Lodge & Grounds Clean-up
2022-04-25
Time for spring cleaning just before we have a multi-day rental. The Lodge hasn’t had much use but that just means there are a few cobwebs to deal with.
Spring means thing are growing. We have mowing, weeding, blackberry digging, wheelbarrowing, and mulch spreading. Bring work gloves, your favorite weeding tool, water bottle, sun hat, and a wheelbarrow if you have one. Feel free to bring a snack to share for our 10:30 a.m. break. We are planning on a 9 to noon work session but we’ll gladly accept any time you can spare.

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2022-04-26, 2022-05-03, 2022-05-10
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.

Trestle Creek Falls
2022-04-26
With recent rain and snow, Upper and Lower Trestle Falls should have good water flow. This beautiful forest with old growth and maples is a pleasant destination in all seasons. Trillium, Oregon grape and bleeding heart should be in bloom. This is my favorite hike!
Please meet at LCC and continue to the Cottage Grove Walmart parking lot near the LTD stop where I will meet the group and lead you out to Lund Park Trailhead where we will trek east on Brice Creek trail. After a mile, the Trestle Falls trail climbs for about a mile to Upper Trestle. We’ll continue past and return to the east end of Brice Creek trail, hike west and take a side trail to Lower Trestle Falls.
Many stops can be made to enjoy the beauty. Those who like may grab a bite and a beverage in Cottage Grove, where I can give recommendations.

Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte
2022-04-27, 2022-05-04
NOTE: Flexible departure time from 8:15 to 8:30.
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.

Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail
2022-04-28
This is a spectacular hike on the Washington side with views of the Columbia River and Gorge most of the way. The trail is very steep in spots and there are a dozen or so loose rock fall areas where the footing is difficult. Sturdy shoes and at least one walking stick are required. The trailhead & small parking lot are 1/4 mile past the village of Lyle, WA on Rte. 14.

E2C Skinners Butte / Island Park
2022-04-29
The concept of providing a continuous trail from Eugene, Oregon to the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail began in the early 1970’s. While the trail officially opened in 1994, it was never fully completed and not all segments of the trail are connected or completed. But this summer we can hike segments and see if some members can do the whole thing. The first segment leaves Eugene from Skinner’s Butte Park and takes us to Island Park in Springfield. When we have lunch at Day Island we can talk about doing doing sections like Tire Mountain, the Alpine Trail, the High Divide trail to Waldo, and getting to the PCT from the Bobby Lake Trailhead.

Tumalo & Cottonwood Canyon
2022-04-29 00:00 - 2022-05-02 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles)
Friday: April 29, 2022
Drive to Tumalo State Park four miles north of Bend, arriving by 12pm where we will meet in the day-use area parking lot. We will hike 1.5 miles south along the Deschutes River Trail to the Riley Ranch Nature Reserve where there is an additional 1.5 miles of trails. In the late afternoon, we return to the park and stay in Group Camp B near the Deschutes River (check in is at 4pm). The evening is open for hanging out, or to go on a 2 mile hike north along the river. There are Flush toilets and hot showers in the park. Plan on 5 miles of hiking.
Saturday: April 30, 2022
In the morning, depart by 9am and drive 2.5 hours to Cottonwood Canyon State Park on the John Day River, making a brief stop at the Redmond Caves (lave tubes) and later the ghost-ish town of Shaniko. We should arrive at about 1pm at the park, no later that 2pm. We will have time to explore, the 3-mile round trip Hard Stone Tail might be a good option for a hike. At 4pm we can check into the End of the Road Group Camp. There is a new moon tonight, so star gazing should be great! Plan on up to 5 miles of hiking. Cottonwood Canyon is remote, rugged, and deliberately undeveloped, there is no cellphone service. Potable water is available in the camping area, but you will have a walk of about 15 minutes to fill up. We will have access to a vault toilet in the group camp, though flush restrooms and shower facilities are available in the cabin area.
Sunday: May 1, 2022
Hike the Pinnacles trail, a round trip of 9.5 to 10 miles along the John Day River, maybe more if we go off trail a bit. We return to the Group Camp for our final night. If conditions allow, we go on a night hike down by the river. More stargazing.
Monday: May 2, 2022
in the morning, depart on your schedule. If we caravan back to Eugene, possibly stop in Sisters for coffee and Clear Lake for a short hike.
Pay the trip leader $30 upon arrival; this covers 3 nights of camping fees, and wood for a fire (if allowed at that time). Bring your Oregon State Park Pass. Bring your tent and all camping items. Bring all your meals and be prepared for the weather. Average highs for that time are 70 degrees and lows in the upper 30s. The trip leader is fully vaccinated and boosted.

Ridgeline Bridge Repair
2022-04-30
For this month’s outing we will work with Parks and Open Space’s staff to replace the handrails on the 2 bridges.
Meet at the Fox Hollow Trailhead parking lot, the gravel lot on Fox Hollow.

