As with several recent hikes, I make a plan the night before with great ambition and motivation, but had a contingency or two in back pocket to manage OR weather. I wake up and review the weather and combine everything into a simple balance: how much carbon will burn (gallons of gas) and what is…
A local hiking buddy and I planned on heading to Westfir and hike up Alpine Trail Thursday, Dec 4. We were all set the night before and then in the morning, the weather shifted and Oakridge area would have rain all day, but Eugene very little … We both had the same thought around 5:00am…
I ended up hiking my third selection after discarding the other 2 due to too much driving for their experiences. Spencer Butte had not been hiked in weeks, so logically Ridgeline Trail from Spring Blvd starting early in morning. From Spring Blvd at 6:22, it was straight to Spencer Butte summit with headlamp on between…
Another very short break in winter weather in the valley but fog – thick in places. Went to bed contemplating 3 hikes, and then with the morning weather – cloud cover and fog – decided a Pisgah Ramble was the right choice. I left the West trailhead before 6:30am with 8 cars in the parking…
With a break in the atmospheric river dumping rain on PNW, getting out in the woods sounded perfect, but I didn’t want to drive. (After driving back – forth from PDX last week.) Ran through the mental exercise of comparing near-by locations by number of anticipated humans, probability of wildlife and a good set of…
Looking for a good hike with miles, elevation gain but little driving from the Valley? Alpine Trail out of Westfir is a great choice. A full harvest moon greeted me as I pulled out of the driveway at 5:30 … a quick 45 minute drive to the cleanest and safest trailhead in Willamette National Forest,…
After yesterday’s good hard rain, all the weather peeps said that Tuesday, Sept 30 would be clear until 2pm when the rains come again. A perfect time to hike Ridgeline between storms – an often occurrence in fall and winter. My objective was to get a good set of miles and elevation gain, too. Sunrise…
With Hwy 242 closed from Foley Ridge Fire, and PCT SOBO from Willamette Pass impacted by Emigrant Fire, another PCT hike north of Willamette Pass checked the boxes: <1.5 hour drive; decent miles; a climb and vista; and a bonus, covering some OR PCT miles not yet walked. This hike’s objectives: close the non-walked PCT…
Last week’ hike was around the east side of Jack on Old Summit trail to Canyon Creek Meadows. Yesterday’s hike went around the WEST side of Jack on PCT from Santiam Pass to Wasco Lake at Minto Pass. Between the two hikes I hiked completely around Jack both directions except the .9 mile between Wasco…
When you wake up in the morning just unwilling to drive a long distance, Spencer Butte is just so close … especially worth considering after recent rains softened up that hard gravel path. Alpine Trail and Hardesty Mt were discarded as too far to drive … I crossed the Mt Baldy meadows without a headlamp…
