Northwest Trip Reports

I hit up North Bend towards Sunday Lake Trail Head for a day trip with my buddy who just bought his Tacoma. We found a trail that go down to the river which was really shallow and you can drive you different spots to camp. Found a nice spot with some sand and set up there. I just got the RTT and wanted to test it out, really liking it, I bought the XL version and it hangs almost 2 feet off my bars. I might get the 58" bars from KB Voodoo for more support.

 

This past weekend I made a run up to Badger Lake and running Bennett Pass on the way out with a couple friends that have never been... We started from Sandy on Hwy26 to Hwy35, then took a right onto 48 then took a left onto FS4860 to FS140 that leads directly to Badger Lake and ends there. After relaxing at the lake a bit my friend in his new Raptor felt more comfortable and we decided on Bennett Pass as our exit strategy and then preceded back on FS140 and then take a right back on FS4860. At FS3550 take a right and this will get you over Bennett Pass with some kickass views, proceed until you reach FS4410 and make a left and you'll be on your way down and out to FS44 which you will hang a left until you hit Hwy35. It was a fun trip, especially watching a wide body Raptor cringe with every trail stripe!

 

Those raptors sure are purrdy. It's a good thing they're as expensive as they are or I would've been more tempted to go that route.

 

I was waiting for this trip report neighbor! Looks like it was a litttle windy up there.

 

Had a work call in Grant's Pass last Friday, so I loaded up the camp gear and headed into Umpqua NF afterwards. Did some scouting on the topo and found a nice flat point springing off the spine of a mountain climb. Trail was clearly not being maintained, and I was dodging downed trees and pinstriping for a good fifteen minutes before I finally hit a natural tunnel that was littered with downed trees. No dice. Looked at the map and found a second potential spot. Nope. Third time's a charm; found an AMAZING spot on top of a mountain to the south. Next day I caught sunrise over the fog, and rolled out...only to find that the "fog" were low-ceiling rain clouds. It pounded rain all the way up north to the other side of Umpqua I wanted to check out Saturday. I didn't bring a canopy or wet weather clothes, so I ended up bailing that day. Back at it again next weekend, taking this one off to go on a few dates and make sure I don't miss the Broncos/Bears. 'Til then, boys.

 

Had to work in Ashland Friday. Didn't really have a plan in mind, so I just drove until it got near dark each night, then chose a camp I'd marked in each area at some point prior on Fri/Sat night. Rogue River NF near the Winema/Umpqua boundary Friday night, then Deschutes NF near the Santiam OHV area Saturday. Saturday afternoon I took a burger/beer break at Three Creeks, then took a ten step stroll over to Sisters Movie House and checked out 'Ad Astra'. Sunday I did a pretty tricky li'l off-camber turning obstacle solo, then drove up to the top of two mountains just as the rain came in and blocked what was surely an amazing view. Good weekend.

 

That’s cool! Ill be down in the Ashland area hunting up by Hyatt starting 10/3... Love the area. Uncle lives in Ashland and used to work for the forest service.

 

The camping down south of Talent/Ashland in Siskiyou is amazing.

 

Yes it is!!! I go down there to hunt every year.

 

Where's the Taco, Rocko?

 

Sold it in '17.

 

Went up to NF7030 Greenwater to Stampede Pass, didnt expect it to snow.

 

Can't you center the bars towards the middle of the bed so it's more evenly distributed?

 

Nice reports. I need to get out more, and remember to take better pictures when I do.

Here a a few shots from Boulder pass area North of Kettle Falls in NE WA last fall.

Just getting off the highway.



Finally gaining some elevation.

Looking back down the pass.



This one got a little skinny. It was a pretty good ways to back out to a turnaround.

 

No taco pics because took my uncles truck to do love me some southern Oregon. This picture is by table top MT. Looking back toward Ashland

PS no deer sightings yet

 

Yeah that was my first thought but the rails end there. The mounting points for the rear rack are further back so it would be the same either way. I switched to the smaller tent anyways and I like it better, less stuff to deal with and it'll just be my fiance and I, the others can sleep on the ground like the peasants they are.

