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630 triplogs
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Oct 22 2025
avatar

 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Scenic Drive East of 29 Palms, CA 
Scenic Drive East of 29 Palms, CA
 
Scenic Drive avatar Oct 22 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Scenic Drive
Scenic Drive
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Sometimes when I’m headed home from camping in the Eastern Sierras, I like to take a route less traveled avoiding major freeways as much as possible. That was the case on this trip with a stop for the night at the old El Ranco Dolores Motel in 29 Palms, California. Highway 62, 2-lane blacktop going east out of 29 Palms to Parker, AZ, passes through vast desert valleys bordered by small, rugged mountain islands. There are little to no signs of human habitation or other vehicles on the highway as far as you can see. Driving down this section of highway at sunrise, I was able to capture a few photos showing why this was my third time taking this route since November 2012.
_____________________
 
Oct 20 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Cottonwood Lakes TrailSierra Nevada, CA
Cottonwood Lakes Trail
Sierra Nevada, CA
Hiking avatar Oct 20 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking1.40 Miles 150 AEG
Hiking1.40 Miles   1 Hour   47 Mns   0.79 mph
150 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This was a short visit to Horseshoe Meadow and the Cottonwood Lakes Trailhead including a short hike down the trail. I find the gnarly huge pine trees at this 10,000+ ft elevation to be fascinating. I hiked a lollipop loop in the Cottonwood Lakes Basin in 2014 [ photoset ] . After returning from that hike, I did some research on the internet and tentatively identified those trees as Foxtail Pine (Pinus balfouriana, subspecies austrina) that are related to the Bristlecone Pine. They are found at an elev of 7500-11500 ft in the Sierra Nevada and are limited to the area around Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Foxtail Pine
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Golden Trout Wilderness  Mount Langley 14,032ft
_____________________
 
Oct 19 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Mount Whitney 14,505Sierra Nevada, CA
Mount Whitney 14,505
Sierra Nevada, CA
Hiking avatar Oct 19 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking1.66 Miles 430 AEG
Hiking1.66 Miles   1 Hour   35 Mns   1.05 mph
430 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
DISCLAIMER: This triplog is for a short walk up the Mount Whitney Trail to take some photos, NOT an attempt to climb to the top.

I drove up to the Mount Whitney Portal from my campsite at the Tuttle Creek Campground just to check it out. It was crowded at 10:30am on a Sunday morning but I was able to find a parking spot in the climbers parking lot. I talked to some people returning from the trailhead and discovered that several had just taken short hikes of less than a couple miles and were marveling at the views, so I decided I would do the same. I started off without my trekking poles because I was only planning on going a short distance to take some photos. Once I got going, it felt good because I hadn't done any serious hiking in over a week. However, after reaching the creek crossing at the North Fork Pine Creek, I decided not to risk stumbling across the steppingstones without trekking poles so turned around.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Mount Whitney 14,505  Owens Valley  Tuttle Creek
_____________________
 
Oct 17 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Convict Lake Loop TrailSierra Nevada, CA
Convict Lake Loop Trail
Sierra Nevada, CA
Hiking avatar Oct 17 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking3.00 Miles 209 AEG
Hiking3.00 Miles   3 Hrs   34 Mns   0.84 mph
209 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I've never checked out Convict Lake on my numerous trips to the Eastern Sierras since 2014. It's a popular and well-advertised destination for fishing so I've always assumed that was the main attraction and that there wouldn't me much to see in the way of beautiful mountain vistas. I was only correct about the fishing attraction. The lake has a beautiful setting in a deep basin with towering mountains surrounding its west end. The Convict Lake Campground is large with 88 sites, 30 of those are first-come first-serve and most of those were available when I arrived on a Thursday afternoon. AND, it has flush toilets. :y: there is a small marina where boats can be rented, and a lodge with cabins and a restaurant and small store.

