The Obsidians

Midnight Lake
2019-12-21
Correction: This trip is actually on Saturday, Dec. 21–NOT Dec. 22.
This is a good first trip of the year for experienced skiers. We’ll leave from Gold Lake Sno-Park, ski in the flat road to Pengra Pass, then head over to the PCT. Here the trail makes a steady climb through the trees until it levels out for the stretch to Midnight Lake, where we’ll stop for a snack or early lunch with the gray jays. From there we’ll continue in a clockwise direction on the rolling terrain over to Abernethy Road and Bechtel Shelter, for another potential break. From there, it’s a long downhill glide back to Pengra Pass and back to the Sno-Park.
The route might be altered if necessary due to snow conditions, but will remain comparable in length and difficulty.

UO Tree Walk
2019-12-21
This walk is an introduction to some of many fascinating trees, and their history, on the University of Oregon campus.
The walk begins and ends at Espresso Roma (825 E 13th Ave, Eugene, next to the Duck Store).
The trip is considered exploratory; we begin at 10am and should be finished by 11:30am.

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2019-12-22
This Solstice hike is a forth and back from Blanton trailhead (west end of the Ridgeline) to the top of Spencer Butte.
While the full hike is 9 miles, participants have options on this in-town well traveled route.
1. 4 mile hike from Blanton Road to 52nd & Willamette Ave2. 6 mile hike from Blanton to the Ridgeline intersection with Fox Hollow trail3. The full 9 mile hike.If you are planning for the 4 or 6 mile options, it would be great if you brought someone who wanted to do the same – but not required as long as you are comfortable returning alone on the same trail you just hiked with the group. If the Butte might be icy, we can forgo the exposed rocky steps near the top and continue to the upper Willamette trailhead as our turn-around spot – same mileage and nearly same elevation gain, just no great views.
DIRECTIONS form 18th & Chambers: continue south on Chambers to its end; turn left onto Crest Drive. At intersection, turn right onto Blanton Rd. Continue approx .5 miles to trailhead on the left. Should you want to carpool from Bi-Mart on 18th & Chambers, LET ME KNOW ( and plan to arrive by 8:40) This location is 5 minutes from the Blanton trailhead.

East Skinner Historic Homes Walk
2019-12-22
This is a short walk through a historic section of Eugene located on the eastern side of Skinner Butte. Many of the old Victorians date from the 1850s to 1920s and were home to some of Eugene’s early residents.
The walk begins and ends at the lower level (Provisions) of the 5th Street Market. Arrive a few minutes early to enjoy a coffee. The walk is expected to take 1.5 hours.

South University Holiday Lights Walk
2019-12-23
The tree-lined neighborhood of South University contains a wonderful mix of homes from the early 1900s, many of which are adorned with Holiday lights. We will be walking the neighborhood enjoying the views while learning about 12 historic structures.
The walk begins at Oolong Teahouse (1607 E. 19th Ave., Eugene, next to Price Pucklers Ice Cream). Plan for our walk to last 1.5 hours. Afterwards, warm up at McMenamins on 19th with a beverage and/or a burger.

Hendricks Park - Ridgeline - LTD
2019-12-23
Meet at Hendricks Park in the parking lot across from the shelter at Fairmount and Floral Hill at 8:30 a.m.
Route:
– Hendricks Park to 30th St via Ribbon Trail; sidewalks to Spring Trailhead;
– Ridgeline Trail to approx. 1 mile west of Willamette St Trailhead;
– sidewalks and back ways to 29th and Willamette St;
– LTD bus to downtown and EMX to Walnut St Station;
– sidewalks back to Hendricks Park .
Total mileage/elevation is approximate, it is not more than 11 miles.
3+ miles are on pavement.
There is one short (4 – 5 minutes) steep/muddy/slippery user trail.
Including the bus, at a moderate pace this takes about 5 hours.
Restroom options are limited.
Some of the paved walks are steep and I will cancel the trip if conditions are icy.
We will arrive downtown around lunchtime, you may want to drop out and eat there.

Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte
2019-12-24
IMPORTANT: Due to holidays, this trip is Tuesday instead of the usual Wednesday.
If this is your first time on this Obsidian hike and/or if this is first time you have hiked up Spencer Butte from the lowest elevation, you may want to call the leader to discuss the pace. 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 you have questions, email wintertrips@obsidians.org. 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. A great way to get and stay in shape. Registered guests are welcome.
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. One can take LTD Bus #28 to Martin Street.

