The Obsidians

Diamond Peak- Graduation Climb
2024-04-26

Trail Maintenance
2024-04-27 00:00 - 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles)
We don’t have a project yet. But, we’re certain we’ll be doing some trail maintenance.
Meet at the main Spencer Butte Trailhead parking lot, the paved lot on Willamette.

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2024-04-30 07:00, 2024-05-07 07:00, 2024-05-14 07:00
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.

Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte
2024-05-01 08:00, 2024-05-08 08:00, 2024-05-15 08:00
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.

Pisgah w/Pacific Source
2024-05-01 14:00

Wild Iris Ridge
2024-05-02 18:00
Meet at the Wild Iris Ridge Park trailhead on the corner of Bailey Hill Road and S. Bertleson. Please arrive by 5:55pm for a 6pm departure. Parking can be tight, carpool if you’re able – otherwise there is street parking on Bailey Hill near the residential area if the lot is full. This is a moderate conditioning hike, requiring ability to keep a steady pace. The goal is to take the extra loop for a total of 4.4 miles. Suggest long pants as there could be brush covering some of the upper loop trail.

Smith Rock
2024-05-03 00:00 - 2024-05-04 23:59

Grand Canyon Backpack
2024-05-04 00:00 - 2024-05-08 23:59
I have a four night Grand Canyon backpacking permit for up to six hikers the nights of May 4, 5, 6, and 7 (hiking out May 8.) The route is an out and back (down and up!) along the South and North Kaibab Trails. No daily hikes longer than 7.5 miles, although the first and last days each have 5,000 ft. elevation change. Pre-trip meetings will be scheduled as needed. All pre- and post-hike transportation and lodging will be on your own, and the permit fee is $70 each. You probably need a ten day window for travel, acclimatization, and the backpack itself. This is a good trip for people who have not previously hiked the Canyon. Please email me (steve80adey@gmail.com) for a detailed trip description and
DO NOT SIGN UP WITHOUT PRIOR APPROVAL
Meetup/Departure Location: email me (steve80adey@gmail.com)

Finley Wildlife Refuge
2024-05-05 09:00
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.

Diamond Peak
2024-05-06, 2024-05-08
This trip is intended for recent graduates of the Obsidians climb school. We will ascend via the Pioneer Gulch route on the south to southwest side of the mountain.

Wildlife Safari and More
2024-05-09 08:00
Spring is here and so is our first Obsidian bus trip. Sign up now to visit the recently renovated Creswell Historic Schoolhouse, Wildlife Safari, and the Douglas County Museum. Our own Verlean McCoy, Obsidian and chair of the Creswell Heritage Foundation, will tell us about the seven-year, $365,000 effort to save, restore, and transform an 1875 schoolhouse, church, clubhouse, and finally a library, into a community center. The restoration is remarkable; just in time for the 150th anniversary of the schoolhouse next year.
After coffee and pastry across the street at the Creswell Bakery (on your own), we head down I-5 to Winston. If you have not visited Wildlife Safari before, you are in for a treat. This 600-acre animal park features over 500 animals from around the world, roaming freely as though in the wild. Our 56-passenger motor coach will provide views from on high as we slowly drive the 4.5 mile loop, with our onboard safari guide narrating. After lunch, we switch seats to the other side of the bus and go through the park a second time. Bring your lunch or purchase burgers, sandwiches, and salads ($10 to $17.75) at the Safari Grill. Explore animal exhibits, a petting zoo, gift shop, and artwork in the Safari Village.
We head next to the Douglas County Museum. You could spend a day exploring the Smithsonian-quality exhibits in this gem of a museum. We will have about one and a half hours to take in the train depot, loggers bunkhouse, Oregon Trail exhibit, David Douglas Natural History Area, and much more. Did you know that a 1959 explosion of a dynamite truck leveled eight city blocks in Roseburg? There is something for all, and a gift shop to boot.
Cost is $80 for members and $83 for nonmembers. We board the bus at 7:45 a.m. at Valley River Center, west of Regal Cinemas and next to the bike path and river. The bus departs at 8:00 a.m. Our expected return is around 5:00 p.m. Bring a water bottle. Optional: a snack, binoculars, a lunch, or lunch money. Make payment to “Obsidians Bus Trips” and send to Judy Garwood, 4145 East Amazon Drive, Eugene, OR 97405. You can contact Judy at 541-683-5539. Payment is due before April 29. Please join us for an exciting and informative day. Limited to 40 persons.

