Oregon Hikers

My name is Jack.

I'm originally from the South (Alabama, Florida) but have been making trips to Oregon since I was an infant to visit my Grandparents in Eugene. The environment of the Pacific North West was the single biggest factor in my decision to go to school at Oregon State (my grandparents sold me by taking me on trips like a 3 day backpack on the Rouge River). Corvallis provided an awesome base to get out and explore the cascades and solidified my passion for hiking.

I graduated in '18 and joined a conservation corps on a whim. I ended up working in Theodore Roosevelt National Park repairing the Park's fence line, and out of Hurricane, Utah doing more fencing as well as riparian restoration work. This was a phenomenal way to explore new areas.

I just moved to Portland and have already been exploring. I was able to spend a few days car camping in Olympic NP recently. I have signed up to volunteer with Trailkeepers of Oregon, and am looking to get involved with the hiking community here. I mainly do day hikes, however this summer I would like to start backpacking more. I have my eyes set on North Cascades.

Some of my favorite hikes around here are: Mt. Theilson, Divide Lake/Mt. Yoran, Middle Pyramid. I enjoy getting on top of exposed peaks. I also do a bit of bouldering and birding.

I'm hoping I can use this forum to work on becoming connected and informed as a hiker. It's a pleasure to meet y'all.



I apologize if this post reads too much like a cover letter, I've been applying to jobs non stop.

welcome

Three Sisters is a nice area to backpack near Eugene

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Water wrote: ↑

November 25th, 2019, 4:35 pm

What's the story on that hanging fence? Clearly small animals can go around it but does that keep buffalo or cattle or something from pushing through it?

If it's in Teddy Roosevelt, it's going to be bison - unless it's for the extra fat prairie dogs they have out there.

Water wrote: ↑

November 25th, 2019, 4:35 pm

What's the story on that hanging fence? Clearly small animals can go around it but does that keep buffalo or cattle or something from pushing through it?

We were repairing the fence-line (8ft tall!) To keep the native bison and horses in the park and range-land cattle out of the park. There are problems with the two species (bison/cattle) interbreeding resulting in hybrid bison. The picture is one of the three floodgates we built along the fence-line. The walls of the wash are too steep to for the fence to travel, and we couldn't build a segment of fence inside the wash as it would accumulate debris during a flood. The floodgates allow for water and debris to pass through easily during severe flooding. That means that theoretically a Bison could push right through the gates, they're easily powerful enough, but they see the gate as a visual deterrent and rarely mess with it. Same with cattle outside of the park.

Bosterson wrote: ↑

November 25th, 2019, 4:42 pm

If it's in Teddy Roosevelt, it's going to be bison - unless it's for the extra fat prairie dogs they have out there.

Man prairie dogs are the worst. At first they were cute, until the fence passed through one of their towns. They would sit on their mounds and squawk at us for 10hrs straight.

Welcome to the forum, and to Portland!

You'll be able to explore the areas around Hood and Adams since you are now so much closer. And you should definitely put a backpacking trip in the Wallowas on your to-do list.

It seems like I'm up in the mountains most every weekend (albeit less in the winter)... send a PM if you ever wanna join!