Redtop Mountain
2022-01-30
From the Crescent Lake Sno-Park we will take the Pretty Lake trail and then ascend the east side of Redtop. Lunch on top if conditions allow. We will plan to descend the east side. Be ready for turns on the way back down! (I will plan to drive and can take up to four others. Anyone riding with me must be vaccinated.) *****PLEASE NOTE! I AM GOING TO RESCHEDULE THIS TRIP TO A FUTURE DATE DUE TO POOR (VERY ICY) SNOW CONDITIONS!!*********

East Side Pisgah
2022-01-30
hike begins at East Trail head, Highway 58 to Pleasant Hill, turn LEFT at top of hill (76 gas station on corner) Ridgeway Road. Approximate 1 mile drive to parking lot on left (Lane County Park pass required) This is an easy walk, with lovely meadows We will reach the Pavilion and bathrooms at midpoint. There is one short, shallow stream crossing where you might be comfortable with poles. And be prepared for muddy areas.

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2022-02-01, 2022-02-08, 2022-02-15, 2022-02-22
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.
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 trial head is on your left in about ½ mile.
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
2022-02-02, 2022-02-09
NOTE: Flexible departure time from 8:45 to 9:00.
Every Wednesday 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. It is a great way to get and stay in shape. If this is your first time on this Obsidian hike and/or if this is the first time you have hiked up Spencer Butte from the lowest elevation, you may want to call the leader to discuss the pace. Registered guests are welcome. If you have questions, email summertrips@obsidians.org. Come a few minutes early because we leave promptly at the listed time. (Please scroll down to read all of this trip description.) Everyone is required to CARRY A FACE COVERING and know how to use it properly. More information is available on the website. Look for Covid-19 Protocols. If you are not willing to follow the guidelines, please do not join the group. 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 call the leader if any questions.

Rosary Lakes
2022-02-04
We will park in the Willamette Pass parking lot and go east past the lifts to the trailhead. This lovely section of the PCT gradually climbs through fir and pine forests with glimpses of Odell Lake and Diamond Peak. Lower Rosary Lake with Pulpit Rock will be our destination. If the group chooses, we can go another half mile to Middle and Upper Rosary, which makes it a 9 mile outing. No pressure to do this.
I can drive and will request masks be worn in the car. We will follow Covid protocols for car pooling, travel and on the trail.

Sand Mtn Loop and/or Lookout
2022-02-05
This trip offers varied terrain with good views in clear weather. From Little Nash Sno-Park we will ascend a moderate slope to the base of Sand Mountain. If the weather and snow conditions are favorable, we will continue climbing until we reach Sand Mountain Lookout. If not, we will complete a lower elevation loop following a lightly traveled snowmobile trail. Skiers who own climbing skins should bring them.
Note. I will plan to drive and take up to three other passengers. All passengers must be fully vaccinated.

Get Acquainted/Ribbon Trail
2022-02-05
Meet at the Masonic Cemetery at 25th and University near the interpretive signs and gate—not at the Abbey. From there we will hike trails in the Cemetery to see the snow flowers in bloom, then on city streets to the Ribbon Trail, past the Obsidian Lodge andHendricks Park. We possibly will loop back by 19th & Agate before we take a direct route back to our cars. There is a hill that is used to hearing a few groans as we approach the golf course. Bathrooms at the Laurelwood Golf Course and Hendricks Park.

Fishing Rock/Salishan Beach
2022-02-05
Beach hike from Fishing Rock, Lincoln Beach to the Salishan Spit and Salishan Beach where Siletz River finishing journey to the ocean. After the lunch break at the Siletz Bay, we will hike back.
➽ COVID is raging. Stay distanced, stay safe! Refer to main website page for information.
➽➽Some of us plan to stay one night in Lincoln City after the hike. Join us.

Nickerson Loop
2022-02-06
The loop located across from Clear Lake has one of the best views of the Three Sisters on a clear day. The trip also includes views of Mt. Washington and Three Fingered Jack. The route follows both forest service roads and trail. Drivers, need sno park permit.

Potato Hill
2022-02-08
This SS starts at the Potato Hill Sno Park just west of Santiam Pass. We will ss 1 mile to Jack Pine Rd. After a short distance on Jack Pine, we will bushwhack east to a ridge. From the ridge there will be incredible views of Mt. Jefferson and Three Fingers Jack. We will follow the ridge south until we can see Potato Hill in front of us. From here there are good view of the Three Sisters. We will ss up Potato Hill to it’s summit, where we will have lunch with a view.
Please note: This route is not marked. We will need a day with some visibility to do this SS. Also note we will be ssing up hill over 1,000 ft.