Diamond Peak- Graduation Climb
2022-04-30, 2022-05-07
NOTE: Priority for this climb will go to 2022 Climb School students.
We will ascend via the Pioneer Gulch route on the south to southwest side of the mountain. The climb is approximately 10 miles round trip with about 4000 ft of total elevation gain. As you prepare for this, think about hiking 4 Mount Pisgahs in a day. The general equipment needs are below. The specific gear list will be sent to those who sign up.

E2C north Winberry Divide
2022-05-01
Note: BE AWARE OF MARATHON ROAD CLOSURES: https://www.eugenemarathon.com/road-closures-parking-and-transportation
This is a trail that was recovered due to the efforts of Sig Johnsen and the Scorpions. While the recovery is not complete, it may be hiked from FS 150 in four parts: a mile through varying woodland up to the road; cross the road and go another several tenths of a mile in denser woods meeting the road again, and climbing 1.2 miles again to the Winberry Divide trail, where we will go left at the junction another 0.7 miles over and down to FS 5823. We will turn around. FS5823 goes 5 miles back down to the North Shore road of the Lookout Point reservoir and the trail may be accessed from that side. On the way back, we will go briefly past the junction with the trail we came up to another road, more overgrown, which connects with the other trails-road-trails that leads back 4 miles to the North Shore road, 3 miles west of 5823. That is a beautiful trail in spring time with a couple of lovely small streams and does not have many visitors.
This is a nice woods, but the views are sparse with occasional ravines and views of the Cascade foothills. It might give those who hike this an idea of what trail work entails. This was power brushed in hot summer sun and the mud dug out on a cold snowy winter day. There are bypasses that need to be made, a rootball that needs to be worked, and steps that were built in 2007 that fell into disrepair. On the way back we will walk the road back to the bottom, which has its own story.

Pisgah Checkered Lily
2022-05-01
Update: Check the Eugene Marathon route so that you can take detours where needed such as 30th. https://www.eugenemarathon.com/road-closures-parking-and-transportation Out at Pisgah look for us my car a row or two down from the fee box. We will take Trail 17,7, 4 to the main trail up the summit. Near the summit, we will see the hard to find checkered lily in bloom. At the summit, people can head back down to the parking lot or opt for a longer hike down Trail 2 to take a short cut to Trail 4. There is a checkered lily on Trail 4 if one is lucky to find it. I heard that checkered lilies are also in bloom at Iris Ridge and Skinners Butte. 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.

Fitton Green
2022-05-03
This hike will be moderately paced 2-3mph. The terrain is hilly and a combination of old farming roads and new trails. We will begin at the end of Panorama Drive dropping down on a lesser used trail to a road that leads to a path which features a gazebo overlooking Mary’s Peak and some interesting carved wooden chairs from tree stumps. A short snack break will be taken before we will proceed to a path along the Mary’s river. We climb after leaving the river working our way to Fitton Green. Before reaching the top we will take a longer lunch break with a view of the coastal range. The gradual climb to the top will have views of the Cascades if weather permits. Time can be spent on top enjoying the view. A short jaunt will return us to our cars. Carpooling is encouraged due to limited parking spaces.

Silver Falls / Abiqua Falls
2022-05-04
Happy Star Wars Day!
This is a two part trip so please read the entire description.
We’ll meet up at the Springfield Fred Meyer on Q St, just north of the fuel station in time to depart at 7am. We’ll then drive to our trailhead at Silver Falls South Falls day use area and park at the north lot that’s closest to South Falls. Note that there is a $5 per vehicle parking fee. We’ll then hike in a clockwise direction with side trips to Winter Falls and Upper North Falls where we’ll stop for a lunch break. From here we’ll complete the loop back to our vehicles to finish the first part of our trip. For those of you who do not intend to hike to Abiqua Falls you’ll drive home from here. It’s up to you to get yourself into a vehicle that’s going where you want to go from here.
Note that the second part of our hike is rated difficult because of the steep terrain. From Silver Falls we’ll drive about 20 miles to the town of Scotts Mills then another 10 miles to get to the Abiqua Falls trailhead. The last two miles is a steep rough dirt road that requires a high clearance vehicle and cannot be driven at all if wet. In dry conditions the trail to Abiqua Falls is a steep scramble that takes about 15 minutes. If it’s wet we’ll have to hike the road making the hike in about one hour. After the hike we’ll drive to Silverton for dinner before driving home. For those participating in this part of the trip please compensate your driver an additional $5 for the extra 50 miles.
***Please leave your light sabers at home***

Sutton Mountain
2022-05-04
This is an exploratory hike through an area that is proposed for monument status in central Oregon. The hike is over 4 hours drive from Eugene in Wheeler County and participants should plan to spend at least a night in the area. A second hike, Pat’s Cabin (nearby), will be offered the following day. (Note- the Pat’s Cabin hike is a separate signup.)
There are hotel options locally and camping is possible. The hike is mainly on an abandoned roadway and shadeless. Bring sun protection. Water is not available except what you carry. This hike is known for wildflowers in spring and notably the hedgehog cactus. Nearby are short hike opportunities in the Painted Hills and Fossil Beds of the John Day Canyon. Hiker’s may choose to explore on their own.
All food and lodging are the participant’s responsibility.
Carpool stats Eugene to Mitchell 192 miles each way. Meetup/Departure Location: meet 8:00 at Oregon Hotel in Mitchell

