2025 Trips To Date
Nevada Desert
15 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Got away to Vegas for the fourth year in a row ! The trip was mostly focused on climbing, but there were some recent rains and we had to wait two days for the sandstone to dry. Fiorst day was a fun trip in Valley of Fire State Park where we climbed Fire Horn Peak, and searched for arches, So fun to scramble around in the red sculptures and slot canyons. Also hiked at Red Rocks, in Calico Basin and Juniper Canyon.
November 23, 2025
Timberline
3.5 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Came up for a sunny day hike on my birthday, but the wind was fierce and I wasn't feeling well, so we turned back and had lunch at the lodge. Was sick for several days afterward.
November 19, 2025
November 16, 2025
November 15, 2025
Upper Falls Creek Trail and Cave
8 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain •
Came out for a scout out before leading a Mazama hike in the area. Quite a few hunters around, that made things intimidating. Returned on the 11th, to lead a trip through the caves, what fun!
November 9, 2025
Cottonwood Canyon and Deschutes River
20 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain •
Spent a few days in my beloved desert canyons on the Deschutes and John Day. Stayed in cabins at Maupin and Cottonwood Canyon, relaxing at night and wandering the riversides and bluffs during the day.
November 4, 2025
Palmer Mill area
5.5 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Lovely day in the forest, found some mushrooms
October 23, 2025
Trout Creek and Gray Butte
18 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Went on two different hikes in Central Oregon.
The first was along the Trout Creek trail which extends from Mecca Flat to Trout Creek Campground along the Deschutes River, just north of Warm Springs. We didn't see any other hikers, but lots of fisherfolk, mostly in the river.
The second hike was on the north side of Gray Butte. I meant to summit but the wind was roaring and I was irritated by all the frickin cows stomping and pooping all over this fragile environment. This is our public land- the Crooked River National Grasslands, but the grasses are very thin here, all the bovines leave behind are sagebrush and junipers.
October 18, 2025
Peterson Prairie
10 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain •
Spent two nights at the Peterson Prairie Guard Station. Wandered all around the area and visited Goose Lake, and Falls Creek Cave. Vine maple in the lava flows were blazing red. Found some mushrooms and had them for dinner!
October 10, 2025
Steens Canyons Loop
23 miles of hiking • 4500' elevation gain • 2 nights
This was a re-do from a few years ago where we got snowed out- in June! This time we were concerned about getting water so late in the year, but no worries. The springs were all running strong and both canyons were lush and full of life. We went up Big I, and down Little Blitzen. The aspen were just starting to turn, with a few groves bright yellow and shaking their beautiful music in the breezes. I just want to come back and explore more!
September 22 – September 24, 2025
Mt Wow
11 miles of hiking • 4500' elevation gain •
Went up via the Boundary Trail. I've hear some terrible stories of bushwacky nightmares, but I think that was from the West Side Road. This was fairly straightforward; with a keen eye and good nav skills, the tread was followed with only one minor detour. Saw a couple goats on the summit and a bear in the distance. Yes - you say Wow at the top!
September 20, 2025
High Divide Loop, ONP
21 miles of hiking • 4000' elevation gain • 2 nights
Fun, chill trip. Huckleberries everywhere. Watched a browsing bear for hours on the first night. Swam in 5 or 6 lakes. Soaked at Sol Duc Hotsprings before the long drive home.
September 5 – September 7, 2025
Gilbert Peak
27 miles of hiking • 5000' elevation gain • 2 nights
Camped near Warm Lake and climbed Gilbert Peak
August 26 – August 28, 2025
California
12 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain •
Family trip to CA, We hiked at Point Lobos and Fremont Peak near Monterey, and the Gargoyle Trail and Blue Canyon Trail near Sonora Pass in the Sierras.
August 11, 2025
Grand Teton
22.5 miles of hiking • 8000' elevation gain • 1 night
Had a warm up hike on our first day up Death canyon, 8.5 miles, 2000 ft gain. Then an attempt to climb the Grand via Exum Ridge but we turned back at 12,500 ft. 14 miles, 6000 ft gain
August 4 – August 5, 2025
Pyramid Park
22 miles of hiking • 7500' elevation gain • 2 nights
Lovely visit to a favorite area. Climbed Pyramid Peak and Copper Mountain. Saw two bears!
July 24 – July 26, 2025
Eagle, Chutla and Wahpenayo
8.5 miles of hiking • 6250' elevation gain • 1 night
This was supposed to be a Tatoosh Traverse, but we had some issues on Wahpenayo, which put us way behind schedule. Then one of our party became ill, so we decided to bail on the second day. Still, it was beautiful up there as we wandered and bushwacked up and down scree, steep flower filled meadows and ridges, seeing only goats, pikas and marmots.
July 18 – July 19, 2025
Mount Olympus
45 miles of hiking • 7500' elevation gain • 3 nights
Ohh that's a doozy of an approach. But what a beautiful climb into the lofty heights. Blue glacier is massive, and the summit approach and views in every direction- I didn't want to leave! Went on a Tuesday and we were the first of only two teams to climb that day.
July 6 – July 9, 2025
Dark Divide
19 miles of hiking • 5500' elevation gain • 2 nights
Started in the heat of a very hot day on the Dark Meadow trail which begins with a refreshing wade across the E Fork of the Cispus River. This trail was okay, but many sections of it are deeply rutted by motorbikes- it was like tightrope walking in a tunnel. Camped in the Dark Meadow area and was relentlessly attacked by mosquitoes at dusk and dawn. Got a nice early start and headed up to Juniper Ridge which was well worth the entry price!!!
