Steens Mountain (long Memorial Day weekend 05-28-2006) Posted by bushwacker (2006-06-10)
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Memorial Day weekend (5/28/2006) plus some report:
Since it was so crummy here and I had a long weekend I decided to drive until it got dry which took me over to the East side of Steens
Mountain. The East side of Steens next to the Alvord Desert is supposed to be the driest part of Oregon. Amazing you can drive for 8
hours and still be in Oregon.
Anyway it was overcast and cool but no rain. As I headed up the trail with 3 nights worth of stuff it started to snow. Since it was so
dry the snow pellets came down like small styrofoam pellets. They melted as soon as they hit and added something new of my hiking experiences.
The 'trail' I followed somewhat follows the Oregon Desert Trail. This is not really a trail but cairns placed at regular distances. I
had been down here at this spot on the East side before some time ago and had wanted to pack in rather then just pass through.
Day1:
I hiked up 4 or 5 miles with 2000' of elevation gain to just below the pass where the Desert Trail drops down into Wildhorse Canyon.
This is about half a mile beyond Indian Creek but I decided to go for the view rather than being close to the water.
Day2:
Partly cloudy with the styrofoam pellets coming down off and on during the night. I decided to camp here and do a day hike down into
Wildhorse Canyon and see how far I could go up canyon. Since there are no trails you are 'bushwacking' through waist deep sage brush all
of the way. The further down into the canyon you get the more dense the sage brush. The drop down into Wildhorse is about 1500'. At the
bottom you find standard stuff of Eastern Oregon. Sage, Juniper and scattered Aspen. I also came across an abandoned cabin which I
assume was used by sheep herders. This part of the Steens in now designated wilderness and back up at the pass is a barbed wire fence to
keep the cows out. After heading up canyon for a little more then 3 miles I hit what was left of this winters snow. They do get a ton of
snow down here in a normal winter and the last of it does not usually clear out til mid-July. The sun was winning out over the clouds
and with the clearing I could see up to the top of the Steens where those communications antennas are. Having been up on the top and being
amazed by the deep canyons you could see looking down it was equally amazing to be at the bottom of one of the canyons and lookup back
up at the top to Steens. After taking a bunch of pic's and eating lunch I retraced my steps back to camp for a well earned dinner.
Day3:
Sunny and cool. Being pooped from the walk up Wildhorse the day before I decided to stay closer to camp and see how high above Pike
Creek Canyon I could get. You can get to about 7500' without it getting to technical and you can see forever. Troutcreek mountains and
Pueblo Mountain to the South and the nothingness of Alvord Desert and Sheephead mountains to the North. Looking out over Pike Creek
Canyon there is a cliff wall that is around 800' high. Swift's were zipping around catching their breakfast and further up doing aerial
acrobatics were a couple of Parigrin's not seemingly interested in food but just having fun. I had fun watching them for a half hour.
Tough to get pic's of something like that though. The wind had switch around to come out of the SE which is the norm for down there in
the Spring/Summer. The temp had gone up 20 degrees or more from this time yesterday. Back down to camp for a lazy afternoon.
Day4:
Sunny and warm. The night was warmer then the previous days were and the bugs were starting to show up. Time to pack up and head for
home. The walk out which was all down hill took almost as long as the walk up due to me stopping to take pic's of the wildflower
displays. Another 8 hours to drive home.
FYI's if you plan to go down there:
-Avoid mid-summer as it can be blazing hot down there in July,August,early September and the only shade is your hat and a few
Juniper trees, Mountain Mahogany and some scattered Aspens. There are a bunch of creeks and springs scattered throughout so water is not a problem but you
probably do need to filter.
-They get some terrific dry lighting storms down there and I have been chased off the top more then once by them.
-Fill up in Burns as the gas stations in French Glen and Fields may or may not be open depended upon the time of day.
-This is cow country and the cow's move further up the mountain as the summer wares on (must resist temptation for political commentary
on cows on public land). Some of Steens has been fenced off now from them but there are still areas where you will run across them (see
fyi on filtering your water).
-The road to the top usually opens around the 4th of July and even if you don't hike it's worth hotel camping in Burns and doing the
drive up to the top of the Steens. I have not been anywhere where you can see so may miles of empty space.
See pic's in photo section.
Enjoy..
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Re: Steens Mountain (long Memorial Day weekend 05-28-2006) Posted by tazz (2006-06-10)
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| NIce! I have been meaning to get up there. Looks like this is the perfect time to do it! We went down there a few years back and just poked around and photographed the wild horses. I must get back for a climb! Thanks for the TR and pics. |
Re: Steens Mountain (long Memorial Day weekend 05-28-2006) Posted by jeffstatt (2006-06-11)
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"Snow pellets"....I'm imagining small hailstones - but I'm guessing this was something different. Thanks for the heads up on the gas stations.
This was my favorite of your photos:
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Re: Steens Mountain (long Memorial Day weekend 05-28-2006) Posted by fettster (2006-06-11)
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| Neat, you really took advantage of the long weekend for sure it sounds. I was thinking of heading that way in early July. Do you think the road will be opened up by the 4th? |
Re: Steens Mountain (long Memorial Day weekend 05-28-2006) Posted by backcountryhunter (2006-07-12)
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Went up on Steens last August. Hiked down to Wildhorse Lake and then scrambled up the flank of Steens Mountain proper. On the east side there are several hotsprings to enjoy. Very cool place and worth the drive.
thanks for the report
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