Pat's Cabin
2022-05-05
This is an exploratory hike that is meant to be done in conjunction with Sutton Mountain hike the previous day. (Note – Each hike is a separate sign up.) The hike has less elevation than Sutton Mountain but is longer. The hike may involve a creek crossing if runoff is high. if so, there are nearby short hike opportunities that we may choose to explore.
All food and lodging are the participant’s responsibility.
Carpool Stats Eugene to Mitchell 192 miles each way. Meetup/Departure Location: meet 8:00 at Oregon Hotel in Mitchell

Spring Basin Bkpk
2022-05-06 00:00 - 2022-05-08 23:59
This is an Eastern Oregon moderate elevation hike through pristine sage and rimrock in the Spring Basin BLM Wilderness in John Day country. We will depart Friday afternoon from the BLM Trailhead about 5 miles from Clarno, OR. I will be coming up from Randy’s Painted Hills excursions just prior. It is a 4 hour drive to TH from Eugene.
Leaving the TH, hike 4 mi following faint tread eastward up side canyon and over crest into Spring Basin and camp. Saturday, explore southeast into Hay Bottom and remote Eagle Canyon. Sunday, return hike over crest to TH.
Meetup/Departure Location: Spring Basin BLM Trailhead

McKenzie River Trust Stewardship
2022-05-07
Obsidians volunteer day at Green Island with McKenzie River Trust.
We’ll work 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM on blackberry removal on the 2.5-acre plot, recently 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.
➽ Obsidians volunteers rock!

Hendricks Park Beat The Rush
2022-05-07
Beat the Mother’s Day rush. We’ll stroll the gardens in all of its spring glory. Native plant garden, rhododendron garden, then the forest. The tropical colors and textures will amaze. Meetup/Departure Location: Wilkens Shelter

Salmon Creek Mother’s Day
2022-05-08
Nice trail just couple miles west of Oakridge. Moderate pace, not a slug. At one point we will cross railroad bridge over the river. Don’t be late. We’re leaving at 9AM.
Rain or shine.
➽ see latest C19 regulations

Pisgah Native Plant Nursery
2022-05-09
When crossing the bridge into the park at Mt. Pisgah immediately turn left and go a quarter mile to the North Trailhead Parking Area where we will meet at 9:30 am for a short introduction.
We will walk a quarter of a mile through the forest identifying plants along the trail to the Nursery. At the Nursery we will visit the plant beds where dozens of species are grown for cuttings or to harvest seeds. There will be opportunity to talk with the staff members and volunteers. We will visit the greenhouse where seedlings are grown. After this there is a tour of the buildings where records are kept and seeds are packaged and put into cold storage. The original nursery at the Kienzle House garden plot is nearby for a quick visit.
The walking is easy and the tour will be over by noon.

Mountaineering Conditioning
2022-05-10
Park in the main parking lot and meet at the gate for trail#1. You must pay for a day pass at the parking kiosk (debit/credit cards only) or have an annual Lane County parks pass on display in your vehicle. We’ll hike up to the summit and back on trail #1. I’m planning to do two laps with a weighted pack (recommend 20-40lbs in your pack if you want to use training weight), but you’re welcome to join for just one lap and/or hike without weight. The goal will be to finish in about 2 hours, which should be right around sunset (bring a headlamp).

Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte
2022-05-11
NOTE: Flexible departure time from 8:15 to 8:30
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.

Mountaineering Conditioning
2022-05-12
Are you aspiring for mountain glory this spring and summer? Grab a pack, throw in some ridiculously heavy items in it, and meet at the Martin Street trailhead of the Ridgeline Trail. We will hike at a brisk pace from Martin to Dillard Road and connect to the Mt Baldy trail. If we are feeling strong we can opt for a second lap on Mt Baldy or summit the butte before we return to the our cars on Martin street.

Marys Peak North Trail
2022-05-12
We will drive to Junction City, backroads to Philomath, Highway 20 to Woods Creek Road to the North Ridge Trailhead #1350.. It is 4.4 mile up to the day use Observation Point /parking lot/toilets, and another .6 miles (with wildflowers I hope) to the top of Marys Peak (3750 ft). We should start the hike around 9:30—depending on how long it takes us to navigate Eugene traffic. It is marked as difficult—two Pisgahs. Target opens at 8:00 so bathrooms would be available. There are none at the trailhead. If the weather forecast is dismal, I will reschedule for May 19th.

Get Acquainted/Ribbon Trail
2022-05-14
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.
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, turn left onto Central then immediately look for the Obsidians Inc. sign and driveway on your right. Enter the driveway and follow the gravel road to the parking areas and Lodge. Members are welcome to sign up to help answer questions. 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

Kentucky Falls/Smith River
2022-05-14
We’ll do this as a shuttle.
