Description:

Option to overnight at Belknap Springs ( make own reservations). ***I was up there on Tuesday 9 May. There was some snow inside the barrier at Cold Spring Campground but not a lot. The woods had large patches of snow but bare areas, too. I am hopeful the warm weather in mid week and the rain afterwards will take care of. it. The four days prior to the hike should be warmer and dry, including the hike, according to the weather models. Sno-Tels are showing no snow at 3K feet but they are more open.***
This is going to be a fast paced hike to do the whole McKenzie River Trail in 7-8 hours. The ideal hike for me would be people in pairs or even the whole group moving at the same comfortable steady fast pace. We do not have Trail Bridge access to cars, so bail out points are at Clear Lake and Blue Pool. After that, it is 12 miles to Belknap Springs. We will leave with three vehicles (two if we only have 5 people) and leave two (one if only 5 people) at Fish Lake.  Travel light with rain gear, plenty of energy food, water, and perhaps another pair of socks and shoes. I will carry a first aid kit, including scissors and moleskin.  We will make few stops, won’t rest long, and take no more than 15 minutes for lunch, probably at Trail Bridge.  You must obviously be in good shape to do this hike, meaning that you need to be comfortable walking at 3-3.5 mph and change for 8 hours, and it is recommended you do with the Club or on your own the 15-16 mile river walk (both sides) in Eugene at least once before the hike.  When you do that hike, try to take 5 minute breaks every hour to see how you adapt to a brief rest.  Carry layers, but don’t get overloaded with gear.  At the end, the hot springs at Belknap should feel good, along with dinner at Takoda’s in the evening, or return back to Eugene.  If questions, please call me.  We are doing the hike on Monday to avoid the mountain biking on the weekend. Last year, I found that rest stops every hour to hour and a half, no more than 5 minutes on the clock, gave me a chance to adjust my boots, get food and water in, and not stiffen up. At the end, we were making 17 minute miles.