Multi-Day trip with friends

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
HavarghanNara
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by HavarghanNara » June 12th, 2023, 9:45 pm

Oh that sounds great! I assume we would end there as well. We're driving a Mazda, an Infinity, and a Chevy sedan, so that would be perfect, avoiding bad roads is probably for the best.

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drm
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by drm » June 13th, 2023, 3:47 pm

Hasn't most of the Strawberry Wilderness burned in recent years?

Aimless
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by Aimless » June 13th, 2023, 4:05 pm

I have not heard about any extensive wildfires on the north side of the wilderness. The south and southwest areas have experienced fires. Possibly there's more than that. A call to the RS in Prairie City would deliver a lot of information about that. I'm headed out there in a couple of days, aiming for the south side of the wilderness. I expect to do some hiking in old burns and so long as the trail is passable and there is some green in the patchwork, I'm OK with it. It's a choice that guarantees LOTS of solitude and quiet. Probably a few wildflowers tossed in, too. :)

leiavoia
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by leiavoia » June 13th, 2023, 4:49 pm

Much of the south was burned years ago. I was there last in 2017 and the areas around the lakes, falls, and peak were fine.

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retired jerry
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by retired jerry » June 13th, 2023, 5:57 pm

In 2018, the skyline trail from high lake to slide lake was fine, but the mud lake trail down to mud lake was totally burned over. A zillion downed trees to climb over. It was possible following a GPS. Maybe its been cleared out by now.

leiavoia
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by leiavoia » June 14th, 2023, 4:09 am

I camped at mud lake. Still had fun, but it was kind of a creepy place. The burned snags moan when the wind blows, which is always. And it is called mud lake for a reason. Not for swimming.

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retired jerry
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by retired jerry » June 14th, 2023, 6:03 am

yeah, Mud Lake not so interesting

I went west to Canyon Creek which was better - ridges with views

I had to walk quite a ways down the canyon creek canyon before finding drinking water

HavarghanNara
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by HavarghanNara » June 14th, 2023, 7:56 am

Just checked some fire maps, and it looks like most of the strawberry wilderness is fine for right now. Would be great if someone who went recently could confirm, but I will regardless probably contact PS there.

Aimless
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Re: Multi-Day trip with friends

Post by Aimless » June 20th, 2023, 11:32 am

retired jerry wrote:
June 13th, 2023, 5:57 pm
In 2018, the skyline trail from high lake to slide lake was fine, but the mud lake trail down to mud lake was totally burned over. A zillion downed trees to climb over. It was possible following a GPS. Maybe its been cleared out by now.
As it happens, a few days ago I was at the lower terminus of the Mud Lake trail, where it junctions with the Meadow Fork trail a couple of miles below the lake. I tried hiking up the Mud Lake trail from there and it was an impassable, unholy mess. I gave up after about a quarter mile. On the other hand, I was happy to discover that the Meadow Fork trail up into Little Riner Basin, although obviously lightly traveled, was in reasonable condition for hiking. It only required minimal route-finding skills to follow it.

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