The day after arrival I hiked the 2.5 mile loop trail around the lake which provided spectacular views with the bright blue sky, Fall colors and mountain sides dusted with snow. A trail leading to Mildred Lake and Lake Dorothy forks off the loop at the west end of the lake. Those lakes are 5 and 6 miles from the trail intersection with some serious elevation gain, unfortunately beyond my range for a day hike. The lake derived its name from an interesting but tragic event that occurred there in 1871. See the caption to photo #5 for details.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Convict Lake  Laurel Mountain  Mono Jim Peak  Mount Morrison
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
_____________________
 
Oct 15 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Drive to South Lake and Sabrina Lake, CA 
Drive to South Lake and Sabrina Lake, CA
 
Diving avatar Oct 15 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Diving
Diving
 no routes
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Bishop Pass Trail - South Lake
Sabrina Basin Trail 31E01
Partners none no partners
This was a scenic drive along the roads to South Lake and Sabrina Lake in the Eastern Sierra. The attraction was the combination of the Aspen trees in their Fall colors and a light coating of snow from the night before. Starting from the Bitterbrush Campground in the morning, I first drove up the South Lake Road to the lake frequently stopping to take photos. I then drove up the Sabrina Lake Road, Highway 168, to that lake doing the same. The deepest snow I encountered was at the Sabrina Lake Dam where it was about 9 to 10 inches deep. The roads had been plowed and sanded by the time I hit the road at 9:30 am. I had been waiting for 2 days at the Bitterbrush Campground waiting for the weather to clear. It turned out to be well worth the wait despite 25 deg temperatures one night and sitting in my car reading a book much of the day before while it snowed.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Lake Sabrina  South Lake  Weir Lake  White Mountains
_____________________
 
Oct 06 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Pine Creek Trail - South Warner Wilderness, CA 
Pine Creek Trail - South Warner Wilderness, CA
 
Hiking avatar Oct 06 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking5.60 Miles 689 AEG
Hiking5.60 Miles   4 Hrs   30 Mns   1.24 mph
689 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This was a relatively easy hike on a well-worn trail up to the Pine Creek Basin. The trail can be used to reach the Summit Trail on the crest of the South Warner Mountains and from there up to Patterson Lake near the top of Warren Peak. That would be a much more worthy destination at 11.4 miles round trip and about 3500 ft elevation gain. But this would be getting a little beyond my day-hike range, especially on this trip where some weird altitude sensitivity was limiting my endurance. The beauty of the basin was diminished by what, in my opinion, is severe over grazing by range cattle. The meadow had been nibbled down to the length of a mowed lawn and large cow pies were spaced at about 10 ft intervals throughout the entire basin. (I used photoshop to remove most of these unsightly defecations from my photos). However, it was still a beautiful area and well worth the hike.

The trail head is somewhat limited in parking space but was more than sufficient on this trip. I car camped there overnight (Probably frowned on but there were no signs forbidding it). Didn't see another person while I was there except for someone who just stopped by to use the practically brand new and very clean outhouse. I was wondering why there was no one there since deer hunting season had started a few days before. It turns out, that entire area is within the State Wildlife Management area - no hunting allowed.

Due to the lack of people, I have no interesting people interactions to share for this hike. However, I had visited this trailhead on a scouting trip the week before while waiting for the weather to clear up. As I drove up early in the morning, there was a young woman and an elderly lady (my age) just getting out of an older 4-Runner (2002) in remarkable condition and tricked out to make it more off-road worthy. Friendly conversation revealed that they were locals and planned to get in a morning hike up the Pine Creek Trail before the expected rain came later in the day. They were a wealth of information about all the trails in the South Warners and quite expert (especially the older one) on the modifications made to their ride and repairs that were required to keep it in good condition (it had 250k miles on it). I kept the conversation going on for some time due to my interest in both hiking and their car experience. As I drove away the rain was starting and I realized I had probably ruined their chances of getting in that morning hike. :oops:
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  South Fork Pine Creek  South Warner Wilderness  Warren Peak
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Light
Aspen grove in Pine Creek Basin were starting to turn yellow.
_____________________
 
