Blair Lake?

[hambone]

The weather forecast for this weekend has snow down to 3000' in the Mt. Hood area. 4" of snow at 4000'. Are we gonna freeze our asses off on that 4500' ridgetop? Might we run into snow?

Hey DJ have you ever been around the Mt. June/Hardesty Mtn. area? It's in some of the books, a pocket wilderness. 25 miles to Eugene so maybe it's a good "plan B". Some of the guys are coming in in the dark, and I'll tell ya I'm broke so closer is a lot better at this point because I really can't afford the gas $$$ as it is.
This is a place I've always wanted to check out, maybe you can go scope it out?

Hardesty Mtn. Wilderness (Proposed)
Low elevation ancient forest only 25 miles east of Eugene)
The pristine slopes of Hardesty Mountain and Mount June are home to spotted owl, bald eagle, and cougar. It's a great place to hike and camp. This area merits the Wilderness protection it has so far been denied...it remains an island of wild forest in a sea of cutover lands and plantations.

From "A Walking Guide to Oregon's Ancient Forests"

It's that big unlogged area south of the lake.
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=NF-5 ... s&t=m&z=11

and, more info on the area:
http://www.oregonwild.org/about/hikes_e ... y-mountain

[Xelmon]

Ah, well it doesn't help either that I missed a memo about the racing gig. As it turns out, it's Nov 3/4 now...

So, I'll be thinking whether I will go camping or the race gig. =\

[DjEep]

Looks like they're doing some construction up there at the trail head. I'll go check it out this weekend, see what's up. The lake is only about $10 further, so if that's a concern, I'll reimburse you the difference in chicken, Hammie. Save ya a few bucks up front.

If snow is an issue, there are alternatives lower. The springs have plenty of room for a few buses and are at about 1500', so snow there would be a freak. And they aren't that hot, so nobody really goes there in colder months.

Xelmon.

[DjEep]

Also, the lake is in a little crater or depression on top of the mountain and nestled in trees, so it might get cold, but it's rarely windy-ridgetop freezing. Cold camps just require big fires and belly-warmth.

[hambone]

I'll leave it to your discretion, as long as we don't have to chain up - I'm not in the mood for that yet. As long as there's wilderness I'm happy. I just wish I had more time to explore.
We should keep a careful eye on the weather, we don't want to get stuck up high. "high"
How is the camping near the springs? I'd rather avoid the busy-messy places though if we can.

I should be able to leave Portland on Friday morning.

P.S. that Hardesty TH on 550 looks to be damn busy. Mountain bikers use it too.

[DjEep]

The springs aren't well known, or heavily used, mainly due to the fact that it's just about body temp. Nicest on a warm day. The pics skin posted before were from there. There is a parking area off the road to the lake, and it's actually kind of a cool spot. It has a fire ring and is right off the creek. Then it's a beautiful half mile walk through an unlikely old growth forest to the springs themselves. They put up a tiny wooden sign that says "warm springs" on a tree and a "no motorized vehicles" sign on the trail head a couple years back, otherwise it's unmarked.

I agree on the weather, if there is a chance of more than a dusting of snow, we'll stay low. Luckily the road to the lake is a quick climb, about 3000' in 8 miles, so it's only about 4000' for a mile or three. Seems like the snow always seems to start right around the turn onto 730 towards the prairie.

If'n yer leaving friday morn, we should arrange a caravan. I mean busavan, no, carabus, no....

[hambone]

I won't post the mountain forecast but they're talking at least a few inches of snow over the next week above 3000'. What we need is Indian Summer X2.

[Mike Boell]

So what's the head count on this trip besides Hambone and Eep?

Sluggo, you out there? Xelmon, Gypsie, Westyfrank, Ruckman, Westy78, where is our bass player liveonjg, doesn't he live in the area?

I probably won't be leaving until Friday afternoon evening if all goes as planned.
Mike

[Westy78]

So what's the head count on this trip besides Hambone and Eep?

Sluggo, you out there? Xelmon, Gypsie, Westyfrank, Ruckman, Westy78, where is our bass player liveonjg, doesn't he live in the area?

I probably won't be leaving until Friday afternoon evening if all goes as planned.
Mike

180 miles is outside my limit for an overnight weekend trip. If I had a three day weekend I might consider it.

[DjEep]

Yeah!? Where is John? I haven't seen that scamp in years! And I took a run up there Saturday night. It snowed about an inch overnight. Just enough to make it unbearably gorgeous, then melt away as soon as the sun hit. I'm not scurrred. There are tons of options on the way. This ain't Portland, you don't have to drive 30miles up a dirt road to stop seeing people.

Also, I investigated the Hardesty area. The drive in is a boring climb through young forest and then right when you start up 550 and things start getting cool and ancient, the road washes out.

[DjEep]

Oh, and here's the camping area at the springs. There was one car there sunday afternoon. At least it was german....

[Mike Boell]

I took a run up there Saturday night. It snowed about an inch overnight. Just enough to make it unbearably gorgeous, then melt away as soon as the sun hit. I'm not scurrred. There are tons of options on the way. This ain't Portland, you don't have to drive 30miles up a dirt road to stop seeing people.

It does look gorgeous.
What's the road like heading there? Better, same, worse than Twin Springs just for comparison?
I would not be leaving Portland until after 4:00 at the earliest and it will certainly be dark. If someone else wants to caravan from Portland Friday evening that would be great, otherwise I may drive to Eugene area Friday and catch up to you Saturday morning, in the daylight.

180 miles is outside my limit for an overnight weekend trip. If I had a three day weekend I might consider it.

Jason,
180 is a bit of a trek from Portland, or is it Redland these days? Take Friday off.
Mike

[Westy78]

I took a run up there Saturday night. It snowed about an inch overnight. Just enough to make it unbearably gorgeous, then melt away as soon as the sun hit. I'm not scurrred. There are tons of options on the way. This ain't Portland, you don't have to drive 30miles up a dirt road to stop seeing people.

It does look gorgeous.
What's the road like heading there? Better, same, worse than Twin Springs just for comparison?
I would not be leaving Portland until after 4:00 at the earliest and it will certainly be dark. If someone else wants to caravan from Portland Friday evening that would be great, otherwise I may drive to Eugene area Friday and catch up to you Saturday morning, in the daylight.

180 miles is outside my limit for an overnight weekend trip. If I had a three day weekend I might consider it.



Jason,
180 is a bit of a trek from Portland, or is it Redland these days? Take Friday off.
Mike

Coming from Damascus now. All out of vacation days for the year.

[hambone]

Quit your bitchin and make the drive! Hell I gotta do it too. Won't be the same without ya. Is there some kind of compromise we can do to get more people to show up? It is a long haul for a weekend.
It is supposed to snow all week, I also hope it doesn't cause trouble. I was supposed to camp with Neal this coming weekend at Old Maid Flats but I haven't heard from him.

[DjEep]

The road up (FS1934) is about the same as the best parts of the road to twin springs, but twice as wide. No potholes, room to pass, and good gravel all the way. About the only worries are some pretty good washboard sections and a couple little slides that sometimes leave a bowling ball or two in the road. It pretty much just starts climbing at about 1500' and levels off after 10 miles and 3000 vertical feet. The road is fairly well marked, and there are plenty of decent sites along the way, so if early arrivals can't make the top, it's easy enough to find and mark an alternative site so later arrivals won't get lost. ie: The springs is only about a half mile up 1934 and you can't miss it, or we can hang hubcaps at the turnoff to another spot.