Steens, Here I Come(7-23-06)

[Russ in California]

It's been a while comming but here I am packed and ready for the road. Fill up the tank and maybe one little errand and I'm off.
Nice and cool here this morn. I know I'm for a bit of the oven effect but that's ok. Lava Beds, Lake Abert, Hart Mnt. and the Steens.
So here I go, I'll post up if I find a computer somewhere but don't count on it.
See you

 

[Russ in California]

Holley Molley. What a trip. Just got back. I'll post up some stuff soon.

 

[Russ in California]

Boy am I glad to be back on the cool coast. When I hit Redding, CA the day I left it was 116 degrees. Got into Lava Beds late and the next day I hit a couple of lava tubes, played my didgi there and then hiked up Schonchin Butte which I've wanted to do for some time. That was a fete for me but well worth it.
A long haul over to Lakeview, Or and up to Lake Abert. Next day I headed down the west shore which was cool. Desolate and far away from anyone. There was no exit to the south across private land so I headed back the way I came down. Decided to pull of the trail(read: bad move bub) towards the lake and maybe take a dip. Green grass down by the shore should have been the give away but too late. As I try to make my turn to get away I bogged down in the mud and that was it. Tried to dig out, prop up and spin my way out but just got deeper. Pretty hot that day too. No cell sercive and no reception or response on the CB. Decided to walk out the next morn. Left at 6:40 am and it took me 5.5 hrs to walk the 10 miles to the county road and an abandon ranch house. Ouch. I'll remember that walk for the rest of my life. There was shade and water to soak with but not to drink. I ended up calling 911 as I was out of drinking water and the main hiway was still 5 miles away.
I'd never make it.
The Lakeview Sherrif's dept. was great. Took about an hour for them to get to where I was. Man was I relieved. Cold water, snacks and we were off to pull my truck out. Off to the main hiway, air up my tires and in a while I was back in Lakeview with a motel with hot tub and Mexican food on the way. I guess I didn't realise just how far out I was. Lakeview is around 40 miles to the south.
I stood out side the cafe waiting for the food watching traffic in the warm eveining air wondering "what the hell happened the last two days?" Sure shot myself in the food.
Next morn I power washed the mud off the truck and set out for Hart Mnt and the Steens. Long drive across Hart and out to the Steens. Endless Outback highway.
Made it all the way up to the top of Steen(very cool view) and then down the south loop side to the campground.
Next morn I got up arount 3:30 to go back up to the peak(1.5hr drive) for the sunrise. Way cool. Then it was off to circum navigate the Steens and drive the desert road at the base of the mountains. Bit different country than up on top. As might be expected, after almost 300 miles of dirt/gravel road I picked up a stone in the tire. An hour at Fields, OR and a $20 bill and I was on my way.
Drove all the way to Bieber, CA for bbq ribs at Moe's and then off again up to Mcarthur-Birney falls State campground. Man was that a busy place.
Next morn it was off for home. Thought I might hook up at camp with the McGrew Trail ride gang but missed the turn and just headed for home.
Was good to see the ocean and dip my feet in at Crescet Beach.
65 miles or so home and the trip came to an end.
It was a long trip, 7days, around 2000 miles, 300 of which was dirt/gravel, one bad stuck, one tire repair and not as many good pics as I'd hoped.
I'll have more pics later but for now here's a few.


Schonchin Butte
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/STEENS-trip-7-23-7-29-06/IMAG0075.sized.jpg


Lake Abert
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/STEENS-trip-7-23-7-29-06/IMAG0114.sized.jpg


the mud
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/STEENS-trip-7-23-7-29-06/IMAG0092.sized.jpg

across Hart Mnt. way to the east
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/STEENS-trip-7-23-7-29-06/DSC08016.sized.jpg

sunrise on Steens
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/STEENS-trip-7-23-7-29-06/DSC08102.sized.jpg

aahh, the Pacific and home
http://www.4wdlinks.com.au/albums/STEENS-trip-7-23-7-29-06/DSC08182.sized.jpg

 

[alvarorb]

Ross that's a great trip. Time to get a 60" hilift jack with it's big plastic base.

Regards

Alvaro

 

[Scott Brady]

Great story! Glad you made it out safe and still ended up with a great adventure. Remember, it is the things that go wrong that we remember :clapsmile

What did you think of the area overall?

 

[Russ in California]

Ross that's a great trip. Time to get a 60" hilift jack with it's big plastic base.
Regards
Alvaro

Dang tootin Alvaro. That and airing down far enough. Like I said somewhere, like to see the hole in my foot I shot myself? I may not be able to 4wheel that well but at least I can get myself out of my own prediciment. Yikes!!
(RUSS in California)

 

[Russ in California]

Great story! Glad you made it out safe and still ended up with a great adventure. Remember, it is the things that go wrong that we remember :clapsmile

What did you think of the area overall?

I did like it. The open country. A really different environ than I live in. I guess that's why I like the desert and the mountains. A tad too warm on a regular basis for me. Spring and fall would be fantastic. I'd like to go and see in the winter. There'd be places you couldnt go in the winter but it would be truly beautiful.

