Oregon Hikers

My brother was visiting last weekend. He's a PCT section hiker, but the weather was not very cooperative. He's also a fair weather hiker for the most part, and the Deschutes seemed a lot drier than the PCT, so that's where we went. I've never been there this time of year. We actually planned to car camp in the state park, but it was full. The fish are running and a slew of fisherfolk are running after them.

Zillions of people standing in waders in the water. Each rode a bike trailing a cart attached to the bike, with an ice chest to keep their hoped-for bounty fresh. Seems that not many were catching much bounty, though the fish were jumping, just not at whatever they were offering.

Since we couldn't car camp, and it was actually sunny and hot Saturday afternoon, we changed plans and backpacked in to the first camping area. I only had my daypack, but for 3 miles we managed. It would have been better to choose a flat spot next to the river - a few were still available. Somebody told me that the second camping area, where I usually go, had a dozen or more tents.

Nonetheless, the evening was gorgeous. Clouds came in late in the afternoon but cleared out after sunset. Temps got down to about 50 or high 40s. There was clouds and the tiniest amount of drizzle going out in the morning.

wow! That's as many people as I've seen altogether on many trips

same thing happened to me in Florence a few weeks ago

nice to see people out having fun though

Just curious, how many trains went by?

Nice drm. The picture of the dueling brother tents is cool. I've never been up to the Deschutes before but look forward to making it out there one of these days.

BrianEdwards wrote:Just curious, how many trains went by?

Four that I noticed, unless I slept through another one. That's one in the evening, one at night that did awaken me briefly, and two in the morning, one right after the other in the same (south-going) direction. On one I counted 89 cars, including two locomotives at each end.

Ahhh! One of my favorite "boring" campgrounds of all time. Not a lot to do here, but it's still peaceful and serene.

Every time I bike the old road, I inevitably run across a Western Rattlesnake, without fail.

And the trains sounds at night (at least 3-4 per night) are somewhat calming and a welcome presence, odd as that may sound.

wow, I've hiked there many times and never seen a Rattlesnake. Maybe it's because I only do it in winter?

The first time or two a train went through in the middle of the night it was alarming. I wouldn't call them "calming" but I consider them a feature of the hike now. There's few enough it doesn't hurt my sleep too bad.

Thanks

retired jerry wrote:The first time or two a train went through in the middle of the night it was alarming. I wouldn't call them "calming" but I consider them a feature of the hike now. There's few enough it doesn't hurt my sleep too bad.

That sums it up pretty good. In the middle of the night you can hear them coming for what seems like 15 minutes.

I was camped on the east side of this 3/4-loop in the river one February when a north-bound train came around the bend and flashed my tent with its headlight for several seconds. I was sure someone was approaching my tent with a flashlight until I finally heard the train.