Wild Iris Ridge Holiday
2019-12-25
Celebrate the holiday at our 2nd annual Iris Ridge Christmas day hike.
Opened in 2017, this is one of the newer trails on our Ridgeline system.
Meet at Wild Iris Park — at the intersection of Bailey Hill Road and South Bertelsen Road

The Day After In-Town Walk
2019-12-26
Meet at the 24th and Amazon parking lot. (This is off 24th toward the west side of Amazon park)
We will climb College Hill and head south toward Blanton Ridge. Then loop back and return by a mostly different route. 99% on pavement. Some steep sections.
The current weather forecast is for clear sky and upper 30s. If sidewalks are icy from overnight freeze, we will walk up the Amazon bike path or otherwise modify the route..
There are numerous lunch/coffee spots for those who want to do a shorter walk. Restroom options are limited.

Mt Pisgah
2019-12-28
Turn at the sign for West Summit Trailhead and follow pay fee signs. I’ll try to have my car in the row below the fee box and gate so that it is easy for us to meet, sign up. etc. Depending on weather, I plan to take back trails (Trail 4 and Trail 2) to the summit, Mileage and elevation could vary but around 6 miles 7 miles at a steady pace. Estimated time is 2 ½ – 3 hours so bring snacks. If you don’t have a Lane County pass allow time to purchase one at the credit/debit card pay station by trailhead. No cash!
If questions, email me at jbjacobsen@comcast.net

Fawn Lake
2019-12-29
This trip will be cancelled if snow conditions are not good. I should have a good idea if it will go 6 days prior to scheduled date. If the snow pack is not sufficient to cover blown down trees, we may do Midnight Lake or Bechtel Shelter trail system.
The trail begins at Crescent Lake Son-Park and continues steadily uphill for 3.5 miles. We’ll have lunch at the lake and hope the weather is clear to enjoy views of Redtop and Lakeview Mountains. The ski out is almost entirely down hill and makes for a fun glide if conditions are right. An icy surface would make it challenging.

Walk through the Solar System
2019-12-30
Meeting point: Day Island Road parking closest to the duck pond. (in Alton Baker Park)
The one to a billion model is a fine addition to Eugene. We will see the planets probably starting with Mercury, then Mars, then the Earth, Venus, and stop briefly at the Sun. We will cross the deFazio bridge and walk downstream on the south side of the river past Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus. If the weather is not suitable, we won’t go to Neptune. I will offer another surprise addition, although we won’t plan to view it on this walk. It is really neat, but you have to come to know where it is. I want to finish no later than noon

New Year’s Day - Butte - Short
2020-01-01
Our 8th annual New Years Day Hike will hopefully have clear skies and a spectacular view. Meet at the (Main) Spencer Butte parking lot — the paved one with the steps. We will toast in the New Year and share easy to eat snacks.
I’ll adjust the route or cancel or substitute if there is ice on the steps.

New Year's Day - Butte - Med
2020-01-01
Meeting Location: 52nd & Willamette Trailhead — (This is NOT our normal Wednesday trailhead! Nor is it the main Spencer Butte parking lot, which is about 1.25 miles farther up Willamette St). If you head South on Willamette, around 46th you’ll go through a light and then up a hill past the Sunset Gardens cemetery. At the top of the hill you’ll pass 52nd street on your right, and there will be our gravel trailhead lot to your left. https://goo.gl/maps/mcn2s8UX7dWHNHFq7
This is a slightly-longer, “Medium” version of Janet’s New Years hike. We will leave a little earlier and aim to see all the Obsidians at the top. Choose the version that works best for you.

New Year’s Day - Butte - Long
2020-01-01
This is a ‘longest’ variation of Janet’s New Years hike for those that want to start the New Year off strongly. We willthe earliest and aim to see all the Obsidians at the top. Choose the version that works best for you.
Reminder that this is a Leave No Trace hike and no feeding the squirrels or throwing apple cores. Thank you.

EmX/River hike
2020-01-03
Meet at the LTD downtown station near lobby area. Update your Honored Bus Pass to the new one that can be scanned or apply for a new one. It doesn’t take long but come a bit earlier.
I plan to board EmX around 9:40 to Springfield station where we can begin our walk back, around 10:00. We will pass through Island Park, to the River Path, Knickerbocker Bridge, The Frohnmayer Bike Bridge to the Peter DeFaxio Pedestrian Bridge and to City Center. The route could vary but perhaps 1 ½ hour to two hours depending on stops. Optional lunch.

Long Timber Brewing Loop
2020-01-04
Meet-up location: 180 N 5th Street, Monroe, Oregon
Ride around Monroe:https://ridewithgps.com/routes/31433353(copy & paste to another window to view) Lunch after ride at the brewery.

Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte
2020-01-08, 2020-01-15
If this is your first time on this Obsidian hike and/or if this is first time you have hiked up Spencer Butte from the lowest elevation, you may want to call the leader to discuss the pace. 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 you have questions, email wintertrips@obsidians.org. 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. A great way to get and stay in shape. Registered guests are welcome.
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. One can take LTD Bus #28 to Martin Street.