Little Nash Xski &/or SShoe
2022-02-09
.This is a road trip. The road I checked out was packed and groomed for snowmobiles. Went on a week day, no snowmobiles. The road travels around the base of Little Nash Crater. About 2 miles into trip there is a good lunch spot with a great view of 3 Fingered Jack and Maxwell Butte. There are xc-ski trails that branch off the road. I was on snow shoes and took one of these trail back to parking lot. This is a group trip we all will be on the road. When we turn back we may take a different course.

Flatland Wander at Pisgah
2022-02-11
This quiet wander through the flatland past the quonset hut will eventually take us to the river. We will listen for bird song and look for spring shoots. If people want, we can explore the trails through the woods above and around the arboretum, which would include some elevation and additional mileage. Meetup/Departure Location: Meet by bathrooms, main parking lot

North Bank Restoration Project
2022-02-12
This is our third restoration and stewardship project at the North Bank.
This time we will plant dozens of Oregon grape, nine-bark, Douglas spire, and thimble-berry “bare root” plants. Some of volunteers would take on picking up some of the “micro” garbage that was left after the major cleanups. All the tools and supplies will be provided on the site on the day of the event. We’ll work 9 – Noon.
Please park at North Bank parking lot, the far north end of the Summit building side (near McMenamins North Bank)
➽ Obsidian protocols for social distancing will be observed on the hike. Refer to main website page for information.

Oregon's Birthday Hike
2022-02-13
Departure place is Dorris Ranch by the bathrooms. We are celebrating a day early since Oregon’s birthday is February 14. The 7.8 mile loop hike to discover Oregon State symbols starts at Dorirs Ranch with stops at Willamette Heights Park, the Simpson Mural and the Oregon Trail Mural. We will continue our loop on the Mill Race and Middle Fork Path. Bring an Oregon trivia fact or question which we can share at various sunny stops along the way. The fifth annual birthday hike should take around 3 hours. Bathrooms at the LTD bus stop and the Booth Kelly Trailhead.

Gold Lake via Marilyn Lake
2022-02-13
We will drive to Gold Lake sno park. This trip add an extra mile or so to the traditional Gold Lake trip. We take the usual road and then drop off road into the woods and follow a trail that will pass between upper and lower Marilyn Lakes. We get to Gold Lake shelter and return to sno park via the road.

Redtop Mountain
2022-02-13
From the Crescent Lake Sno-Park we will take the Pretty Lake trail and then ascend the east side of Redtop. Lunch on top if conditions allow. We will plan to descend the east side. Be ready for turns on the way back down! (I will plan to drive and can take up to four others. Anyone riding with me must be vaccinated.)

Black Oak Basin ExploraHike
2022-02-14
This hike will take us from the Lodge to and through the new Black Oak Basin Park, a conservation easement and project. (see more below)
This is an exploratory hike (not sure about trail miles & elevation gain). We might have time to also hike to adjacent properties. Please bring your plant, bird and tree expertise as we walk through this area!
A draft plan to manage this new park has been developed. There is an online public meeting on Feb. 17 at 6:30 pm to discuss the project and plan; registration is requested and you may submit your questions before the meeting.
This hike is co-sponsored by two Obsidian committees: Stewardship and Conservation/Science/Education.
More:
The City of Eugene, in partnership with the Willamette Wildlife Mitigation Program (WWMP), completed purchase of a128-acre site in east Eugene know as Black Oak Basin. The site is situated adjacent to existing City-owned parkland including Coryell Ridge , Moon Mountain, and Bloomberg Park. Combined, this block of contiguous open space now totals approximately 300 acres. The site contains significant areas of oak and prairie habitat, offers vistas, and makes key recreational connections to several nearby parks and neighborhoods. The City plans to begin habitat maintenance and restoration efforts in the coming years and eventually construct recreational trails including a key extension of the Ridgeline Trail system.

Mt Pisgah Sunset/Moonrise
2022-02-16
Look for us by my car a row or two down from the fee box. Sunset is 5:45 and full moonrise is 5:50. Current plan is take Trails 7,3, and 1 to the top. Some faster hikers might include Trail 4. Email me at jbjacobsen@comcast.net if you have questions. If you don’t have a Lane County pass allow time to purchase one with Debit/Credit card (no cash) at the pay station by trailhead. To buy an annual pass and support the trails, if you have time check out the websites for Friends of the Buford Park or Mt. Pisgah Arboretum. Obsidian COVID protocols will be followed.

Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte
2022-02-16, 2022-02-23
NOTE: Flexible departure time from 8:45 to 9:00.
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.

Walk de Pre
2022-02-17
Steve Prefontaine “Pre” is one of Oregon’s greatest sports legends. He is a former Duck athlete who helped to fuel the American running craze in the mid-1970s, earned a fourth-place Olympic finish in 1972 (5K), and numerous American records including seven NCAA titles. He is the inspiration for many runners in the decades since. Tragically, he was killed in a car crash at the age of 24 near the UO. On this walk, we get to learn more about “Pre” through some of the places he visited, his memorial, and his legacy at Hayward Field. Please share any stories or knowledge you have of this running legend while on our walk.
We begin at the Amazon Community Center in the south lot. We will walk through Amazon Park on the jogging path to 23rd, crossing over Hilyard to East Amazon and passing an establishment where Pre once worked as a bartender. Continuing up 32nd to University Ave., we will use the pedestrian bridge crossing over 30th, continuing through the Masonic Cemetery to 24th, then onto Columbia to Fairmount Blvd which will take us into Hendricks Park. There is the opportunity for a restroom stop at this mid-point on the walk. We continue past the shelter up Birch Lane to Skyline where the Prefontaine Memorial Park is located (Pre’s Rock). Continuing on Birch we connect with 15th in view of Hayward Field. If Hayward Hall, located at the base of the tower, is open we will step inside (the hall is optional if you wish to continue back to Amazon). Hayward Hall is a 4,000 square-foot interactive display that tells the story of UO’s track and field legacy. We then continue on Agate Street to 18th and make our way to the more quiet Agate Street to about 26th and make our way over to the Amazon Community Center. We should be back to our starting point by 4-ish.

Recharge your hiking
2022-02-18
February 18th is National Battery Day. Participants are invited to bring Double AA and Triple AAA batteries for residents at Nightingale Supported Housing to power their flashlights, headlamps and other devices.” We will walk on the bike path to the Nightingale Hosted Shelter at 34th and Hilyard to donate the batteries. Joella has arranged a tour. Then back to 26th and University to the Masonic Cemetery to find the monument for Karl Kordesch, inventor of the alkaline battery. There could be snowdrop flowers in bloom. People can head back to their cars or continue on up to the Bog and the Lodge and beyond. Possibly a bakery stop would help recharge! We will try to forecast where the bathroom stops might be. Mileage is an estimate. UPDATE: I’ll have copies of an article about Kordesch.

Tahkenitch Dunes Backpack
2022-02-18 00:00 - 2022-02-20 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles)
Ramble around the Tahkenitch Forest Islands on this easy backpack into the heart of the coastal dunes. Depart Eugene Friday afternoon for a 1.5 hour drive thru Florence to the TH at Tahkenitch campground. Hike approx. 3.5 miles via beach or forest trail depending on weather to protected basecamp in the heart of the dunes near Three Mile lake. Saturday we’ll day hike south following the lake weaving along dunes and forest islands returning via beach walk back to base camp. If we have a clear night, we’ll also take a full moonlit ramble on the beach and search for phosphorescent algae. Depart Sunday.

Little Nash
2022-02-20
This a combination road and trail trip. Great views of 3Fingered Jack and Maxwell Butte. The road travels around the base of Little Nash Crater. This trail system connects to both the Potato Hill and Hoodoo trail system.

Gold Lake Xski &/or SShoe
2022-02-23
This is a combination snow shoe/ xc-ski trip. We will park at Gold Lake snow park and take of on the road toward Pengra Pass. Depending on skill levels and who signs up make up the trip as we go along.
Trip is canceled due to leader injury. I will put it back sometime in March.

Mt Pisgah (long)
2022-02-25
Park at the Main Parking lot but MEET by the BATHROOMS across from the Pavilion. From there we will take Trail 5, Trail 56 and then the long uphill Trail 6 to the summit (3.5 miles). Return on the Trail 4 and 3, to north trailhead and along the river back to our cars Please be familiar with the COVID protocols on the website. We can adjust if weather does not cooperate. Optional — if you want to shorten the hike, you can go back on the main trail from the summit.
