As the OR fire season rages on at the end of July, hiking gets increasingly challenging to find smoke-less trails. A recent article in Salem’s newspaper demonstrates how widespread the fire impacts are closing the woods. The busted backpacking trip saga continued for this third of three day hikes, day 1 Santiam to Jack, and day 2 Hardesty to Sawtooth. Castle Rock and O’Leary Mountain Trail was the target, and with some road closures, King-Castle TH was the starting point.
Recommendation: if it’s hot and you want a shady hike with good elevation gain – take it! If you want vistas and interesting scenery, skip it. Over the full hike, I heard 2 MTB riders on forest road but met 0 hikers and 0 MTB on trail. 1 trail runner took off from TH as I finished.
The fire nearest this hike
The hike and conditions
Starting at King-Castle TH up the hill to Castle Rock and over to O’Leary Trail and then across the ridge until fatigue, boredom or time elapsed. I didn’t get that far as boredom set in before MacDuff Mt, and I turned around and headed up Castle Rock before heading down to the car.
Summary: King Castle TH to O’Leary Castle Rock TH up the ridge, turn around, down the ridge and up Castle Rock, then back to car.
All of these trails are multi-use trails with a MTB bias. Trails were mostly clear and clean, and very fast. There were only two blowdowns that interrupted the pace and would be MTB dismount (I think).
I started very early right before sunrise, and as the sun crossed the ridge … a fire-red sun.
For the most part, the trail stays in the forests. There were at least 4 different microclimate ecosystems over the trip, and on smokey hazey days, hiking under the canopy was just fine!
Along the ridge, there are some wonderful rock formations but well hidden in the trees. And if views out over the valley from the ridge are your objective, you will be disappointed as these were the best vistas.
There is 1 water source, Cougar Creek, and not all that good but if needed …
Smoke
If this year’s fires’ impact has not been internalized yet, take a look. Here is an image from Castle Rock BEFORE the fires looking mostly east.
Here is an image standing in the exact same spot looking north over the golf course.
The top photo is looking out over 10 miles; the bottom photo is looking out <1 mile. That’s one of the fire impacts.
Data Geek Corner
- Carbon Karma: 2 hours driving = 6 hours hiking objective
- Actual: 8.75 hours moving
- Bank: +2.5 hours
- Cumulative 2024 = +25 hours
- Hike times: start 6:00 end 3:30 (rounded)
- Length: 26.3 miles
- Elevation gain: 5,003
- Pace: 21:33 min / mile, stopped time 36m:40s
- Weather: Hazy, 60-75 degrees
- Description: trekking poles, fast hike, mesh low shoes, MTB trails