Calendar

Past Activity

Castle Rock

  • Start date: 11/19/2017

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 11/19/2017

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

***WEATHER FORECAST: RIGHT NOW,
CHANCE OF SHOWERS, BUT THE SIGNIFICANT EVENT WILL LIKELY OCCUR AFTER THE HIKEThis hike will commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Club’s founding and the picture taken on 12-11-1927 near the top. If possible, I would like a similar shot of the people this year near the top. We will enter from King’s Castle Road and hike 4 miles to FS 480. We cross 480, take a trail to another junction near the road and then have 1 mile to the top that is steeper and switches back to the summit. There are sparse views of the Sisters, and there are decent views of the McKenzie valley. It’s a long hike, and it climbs 2600 feet, but the trail is decent and the climbing steady.
If a lot of rain, cold, snow, or general wintry weather, I’ll cancel,as I did two years ago. It’s supposed to be enjoyable. (LOL)

  • Event Leader: Mike Smith

  • Event Leader Phone: 520-488-9569

  • Event Leader Email: mssq@comcast.net

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: Behind McDonalds, 57th and Main in Springfield

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 102

  • Season: 2018

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: 10 essentials, good rain gear. Have a hat, gloves, maybe gaiters available. Climbing poles are useful, as are neck warmers.

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 12.4

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 2600

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

We picked the right time of the right day to do this hike, arriving on top of Castle Rock, 3 weeks shy of 90 years from when the Obsidians first did so. The trail has been changed between miles 3 and 4, going more west in the woods, rather than up through an area of brush on an old road, which continues to the FS road. It is very suitable for mountain biking, but it is also good for hiking as well. We arrived on top after about 2h15m and had lunch in about 3-4 inches of snow in bright sunshine. The high Cascades were beautiful in snow, and there was nobody else up there, only a few footprints. Clouds moved in, however, and we all began to get cold, so we packed up and came down from the summit. I tried to get some pictures of Obsidians near the summit, but I'm not sure how much everything has changed. In any case, it's a good hike, and the rerouting of the lower trail is a definite plus.