Spring Basin Wilderness

Saturday, April 23, 2022

Today we did a hike up to Horse Mountain in the Spring Basin Wilderness.

After a very cold night with temps in the low 30s, we awoke to a beautiful sunny morning at our John Day River campsite:

John Day River

Campsite

John Day River

The birds were singing their hearts out all around us as we made breakfast and got ready. Then we drove over to the trailhead for our hike. Deb spotted this skeleton near the parking area with it’s antlers cut off:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Heading up the trail:

Spring Basin Wilderness

We saw some balsamroot in bloom:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Winding our way up the canyon:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Deb spotted this rock wren:

Spring Basin Wilderness

We reached the top of the canyon and turned left on the old jeep track:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Then we started seeing our first hedgehog cactus in bloom. When Greg and I came here last year (one week later than this year) we were too late for the blooms:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Continuing along the old jeep track:

Spring Basin Wilderness

We got up to a spot where we could look down on the John Day River to the north:

Spring Basin Wilderness

More cactus:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

We dropped down in a basin to head cross-country. Lomatium in bloom:

Spring Basin Wilderness

And still more cactus!

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Looking back at Deb on the cross-country portion:

Spring Basin Wilderness

We rejoined the jeep track and headed toward Horse Mountain. We saw – you guessed it – more cactus!

Spring Basin Wilderness

Last year we saw LOTS of phlox. This year it was far less profuse, but still in bloom:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

We left the old road and headed cross-country towards Horse Mountain. Deb photographing wildflowers:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

We reached the summit! Looking northwest:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Looking north:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Southeast:

Spring Basin Wilderness

The distant bump to the southeast is Jennies Peak, the foreground peak just right of center is Sheep Mountain, and the peak at far right is Black Top.

Spring Basin Wilderness

South to the snowy Ochocos:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Looking down on what was once known as Big Muddy Ranch, the famous former home of the Rajneeshees in the 1980s (now it’s a sprawling Young Life Camp known as Washington Family Ranch):

Spring Basin Wilderness

After hanging out on the summit for an hour we headed back down. We couldn’t help continuing to photograph the brilliant cactus blooms:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Daggerpod:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Descending from Horse Mountain:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Looking back at Horse Mountain:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Heading back along the jeep track:

Spring Basin Wilderness

Spring Basin Wilderness

Deb and Greg frequently whipped out their ID apps during this hike. Botanists at work!

Spring Basin Wilderness

These were Deb’s observations on this hike: chukar, mourning dove, sandhill crane, turkey vulture, common ravens, rock wrens, mountain bluebirds, white-crowned sparrows, possibly a savanna sparrow, lots of western meadowlarks!

Gaia stats: 6.5 miles, 1,600′ elevation gain

At camp that night we watched the osprey building a nest on the utility pole across the river. Last year when we were here a week later the nest was already built, so it was cool to see the beginnings!

Osprey making a nest

Osprey making a nest