Friends of the Umpqua Hiking Group
A Roseburg, Oregon hiking club. Providing guided hikes to the Coast, the Cascades, and all points in between!
Hike Coordinator: Brad Bishop
Narration and pictures by Rheo Wheeler
There was no rain on this hike, but some hikers still got wet. Mike had a whoopsie on one of the creek crossings, but bravely continued on. We had Brad’s famous clam chowder after the hike and Missy brought all kinds of cookies and soda bread, and Coreena brought Quiche. All in all, this was another great hike on the Ol’ Habitat.
Hike Coordinator: Richard O’Neill
Narration by Lane Harris
On a cold December morning 13 of us set out on the Marsters segment of the North Umpqua Trail. Beginning on the east end near the Marsters Bridge, the group hiked downriver west toward Calf Creek.
Every section of the N.U.T. west of Calf Creek is now closed due to the wildfires that ravaged the area back in September of this year. Ironically, we were hiking on a section that had also been scorched by fire back in 2017, as evidenced by the blackened trees, some of which made for interesting obstacles to get around.
After reaching Calf Creek, we all sat down for a quick lunch, then headed back upriver. No rain fell on us, in fact there was plenty of sunshine. Ok, so the sun was shining on the other side of the river, but we did occasionally catch brief glimpses of direct sunlight on our side of the river. Overall, this was a pleasant hike that showed a forest quickly rebounding to life after only 3 years.
Read about this hike on Richard O’Neill’s Blog
More pictures Richard O’Neill’s Flickr page and Lane Harris’ Flickr page
Pictures below by Richard O’Neil and Lane Harris
Hike Coordinator: Rheo Wheeler
Read about this hike on Richard O’Neill’s Blog
More pictures on Richard O’Neill’s Flickr page
Pictures by Rheo Wheeler
Hike Coordinator: Brad Bishop
More pictures on Richard O’Neill’s Flickr page
Pictures below by Rheo Wheeler
Hike Coordinator: Coreena Gosselin
Narration by Richard O’Neill
In September, the Archie Creek Fire ravaged the North Umpqua River area and left much of the 78 mile long North Umpqua Trail unusable and closed.
The Hot Springs Segment was spared from the fire’s destruction and the Umpqua National Forest opened up the area for recreation. Accordingly, many of our members enjoyed a sweet hike on a mild fall day where the forest was just about ready to put on the autumn show.
Read about this hike on Richard O’Neill’s Blog
More pictures on Richard O’Neill’s Flickr page and Lane Harris’ Flickr page
Pictures below by Lane Harris
Hike Coordinator: Lane Harris
Narration by Lane Harris
The Bastendorff Bog Trail is a little known trail used primarily by backpackers hiking the Oregon Coast Trail to “short-cut” from Bastendorff Beach to Sunset Bay. This hike offered a veritable smorgasbord of coastal delights, from beach walks, to coastal forest, rocky coastal points, and the rugged geology and shoreline wonders of Yoakum Point.
We began at Bastendorff Beach, enjoying a nice beach walk before cutting inland and up along the raised shoreline amongst the trees. We circled our way around to enjoy the vista at Yoakum Point before heading to the highway for a very short road walk. (We walked right by the continuation of the trail on the other side of the road, very easy to miss!)
We then started our journey through what is the actual bog part of the hike, a leisurely stroll through forest, skunk cabbage patches, and fern covered hillsides. The trail eventually spit us out at Sunset Bay State Park. We all gathered at the shoreline at Sunset Bay and had lunch. Several hikers decided to continue towards Shore Acres, while the rest of us did an about-face and returned the way we came.
This hike was unique in the fact that it has a smorgasbord of scenery to eat up: Beach, Forest, bog, rocky cliffs, and just a hint of asphalt.
More pictures on Lane Harris’ Flickr page
Pictures below by Lane Harris
Hike Coordinator: John Malone
Pictures below by Rheo Wheeler
Hike Coordinator: Brad Bishop
Narration from “Richard Hikes” by Richard O’Neill
The Great Oregon Burn Zone Tour of 2020 continued on a bright summer day in early September with this hike to Boundary Springs. The lodgepole forest surrounding Boundary Springs had perished in the same fire that had immolated the Red Cone area, the locale of my prior hike. But hey, I often say there is great beauty in a burn zone so apparently this has been one especially beautiful summer!
The thin lodgepole forest surrounding the Boundary Springs Trail was absolutely decimated in 2015’s Crescent Fire. No tree survived, the destruction was utter and complete and all that remains of the forest are countless acres of ghostly white snags standing upright, resembling on a larger basis so many porcupine quills in a dog’s snout. I still can’t fathom how fire can irrevocably and completely destroy an entire forest, yet spare all the mosquitoes. The adult trees were left lifeless as a statue but life always finds a way and hundreds of little lodgepole seedlings were already taking root at the feet of their deceased parents.
