountains of the Lost Coast, the Mattole River runs free to the Pacific Ocean from its headwaters in the King's Range; no dams, just 62 miles of some of California's most pristine water. The Mattole Watershed is a dynamic love story between the Redwoods and the Siskyous, and a critical habitat for Coho and Steelhead trout.
Our morning starts in the mists where the Mattole and the Pacific meet, gathering small, vibrant, green mounds of seaweed that line the edges of the surf and the shore. Later, as we drive winding back roads into the heart of the watershed, the sun burns away the fog and reminds us that it's a proper summer day. When we arrive at the campground with the swimming hole, the promise of the river is finally fulfilled as we jump from surrounding rocks into the cool waters below.
This Mattole Watershed Field Lab rose out of a hot summer day, swimming and sunning by the river. Casually selecting plants from the banks and fields around us, we trimmed Port Orford Cedars, Pines, and Bay Trees. From the understory, we gathered yerba santa, turkey mullen, mugwort, native hazelnut, and blackberry bushes heavy with ripening berries.
Layering everything in a custom still, we distilled these plants into a unique essential oil, capturing the summer scent of our day on the Mattole River and the Lost Coast. As we enter the latter half of the year, we hope this scent reminds you of past joys, and that it inspires you to live in the moment and soak in all that life has to offer.
