Oregon loop - May

[paulj]

I am planning a two week camping trip in Oregon in May, and would welcome comments on routes, things to see, and things to avoid.

The general plan is to quickly cross to SE Washington, then down the east side of Oregon, across the south, and then up the middle of the Cascades to Mt Hood, and home. While I like backroads, I don't plan trying anything too difficult, since I won't be with any other vehicle, and my Element has limited ground clearance. I expect snow will still block some higher roads.

Brian894x4 has some useful descriptions and photos of a number of these places. http://www.brian894x4.com/INSEARCHOFHISTORY.html
I have the Washington Byways book, and plan to get the Oregon volume.

In more detail here's what I have in mind:

- SW Washington to Hells Canyon. I'll probably stick with 129 and 3 to Joseph, though Byways describes a route up Joseph Ck and Cold Spring Ridge.

- Imnaha and Hat Point - snow may not allow me to go the whole way

- Succor Creek and Leslie Gulch

- Jordan Valley and Silver City; may stop at the rodeo in Jordan Valley

- BLM outlines a Owyhee Uplands Byway that loops south of Jordan Valley via Juniper Mtn Rd and Mud Flat Rd to Grandview. I could combine this with a drive through Silver City.

- Around Steens Mtn - either south by way of Fields or around the north end

- Steens Mtn - camp at Page Springs, drive and/or hike higher as snow and gates allow

- Hart Mtn Refuge; camp at the hot springs

- I haven't settled on a route west of Lakeview. I could stay closer to the California border, or loop north to see sights like Fort Rock.

- Over the Coast Mtns from Grants Pass, on Bear Camp Rd, and back via Eden Valley

- Work my way north through the Cascades via the Umpqua River, Oak Ridge, McKenzie Bridge, Camp Sherman

- Over to the east side of the Cascades at Madras; may explore around Shaniko, Ashwood and Antelope

- West to Mt Hood via Tygh Valley, historic Barlow Rd

- 35 N to Hood River, with a side trip or two (such as Lost Lake)

paulj

 

[stevenmd]

Paul - I am very interested in any side trips you make on this trip. The NCLR (Northern California Land Rover club) is doing an 8 day trip in Oregon at the end of June.
Steven

 

[J_L]

Sounds like you have a pretty good route figured out, your planning for snow is a good idea. Unless it gets really warm early you probably won't make many routes that are unplowed above 4500 ft. The places you note that may have snow are right on, in addition your section from the Umpqua to McKenzie will still have plenty of snow on the north face of ridges. It'll seem great till you come around a corner and there is 300 yards of 3+' drift still in the road.

Enjoy Oregon and Have Fun!

 

[HenryJ]

Ontario , Oregon may be right in line for your journey. I am available for assistance if needed. The number of a mechanic with a trailer willing to help out is not a bad thing. That is me
I have a Hazmat conference to attend in Sunriver the first week of May, but should be around the rest of the month.
Drop me a PM if you want a contact number. I have a sister living in McKenzie Bridge, so there is another contact if needed.

If you nail down some dates and it works out we might even be up for a few days tagging along in the Succor creek/Leslie Gulch/Silver City/Jordan Valley area. Maybe even talk you into a Dry Creek expedition? At least share a campfire for a night.
I haven't talked to wife and son yet, but they are usually pretty spontaneous.

 

[gjackson]

The Alvord desert is worth a look. Very cool area. We followed as much off-road as we could from Hells Canyon down to the Nevada border just the other side of Alvord. There are some really excellent and very long sections that can be completed off-road.

cheers

 

[paulj]

Maybe even talk you into a Dry Creek expedition? At least share a campfire for a night.

Dry Creek? Is that on the west side of the Lake Owyhee? I haven't come across any descriptions of access on that size.

paulj

 

[HenryJ]

Dry Creek? Is that on the west side of the Lake Owyhee? I haven't come across any descriptions of access on that size.