Life also abounds in the form of a hiking club and eleven of us set foot on the Boundary Springs Trail, mouths collectively agape at the terrible yet awesome sight of a totally destroyed forest. Also in keeping with this summer’s theme of hiking in lodgepole forests (be they dead or alive) in volcanic soils, those of us at the tail end of the hiking line ate everybody else’s dust kicked up by scuffing boots.
It didn’t take long for a ravine to appear on the left side of the trail with a small creek coursing at the bottom. Soft soils are no match for moving water and this small creek was eagerly engaged on its short journey to join up with the nearby Rogue River. Be it small, nonetheless the creek had cut a sizeable canyon in all the soft pumice and volcanic ash that surrounds nearby Crater Lake.
Without preamble or ceremony, the trail dove down into yet another canyon, crossed the adolescent Rogue River, and then climbed up to the opposite side of the canyon. Boundary Springs is so named for its proximity to the north boundary of Crater Lake National Park and before long, we passed a sign commemorating entry into the park, but we had no issues getting past customs.
Because the moist air next to the river offered some protection from the wildfire, there is ample greenery flourishing right next to the Rogue. Small grassy meadows were interspersed between tall healthy trees sporting green leaves and needles, the vegetation being most alluring to hikers slogging away in the hot and dusty environs above the canyon. Good thing then, that the trail began a steady descent down to river level and subsequently, to Boundary Springs itself.
The river was shallow and a multitude of fallen trees and logs clogged the flowing water, creating a series of natural fish weirs. I’d be tempted to say the logs fell into the river because of the fire, but the river channel has been log-littered since long before my first pre-fire hike here, so maybe it’s just a Rogue River thing that occurs naturally. Despite the relative shallowness of the river, there are a few places where the river had to funnel into a narrow chute, giving rise to several photogenic cascades and waterfalls. As a precursor to Boundary Springs, all manner of seeps and springs began to gush forth next to the trail with ever increasing frequency. Moss and other assorted greenery flourished next to all the seeps, taking full advantage of the free water available just for the taking.
Boundary Springs is a special place because it’s just not every day where a full flowing river emerges from the ground. You can stand on top of the springs, look downstream, and the Rogue River will look just like a genuine river should. Turn around and look upstream though, it’s a different story: nothing but dry ground and burned forest with nary a drop of water to be seen. Apparently there’s no stream in upstream! Because the water has been filtered clean during its long underground journey, there is nothing like a gulp of fresh Boundary Springs water. All life should be just like that drink of water.
While the Boundary Springs Trail continues deeper into Crater Lake Park, becoming part of the Bald Crater Loop (described in the previous blog about Red Cone Spring), our business here was finished for the most part. Some of us went to visit West Lake while others just hiked straight back but all wound up eventually at the Boundary Springs Trailhead. The parking lot was full because apparently everybody wants to be outdoors during a pandemic and the trail had been noticeably busier than normal. Evidently we were not the only people out and about on a Great Oregon Burn Zone Tour.
Read about this hike on Richard O’Neill’s Blog
More pictures on Richard O’Neill’s Flickr page and Lane Harris’ Flickr page
Pictures below by Lane Harris
Hike Coordinator: Lane Harris
Narration by Lane Harris
An even dozen hikers made the drive up Illahee Road to the trailhead east of Illahee Rock. While short, this hike was very sweet. The route traversed a spectacular fire-scarred rocky ridge with expansive views down into the Boulder Creek Wilderness. It was a short, but rough trail to get to Wild Rose Point. After a short repose, the group continued further up towards the ominous sounding Devils Stairway. This part of the trail was more friendly to the hiker’s feet, but it was a bit more uphill than the first part of this hike. The trail to Devils Stairway crossed through several large meadows before ascending up through colorfully flowered rock gardens and eventually reaching the Stairway itself.
A nice long break was had by everyone, as we marveled at the views to the north, picking out notable mountains like Fairview Peak and Bohemia Mountain. To the south lied Mt Thielsen and Mt Bailey.
As they say, it was all downhill from here! Literally, it was all downhill from here. We got to enjoy the hike in reverse this time, but with less effort.
This trail has seem some neglect over the years, but for the more adventurous souls, it’s worth the extra effort to get to and explore.
More pictures on Lane Harris’ Flickr page
Pictures below by Lane Harris
Hike Coordinator: Richard O’Neill
Narration by Richard O’Neill
A small group of 3 hardy souls followed their fearless leader (me!). After reaching June Lake, we tacked on a side trip to spectacular Indigo Lake for some extra mileage, before sideswiping Timpanogas Lake and Little Timpanogas Lake for a very worthy 8.4 mile hike.
More of this hike from “Richard Hikes“
More pictures on Richard O’Neill’s Flickr page
Pictures below by Richard O’Neill
