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After an absolutely crazy (for me) beginning to 2015 I have finally managed to get the time to do my yearly long hike….way behind my normal schedule so I've changed my old NOBO PCT hike plan to a new SOBO hike since I have a ride from Portland to the trail head at hwy 35 from a relative that I will be visiting in the area. Unfortunately this relative doesn't hike so I'm asking advice or pointers for hiking Oregon, from those who live there and have hiked it. Basically the plan is to go SOBO from Frog Lake/hwy 35 to CA. I've already done California and Washington, but I know zip about Oregon and what to expect in terms of weather, water, terrain in June and July, starting next week. I live in the desert (35 years) so carrying water is not an issue. In fact I am hoping the water carries will be nicer than the AZT which I did this winter/spring. I'm carrying 25 lbs, with food and water but I'd like to know if I can shave even more weight if I know better what conditions I may encounter in the upcoming two months, or if I need to add a fleece or something…. I'm really looking forward to enjoying Oregon's trails and visiting some nice spots along the trail. Thanks in advance for helpful advice, I really appreciate it.
I never carry more than a pint of water. But you have to know something about where water is, like from Halfmile's maps. 4 liter bag for when I want to camp a ways from stream.
June – mostly nice but occasionally rainy. July through September mostly dry, occasional thunderstorm. Temps might go below freezing occasionally.
I was just on Mt Hood, some snow at 6000 feet but tracks through snow, easy to find trail. Going South from highway 35 is lower elevation so you may never see any snow at all.
Yup……just take a look at halfmile maps for water sources. I don't remember having any water problems in Oregon. Oregons a fast hike with plenty of resupply points.
To bad you cant start at the Columbia River.I did Timothy lake north to Goat Rocks last year, after recovering from an injury having made it from Campo almost to the Northern California border. I had a few weeks of time left in the end of September then it started to get nasty in October so I ended my hike. I'm in no hurry to get it all done. Ive completed thru hikes in one go before and I'm content with what I can get done each year now. Basically I'm retired so I take care of family and hike when I can. I plan on visiting Oregon to be with elderly relatives each year and have fallen in love with the Columbia and Trout Lake area and the trails there, Portland is interesting, but I'm allergic to cities!
My memory of southern Oregon was that there were a few fairly long stretches without water. Not as long as anything in California. I remember there was one long stretch south of Crater Lake where you had to descend quite a bit to a tiny frog pond for water. I was glad I did because there was no water for quite a ways after that and I only had about 1/2 a liter on me at the time. I think the next water might have been Jack Spring, or else maybe the segment with Jack Spring was a different day. Jack Spring was quite a ways off the trail and it was easy to miss the turnoff and it would be very easy not not even see the trail all the way to the spring. The spring itself was tiny and I could see it drying up in a drought. That was another one where if I'd missed it I would have been out of luck for a really long time. I was there in July of 2009 which I don't recall being either a drought or a particularly wet year. All the info I needed was in the data book/guide book though and I had no problems.
Thanks Piper! Ticket bought, boxes ready, getting excited and very happy to be finally getting back on trail.
I hiked the PCT last year and I thought Oregon was particularly dry. There were several long carries that I recall. Went through in mid-July
Yes I can see that the usual view of Oregon as all green and rainy is not true, much looks dry and volcanic in pictures of the trail I've found. Arizona is the same, it's not all saguaro cactus and rattlesnakes. Still I'm looking forward very much to seeing the country around Mt. Jefferson and Three Sisters and all the lakes and streams. Well, maybe not Russell……might have to detour that one.
Bugs will be out south of crater lake in the sky lakes. There's a good bit of water down south for the moment but with this heat wave and lack of snow pack I'd say keep your bottles full once you get down towards the last 100 miles. Have fun!
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