Hampton Butte rockhound site- 10/18-19/2014

Found another new spot to explore east of Bend.  On this weekend we found one rockhound from Beaver Creek, Oregon camping there.  Lots of spots to park the trailer.  The area is a site in which green petrified wood is found.    I found lots of junk rock but no petrified wood, but I did have a great time. 

I love this sign, we need this on River Road

One of many flat campsites, lots of juniper trees for privacy

Bobbe and I hiked to the top of Gerry Butte to look for a geocache that had not been found in three years.  It was there and in fine shape.  The views to the north and west were great.  We had a quick snack and hurried down the hill.  We did not want to be on the mountain in the dark.  :)

In Central Oregon it is important to keep hydrated and quick energy foods when hiking

Wide open spaces to the northwest.  No sign of civilization.

As with all of our trips, Bobbe plans great meals.  Good food and good company make for a great  trip. 

No picnic tables, had to imprivise

Great food

Candle Creek CG revisited 9/27-28/2014

We decided to return to Candle Creek CG again.  We visited it the end of October last year.  It is close and a very nice place to relax.  The river is next to the campground, no crowds, and only a short hour drive from Bend.    It is not for lack of places to visit as so many are worth revisiting.  This area has been fun to visit in spring and fall when crowd are gone.   A large forest fire closed the area for much of  the summer and it appears that some of the adjoining wilderness areas remain closed well into September.  There was one other family with two motor homes in the site we stayed in last year and a tent camper a half a dozen sites away.  I had forgotten about the sound of the river at the campground.  It is so loud, very loud.

Campsite, lots of room

We took the time to search out several geocaches along the east side of the river.  It was a nice walk along the river and past some very old trees.  Douglas fir and Ponderosa pines have thick bark that protect them from the natural forest fires that historically occur in Central Oregon.  These fires would occur on a 20 to 30 year cycle.  Once a tree survived and had some size they could really grow and achieve great size such as these trees which I estimate to be 300 to 400 years old.

This Douglas fir has survived many wild fires in it's long life.

On the ridge line is the early results of this summer's wild fire, in the for ground is a wild fire that occurred 10 to 15 years ago.  Young seedlings are beginning to dominate the area again.  A new forest returning. 

This summer's wildfire and past wildfire

One of the geocaches hidden on the east side of the river.  It was a tribute on the cacher's dog.  Pepper found it twice before we left the area. 

Pepper and geocache

Fall color comes early to this area, cool nights and clear days bring out the color in vine maples, wild roses, and red twig dogwoods along the river.  Also found a flowering dog wood on the east side of the river, it has not turned yet but will be a bright red later in the season. 

 We did not see a lot of wild life one doe and some tracks of a larger less common animal native to the area.

Who can recognize this track?  Not that common this side of the mountains.

Part of the good life is to eat well, and Bobbe plans some great meals while at home and traveling.

9/13-14/2014-Glass Butte Revisited

Glass Butte area was one of the first areas we explored last year. We came in the spring and had a great time.  I learned last year to make sure my propane tanks are turned off at the end of each trip.  Last spring as we set up camp Bobbe could not get stove to light.  I found out I had forgot to turn propane off after last trip and also forgot to turn furnace OFF.  The bottom line, no propane.  Now I am getting better and forgetting less.  This trip was late summer or early fall, things were very dry.  No campfires were permitted, that is fine.  During late summer a few plants are still in bloom, yellow Rabbit Bush and orange Paint Brush.

Rabbit Bush near summit Glass Butte

Paint brush near summit Glass Butte

Beauty of dry grass head

Camp was set up in a large open area about 2 miles south of hwy 20.  The trail from the blm road to camping area was narrow and curvy but with care I was able to make it in with out damage to rig or trailer.  This is were many of the obsidian collectors must camp, chards of obsidian were everywere.

Obsidian nearly every where 

 Glass Butte is remote enough that the dencity of geocaches is much lower than areas closer into town.  We found a couple of geocaches near the summit of Glass Butte and Sunday several north of Hwy 20.  Lots of country to see.  Saturday the air was smoky from wild fires down south and west. 