Oct 04 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Summit Trail from Pepperdine TH, CA 
Summit Trail from Pepperdine TH, CA
 
Hiking avatar Oct 04 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking5.00 Miles 1,141 AEG
Hiking5.00 Miles   5 Hrs      1.00 mph
1,141 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This Out-and-back hike heads south along the Summit Trail from the Pepperdine TH in the South Warner Wilderness of Northeast California. I would only go 2.5 miles before turning around and returning to my camp at the Pepperdine Campground. The full 22.3-mile length of the trail extends south from the Pepperdine Trailhead along the crest of the South Warner Mountains to the Patterson Trailhead. On a previous trip in 2018, I hiked 2.5 miles up the trail from its other end at the Patterson TH to Bearcamp Mountain. [ photoset ]

The trail is in good shape and easy to follow with great views of the Surprise Valley on the East side of the mountains. The Pepperdine Campground near the TH is small with about 9 campsites in a forested site and has the basics: tables, a well-maintained outhouse, and a couple water faucets which were turned off probably due to the approaching winter. I encountered several people on the trail, mostly all locals from the Alturas area. It was the first day of deer hunting season (rifle) and I encountered 3 hunters, all quite cheerful and talkative despite not seeing any deer all day. In an attempt to contribute to their cheerfulness, I mentioned that I had explored the nearby roads by car 2 days before and had seen several deer but they had all been in the large Wildlife Refuge which borders that area. A young woman stopped to chat for about 10 minutes while her gruff boyfriend continued at a fast pace up the trail. She finally took off after him at a run when he was close to a mile ahead of her. It was getting late in the afternoon and a cloud bank was descending on the mountain crest, part of the reason I had decided to head back to camp. I never saw them again.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Squaw Peak  Surprise Valley
_____________________
 
Sep 27 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Patjens Lake Trail #3395North Central, OR
Patjens Lake Trail #3395
North Central, OR
Hiking avatar Sep 27 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking8.80 Miles 878 AEG
Hiking8.80 Miles   5 Hrs   41 Mns   1.55 mph
878 ft AEG
 
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I arrived at Big Lake in the Oregon Cascades a couple days before the start of our annual reunion of 11 friends who were on a rafting trip together on the Owyhee River back in 2017 [ photoset ] . To kill some time before my friends showed up, I decided to go on this nearby day hike. It's been 6 years since I've done this loop-hike passing by the Patjens Lakes. [ photoset ] This hike started from my campsite on the north-east end of Big Lake which was roughly a mile from the official trailhead so that added about 1.8 miles to what would be a 7 mile loop hike if started at the trailhead. The trail was in good shape and easy to follow although a bit overgrown in some areas.

I was disappointed to not encounter the young woman Forest Ranger who accosted me to check for my Wilderness Pass when I did this loop in 2019. I did encounter a pleasant young woman at the trailhead with her three dogs. However, when she started off in a clockwise direction on the trail, I discovered that she was one of those dreaded trail-runners who always make me feel like a real slug. I started off in the opposite direction on the loop and she would soon pass by me after she had completed 3/4 of the loop to my 1/4. :oops:

After a pleasant hike, I returned to camp to discover that an advance party of five from the reunion group had shown up a day early and already done all the work of setting up camp in the 3 campsites we had reserved. Good timing for me, but they're used to it because that's what I've done at all our previous reunions.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Big Lake  Mount Washington  Patjens Lakes
_____________________
  3 archives
Sep 24 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Wildhorse Lake TrailSoutheast, OR
Wildhorse Lake Trail
Southeast, OR
Hiking avatar Sep 24 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking3.84 Miles 1,226 AEG
Hiking3.84 Miles   5 Hrs   30 Mns   0.70 mph
1,226 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
I was on my annual Fall drive from Phoenix up to Big Lake in the Oregon Cascades and decided to stop off in the Steens Mountains of Eastern Oregon for 2 nights to explore the western slopes. After doing a quick drive of some of the major sights on arrival day, I decided to do a day hike to Wildhorse Lake the following day. The trailhead is well marked with a new sign. The trail is easy to follow but the loose gravel and jumble of small boulders on the corners of the switchbacks can trip you up. The lake is in a peaceful setting with trout visible cruising the shallows near shore. On this day, I only encountered 4 people. I circled around the lake to the East shore and then went off-trail to take a close look at the small lake (pond) beyond the lake. That required some route finding to get through a large boulder field. After a long lunch and rest at the pond I started the climb back up the trail.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Big Indian Creek  Steens Mountain  Wildhorse Creek  Wildhorse Lake
_____________________
 
Sep 23 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Drive to Wildhorse Lk Trailhead, OR 
Drive to Wildhorse Lk Trailhead, OR
 
Car Camping avatar Sep 23 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Car Camping20.50 Miles
Car Camping20.50 Miles
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Wildhorse Lake Trail
Kiger Gorge Overlook
Partners none no partners
I stopped by the West side of the Steens Mountains to camp for a couple of nights on a drive from Phoenix to Big Lake in the Oregon Cascades. There are several campgrounds on the West side of the Steens. I selected the small Jackman Park CG since it was well positioned for the sightseeing I had planned. The photos in this triplog show some of the views along the drive to the campground from French Glen on Hwy 205 and from there up to the Wildhorse Lake Trailhead. The GPS route shows the driving route from the campground to that trailhead with stops at a couple of scenic overlooks. It was on this drive that I decided to return the trailhead the next day and hike to Wildhorse Lake.

The view of Mann Lake from the mountain rim reminded me of a good time I had fishing there back in 1999. This is an excerpt from my notes on that trip. "I was fly fishing on Mann Lake in my float tube in the afternoon. Fishing was good and I caught and released several nice sized Lahontan Cutthroat trout. But towards the end of the afternoon the breeze started shifting directions every few minutes. At Mann Lake, this is a sign that it is getting ready for a big blow. I was intent on tying on a new fly when I heard a loud bang, bang, flap, flap crash from shore. I looked up and there was a whirl wind running down a row of three motor homes. The awnings were jerked off and flung a 100 yards out into the desert. A rubber raft parked on shore went bouncing end over end. When the fishermen relaxing under the awnings jumped up to run from the whirl wind, it took their lawn chairs and flung them after the awnings. All this happened in a few seconds, then all was quiet. Fortunately, no one was hurt, and I was able to enjoy a ring side view from the safety of the lake. Everyone knows that all natural disaster phenomena preferentially seek out mobile home parks, or the next best thing, motor homes, so I was safe. I continued fishing and caught a few more before the wind decided which direction it was going to blow. I headed for shore to cook dinner. To my surprise, the fishermen who had taken the afternoon break under their now non-existing awnings were headed back out to fish with the wind starting to pick up. Where did these fools come from? Within a half hour it was blowing at gale force stirring up clouds of dust. The fishermen quickly retreated to the comforts of their motor homes while I was left cooking dinner on the tailgate of my 4-Runner in the wind and dust. (Okay – so you’re thinking who’s the bigger fool in this picture?)"
 Culture
 Culture [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  HAZ Food  Water Well
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Jackman Park  Mann Lake  Steens Mountain Wilderness
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
Aspen groves were about 50% to 100% in their Fall splendor.
_____________________
 
Aug 03 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Skilak Lookout TrailSouth, AK
Skilak Lookout Trail
South, AK
Hiking avatar Aug 03 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking4.40 Miles 904 AEG
Hiking4.40 Miles   4 Hrs   23 Mns   1.00 mph
904 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This was an afternoon out-and-back hike to a viewpoint providing amazing views of Skilak Lake and the mountains in the distance on the southeast side of the lake. The lake is in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the most distant mountain peaks seen to the southeast are in the Kenai Fjords National Park. With me on this hike were Mrs OH and our 14 year-old Grandson.

The trailhead is located 5.3 miles off the Sterling Highway on a well packed dirt/gravel road that was well graded with only a few minor potholes. There is a small parking lot that holds a maximum of about 8-10 cars across the road from the trailhead. On this day with no rain in the forecast, the parking lot was nearly full. Mrs OH, who has an extreme fear of bears, was happy to see the many hikers on the trail.

The trail was in good condition partly due to the lack of heavy rains in the preceding few days. There was evidence of recent maintenance including placing boards across some of the muddiest areas. The thick growth of bushes and small trees closed in on the trail adding credence to Route Scout's warning to "Be careful, it's a jungle out there". The thick growth along most of the trail increased one's appreciation of the few distant views occurring through gaps in the foliage. But, the lush greenery with frequent small patches of wild flowers and bright red berries made up for the lack of the views. The hikers, who passed us on their way back to the TH, all said "Keep going, it's worth it". As we neared the end of the trail, it broke out into the open at the hilltop viewpoint. Yes, we agreed, it was definitely worth it.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Kenai National Wildlife Refuge  Skilak Lake  Skilak River
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation Moderate
_____________________
  1 archive
Jul 30 2025
avatar

 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Thunder Bird Falls, AK 
Thunder Bird Falls, AK
 
Hiking avatar Jul 30 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking2.00 Miles 317 AEG
Hiking2.00 Miles   1 Hour   25 Mns   1.41 mph
317 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
Another short hike with Mrs OH and our grandson in the Chugach State Park during our 8-day visit to Alaska. The trailhead is easy access directly off the Old Glen Highway with a $5 parking fee payable via credit card in the unattended TH kiosk. The well-maintained trail with a very modest AEG passes a number of viewpoints of the Eklutna River Gorge on its way to a viewpoint of Thunder Bird Falls on the creek of the same name. The trail side is decorated with an abundance of beautiful large leaved Devil's Club with clusters of bright red berries.

We would see the Devil's Club on a couple of the other hikes we did during the week. We would also see fresh bear scat on some of these same trails even though we had been told by locals "Don't worry about bears on trails distant from salmon spawning rivers, they're all down on the riverbank eating salmon." I did some quick research on whether or not the Devil's Club berries are edible after returning from our trip. From Microsoft CoPilot: "While the berries are toxic or inedible to humans, bears do eat the berries - enthusiastically, in fact. In Alaska’s temperate forests, bears have been observed consuming massive quantities of these berries during mid to late summer. Bears also help disperse the seeds through their droppings, aiding forest regeneration. If you're hiking in berry-rich areas, that’s one more reason to stay alert and give wildlife plenty of space." Might have been good to know this before our trip, but then Mrs OH with her obsessive fear of bears probably wouldn't have agreed to go hiking.
 Flora
 Flora [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Devil's Club
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Eklutna River  Thunder Bird Creek  Thunder Bird Falls
_____________________
 
Jul 29 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Blueberry Loop, AK 
Blueberry Loop, AK
 
Hiking avatar Jul 29 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking1.50 Miles 271 AEG
Hiking1.50 Miles   1 Hour   20 Mns   1.13 mph
271 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Flattop Mountain Trail
Partners none no partners
This is a short easy hike close to Anchorage in the Chugach State Park which takes you to nice views of Anchorage, Cook Inlet and the Chugach Mountains. It starts out following the Flattop Mountain Trail from its trail head in the Glen Alps Parking Lot. There's a $5 dollar parking fee payable with a credit card at the TH kiosk. A paved road leads to the parking lot. After proceeding about 1/4 mile, you reach a fork in the trail at the information board for the Blue Berry Knoll Trailhead, aka Blueberry Loop. We turned to the right taking the loop around Blueberry Knoll and returning on the Flattop Mountain Trail. The Flattop Mountain Trail is a much more challenging option from this trailhead with even more amazing views. See the linked guide for that hike.
 Fauna
 Fauna [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Gray Jay
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Chugach State Park  Fire Island  Flattop Mountain
_____________________
 
Jul 29 2025
avatar

 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Albert Loop, AK 
Albert Loop, AK
 
Hiking avatar Jul 29 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking3.40 Miles 142 AEG
Hiking3.40 Miles   2 Hrs   15 Mns   1.51 mph
142 ft AEG
 
1st trip
Linked   none no linked trail guides
Partners none no partners
This was our second easy hike of the day to explore Chugach State Park near Anchorage. The loop hike starts at the Eagle River Nature Center with part of the loop going along the Eagle River. However the Eagle River part of the loop was closed on this day due to flooding and we took a bypass trail. The trail is well maintained and easy to follow. The road to the trailhead at the nature center is paved and there is a $5 fee payable via credit card at an unmanned kiosk. The nature center was not open at the time we were there.

There are scenic sections of the trail past beaver ponds and also a few views of the surrounding mountain peaks but much of the hike is through dense forest. However, these views make this a worthwhile hike. There had been a bear mauling of a hiker in the Eagle River area a few days before. I had not mentioned this to Mrs OH who is extremely afraid of bears. The three of us including, myself, Mrs OH and our grandson, were well equipped with bright red bear bells and a can of bear spray. We did encounter a moderate size brown bear on the river bypass part of the loop as it entered the trail about 25 yards ahead of us. Mrs OH yelled "Hey bear!" and it quickly exited the trail into the dense forest unfortunately before my grandson, who was in the lead, got a chance to snap its photo. Mrs OH has since told her bear encounter story to everyone she encounters.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Chugach State Park
_____________________
  3 archives
Apr 04 2025
avatar

 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Camp Creek Falls Loop, AZ 
Camp Creek Falls Loop, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Apr 04 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking4.86 Miles 769 AEG
Hiking4.86 Miles   3 Hrs   58 Mns   1.85 mph
769 ft AEG   1 Hour   20 Mns Break
 
1st trip
Linked   linked  
Camp Creek Falls
Partners none no partners
This lollipop loop hike started out from the Blue Wash Trailhead on North Cave Creek Road then going down the wash to Camp Creek. On the return from the falls I followed a small side canyon going northeast to connect with the Maricopa Trail which then led me back to Camp Creek and Blue Wash to complete the loop portion of the hike. The trailhead parking lot was empty when I started at 8:30am except for 2 cars belonging to 4 hikers who followed me down the trail. When I returned at 12:30pm the lot was full with hordes of hikers heading to the Falls. It was a pleasantly cool day with threatening rain clouds to the north. I took my time enjoying being back in the desert foothills. There was very little water flowing over the falls and the creek dried up about 140 yds downstream from the Falls. The threatening rain clouds appeared overhead on my way back on the Maricopa Trail, so I stopped to put on a rain jacket and put the rain cover on my pack. I have found from past experience that these actions are usually successful in stopping the rain. After a few minor sprinkles, the rain clouds retracted back to the north and the sun came out.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Camp Creek  Camp Creek Falls
_____________________
 
Mar 20 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Granite Mountain Loop Trail - MSPNPhoenix, AZ
Granite Mountain Loop Trail - MSPN
Phoenix, AZ
Hiking avatar Mar 20 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking6.50 Miles 540 AEG
Hiking6.50 Miles
540 ft AEG
 
Linked   linked  
Bootlegger Trail - MSPN
Granite Mountain Trail - MSPN
Balanced Rock Trail - MSPN
Powerline Road #2 Trail - MSPN
Partners none no partners
Another day-hike with my cousin visiting from Washington State. We did the Granite Mountain Loop, including a short side trek to the Balanced Rock, in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve - North. This is one of my favorite hikes in this section of MSP. This time of year there is usually a generous display of wildflowers but not this year. Most of the Brittlebush were still working on growing out their leaves with no sign of flower buds. But the views of distant mountains and the granite rock formations plus good hiking company made for a great hike.
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Mar 19 2025
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

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 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Spur Cross to Cave Crk Petroglyphs, AZ 
Spur Cross to Cave Crk Petroglyphs, AZ
 
Hiking avatar Mar 19 2025
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking7.52 Miles 614 AEG
Hiking7.52 Miles   5 Hrs   47 Mns   1.69 mph
614 ft AEG   1 Hour   20 Mns Break
 
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Spur Cross Trail
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This was a day hike with my cousin who was visiting from Washington State. Our destination was the well-known petroglyphs about 3.75 miles up Cave Creek from the Spur Cross parking lot. The route starts out on a section of the Spur Cross Trail which follows the old Forest Service Road #48 up Cave Creek passing into the Tonto National Forest and ending at the boundary to the long abandoned 6L Ranch. The petroglyphs are about 0.2 miles past the rusty gate and sign marking the old ranch boundary.

The trail is well worn and maintained as it follows the old road to the Spur Cross Park boundary. From there the trail is not maintained but easy to follow on the old roadbed until reaching a point about 0.8 miles past the turnoff to Cave Crk Trail #4. From there the old road has been washed out by numerous flash floods over the years but just follow the most worn of the various trails all leading up the canyon. The creek bed was dry with no wet crossings until we got to the last crossing before the intersection with Cave Crk Trail #4. There was water in the creek bed at the several crossings after that, but all could be easily crossed by hopping on rocks. There is an active cattle grazing lease starting at a barbed wire fence and gate just past the Trail #4 intersection. That area becomes heavily worn by the cattle approximately a half mile past the gate and the extreme abundance of their excrement results in a strong smell reminiscent of a cattle feed lot. Fortunately, my cousin grew up on a farm in the country and I'm not sure she even noticed the smell.

Other than the cattle stink, it was an enjoyable trek on a beautiful day.
wildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observationwildflower observation
Wildflowers Observation None
There were no wildflowers showing due to the long drought this winter.
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Oct 14 2024
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Kearsarge Pass Trail to Flower Lake, CA 
Kearsarge Pass Trail to Flower Lake, CA
 
Hiking avatar Oct 14 2024
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking6.39 Miles 1,400 AEG
Hiking6.39 Miles   6 Hrs   22 Mns   1.08 mph
1,400 ft AEG      27 Mns Break
 
1st trip
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Flower Lake
Onion Valley to Kearsarge Lakes
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This was a day hike from Onion Valley up the Kearsarge Pass Trail to Flower Lake. I set up my basecamp at the Upper Grays Meadow CG and drove to the Onion Valley TH in the early morning for the hike. This CG has a few first-come-first serve campsites with the remainder being reservation only. I quickly found a FF site that met my needs with many sites open on a weekday this late in the season. The campground at the Onion Valley trailhead was no longer taking reservations but was open for FF camping. I chose not to camp there preferring the milder night-time temperatures at the much lower Grays Meadow CG. The Grays Meadow CGs also have piped water while the Onion Vally CG does not.

The drive up to Onion Valley on the paved road is a scenic treat with switchbacks climbing 3350 ft from Grays Meadow. I reached the TH parking lot at 8:30am and talked to a couple of deer hunters who were packing up to leave after an unsuccessful multiday hunt in the area. As I headed up the trail, I looked down on the parking lot to see the hunters just leaving while several deer scampered around about 100 yards from the parking lot. One was a nice sized buck.