Cape Lookout Cabins
2020-01-09 00:00 - 2020-01-11 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles)
Nine Obsidians can stay in three deluxe cabins at Cape Lookout State Park on Oregon’s magnificent north coast. You can take a beach walk on a sand spit extending into Netarts Bay, another hike up the cape from the beach campground and down the other side of the cape to a beautiful and secluded beach, and yet another hike along the top of the cape to lands end; all meals on your own except two dinners; meet at Shopko parking lot 9:15 AM. Carpooling arrangements will need to be arranged ahead of time; we will take 3 cars.
Registration November 1, November 5 for non-members;
Cost $85, $95 for non-members;
Pre-trip meeting 4:00 P.M. January 5, 2020, location (TBA);
No refund for cancellations after December 15 unless someone takes your place;
Mail check payable to ‘Obsidians’ and wsend to Evelyn Nagy, P.O. Box 10412, Eugene, OR. 97440;
Please note, mixed gender room share likely.

Pisgah Sunset/Moonrise
2020-01-10
Look for us by my car a row or two down from the fee box. Sunset is 4:53 and moonrise is 4:59. We will take Trail 7 and 1 to the top. If questions, email me at jbjacobsen@comcast.net
I won’t cancel but if it is raining hard, we probably won’t go to the top.
Janet

Salt Creek Falls
2020-01-11
…See water falls, lake, deep woods…..The hike is somewhat level ……cliffs in the area…..Can be difficult if there is a lot of snow….

12 Bridges Loop
2020-01-11
Riding the river path around the Willamette River. Lunch after ride at Hideaway.

Carl G. Washburne loop
2020-01-12
This will be 40% good forest trail and 60% sandy high tide beach hike. Be ready for beach creek wading.
After the hike, some of us will stop in North Florence for a lunch. Please join us.
UPDATE 1.10.2020
Due to medical reasons, I need to cancel Sunday’s coastal hike.
I am sorry for bad news.

Pisgah Ganderflanking
2020-01-12
Ganderflanking is an old word from the county of Wiltshire in southwest England. It means “aimlessly messing about” or “walking about aimlessly.” It is also associated with “larking about” which is defined as “to behave in a silly way because you think it is funny.” The hike leader won’t do much leading. We’ll just start walking and make decisions impulsively at trail junctions. By now you can guess that the listed distance and elevation gain don’t hold much meaning. We’ll want to stay together but there might be assistant leaders that go off with groups on sort of a sub-wander. But we will have to rendezvous at some point. After all, we do have to get back to the parking lot. On the last ganderflanking we did everyone got a number. When your number came up you made the decision which way to go at a trail junction.
Pisgah has enough miles of trails to keep us wandering aimlessly for hours. But, fear not, we’ll avoid walking all day.

Midnight Lake
2020-01-12
This is a good first trip of the year for experienced skiers. We’ll leave from Gold Lake Sno-Park, ski in the flat road to Pengra Pass, then head over to the PCT. Here the trail makes a steady climb through the trees until it levels out for the stretch to Midnight Lake, where we’ll stop for a snack or early lunch with the gray jays. From there we’ll continue in a clockwise direction on the rolling terrain over to Abernethy Road and Bechtel Shelter, for another potential break. From there, it’s a long downhill glide back to Pengra Pass and back to the Sno-Park.
The route might be altered if necessary due to snow conditions, but will remain comparable in length and difficulty.

U of O Campus Walk
2020-01-16
Meet at the U of O Knight Library (1501 Kincaid), inside front main entrance on the west (right side facing the library). Parking can be difficult.
This will be a “plan it as we go” walk, suggestions welcome. If the weather is nasty we will spend more time indoors looking at few exhibits, checking student art, visiting the new buildings on 13th, and so on. There are plenty of historic trees, odd sculptures, a graveyard and such outside.
Maybe lunch?

Nickerson Loop
2020-01-18
UPDATE (2): THIS TRIP IS CANCELED DUE TO THE HIGH PROBABILITY OF HAZZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.
PLEASE TEXT OR CALL ME AT 541-653-0741 TO ACKNOWLEGE THIS CANCELATION. THANKS, T.R.
UPDATE (1): There will be plenty of snow. The main question for go/no go is road conditions. I’ll post another update around noon on Friday. As of now WE NEED ONE MORE DRIVER.

Spring Blvd to Spencer Butte
2020-01-18
Meeting place is Spring Blvd Trailhead
It will take around two hours to walk to the top of Spencer Butte.
Depending on the weather and the stamina of the group, we may divide into two groups at one of the trail junctions. Email me at jbjacobsen@comcast.net if you need directions. If you want a shorter trip, you could opt to meet us at the Dillard East Trailhead.

100 Mile Bakery Loop
2020-01-19
Meeting Place: 4th and A Sts, Springfield
We’ll explore the hills and country roads around Springfield: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/29000873 (copy & paste to another window to view)
Lunch after ride at the Public House/Bakery.
