Sutton Mountain

Scrambling up Black Canyon on the way up Sutton Mountain

For Father's Day William and I joined another father-son team and headed for Sutton Mountain.  The plan was to spend two nights there, but after we caught wind of a music festival in Mitchell that was happening Saturday night, we hiked out late Saturday afternoon and caught the Tiger Town Music Festival after a glorious night up on Sutton.  This weekend combined two of the aspects that, for me, make eastern Oregon my favorite region; lonely wide open expanses of wilderness dotted with historical and remote communities. 

Looking to the north into the John Day River Basin

Hiking the rim of Sutton

Rialto Beach

Rialto Beach, Washington

From Steens Mountain to Rialto Beach on subsequent weekends - some of the variety of the Pacific Northwest is exhibited.  With my landscape attention deficit disorder, it would be hard for me to live in any other part of the country!

A Steens Mountain - Hart Mountain weekend with Evan

Spent last weekend roaming around eastern Oregon with Evan and his truck.  Finally got to the summit of Steens after an absence of almost 15 years.  Road closed at Jackman Park so we rode our bikes the last eight miles and 2,000 feet.  Had the summit to ourselves.  Roamed around the back roads between Steens and Hart.  Spent a night on the rim overlooking Warner Lakes - which are completely dry this year. Great to get back out into the Oregon Outback!

Steens summit panorama

Steens Summit

Bob tries to fly

Kiger Gorge

Hart Mountain

Evan's truck at our campsite on Hart

Hart Mtn sunset

Jefferson Park

Mt Jefferson from Russell Lake

Jefferson Park in late May?  Usually it would be buried deep in spring snows, but not in 2015.  It was freaky hot up there and very little snow remained, but it is still one the of most beautiful places in the Pacific Northwest.  And we had it nearly to ourselves on this overnight backpack.

Memorial Day weekend 2015

Benham Falls on the Deschutes

A three day weekend at the end of May brings us back to Bend.  Perfect weather and an endless supply of things to do.  We hit two new (to us) mountain bike trails and enjoyed some very pleasant times at home there.  I also go to ride my road bike up to Mt bachelor and back.  Basically a perfect weekend.

Columnar basalt along the mountain bike ride to SunRiver

Our backyard

Viewpoint along Peterson Ridge mountain bike trails

Black Butte - Finally!

Summit building

 Hard to believe, but I had never been to the summit of Black Butte until this year.  Probably good to wait, since I was able to enjoy the newly marked historic trail that leads from the base, near the Springs of the Metolius, to the summit - 3,300 feet of gain in five miles.  A great way to see it, much better than driving to the halfway trail head.  The summit was in a cloud, which give me a reason to re-visit this trail some day when it is clear.

Burn are near summit

Foggy scene