Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, 7/25-27/08

[Aimless]

I'm sorry we missed you and your doggy companion. We did meet several pleasant hikers in passing, but not, apparently, you.

This approach also saves some distance and elevation gain over starting at Strawberry Campground.

Um. This strikes me as a bit of a fallacy, in that any loop hike will start and end at the same elevation, cover the same ground and have the same total elevation gain and loss no matter where you start the loop. What entering at a different trailhead can do is redistribute some of the elevation gains or longer miles to days when your pack is emptier or fuller.

As for my brother, I knew that at the end he'd either be discouraged by how well his body supported his efforts, or be happy to find it did better than he feared. I think it was the latter. He wants to do the Elkhorns together next year.

[Grannyhiker]

Starting at the south trailhead (which is actually part of the loop, which includes the 0.4 mile roadwalk up there) saves the distance (2.6 mi. RT) and elevation gain (550 ft.) from Strawberry Campground to Strawberry Lake. Not a lot, but when the temp is in the 90's at the campground, it would sure be great to start where it's cool!

On the other hand, judging from the description in Sullivan's Eastern Oregon book, the southern trailhead takes more driving on back roads (in other words, more time and, of course, gas $$$)) to reach. I hope to try this next year.

[Aimless]

This morning in bed I realized that what I wrote was mistaken, in that the 'loop' from Strawberry CG is in fact a 'lollipop' with a very short 'stick', while the loop from the TH for High Lake is a true loop. My apologies for doubting you. You are, of course, perfectly correct about the savings in mileage and elevation gain. My mistake. :oops: