The Steens

Early September was beautiful in Portland, with temperatures in the mid 70s and lots of sunshine and crisp air; the perfect transition to fall. After such a dry year, the snow on Mt. Hood fully melted apart from the glaciers, which made it look like a giant rock. 

Tom and I put one last summer trip on our calendar--a road trip to southeast Oregon. Growing up, Tom's family frequently travelled to Steens Mountain due to their familial historical connection. The Steens is located at the opposite corner of the state from Portland, about a seven-hour drive (not far from Nevada and Idaho). As removed from city life as can be, it is some of the most rugged and remote land left in Oregon. Therefore, it is a lesser-visited destination to hike and backpack. The rustic area encompasses acres of deep glacier-carved gorges, wilderness, and wild horses.

September 16-19, 2021

Day 1: John Day
Tom and I set out on Thursday after work for a 5-hour drive to our hotel in John Day. After we left I-84, the landscape quickly transformed into the vast, high desert of eastern Oregon. The Journey Through Time Scenic Byway was marked by primitive surroundings, which felt like the wild west. It reminded me of parts of Colorado and Utah. Driving through this area during the golden hour, just before sunset, was simply stunning. Before long, we were driving towards the rising moon. In the future, I hope to visit the Painted Hills in John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.

Day 2: Strawberry Wilderness

Strawberry Mountain is the highest point in the Strawberry Mountain Wilderness, which is part of the Blue Mountains range. This hike first passes through popular Strawberry Lake and then a waterfall. There's an optional detour to Little Strawberry Lake before the picturesque traverse up through meadows and white bark pines. The final ascent to the summit (9,038') switchbacks up a slope of loose shale. On a clear day, the unobstructed view extends for miles in all directions. Numerous habitats along the way offer summer wildflowers and wildlife, including mule deer and mountain goats. The hike from the Strawberry Basin Trailhead to the summit climbs 3,610' over 12.6 miles.

On Friday, Tom and I arrived at the trailhead around 11am. Unfortunately, it was the wrong trailhead for the hike described above; Strawberry Mountain instead of Strawberry Basin. We could still climb to Strawberry Mountain from there, but the route was shorter and less scenic. We made the best of it though, hiking almost 10 miles before returning to the car around 3pm. The weather was warm and sunny, but windy with haze and smoke. The area is an oasis in the high desert, but the surrounding forest has a history of wildfire damage. We encountered very few people, but swarms of butterflies! Next time, I would hike from Strawberry Basin earlier in the summer.

Fun fact: most of Oregon lies in the PST except for Malheur County, which is in the MST

Afterwards, we drove south to our hotel in Burns. Tom's Dad and brother, Dominick, met us at Steens Mountain Brewery for a very fun night; the best small-town brewery!

Day 3: The Steens

On Saturday morning, the four of us drove two hours south to the Steens. Departing from Frenchglen, the 52-mile Steens Mountain Loop Road is the highest road in the state. 

Kiger Gorger and East Rim overlooks are worth a stop.

From the Steens Mountain Summit Trailhead, the summit is less than 0.5-mile away at 9,734'. It felt good to be at elevation again! From the same trailhead, we hiked down to Wildhorse Lake. The 1.2-mile trek downhill (1,100' loss) crosses a field of lava rock. As the trail descends toward the lake, it becomes steep and loose in places.

Wildhorse Lake fills the bottom of a deep cirque with surrounding walls on three sides that give way on to an expansive view of the Alvord Desert and horizon beyond. This treeless bowl is streaked with tiny creeks that flow only after there’s been rain.

We spent the day there, exploring side trails around the lake. The area normally experiences a hot, dry climate in the summer, but a cold front was quickly moving in with high winds up to 55 mph. We had planned to camp at the lake, but Tom's dad and I hiked out around 2pm and returned to the hotel in Burns, while Tom and Dominick toughed it out. 

Day 4: Home

Reunited with boys, both cold and tired, I drove us 5 hours back to Portland on Sunday. My first taste of eastern Oregon was great. I am excited to return again for more exploration, perhaps in late July when the mountain peaks still have snow.

Glacier National Park

September 1st marked my 3 year anniversary in Oregon; how the time flies. Despite the risk of Labor Day crowds, Tom and I traveled to Glacier National Park. Late summer hiking comes after the buggy wildflower months of July and August, and is often noted by shorter days, early fall foliage, and wildfire haze.

Located on the Montana/Alberta border, Glacier National Park showcases pristine forests, alpine meadows, rugged mountains, and spectacular lakes. It is situated in the Rocky Mountains, spread over 2 mountain ranges: Livingston Range and Lewis Range. Mt. Cleveland is the park's tallest peak at 10,466'. With over 700 miles of trails, Glacier is a hiker's paradise. The Continental Divide Trail also crosses through the park, ending at the Canadian border. 

For thousands of years, the park's glaciers naturally cycled through periods of advance and retreat. The current glaciers were at their largest at the end of the Little Ice Age (around 1850), then started to retreat with the onset of a warming trend. While the decrease of glaciers is due to both natural and human-caused climate change, the retreat seen in recent decades can be increasingly attributed to anthropogenic causes. 

Most of the park’s glaciers are tucked into shadowy niches high along the Continental Divide, cloaked by semi-permanent snowfields. Late August and early September, when most of the winter's snow has melted away, is the best time to see the glaciers. Ironically, Glacier is not the best park to see an active glacier. They can be viewed more easily in Alaska's national parks, Mt. Rainier National Park, Olympic National Park, North Cascades National Park, and Grand Teton National Park. 

Day 1: Flathead Lake

Tom and I left on Wednesday morning with a 10-hour drive ahead of us. After the Columbia River Gorge, the drive through eastern Washington was not noteworthy until Spokane. 

9/1/21-9/5/21

Crossing into Montana, we lost an hour in transition to the Mountain Time Zone. I enjoyed the drive along the western shore of Flathead Lake--the largest natural freshwater lake west of the Mississippi in the lower 48 states. The high elevation setting reminded me of Lake Tahoe.

That evening, we camped in West Glacier at Mountain Meadow RV Park (campgrounds inside the park fill up many months in advance). Given Oregon's strict fire ban this year, we were excited to build a small campfire.

Day 2: Logan Pass to the Loop via Highline Trail

Tom and I woke up early on Thursday to beat the crowds to the trailhead. We packed up our tent in the pre-dawn cold, and drove an hour to Logan Pass. The weather was ideal for our trip, with daytime temperatures in the high 60s and lots of sun; nights and mornings were chilly, however, dipping down into the mid 30s. Layers are crucial.

Highline Trail

Trailhead: Logan Pass

Mileage: 11.8 mile thru hike + 1.6 miles to Grinnell Glacier Overlook

Elevation: 2,000' gain, 7,500' max

Time: 5.5 hours

Description: a moderate trek along a narrow, exposed path carved out of the cliffs that tower over the Going-to-the-Sun Road; features unbeatable views along the Garden Wall with a chance to see glaciers, alpine wildflowers, and wildlife

Highlights: 

-Very crowded; trailhead parking lot full by 7am
-Detour to overlook is steep but worth it
-If unable to coordinate shuttle or hitch back to Logan Pass (thanks Cate and Carole!), turn back after the overlook or Granite Chalet

After the hike, we drove the remainder of the Going-to-the-Sun Road to stay at a tiny cabin in East Glacier Park Village. Only one thing took precedence before a shower and bed: margaritas. 

Day 3: Grinnell Glacier

Another early alarm on Friday before driving an hour to the Many Glacier area of the park. East Glacier feels more remote than busier West Glacier. It has a long history of wildfires, and is the place for sunrise.

Grinnell Glacier 

Trailhead: Grinnell Glacier

Mileage: 11 miles

Elevation: 2,100' gain, 6,515' max

Time: 4.5 hours

Description: a moderate trek to a famous glacier through stunning alpine scenery and emerald green lakes

Highlights:

-Very crowded; trailhead parking lot full by 7am
-Watch for wildlife: deer, big horn sheep, mountain goats, moose, black/grizzly bears
-The glacier is becoming increasingly underwhelming as it continues to melt

Just 40 minutes away in East Glacier, Tom and I camped at Johnson’s of St. Mary’s. We spent a lazy afternoon soaking in the sun and cool mountain air amongst the aspen trees; the sweetness of doing nothing.

   

Day 4: Lake McDonald
On Saturday, Tom and I had planned to round out our trip with an easy 5-mile hike to Hidden Lake. Upon arriving at Logan Pass, however, we were informed that the trail had been closed due to bear activity. Check trail status beforehand!

As a result, we continued driving towards West Glacier, and decided to rent kayaks on scenic Lake McDonald. The water was clear and glassy; an excellent way to end our time in the park.

After our morning paddle, we finished our stash of PB&Js and drove 2 hours west to stay in small town Hot Springs. The cozy B&B was a nice treat for our final night on the road.

Day 5: Coeur d'Alene

It was a luxury to sleep in on Sunday, with only 8 hours left to drive home. We stopped for brunch in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Despite the wildfire smoke, we used the break to stretch our legs on the trails and beaches of Tubbs Hill peninsula. I look forward to exploring more of the lake and bike/pedestrian trails next time.

I could not be more pleased with the result of our road trip to Glacier. As an added bonus, it was a very inexpensive vacation. The park is among my favorite national parks to date, second only to North Cascades and maybe Grand Teton. On a future visit, I would explore less popular areas of the park. The highlight of my summer!