Yes. Access from Harper Junction down Crowley road. Drop down past King's Cabin to Bear creek. Ride Bear Creek bed to Dry creek. Or go over the top to the miner's cabin.
Quite a way in there, but it is an oasis in the desert. Rainbow trout as long as your arm, Golden eagles, Peregrine falcons , and quite a few snakes. Coyotes will sing you to sleep.
We usually camp on the beach below the Indian cave. That requires packing in everything. There may be a place to camp near the vehicle further down though.
I have not been in there for quite some time and last years heavy run off may have changed things.

 

[jingram]

Rainbow Trout as long as an arm... now that sounds like a good time! If you guys want another body, I'm game. Grew up in the Enterprise/Joseph area and not that familiar with the SE, although the Burnt River/Owyhee Country has always intrigued me.

 

[HenryJ]

Rainbow Trout as long as an arm... now that sounds like a good time! If you guys want another body, I'm game. Grew up in the Enterprise/Joseph area and not that familiar with the SE, although the Burnt River/Owyhee Country has always intrigued me.

My wife grew up in Enterprise and still has family there. I can't speak for the one organizing this , but everyone is welcome at my camp :wavey:

Pack drinking water. The creek will be good where it comes out of the ground, but this is cattle country and using the creek for drinking water will require boiling first.
Sage brush will be as good as it gets for campfire wood. I'll add what I think of when I can.

 

[HenryJ]

There are a couple of aspects about this Dry Creek option that I'm unsure about.

Since my car is an Element with limited ground clearance, I have to be cautious about driving on tracks that haven't seen a grader in a long time (or ever). I'm up for exploring such a route if it doesn't matter whether I turn back or not, such as on a side trip or day trip. But if the destination is a specific camping spot, there would be more pressure to continue.

Also I'm not sure how a run down Crowley Rd would fit with seeing other things like Succor Ck and Silver City. Once I'm half way down the west side of Lake Owyhee it would be tempting to head to Burns or Fields, depending on gas levels.

I agree that it would be a side trip that is not directly in the loop plan. The limited ground clearance could be an issue. I think you could pick and choose your way in though. No worse than the road to Silver City for sure. That is unless they have made significant repairs to the road in the last year. Crowley road is graded as well as the main road to Silver City, but I don't know about the rest.

It is a long side trip. Over 80 miles from my house. Vale would be the closest fuel stop and a long way back the wrong direction if your plan to always go forward on the loop.

Making it to Dry Creek for the camp would be paramount. 90% of the rest is pretty barren desert. Not terrible, but rather harsh for camping.

This place is a wonderful place to visit, but it is very remote.

We would still be up for a camp somewhere in the Succor Creek, Leslie Gulch, Silver City area.

 

[paulj]

Any opinions about cell phone coverage in the rural parts of Oregon? Some of the biggest gaps on coverage maps seem to be in eastern Oregon. Is any company significantly better or worse? I'm mostly concerned with emergency use, so roaming charges aren't a concern.

I have Verizon now, but am looking at alternatives, especially for a low usage second phone.

paulj

 

[HenryJ]

T-Mobile, my provider is terrible. No coverage south of Nyssa , Oregon.
Verison is sketchy , but does have some coverage. Most people I have talked with seem to think that US Cellulars coverage is better than most.
I have not done much research on the subject though as I find 2m radio coverage to be very good and much more cost effective.

 

[stevenmd]

Rent a Sat phone for the trip.:beer:

 

[J_L]

If you are up high with a good "radio" view of the horizon, coverage is amazing sometimes. Down in the holes, it's nonexistant for a good majority of the state. As Henry pointed out the SE section is the worst, there just aren't many folks out there.

 

[paulj]

The Sheriffs Association report into the Kim family search (last December) includes the cell phone coverage map that an Edge Wireless technician produced to help pinpoint where the family might be. The position of ridge slopes oriented toward the cell tower near I5 is quite evident.

http://www.co.klamath.or.us/SheriffOffice/kim/Revised Part I & II OSSA Kim Search Review Report.pdf
(page 21)

paulj