Easy Hike—Finley Wildlife Refuge—Sunday, May 5, 2024
Leader: Jane Hackett

The back trails at Finley are open this time of year so we may do a shuttle and see areas that are new. Either way plan on wet trails, and tall grass. This is primarily a hike but we stop at one blind to check out the birds. For those interested in the headquarters gift shop they should be open.

Moderate Hike—Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte—Tuesday, May 7, 2024
Leader: Denise Rubenstein

We will start on time at 7:00 am. Please arrive 10 minutes before the start time. This hike to the top of Spencer Butte takes the less traveled route from Blanton Road. We'll cross Blanton Ridge before continuing on from the 52nd and Willamette trailhead. This option provides a good in town workout.. If the weather doesn't co-operate we can forgo the exposed rocky steps near the top. There are 2 ways to get to the trailhead: 1. To get to the trailhead from 29th & Willamette continue south on Willamette. At Willamette/Donald St Intersection bear right on Willamette. Immediately bear right again on to Crest Drive. Follow signs staying on Crest for approximately 1.2 miles to the Junction with Blanton Road. Turn left on Blanton. The trail head is on your left in about ½ mile. Do not turn left on Southpointe Dr. 2. Another way to get to the Blanton trailhead is to go south on Chambers until it ends at Crest Drive. Turn left on to Crest. In about ½ mile turn right on Blanton Road.

Moderate Hike—Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte—Wednesday, May 8, 2024
Leader: Janet Jacobsen

NOTE: Flexible departure time from 7:45 to 8:00. Every Wednesday since 2013 we do this hike from the Martin Street Trailhead to the summit of Spencer Butte. Compared to starting at the paved Spencer Butte parking lot, this hike has double the climbing and three times the distance. It is a conditioning hike where everyone is challenging themselves to go at a moderate or fast pace—not like the other hikes on our schedule. If this is your first time on this Obsidian conditioning hike, or hiking to Spencer Butte, you may want to call the leader to discuss the pace. If you should fall too far behind, the leaders reserve the right to have you not summit but wait and return with the group. The regulars on this hike have attained their fitness by showing up consistently and slowly improving. If you have questions, email summertrips@obsidians.org. Come a few minutes early because we leave promptly at the listed time. To get to the trailhead: Take West Amazon to Martin Street. Turn left. Drive past Kinney Park and park Martin Street near the Kiosk sign board across from Canyon Drive Street sign with hiker symbol. Please contact the leader if you have any questions.

Moderate Hike—St. Vinnies Greatest Hits —Thursday, May 9, 2024
Leader: Kathie Carpenter

This will be a full day of touring the great community projects provided by St. Vincent de Paul, and will include a lot of walking and a short bus ride. It will be a wonderful opportunity to learn firsthand about all the services St. Vinnie's provides our community, and to meet some of the staff and volunteers who are doing this good work for all of us. Throughout the day, you'll find yourself saying, over and over again, "Wait, what?! St. Vinnie's does THAT too?" We'll gather at First Place Family Center for introductions and a tour, then walk downtown, passing by, but not stopping at, several affordable, energy-efficient housing sites. From downtown we'll take LTD bus #41 to the Lamb Building affordable housing site for a quick presentation, and walk to a Safe Sleep site for a tour. After a late picnic lunch at MLK Jr. Park we'll tour the Cleveland St. warehouse and recycling center. We'll finish the day with optional retail therapy at St. Vinnie's at 888 Garfield and/or 1870 W. 11th. You can either walk back to First Place Family Center (4.7 miles) or take the bus back (~ 45 min). Total mileage will be 11.1 miles if you walk back, and 6.4 miles if you take the bus back. Note: You could also arrange a car shuttle for the return to First Place Family Center, by leaving a car at our last destination.

Moderate Hike—Pisgah East Side Loop—Friday, May 10, 2024
Leader: Heidi Anderson

Description: East Trailhead – from Eugene, drive east on Highway 58 towards Pleasant Hill. Turn left on Ridgeway Road at the 76 Station and drive 1.7 miles to the parking area on the left. The parking lot is small, but vehicles can also park on the main road if necessary. Lane County Parking Pass is required to park in the lot. Remove any valuables from your vehicle. There is a porta potty at the trailhead. We will hike to the summit on trails #2, 4, 3 and then #1 and returning on trail #6. (Route may be modified due to closures) Good conditioning hike. Optional brunch/lunch following hike.

easy Hike—Get Acquainted/Ribbon Trail—Saturday, May 11, 2024
Leader: Lana Lindstrom

