Oregon Hikers

It is nice to read of hikers enjoying this area. Grey Butte is part of my local "go-to" hiking / backpacking training / conditioning ground. There are a lot of options out there and there are some great views. FYI, no pass is required at Skull Hollow. I start long hikes/runs that start or end in the...

The Statesman Journal has a good article on the permitting issue today (Dec. 30, 2019): https://www.statesmanjournal.com/story/news/2019/12/30/oregon-wilderness-permit-plan-three-sisters-mount-jefferson-forest-service /2733187001/ They have posted a link to all the comments (obtained by the freedom ...

Two open-house events scheduled: The first open house will be held on Monday, Nov. 4, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire Station, 301 S. Elm St, Sisters. The second open house will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at the Deschutes National Forest’s Bend-Ft. Ro...

Bravo on your commitment. Starting and finishing in the dark is more than most hikers are willing to do. There are national parks where attempting to get a walk-in overnight permit has almost zero chance; therefore, I don't even try. You can do any hike, even if it lasts all night long, as a "day h...

I put together a 20 mile loop that ascends the Yosemite Falls trail, then continues up to the summit of El Capitan. From there the trail continues West and joins the Old Big Oak Road, long ago decommissioned. The Old Big Oak Road is a fun adventure to descend. It has a fair amount of dead-fall trees...

And no refunds for bad weather or last-minute changes. It's just simply too much. Bingo! Right exactly on. Here are some areas that are heavily used and do allow walk-in permits without the extra recreation.gov fee: The Enchantments, Mt. Whitney Portal, and The Wave. I climbed Whitney in a day a fe...

Follow the money.... Let's not forget about the Recreation.gov processing fees to. The Obsidian trail permit is FREE! Oops, but you MUST book it online with Recreation.gov for a $6 processing fee. Even if you show up at the FS office they require you to do it online. I told my wife months ago, "when...

I love to do hikes with a fun scramble to the summit. A few weeks ago I finally did Mount Thielsen, and that was a fun hike with a very short and easy scramble to the summit. I was looking to do other scrambles in Central Oregon that I haven't done yet. I wasn't coming up with anything. So, I crosse...

Here's the thing about the ACR - if it is just a basic PLB, how can you know if it is any better at connecting to GPS than the Garmin? There is some misunderstanding on how a PLB works. It is not simply reporting your GPS location (a relatively new addition to an PLB). It transmits on a frequency t...

Aren't PLBs only good for like 5 years, though? I thought I've read that. The battery is guaranteed to work per the optimal specification for six years. That means it will transmit at full power for 30 hours at a full 5 watts during the six year lifespan. The battery will also power 220 self tests ...