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Hiking the Spence Mountain Trail – Klamath Falls, Oregon USA

Hiking the Spence Mountain Trail – Klamath Falls, Oregon USA

The Spence Mountain Trail is about 15 miles northwest of Klamath Falls, Oregon, on Highway 140.  The trail was developed by the Klamath Trails Alliance in cooperation with JWTR LLC (the landowner), Oregon Department of Forestry (for the land at the trailhead), many donors of cash and technical services and numerous volunteers. The first segment, from the trailhead up the […]

Waldo Lake and the Jim Weaver National Recreation Trail

Waldo Lake and the Jim Weaver National Recreation Trail

Waldo Lake is located in central Oregon 12 miles north of Highway 58 between Willamette Pass and the community of Oakridge. The lake is about 75 miles from Eugene, Oregon, 80 miles from Bend, Oregon and 115 miles from Klamath Falls, Oregon.  The Jim Weaver National Recreation Trail circles the lake and was formerly named the Waldo Lake […]

Island Lake, Dee Lake and the Waldo Tree

Island Lake, Dee Lake and the Waldo Tree

Island Lake, Dee Lake and the Waldo Tree are all located in the Sky Lakes Wilderness on the Rogue River National Forest in the Cascade Mountains of South Central Oregon. The general area is known as the Blue Canyon Basin.  I hiked in with the Klamath Basin Outdoor Group from the eastside of the Cascades […]

Backpack Review: Osprey Atmos AG 65

Backpack Review: Osprey Atmos AG 65

Introduction The Chief Scout and I recently got new backpacks. The Chief Scout is quite small, so even the women’s version of this pack, the Osprey Aura AG™ 65, would not fit her properly.  The owner of our local outdoor store, The Ledge (Klamath Falls, OR), helped us with choosing and fitting our packs and special […]

Orienteering: a Run (or Walk) in the Countryside

Orienteering: a Run (or Walk) in the Countryside

First, let’s define orienteering. There are lots of orienteering definitions, but let me offer my own simplified version: That’s a definition of foot orienteering,  the subject of this story, but there are is also auto orienteering, canoe orienteering, ski orienteering, equestrian orienteering, bicycle orienteering and others that would be defined similarly – except for the mode of transportation. […]

Climbing Hogback – Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA

Climbing Hogback – Klamath Falls, Oregon, USA

When people in Klamath Falls, Oregon want to take a scenic and invigorating hike they don’t have far to go.  Hogback Mountain looms over the city’s east side and offers a lot of exercise and some spectacular views over a five-mile trek.  I took this hike with the Klamath Basin Outdoor Group.  Hans (Age 70) […]

Mt. Scott Crater Lake National Park

Mt. Scott Crater Lake National Park

Mt. Scott, is the tallest peak in Crater Lake National Park and the tenth tallest peak in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. Yet, it is not as difficult to climb as you might think.

OC&E Woods Line State Trail

OC&E Woods Line State Trail

History . . . This trail began as a railroad owned by the City of Klamath Falls and named the Klamath Falls Municipal Railway.  After beginning construction in 1917 and reaching Olene a year later,  Robert Strahorn, the contractor and major proponent of the project, offered to buy the railroad from the city.  The sale […]

Captain Jack’s Stronghold

Captain Jack’s Stronghold

Lava Beds National Monument . . . Captain Jack, Schonchin John and their band of Modoc Indians were attacked by the U.S. Army and local civilians at their winter village on the Lost River, just north of Tule Lake, California on November 29, 1872.  Some of the Modocs escaped the attack by crossing the lake […]

White Pass & Yukon Route, Skagway, Alaska

White Pass & Yukon Route, Skagway, Alaska

Gateway to the Klondike Gold! George Carmack, Skookum Jim and Dawson Charlie found gold on Bonanza Creek in the Klondike in 1896. They didn’t find much in the beginning, but it was enough – the gold rush was on.  Tens of thousands of people, thrown out of work by the depressed economy or just plain […]

Big Painted Cave and Symbol Bridge

Big Painted Cave and Symbol Bridge

Lava Beds National Monument . . . The trail to Big Painted Cave and Symbol Bridge was the backbone of my explorations in this area southeast of Schonchin Butte in the Lava Beds National Monument.  The trail heads toward Schonchin Butte from the road to Skull Cave.  The Skull Cave Road is about 1.3 miles […]

Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Exploring the Refuge . . . For a short orientation (with a map) to the Tule Lake Refuge and the other refuges in the Klamath Basin system, check out the article entitled “Wildlife Refuges of the Klamath Basin.” The Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge offers explorers six opportunities: a great little visitor center at the […]

Rustic Architecture of Crater Lake

Rustic Architecture of Crater Lake

After Crater Lake National Park was designated in 1902, better access was needed. In 1904 construction of a new road was begun to replace an “almost impassable” wagon trail to the rim. The new road passed through Munson Valley on its way to what is now Rim Village. It was completed in 1905. It wasn’t […]

Stuart Falls – Crater Lake National Park

Stuart Falls – Crater Lake National Park

Where is Stuart Falls? Let’s start this story with a confession . . .   Stuart Falls is not in Crater Lake National Park. It’s actually in the Sky Lakes Wilderness on the Rogue River National Forest. The title, however, highlights Crater Lake National Park because the journey is mostly within the park. It starts […]

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