Meet at the Obsidian Lodge to start the hike on the Ribbon Trail to Hendricks Park and back. This is an opportunity to find out about the Obsidians, get acquainted with members, and visit our lodge. This hike through the woods has a few short bursts of steep up and down hill. We will be done around noon. Members are welcome to sign up to help answer questions. Drive past the Laurelwood Golf Course up 27th St then at the top of the hill turn right onto Spring Blvd, a one lane road. When Spring Blvd ends at a T intersection, turn left and immediately look for the Obsidians sign and driveway on your right. Enter the driveway and follow the gravel road to the parking areas and Lodge. The Lodge is hard to find so if you want to view the map, go to the Obsidian home page. http://obsidians.org/lodgemap.htm

Moderate Hike—Eel Creek—Sunday, May 12, 2024
Leader: Jane Hackett

This is the area that inspired the Dune series. It is a drive but you see the highest dunes in on the coast. Motorized vehicles are not allowed in this area.

Moderate Hike—Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte—Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Leader: Tommy Young

We will start on time at 7:00 am. Please arrive 10 minutes before the start time. This hike to the top of Spencer Butte takes the less traveled route from Blanton Road. We'll cross Blanton Ridge before continuing on from the 52nd and Willamette trailhead. This option provides a good in town workout.. If the weather doesn't co-operate we can forgo the exposed rocky steps near the top. There are 2 ways to get to the trailhead: 1. To get to the trailhead from 29th & Willamette continue south on Willamette. At Willamette/Donald St Intersection bear right on Willamette. Immediately bear right again on to Crest Drive. Follow signs staying on Crest for approximately 1.2 miles to the Junction with Blanton Road. Turn left on Blanton. The trail head is on your left in about ½ mile. Do not turn left on Southpointe Dr. 2. Another way to get to the Blanton trailhead is to go south on Chambers until it ends at Crest Drive. Turn left on to Crest. In about ½ mile turn right on Blanton Road.

Moderate Hike—Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte—Wednesday, May 15, 2024
Leader: Denise Rubenstein

NOTE: Flexible departure time from 7:45 to 8:00. Every Wednesday since 2013 we do this hike from the Martin Street Trailhead to the summit of Spencer Butte. Compared to starting at the paved Spencer Butte parking lot, this hike has double the climbing and three times the distance. It is a conditioning hike where everyone is challenging themselves to go at a moderate or fast pace—not like the other hikes on our schedule. If this is your first time on this Obsidian conditioning hike, or hiking to Spencer Butte, you may want to call the leader to discuss the pace. If you should fall too far behind, the leaders reserve the right to have you not summit but wait and return with the group. The regulars on this hike have attained their fitness by showing up consistently and slowly improving. If you have questions, email summertrips@obsidians.org. Come a few minutes early because we leave promptly at the listed time. To get to the trailhead: Take West Amazon to Martin Street. Turn left. Drive past Kinney Park and park Martin Street near the Kiosk sign board across from Canyon Drive Street sign with hiker symbol. Please contact the leader if you have any questions.

Moderate BkPk—Spring Basin Backpack—Friday–Sunday, May 17–19, 2024
Leader: Russ Davies

Come explore the quiet beauty of eastern Oregon’s high desert canyons in this vista and flower filled hike into the Spring Basin wilderness. Depart Eugene Friday morning, drive approx 4 hours to TH near Clarno, OR. Hike into Spring Basin & camp, 4 miles 800’. Saturday day hike into Hay Bottom and Eagle Canyon 6 miles 800’. Sunday hike out to TH and return to Eugene.

Easy Hike—Patterson Mountain—Saturday, May 18, 2024
Leader: Jane Hackett

Patterson. Mt, noted for wildflowers and the Lone Wolf Shelter. If the sky is clear you can see the Sisters from the top. The trip takes us up Hwy 58. We turn off on a logging road for about 8 miles. We should be back in town by early afternoon.

Moderate Hike—Ash Swale / Eagles Rest—Saturday, May 18, 2024
Leader: Jean Harris

This lovely hike is close in with a mix of forest types, understory and swampy areas. The trailhead is 3 miles up Goodman Creek Road off of highway 58. As we climb, the trail is frequently muddy. Ash Swale shelter is near a swampy area. The top of Eagles Rest at 3022 feet gives a view of the upper Lost Creek valley. We can enjoy lunch at the top, then return on the same trail.

