Riding The Crest 2009

OREGON Section E   McKenzie Pass to Three Sisters

October 7 - October 8

Ralph and Bob decided Ralph would pull our trailer with our truck and Bob would drive his truck “in case” we got struck. Bob figured his four-wheel drive 2500 Chevy could pull us and the trailer out if we got stuck. This way there was no hitch problems. Unfortunately we hit one inch of icy road  and we both were stopped dead in the road. We were stuck in the snow. Bob tried to pull us out but his 4 wheel drive was not enough. So he proceeded to put chains on his rear tires while Ralph and I proceeded to use our shovels to break up the ice in front of the tires on both trucks. It was hard work and warming us up in the early morning cold. We  had enough time to break up the ice along the entire 1000 yard section of gravel road. We got down to the gravel and once Bob got moving we were both able to move forward though Ralph kept tension on the pull line. Unfortunately the chains fell off one of Bob’s tires twice and he had to keep putting them back on. But we made it to the  trailhead. I would have one mile to ride just to back to the PCT. I was saddled and packed up at 10:45. It was a gorgeous day. I gave Bob a hug in thanks for all he did. I could not have done it without his help to us. The snow was crusty or icy or even non-existent in a few places. The temps were already at 50° and it was another blue sky day. From Lava Camp to the lava flow at Minnie Scott Spring there was deep snow (10+ inches) on the trail. At the Scott Pass Trail there was an older man cutting firewood. He asked if I was alone and when I said, “yes,” he said “wow, you are a brave woman.” The snow allowed me to see all the animal tracks: deer, rabbit, and then bear. I passed South Matthieu Lake. It was beautiful with North Sister rising behind it. I ate lunch at the lake while Cane grazed then rode on. There was a lot of snow on that portion of the trail. From South Matthieu Lake I proceeded on the PCT toward the east. The trail was along a large lava rock flow. There was no visible trail but a slight indentation that indicated it. (The PCT is so well used and worn that it is a gully in many places.) A few times the trail would entirely disappear for a hundred feet but I would use my trail knowledge as to where it should be and it would reappear as I thought. Then it climbed up over some of the lava flow. Here the trail was clearly visible despite the snow for the rocks delineated it. After a few hundred yards in the lava rock through a couple of switchbacks we were up and over. The other side had us back on the level and in deep snow following a faint indentation again. Ours were the first tracks in this five day old snow other than an occasional deer. Next we started across a mountainside, totally white and smooth, not a tree or bush and very little rock. It was lava dust covered in snow. We had gone about half way when Cane’s legs seemed to disappear. He was in a snowdrift up to his elbows! On a horse this is belly deep and they do not care for it. He started to lunge when his front feet came to the other side of the small drift. He immediately relaxed and plowed on. We got around the side I had not seen yet and the trail seemed to disappear. I asked Cane to go ahead so I could look around and he obeyed. I did not find the trail. I got off and looked in a couple more unlikely directions and did not find the trail. I opened the maps and it looked like I was in the right spot but there was no trail. I now had a choice as it was mid afternoon and I had far to go. I could push on and climb through snow that might be hiding sharp lava rock or I could leave Cane and do some climbing without him to take a look around. I got off and did some climbing but still no trail and the going was hard as I could not see below the snow either and my boots were getting wet and cold. My gut was saying this was not good. If it were not for the snow I would have pushed on as the terrain was fairly good, just rocky. But the snow complicated matters and with Cane already with legs issues, I did not want to risk injury to him. So I made the hard decision to head back to the nearest trailhead, which was Scott Pass. I called Ralph (yes, phone connection!) and told  him my plans and estimated time of arrival  on Road 1018. Then Cane and I easily retraced our own footprints in the snow. I said goodbye to the beautiful Three Sisters and went down into the forest leading back north to Scott Pass where the trail went down. I got to Whispering Pine Campground on Road 1018 at 5:45. At six, the agreed time, Ralph still was not there. I walked all around trying to get some phone connection. When I stood still in the middle of the road a few hundred feet down the road from Cane I got one bar. I called Ralph and he was surprised I was already there. He had misunderstood that I wanted him to come get me. He left immediately and he arrived a half hour after I did. We loaded Cane and head back to Graham Corral for one more night. I had ridden from Lava Camp Trail to Minnie Scott Spring, a mere estimated seven miles in seven hours.   

The next morning we left Bob and Nancy at Graham Corral and drove down Hwy 20. The fields outside of Sisters, OR are beautiful in golden autumn color.  There are not a lot of roads in Oregon, one of the less  densely populated states. The west side of the state is WET and green. The east side of the Cascades is drier. When we got down to Hwy 138 to Crater Lake we found the North Crater Trailhead and  JUST made it. They sure did not make it for large rigs. We put up a high line for Cane and he quickly started polishing off another flake of hay. After settling Cane, setting up the trailer, and eating lunch, we drove into the park. (Once again our annual park pass was beneficial.) We drove south on Rim Road West stopping at many of the scenic overlooks. The lake is very impressive. Though quite windy on the rim, the lake is a purple blue that barely moves. There is Wizard Island in Fumarole Bay on the SW shore and boat tours go to it in the summer. The only other land we could see inside the lake was Phantom Ship, a cone of rock in the shape of a ship. The lake, at its deepest point is 1943’ (593m), and has only frozen over once in 1949, despite an average 44’ (13.3m) of snow per year. There are no rivers or streams feeding this lake, only rain and snow, and is considered the cleanest large body of water in the world! The lake was formed from a collapsed volcano called Mount Mazama. It was designated a National Park in 1902. After taking pictures all along the west side we drove down to Mazama Village at the south entrance. The village was already closed for the winter so we exited the park to find where we would camp in a couple of nights when I rode that far. We found a snow park about 7 miles down Hwy 62 that would suit. We also drove to the trailhead which is just a crossing at Hwy 62 with a small trailhead. Ralph would have to stop on the highway and back into the trailhead to turn around. But we had all the knowledge we needed so we headed back north and to our camp. Before returning we drove to Diamond Lake and bought more fuel. Our evening was spent downloading pictures and putting together the ones we shot as panoramas. 

NEXT:  Mount Thielsen & Crater Lake

So many trails - So little time!

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