North Umpqua Trail:Dread and Terror Section, Oregon
Hello All
Well I just got back from my trip . It was almost 25 miles round trip over three days.
Day one saw me getting up early for the 3 hour drive to the trail head which was a really rainy drive until I got over the Cascade Crest and entered Central Oregon where the weather became wonderfully clear and sunny. Set out to hike at about 10:30am and met a wonderful old couple from Canada (Sorry I don't remember which territory it was one of the middle ones I think). They turned around at Lemolo Falls and I continued on. Met a couple of mountain bikers who scared the you know what out of me during a call of nature session. I didn't find a campsite at the location I was hoping on so I had to walk about an extra 3/4 of a mile to the next campsite which thankfully had already cut up firewood (Score). Got all set up at about 6:30 and took out the libations. Made some dinner, listened to some tunes and just chilled by the fire. The day ended at approx 10 miles mostly down hill.
Day 2 had me waking up about 30 minutes later than I wanted to because I still can't figure out how to set the alarm on my Coghlans Temperature/ Clock thing. Hiked some very interesting trail that morning there are about 1/5th a mile of Springs that gush right out of the rock over the trail making it very interesting to hike without getting my feet soaked. Made it to Umpqua Hotsprings at about 10:30 where I met this wonderful chap from Dover England who was touring the West coast. And Guess what, he didn't care for Gordan Ramsey, go figure. :eek: The view from these hotsprings is one of the better ones that I have been to. This trip makes it the 5th hotsprings in Oregon I have been in. Well I only spent about an hour in the hotsprings because it was almost 80F outside anyways and hit the trail to yo yo back to my car. Hiked about 10+ miles up hill and camped at the first campsite I took a break at on the previous day. Oh boy was I tired. This site did not have good water access to the river. I hiked about 30 yards further up the trail to try and find water but couldn't find it, plus I forgot to take my gravity bag or my water bottle. So I decided it was going to be a dry camp, drank the rest of my libations I brought and ate some no cook food. Drank some water leaving some for the morning and was chased into the hammock by the mosquitoes. Sorry no pictures I was too tired.
Day 3
I really need to figure out that alarm thing. Woke up again 30 minutes later than I wanted to with the sun in my eyes. So I got up packed up (A few tent poles heavier, seriously people if your gear breaks take it with you!) and headed out. 40 yards down the trail I ran into a wonderful stream of water, go figure. Drank a full nalgene of water and refilled and headed back up. By this time in the hike I was seriously dragging tail but my knees and feet felt fine which is a small miracle for me having just done 20 miles in 2 days. So in 4 miles I saw a group of mountain bikers during my break and got to witness an utter fail from one guy trying to show off to his buddies. He just couldn't do that trick. Another couple of old people going to see the falls. Seriously the falls are not all that fantastic you can't even get a good shot of them from the trail. Plus if you want to see something Awe-inspiring got to Crater Lake it was close and open at that time. Got off the trail at about the same time I got on it at 10:30am and drove home.
Stats
24.6 Miles
32ish LBS Pack Weight
2 Blisters Pinkie Toes
3 Interesting People
2 snakes seen (Common Red Backed Gardner Types)
3 chipmunks seen
1 Campfire
1 Hotsprings Soak (Ahhhhh)
New Gear this Trip
Smartwool PHD Socks (Great and Well cushioned)
Ursack (Much better than trying to find a non dead branch to bear bag from, which in this area of Oregon is almost impossible as all those branches are 100ft up)
06-16-2012, 18:25
Gary_R
Looks awesome! Wish I went..
06-16-2012, 19:17
Pipsissewa
Great trip report!! I never saw a tarp like that. What is it? (sorry if you said on you video---I watched it with the sound turned off!)
Thanks for posting!!! :D
06-16-2012, 19:27
bgraybackpacker
My Tarp
Well that is an interesting topic. It's made of poly something or other. It was and still is the rain fly to my familys 6 person tent, just modified by me to suit my purposes. That thing is like 20 years old. The red areas leak in the rain like a sieve even with spray on water proofing. It's heavy and takes up far too much room in my pack. But it's mine and I love :boggle: it none the less. Besides I do like the colors.
06-16-2012, 20:02
Fish<><
Great trip report! I hope to hit that trail someday, it's absolutely beautiful. Haven't been in your state in years.
06-16-2012, 22:21
EdD270
Cool trip, thanks for the report. Always fun to meet interesting people on the trail.
06-19-2012, 15:01
Caveman
Great report. Thanks for posting. I also have the smartwool phd's and I love 'em.