 

Drove out from NE Portland to abiqua falls the other day. I was watching the temperature sensor in my truck all morning watching it fluctuate from 41-32 degrees. I knew it was going to be a a tough trek down to the waterfall because of the icy conditions. Upon arrival you are greeted by a easy but fun off road trail to the trailhead. I wouldn't call it a 4x4 trail but you would need a vehicle with high clearance to get over some of the ruts and washouts in the road. You can however avoid the mud pits but what fun is that?! After parking my girlfriend and I began to head down the trail. It was tough! slippery ice, muddy/ wet conditions. But once you get down the mountain you are greeted by a beautiful waterfall. I took some photos of the falls and some fun we had in the mud. Hope y'all are having a good holiday weekend!
You can view more of my photography work at www.vsco.com/kylegaray

 

Went up to the manastash area with a couple buddies yesterday. Snow was perfect and the occasional sun breaks were epic. Dogs had fun too. Highly recommend for people that want to play in the snow with little danger of damage.

 

Headed out Friday morning for Deschutes NF right near the Willamette NF border. For once, I had everything packed and ready well over a day early...except the SD card for the camera. And there wasn't a spare in the bag. So y'all get a few phone pics. Apologies.

Anyhow, I recently sold my sleeping platform and went back to tenting it. In an effort to keep the miles off my backpacking Easton (+$400 and discontinued), I brought my Coleman ($60 and readily available everywhere). As I was bragging to my lady friend about how this cheap thing had held up for well over a decade, I got the zipper stuck and snapped the pot metal trying to pry it back. So I cannibalized one from the screen door and made due.




The views of the Three Sisters from camp are to die for. There's a rock outcrop I like to eat breakfast on in the mornings:



Saturday, another couple of friends showed up and we played ladderball, slammed beers & whiskey, and the usual. Sunday I felled a tree for that night's rager of a fire. But we made sure to catch the sunset first.




Conditions were good, weather was nice, and all was well, other than the 6 billion people running around this weekend. I've literally never seen another person up on this butte except an OSP officer who "patrols" it to check tracks and scout game a couple times. Lo and behold, I saw easily a dozen people this weekend. It's gonna be a doozy this summer, boys. Note that the buggie boys on stickies and spools said that Hoodoo was full of snow more akin to the Rockies than the Cascades. And there was a good presence up on the pass dropping in. I also got stuck in a two foot drift down in south China Hat/Newberry area a month ago. So there's still some late-season snow in Central OR.

 

Got called down to Roseburg for work on Wednesday, and decided I'd go see what was straight east of there along the Umpqua afterwards. I wrapped up with plenty of sunlight left, and found a nice spot to run down to the river along the way.




I had some spots marked on the map to check out in Umpqua NF, but given that there was some BLM stuff adjacent, I decided I'd try my hand with that. I almost never stay on BLM land unless I'm in Utah, save for the odd spot in NV or western CO. I thought it'd be cool to knock some more of their districts off, and headed in on a lowkey trail straight off the highway.



There was a healthy hill climb right off the bat past that picture, and the trail was narrow and chewed up a bit. But I was getting that "Fuck. This might become a problem." feeling in my gut. That narrowness looked like it might whittle down into <50" single track right at the crest of that nasty hill climb. Backing down would have been...unpleasant and there would be nowhere to turnaround. So I went for it, and thankfully it stayed wide enough for a truck. Unfortunately, however, it became apparent that it was a phone line service track. I turned around under one and headed into Umpqua NF not long thereafter. Climbed up a couple thousand feet pretty quickly, and finally got a view outwards.



In traditional Oregon fashion, the trails I was trying to utilize to get to my markers were all littered with lightning struck/moisture-laden/wind-blown treefall. I busted out the Stihl for one big fella, but gave up on the idea of cutting my way all the way to my markers. It was 80 degrees out, the saw chain needs to be resharpened, and I was only doing an overnight.



After being blocked off from 5 different trails/spurs, I was getting annoyed. I decided I wasn't gonna chase a save-it-for-later spot, and would just plop down at the next half-flat spot with a fire ring/some rocks to build one with. Found one and said, "Fuck it."



Not even feeling like pitching the tent, I just threw the Exped down in the cab, and used my backpacking pad to fill in the cargo/seat offset. Presto: makeshift sleeping platform.



I read some "Undaunted Courage" by Stephen Ambrose (an interesting historical account of the Lewis/Clark expedition up the Missouri and to the Pacific through the northern Rockies and Cascadia). Until the sun finally started retreating.



And finally, night came and it cooled off noticeably.




I would be very interested in going back to this area in late July or something. I know there are hiking trails and lookouts and stuff that the Umpqua District even lists on their website. Some of which are split off of trails I couldn't get down. Once this area goes on the docket for maintenance and cleanup, it'll probably be pretty damn cool. But until then, I'd say steer clear for a while. There's not a whole lot of options for open trail to navigate.