 

[articulate]

Yeah! Nice stuff.

We could share some stories about long hikes to get help. It happens. Mud can make you feel helpless.

:rockon:

 

[flywgn]

Hey Russ,

Good story about a good trip. Don't you just love that country across the Hart Reserve to Steens Mtn? We've tried to make that trip in the dawn/dusk hours. Lots of game.

Sorry about your hike out of the mud. Glad you're okay.

About the mud, maybe I misunderstood your comment, but had you aired-down before getting stuck? I've always found that higher air pressures work better in mud. Maybe other readers will say different, but in the times when we've encountered heavy mud off-highway I've stopped to pump the tires back up to highway pressure, and a couple of times even above highway pressure. Sort of a separate topic, but I'd like to hear other comments on that predicament.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed Steens Mtn. Did you have time to do any birding in the Malheur Reserve? Great country that part of Oregon.

Allen

 

[Russ in California]

Hey Russ,

Good story about a good trip. Don't you just love that country across the Hart Reserve to Steens Mtn? We've tried to make that trip in the dawn/dusk hours. Lots of game.

Sorry about your hike out of the mud. Glad you're okay.

About the mud, maybe I misunderstood your comment, but had you aired-down before getting stuck? I've always found that higher air pressures work better in mud. Maybe other readers will say different, but in the times when we've encountered heavy mud off-highway I've stopped to pump the tires back up to highway pressure, and a couple of times even above highway pressure. Sort of a separate topic, but I'd like to hear other comments on that predicament.

Anyway, glad you enjoyed Steens Mtn. Did you have time to do any birding in the Malheur Reserve? Great country that part of Oregon.

Allen

Didn't see much game out Hart to Steens. Lots of sage. I do like it but after my 'walk out' I wasn't so keen on sage and open spaces. I'm a little bummed I did that to myself.
I was at 45 psi when I went off the gravel. I was turning around to go back when I hit the mud. Hot, ickey, smelly mud that.
Burned right through Malheur. That turned out to be the longest drive day.

 

[HenryJ]

Thanks for sharing! :victory:

 

[Brian894x4]

Sorry for the late post.

I love that part of Oregon. Been there a number of times. In fact, I know that road/trail on the west shore of Lake Abert well. I recall making that drive and getting all the way to the near the end where it would have connected to Hwy 395 only to find that same gate. A short hike over the hill reveiled the ranch off in the distance that put it up to block access. (Is this the ranch you hiked too, or did you walk out the other direction?) So, we turned out around. I can totally sympathize if you had to walk out of that area. It's extremely hot, dry and dusty out there this time of year.

Love the Steens area too. I've made the trip in late fall a few times, when the weather isn't so hot and the lack of snow ensures the gates on Steens loop are open. I might try again this October.

Looks like you got the right rig for a trip like that! Were you by yourself?

 

[esh]

Russ,

Glad to see you made it home in one piece! I'm usually in that country late June or September, so can't say I've enjoyed the hot temps. That Fields shake hits the spot after a day in the sun. I am usually out there on the quieter roads alone with my four-footed companion and have thought about long walks if things went south. Considering the area, you came off pretty lucky. :yikes:

The gates are generally open from around July 4th to sometime in November. Oregon Field Guide did a segment on winter snowmobiling on the mountain. A winter storm up there would be something to remember.

Cheers!

(ps long time no see Brian!)

 

[flyingwil]

What kind of tires are you running? Looks like it was one hell of a learning experience!

 

[Russ in California]

Will, the tyres are stock size Summitomos. They look a little small for the lift but with almost all the tread on I'll wait to buy a bigger size. Learning experience, YES. Remember to follow others advice who've been there(read: don't drive down near the lake).
Brian, I drove all the way south on the west road to where the creek and the lake thing are. Turned west for a bout a mile or so and came to a locked gate. Dang, I could see the hiway(not 395 but the other one) just a few hundred yards away but across fenced land. Thought about going for it but surely would find a bigger obstacle so I turned around. Back at the creek there was a ranch right across the water but no way to ford. The owner shooed me away and even came across the creek in his quad to make sure I left.
I walked out to the north from "the cave' for about 8 miles then cut across some fenced land as that was the most direct route and I was getting pretty tired. I was alone which wasn't scary but would have been nice to bounce ideas off someone else. If the kid(15) and wife had been there(I probably wouldn't have done the west shore road) that would have been very ugly.
The LC and my dual battery/fridge mod worked perfectly but had just a bit of trouble with the piloting(don't go down near the lake).
All in all, I did come off lucky. Just a 10 mile hike on mostly level ground. And I didn't see a single snake(bumper crop this year I am told).
So now, a couple of weeks off, I feel a little empty and unfulfilled from the trouble I got myself in. Too much road and heat. Bit off a bit too much desert I guess. I got home safe and sound so I guess that's a bit plus.
Onward thru the fog,