Saturday, October 1 – Sunday, October 2, 2022
For the first time in three years we returned to Jefferson Park this weekend. Continue reading
Category: Willamette National Forest
Jorn Lake
Saturday, August 28 – Sunday, August 29, 2021
For the first time ever we did a car shuttle backpacking trip. Continue reading
Horse Lake, Horse Mountain, and Red Hill
Friday, September 4 – Monday, September 7, 2020
For our four-day Labor Day weekend we headed to the Three Sisters Wilderness. Continue reading
Battle Ax Mountain
Saturday, September 14, 2019
While staying at nearby Gold Butte Greg and I decided to do the loop hike up to Battle Ax Mountain. The only other time we’ve done this hike was back in July 2016. Continue reading
Phantom Natural Bridge
Friday, September 13, 2019
Greg and I rented the Gold Butte Lookout this weekend, so before heading up to the cabin we decided to do the hike to Phantom Natural Bridge. Continue reading
Jefferson Park
Sunday, August 11 – Tuesday, August 13, 2019
The original plan was to have a five day weekend – Saturday through Wednesday – and do the Three Sisters Loop. Due to weather and other circumstances those plans first changed to a four-day loop around just North and Middle Sister, and then they changed to a three-day trip to Jefferson Park. Continue reading
Lowder Mountain
Monday, September 2, 2019
After our stay at the nearby Indian Ridge Lookout we decided to do the hike up to Lowder Mountain before driving home. Continue reading
Return to Chucksney Mountain
Sunday, September 1, 2019
I hiked Chucksney Mountain in 2015 and wasn’t interested in hiking it again. It’s a pretty long hike and there isn’t much to see on the way up or down. But while we were staying at Indian Ridge Lookout Greg wanted to do this one, so off we went. Continue reading
Santiam Lake
Saturday, August 24 – Sunday, August 25, 2019
With a gorgeous weekend weather forecast, Greg and I headed out for a one-night backpacking trip in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. Continue reading
Coffin Mountain
Sunday, June 23, 2019
After our hike up Bachelor Mountain, we headed over to Coffin Mountain for the short 1.5 mile hike to its summit. The flowers started off pretty much immediately:
When the trail entered the forest we started seeing lots of beargrass:
Out of the trees and still more beargrass:
Then we emerged into the huge summit meadow. This year it was full of beargrass:
We traversed the summit and switchbacked up it, then into the trees and out the other side to our first view of the fire lookout, which was not yet staffed:
We made it!
We sat on the deck and enjoyed the view of Mt. Jefferson:
And the Three Sisters:
Looking to the other end of Coffin Mountain where the radio tower is:
We enjoyed some afternoon wine and cheese:
Hiking back down through beargrass heaven:
Getting here meant a five-hour round-trip drive from Portland, which is not something we normally do for day hikes. But it was completely worth it to see the beargrass, which is one of my favorite wildflowers. Great day!