Moderate Hike—Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte—Tuesday, May 21, 2024
Leader: Tommy Young

We will start on time at 7:00 am. Please arrive 10 minutes before the start time. This hike to the top of Spencer Butte takes the less traveled route from Blanton Road. We'll cross Blanton Ridge before continuing on from the 52nd and Willamette trailhead. This option provides a good in town workout.. If the weather doesn't co-operate we can forgo the exposed rocky steps near the top. There are 2 ways to get to the trailhead: 1. To get to the trailhead from 29th & Willamette continue south on Willamette. At Willamette/Donald St Intersection bear right on Willamette. Immediately bear right again on to Crest Drive. Follow signs staying on Crest for approximately 1.2 miles to the Junction with Blanton Road. Turn left on Blanton. The trail head is on your left in about ½ mile. Do not turn left on Southpointe Dr. 2. Another way to get to the Blanton trailhead is to go south on Chambers until it ends at Crest Drive. Turn left on to Crest. In about ½ mile turn right on Blanton Road.

Moderate Hike—Mt Pisgah Sunset/Moonrise—Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Leader: Janet Jacobsen

Moonrise is 8:21 and sunset is 8:40. Full moon is the next day. Look for us by my car a row or two down from the fee box. Please arrive before the departure time to check in. We will take Trails 7,3 and 1 (main trail). Faster hikers usually include a section of Trail 4. Email me at jbjacobsen@comcast.net if you have questions or if you have never hiked Mt. Pisgah. If you don’t have a Lane County parking pass, allow time to purchase one with Debit/Credit card (no cash) at the pay station by trailhead. Bring: head lamp, layered clothing for standing around on top and for weather.

Moderate Hike—Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte—Wednesday, May 22, 2024
Leader: John Miller

NOTE: Flexible departure time from 7:45 to 8:00. Every Wednesday since 2013 we do this hike from the Martin Street Trailhead to the summit of Spencer Butte. Compared to starting at the paved Spencer Butte parking lot, this hike has double the climbing and three times the distance. It is a conditioning hike where everyone is challenging themselves to go at a moderate or fast pace—not like the other hikes on our schedule. If this is your first time on this Obsidian conditioning hike, or hiking to Spencer Butte, you may want to call the leader to discuss the pace. If you should fall too far behind, the leaders reserve the right to have you not summit but wait and return with the group. The regulars on this hike have attained their fitness by showing up consistently and slowly improving. If you have questions, email summertrips@obsidians.org. Come a few minutes early because we leave promptly at the listed time. To get to the trailhead: Take West Amazon to Martin Street. Turn left. Drive past Kinney Park and park Martin Street near the Kiosk sign board across from Canyon Drive Street sign with hiker symbol. Please contact the leader if you have any questions.

Easy Hike—Foxhollow to Mt. Baldy—Thursday, May 23, 2024
Leader: Lisa Van Liefde

Meet at the "Ridgeline Trails" - Foxhollow Trailhead, located on Foxhollow Rd. across from the Cascade Raptor Center. Arrive by 5:50 pm - we leave promptly at 6pm. This is a relatively easy loop, the most challenging being the incline up to Mt. Baldy. If you haven't hiked this trail or have questions, give me a call, 949-677-1379.

Difficult Hike—Blanton to Baldy w/options—Thursday, May 23, 2024
Leader: Sandra Sigrist

This hike has 3 distance options: #1 = 13.8 miles, #2 = 11.2 miles, #3 = 6.2 miles. The #1 route will follow the Ridgeline Trail from the Blanton Trailhead to Mt. Baldy, and will include the Tie Trail and Spencer Butte summit on the hike out to Mt. Baldy. Following a lunch break at Mt. Baldy, these hikers will then return along the Ridgeline to the Blanton Trailhead WITHOUT repeating the Tie and Butte portions of the route. The #2 route will be the same as #1 EXCEPT it will NOT include the Tie Trail and Spencer Butte portion either direction. The #3/shortest route will be from the Blanton Trailhead to Mt. Baldy, and also NOT include the Tie Trail and Spencer Butte portion, instead continuing on to the Spring Trailhead (.5 miles past Mt. Baldy bench/rest area at the top), and returning to the Blanton Trailhead by car shuttle. Since the shuttle will only be available to a limited # of hikers, please let the trip leader know as soon as possible if you are interested in the short/shuttle route. The first/long route will most likely take 6 hours including a lunch break at Mt. Baldy and a few brief rest stops as needed, especially on the return. Depending on the weather, the leaders will plan on making extra water available at the Mt. Baldy lunch stop.

Moderate Hike—Pisgah East Side Loop—Friday, May 24, 2024
Leader: David Hawkins

To get to the east trailhead head drive toward Pleasant Hill on hwy 58. Turn left at the 76 station on to Ridgeway Rd. The parking area is 1.7 miles down this road. We will hike to the summit on trails #2, 4, and 1 and then return using trail #6. The parking lot is small but vehicles sometimes park on the road if there isn't room. You need a Lane County pass to park but not if you park on the road. Remove any valuables from your vehicle. There is a porta potty at the trailhead. You may choose to lunch at Sunrise Cafe with others after the hike.