St. Vinnies Greatest Hits
2024-05-09 09:00
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.

Pisgah East Side Loop
2024-05-10 08:30

Get Acquainted/Ribbon Trail
2024-05-11
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

Green Island, McKenzie River Trust Stewardship
2024-05-11 08:45
Obsidians volunteer day at Green Island just few miles north from Coburg, OR.
We’ll work 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM on blackberry removal project on the 2.5-acre plot, adopted by Obsidians. Green Island is located at the confluence of the McKenzie and the Willamette Rivers. McKenzie River Trust with generous support of dozen local organization and hundreds of enthusiastic volunteers researching, restoring, and protecting over 1100 acres of riverbanks, forest, islands, channels, sloughs, and grassland.

Get Acquainted/Ribbon Trail
2024-05-11 10:00
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.

Eel Creek
2024-05-12
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. Eel Creek, is canceled. I will put it back on in the fall.

Mother's Day Pancake & Rhody Walk
2024-05-12 09:30
The Entertainment and Bus Trips committees are co-sponsoring a Mother’s Day Pancake Breakfast at the Lodge, followed by a hike on the Ribbon Trail to the Hendricks Park Rhododendron Garden. Mother’s Day is the peak of blooms in the garden. The Friends of Hendricks Park will be available in the park to assist visitors.
We will be serving pancakes, syrup, coffee, orange juice, and other fixings from 9:30 to 11:00 a.m. Arrive any time. After breakfast, groups of hikers will set off on the Ribbon Trail for the Rhododendron Garden. For those unable to hike, we will carpool to the garden and drop off walkers to tour the garden and then be picked up. Or you may prefer to stay at the Lodge, work a jigsaw puzzle, play a game, or just converse with old friends. We expect to be done by 2:00 p.m.

Crevasse Rescue Training
2024-05-13 00:00 - 2024-05-19 23:59
Being able to rescue a partner from a fall into a crevasse is a basic skill that any mountaineer needs. This course in crevasse rescue will cover equipment used in crevasse rescues, self-rescue techniques, partner rescue techniques, problem solving when in a rescue situation, building rescue systems, leading a crevasse rescue, as well as crevasse avoidance and basic glacier travel. There are 2 evening sessions, May 13 and 16 and a weekend session up on Mt Hood May 18-19.
The crevasse rescue skillbuilder consists of two evening lectures/practice sessions at the Obsidian lodge and one weekend over two day session at Timberline on Mt Hood.
Basic knowledge of mountaineering techniques and knots will be assumed for this skillbuilder. All techniques for crevasse rescue, such as anchor building, planning and execution will be taught in this class.
Lectures will take place on May 13 and 16 from 6pm to 8:30pm.
The field session will be held at Timberline, Mt Hood May 18, 19.
Gear requirements will be distributed well ahead of the class.

GameNight!
2024-05-14 16:30 - 19:30
Come join us for an evening of games at the Lodge from 4:30 – 7:30 pm. By signing up, you’ll help us have an idea of about how many to expect, but you’re very welcome to show up any time throughout the evening, even if you don’t sign up. (No trip credit earned for this event) On some evenings, Obsidians Concessions will set out items for sale, so bring some cash or a check if you want to make a purchase some great Obsidians gear.

Spring Basin Backpack
2024-05-17 09:00 - 2024-05-19 23:59
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.

Patterson Mountain
2024-05-18 08:00
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.

Ash Swale / Eagles Rest
2024-05-18 09:00
Ash Swale. Eagle’s Rest

Mt Hood
2024-05-19
This will be a climb up the standard route of Mt Hood.

Emergency Preparedness -1st Aid
2024-05-19 08:30 - 17:00
The class is taught by Laurie Monico former EMT and Mountain Rescue member. She is currently on the Ski Patrol at Willamette Pass. The goal of this class is to help prepare outdoor adventurers to handle emergencies that happen when they are out enjoying their particular type of outdoor activity. There are no credentials given with this class. The maximum number of people is 19. The class will be from 8:30am-5pm. Please be on time.
ALL DAY EVENT
