Steens Mountain Wilderness – BOOTS on the TRAIL

Alvord Peak (Eastern Oregon) 14-May-2015

2015-05-142022-01-28Posted in Eastern Oregon, Hiking, Oregon Wilderness AreasTagged Alvord Peak Oregon, BLM, Bureau of Land Management, Day Hiking, Eastern Oregon, Fields Oregon, Hiking, Oregon, Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, Steens Mountain Wilderness

Alvord Peak Steens Mountain Wilderness Oregon

It was raining when we got up and it rained during the whole 60 mile drive from Frenchglen, Oregon to the turn-off to Alvord Peak at the southern end of the Steens, about 5 miles north of Fields, Oregon. This is Hike #72 in Bond’s 2005 75 Scrambles in Oregon, the difference being that the eastern Steens Road is now paved to the turn-off and beyond. We made the turn and, after a mile of 4×4 driving on a deeply rutted two-track dirt road, reached the trailhead at the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wilderness boundary. There we sat in the truck until the rain quit. When it soon did, we went for the peak.

Continue reading →

Little Blitzen River Canyon (Eastern Oregon) 13-May-2015

2015-05-132022-01-28Posted in Eastern Oregon, Hiking, Oregon Wilderness AreasTagged BLM, Bureau of Land Management, Day Hiking, Eastern Oregon, Frenchglen Oregon, Hiking, Little Blitzen River, Oregon, Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, Steens Mountain Wilderness

Little Blitzen River Canyon Steens Mountain Oregon

After a night of rain, we woke to clear, almost cloudless skies and new snow on Steens Mountain! We decided to take advantage of these good conditions – which didn’t last all day – to hike one of the classics – the trail into the canyon of the Little Blitzen River on the west side of Steens Mountain (Hike #91 in Sullivan’s Eastern Oregon guide (Third Edition)). The unique combination of clear skies and fresh snow made for an amazing hike!

Continue reading →

Visiting Steens Mountain (Eastern Oregon) 12-May-2015

2015-05-122022-01-28Posted in Eastern Oregon, Hiking, Oregon Wilderness AreasTagged Alvord Peak Oregon, Day Hiking, Diamond Craters Natural Area, Eastern Oregon, Fields Oregon, Frenchglen Hotel, Frenchglen Oregon, Hiking, Little Blitzen River, Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, Oregon, Road Trip, Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area, Steens Mountain Wilderness

The terrain in and around the Steens Mountain Cooperative Management and Protection Area and the Steens Mountain Wilderness is well known to birders, photographers, and hunters but seems less so to hikers – the various hiking guides for Oregon usually only list a few “classic” hikes in this area. That, combined with it being 6-7 hours from Oregon’s population centers, means that crowded trails are never an issue. Our plan was to spend a few days out in the Steens checking out some of the classic and not so classic hikes and starting to celebrate our 25^th wedding anniversary.

Continue reading →