What a fantastic ridge. Smack dab in the middle of all the big cascade summits and the small inviting scramble peaks of the Gifford. Flowers and butterflies, and hardly any mosquitos. Had to melt snow for water. Fun scramble to the top of Jumbo Peak which the dirtbikes cant get to and came upon a bakers dozen herd o mountain goats. Life is good.
On the way home, I climbed Sleeping Beauty which is a great little hike too. It's on old fire lookout site with nice hand built rock walls along the final switchbacks, and boundless vistas. Has a resident goat herd as well, but I only saw one.
June 30 – July 2, 2025
Silver and Sturgeon
8.5 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
I was inside a dripping cloud for much of this hike, but the incredible flower display more than made up for it. Florgasm!!!
June 27, 2025
Middle Sister
15 miles of hiking • 4750' elevation gain • 2 nights
Perfect conditions for a rather leisurely climb of Middle Sis!
June 14 – June 16, 2025
Palmer Mill wanderings
4.5 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Just love to go bushwacking on the plateaus up here. The forest is carpeted with the lovely greenery of oxalis and vanilla leaf.
June 7, 2025
Mount Hood
7 miles of hiking • 5250' elevation gain • 1 night
Went up through the Old Chute. Steaming sulfurous fumaroles, rock and ice cleaving cliffs. Steep upper chute with sketchy footing. Intense.
Felt out of shape and struggled with nausea on this trip.
June 3 – June 4, 2025
Cook Hill
8.5 miles of hiking • 3000' elevation gain •
Mazama hike, Russ Jolley meadow is in full bloom
May 21, 2025
15 Mile Creek
3.5 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
Multisport day- went skiing at Tline in the morning, then mushroom hunting in the afternoon
May 20, 2025
Surveyor's Ridge
8 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain •
Pleasant day, wildflowers looking good. Found a few morels.
May 16, 2025
More Desert!
10 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain • 1 night
Added on some mellow hiking to another Smith Climbing weekend. Still nursing a tender knee. Camped and hiked along the Deschutes at Steelhead Falls and Mecca Flat.
May 9 – May 10, 2025
John Day Canyon and beyond
11 miles of hiking • 1500' elevation gain • 2 nights
Visited a new spot on the Wild and Scenic section of the fabulous John Day River Canyon. You can drive down to the Thirtymile Creek boat launch west of Condon from 4/15-11/30. Wonderful rimrock, flowers and deep canyons, it's so gorgeous down there, but starting to get too hot already. Ventured upstream to Devils Canyon. Camped at the TH, would like to come back and do it as a backpack.
Met a rattlesnake in the JD Fossil bed area near Blue Basin. Found the pictographs in Picture Gorge.
Climbed up a cool summit in the Malheur NF north of Burns; Black Rock Peak. Enjoyed an evening soak at Crane Hot Springs.
May 1 – May 3, 2025
Coldwater Peak
14 miles of hiking • 4250' elevation gain • 1 night
Great way to enjoy Earth Day. We rambled up Coldwater Ridge, and stayed at the Ridge Camp. Had a fun evening scramble up Blastzone Butte. We summitted Coldwater then next day and then hiked out.
April 22 – April 23, 2025
April 17, 2025
April 5, 2025
March 23, 2025
March 15, 2025
Oregon Desert Canyons
20 miles of hiking • 4500' elevation gain • 1 night
In the first week of March, I had the pleasure of going to the Oregon high desert twice, visiting the John Day and Deschutes rivers. The first trip was a bikepack up the Deschutes from the confluence with the Columbia River. We biked up about 11 miles, and camped at the Fall Canyon campsite. Had a nice hike up Harris Canyon to the top of the rim. The camp had a resident Western screech owl. It was so cute and charming at first, but not at 3 am. Hiked 4 miles, 1000 feet.
A few days later I came back and stopped at the Deschutes again enroute to Cottonwood Canyon. I hiked upstream from the state park using the Blackberry and Riverview trails, 5.5 miles, 500 feet.
At Cottonwood, I did some hiking and biking, and was able to get into the Lower John Day Wilderness Study area via the Hardscrabble trail. Explored a section called the "Ruggles grade". It is so magnificent there! Stayed solo in a cabin for 2 nights, and did lots of art. Also had a wonderful morning encounter with a herd of 10 sheep. They were down low, right by the river trail. Usually, they are up high and barely discernible. This herd of females and youngsters allowed me to cautiously circle around them and take lots of pictures and videos. They were wary and kept an eye on me, but didn't bolt, and continued to browse. Two had tracking collars, and one had a broken horn! Very cool to observe them for a long time. Hiked 6 miles, 1500 ft eg
On the way home, I stopped at Catherine Creek and enjoyed a nice loop amongst the grass widows. 4.5 miles, 1500 ft
March 3 – March 4, 2025
Crown Point Basin
4.5 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Meant to ski up Larch Mountain road but the snow was down pretty low and road in bad condition. Plus creepy dudes in big trucks. This was plan B. Visited the cardavers, and the swans down on the lake.
February 9, 2025
Hamilton Mtn
8 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain •
Cold clear day. We added on some extra fun scrambles, and checked out Little Beacon Rock.
January 21, 2025
January 16, 2025
Klickitat Haul Road
7 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
Beautiful day on the Klickitat River, it gets pretty wild up there. Saw quite a few eagles.
January 12, 2025
January 8, 2025
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