This would be my third hike up this trail, the first being on Oct 8, 2014, all the way to Kearsarge Pass. [ photoset ] I keep coming back because of the beautiful scenery. However, I've found that after 10 years I no longer have the stamina for the 8+ mile round trip, 2700ft AEG hike to the 11,700 ft high pass. This time I hiked to Gilbert and Flower Lakes, approximately halfway to the pass, and perhaps the most beautiful of the lakes on this route.
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Oct 10 2024
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Piute Pass Trail, CA 
Piute Pass Trail, CA
 
Hiking avatar Oct 10 2024
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking4.43 Miles 1,028 AEG
Hiking4.43 Miles   5 Hrs   20 Mns   1.16 mph
1,028 ft AEG   1 Hour   31 Mns Break
 
1st trip
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The plan for this day was to hike up the Piute Pass trail to Loch Levin Lake, the first lake. This would be a round-trip distance of about 6 miles from the parking lot at North Lake and reaching a peak elevation of 10,750 ft. The trailhead is in the North Lake campground, but no day-use parking is allowed there, so you must park in the parking lot at North Lake adding about 1 mile to the round-trip distance.

The hike quickly starts gaining some serious altitude before getting to Loch Levin Lake. A couple of creek crossings challenged anyone (like me) trying to keep their feet dry. The frequent patches of Fall colors provided some good photo opportunities. However, I was fading fast as I approached the 10,000 ft elevation - couldn't seem to get enough oxygen. My old body was in full protest mode after doing 3 consecutive day hikes over 10,000 ft elevation. So, after resting for an hour and still not feeling up to continuing this upward journey, I turned around and headed back to the car. Worse yet, when I drove by the Bishop Creek Lodge restaurant-bar on the way back to camp, the joint was closed for construction to re-enforce the sagging foundation. There would be no stopping for a large ice-cold mug of beer to further revive me.
foliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observationfoliage observation
Autumn Foliage Observation Substantial
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Oct 09 2024
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 Guides 9
 Routes 482
 Photos 8,555
 Triplogs 636

male
 Joined Dec 07 2010
 Phoenix, AZ
Grass Lake from North Lk Rd, CA 
Grass Lake from North Lk Rd, CA
 
Hiking avatar Oct 09 2024
Oregon_Hiker • Triplogs 636
Hiking4.10 Miles 754 AEG
Hiking4.10 Miles   4 Hrs   24 Mns   1.17 mph
754 ft AEG      54 Mns Break
 
1st trip
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This hike to Grass Lake follows an easy to follow, well worn, trail which starts at the bridge over the North Fork Bishop Creek on the North Lake Road. This trail head is unmarked for some reason. The trail starts out following the creek upstream on the East bank but soon leaves the creek before reaching its intersection with Lamarck Creek to start switch-backing up the hillside towards the lake. About halfway to the lake, it starts to follow Lamarck Creek all the way to where it flows out of Grass Lake. As the trail approaches the lake there is a crossing of small logs and assorted tree limbs over Lamark Creek allowing a dry crossing to the north bank of the lake. From there the trail follows the north bank of the lake. Then, on the lakes northwest side the trail goes up the hillside to connect with the Lamarck Lake Trail.

I was so busy trying to find the best view for taking photos of the lake's basin that I completely missed this crossing and followed the fork in the trail which goes around the south shore of the lake and then follows an un-named stream which flows into the lake on its south side. I'm not sure where that trail goes but it appears to be frequently used. I left that trail and bushwhacked my way around the west side of the lake to get back on the Grass Lake Trail. Despite getting temporarily lost, this was a pleasant hike to a beautiful little lake.
 Named place
 Named place [ checklist ]
[ checklist ]  Grass Lake
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average hiking speed 1.2 mph
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WARNING! Hiking and outdoor related sports can be dangerous. Be responsible and prepare for the trip. Study the area you are entering and plan accordingly. Dress for the current and unexpected weather changes. Take plenty of water. Never go alone. Make an itinerary with your plan(s), route(s), destination(s) and expected return time. Give your itinerary to trusted family and/or friends.

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