View near first geocache

Sunset with smokey air 

Bobbe near summit Glass Butte

This area did not have the wildlife we have grown to expect from out other eplorations in the PNW.  Open desert no large wild mamals were seen.  A few jack rabbits and cattle.  Even not many of those.  It has been a very dry season and I am sure that has had an influance on what we were able to see during out excursions out and about.

The few cattle we say were as much interested in us as we them.

After a long day of exporation, ahh, rest

One can not go to Glass Butte with out picking up some obsidian,  So much avialible and many different colors beyond the normal black are availible here.  I filled several 5 gallon buckets quicly as we exprlored the area.  In all a great weekend exploring the PNW, so much to see. 

8/23-26/2014- Emmigarant Creek, Ochoco & Malheur NF

Last long weekend for us before the Labor Day holiday and Bobbe returning to school for the fall.  I choose to check out the far east end of the Ochoco NF administered by the Malheur NF.  As usual we tried to find a smaller less popular camp ground as our home base.  The first camp ground was full and a few miles north the second campground had one site that we could fit out rig.  We camped in Emmigrant Creek Campground.  It was a quite location set back from the creek with many nice large pines and meadow between the campground and the creek.  After camp was set up we took the little car out to explore.  First stop was Snow Mountain look out.  We looked for a geocache that has only been found once is several years.  We were skunked and could not find it.  Nice views. 

Bobbe searching for geocache near Snow Mountain Lookout

view to the north from Snow Mountain Lookout

We did a counter clock wise loop from the look out and found Allison Guard Station.  Looks like the Forest Service has one fire truck stationed there.  It has been quite a fire season.  The lookout at Snow Mountain said he had spotted more that double the average number of smoke for a normal year already. 

Allison Guard Station

Next stop was Delintment Lake and campground.  This a nice little mountain lake and campground with paved road and campsites.  We did not see any sites that we could have put our trailer into.  There was even a campground host.  Pepper was dry and she took a quick swim in the lake.  She was happy and ready to explore some more. 

Pepper enjoying a little refreshment during the trip

We always enjoy seeing wildlife when we travel.  We never see as many animals where we live as we see when out in the Ochocos.  Our first day we saw 23 deer and 25 pronghorns.  Oh, yes a coyote.  No photos of pronghorn, too fast and too far away. I was able to get a photo of hoof print were the herd crossed the road. Best I could do. 

Small buck deer near Delintment Lake

Much of the area had interesting rock and boulder outcroppings. 

On our second day of exploring we went east to Sugar Loaf Look Out.  We did find the geocache near the lookout and great views and place for Bobbe to rest.  She never turns down a picnic bench.  Also found some more wildlife.  Nearly 31 deer and a few others species. 

No post would be complete without a few wild flower photos,  This time of the year wild flowers are less common that in spring and early summer but there always some interesting wild plants to photograph. 

Wild fires are part of the region.    Here are a few photos of a wild fire area that the Forest Service was able to replant  and is looking good.  A young forest is returning. 

Finally we had to pack up and return to the real world.  This area is worth a return trip in the future.  So much to see in Central and Eastern Oregon. 

The Two Bull Fire- 8/31/14

I have been wanting to check out the burned area for some time.  Saturday Bobbe and I drove into the burned area after dinner.  It has been years since I have been in that area only a few miles from Snowshoe Inn.  It looks like much of the east side has been divided into large lots.  I am assuming owners plan on future development as home sites.  I am biased and do not think that is such a good idea.  The risk of wild fires and the importance of the area as winter range for our mule deer population to me suggest that may be development should be pushed to the east and north of Bend.  The area is currently being salvaged logged and not a good place to visit at this time.  The logs are wind rowed along road and log decks are ready for shipping. 

At Bull Springs the riparian area is beginning to recover.  Aspen shoots are up to about 2 feet tall, alder shoot are a foot or so, bitter cherry shoots at 2 to 3 feet tall.  Columbine and fire weed are flowering and fern shoots are back. In the drier areas the snow brush is re spouting to about 1 to 2 feet tall.  The riparian areas and the snow brush were quick to begin to recover from the fire.  The heat from the fire was very pronounced.  In the controlled burns along Skyliners Road the fires left much of the duff over the soil in the Two Bulls Fire that duff is gone up in smoke.  It will be interesting to follow the burn area and see how the environment responds over time.  The forest will return but so slowly in Central Oregon.