The Obsidians

Pisgah East Side Loop
2023-10-27
To get to the east trailhead head drive toward Pleasant Hill on hwy 58. Turn left at the 76 station on to Ridgeway Rd. The parking area is 1.7 miles down this road. We will hike to the summit on trails #2, 4 and 1 and then return using trail #6. The parking lot is small but vehicles sometimes park on the road if there isn’t room. You need a Lane County pass to park but not if you park on the road. Remove any valuables from your vehicle. There is a porta potty at the trailhead. You may decide to have a meal with the group afterwards.

Main Trail Naturalization
2023-10-28
For this outing we will be working to re-establish and naturalize the Main Trail’s trail corridor. After scraping away and returning gravel to the tread surface we will transfer about a foot deep of duff, leaf litter, sticks, and logs along the edges of the trail to help mitigate tread creep and disguise the migration of gravel that has occurred. We will also have the opportunity to pick up litter and clean the trailhead kiosk and steps.
Meet at the main Spencer Butte Trailhead parking lot, the paved lot on Willamette. Work party goes from 9-12 am.

Tree Walk & Museum Visit
2023-10-28
Meet at the corner of East 21st Avenue and Potter St. to do the 2-hour So. Univ. neighborhood fall foliage tree walk with Whitey Lueck. Please be there before 10 am! The “hill soil” here supports some of the most massive trees in Eugene—including two contenders (a pin oak and an Atlas cedar) for “largest individual of the species” in the state. Donation accepted. More at https://sites.google.com/site/whiteylueck/upcoming-walks-and-talks
Next we will walk to and lunch at the Unthank Hall dining hall, 1451 Agate. Credit cards & cash accepted. The PNW Public Market is on the ground floor of the hall offering delicious, local, & chef-driven food venues! More at https://housing.uoregon.edu/pnw
After lunch, we will walk to the Museum of Natural and Cultural Museum, 1680 E. 15th to view the new exhibit on the kelp forest ecosystem. This is opening day so guided tours and refreshments are planned. $4-$6 per person admission price. More at https://natural-history.uoregon.edu/events
*This activity is sponsored by the Obsidian Sci Ed Committee.
**The Museum is located on Kalapuya ilihi, the traditional homeland of the Kalapuya people, many of whom are now citizens of the Grand Ronde and the Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians. Meetup/Departure Location: Corner of East 21st Avenue and Potter
Street. The relatively shallow “hill soil” here
supports nonetheless some of the most massive
trees in Eugene—including two contenders (a pin
oak and an Atlas cedar) for “largest individual of
the species” in the state of Oregon. And fall
foliage might also be pretty nice about this time.

Mt Pisgah Sunset/Moonrise
2023-10-28
Look for us by my car a row or two down from the fee box. Full Moonrise is 6:04 and sunset is 6:08. We will take Trails 7,3 and 1 (main trail). Faster hikers usually include a section of Trail 4. Email me at jbjacobsen@comcast.net if you have questions or if you have never hiked Mt. Pisgah. 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.

Banks-Vernonia Bike
2023-10-29
Meeting 10 AM at Banks Trailhead, Banks, Oregon (GPS 45.6221, -123.1140)
This is car-free rail-to-trail path ride along the scenic Banks-Vernonia State Trail. Plenty of scenic and historic highlights, including the Buxton Trestle.
After a leisurely lunch in restaurant in Vernonia, we’ll bike same way back. We should be back in Banks, Oregon around 3:30PM
>>>> Very cold morning and tons of slippery leaves on the trail doesn’t sounds inviting. Bike ride is cancelled.

Four-In-One Cone
2023-10-29
****NOTE WEDNESDAY 1600
Not yet canceling the hike. If 242 is OK we can get up there. There will be no significant precipitation the next three days other than a little Fri. night. It will be cold Sunday, probably mid-20s at the start warming to the mid-40s. There will also be snow on the trail, so micro spikes, poles, some of those things might be helpful.
I am planning to make the decision no later than Sat. noon and maybe Friday. If you see 242 is closed, that will automatically cancel the hike, since we can’t get up there.
I’m rescheduling for 29 October. May or may not work, but I want to try again. See below!
Weather forecast is for rain beginning after 11. Snow is on the trail at the 2 mile mark but it is passable. I haven’t seen anything about wind in the forecast, but I wanted to give everybody an update. Going up on the cone itself may not be a great idea if the forecast pans out. Stay tuned.
***
Annual hike up the cone. Nice 3 mile hike to the volcanic area gradually ascending with 2 sections of walking in the volcanic debris. Climb the cone and have lunch on top. Return to vehicles by 230 or 3. Nice views of Black and Yapoah Craters, Collier Glacier and Cone, North and Middle Sisters, and the Husband, as well as the northern Oregon high Cascades. Plan on any weather. It can be warm, but we’ve had snow on the cone (once) and had lunch in the woods because of rain (twice). If the weather is unsuitable, we won’t climb the cone because of exposure (not yet).
Plan on layers including gloves. It can be chilly up there this time of year. Wear good sturdy boots. Walking sticks and gaiters are useful but not essential. No water sources on the hike.
We logged out the trail on 28 September.

Finley: Autumn Loop
2023-10-29
Meet at the Jerry’s Home Improvement Center parking lot (2600 OR-99, Eugene, OR 97402) near the main entrance and Theona Dr, on the Hwy 99 side. Here are the coordinates: 44.098851, -123.168236. We will carpool from Jerry’s. Our route will be 99W through Monroe > West on Alpine Cutoff Road > North on Bellfountain Road > to The Finley Refuge Road to the Headquarters.
This hike makes a loop through the William L Finely National Wildlife Refuge to experience the largest remaining tract of native Willamette Valley wet prairie in autumn. We will look for wildlife during this time of seasonal change. Expect to see fields interspersed with Oregon white oak, meandering creeks, bottomlands of Oregon ash, and some old-growth big lead maple.
We will begin at the Refuge Office and walk south along the Mill Hill trail through the forest to the trail junction. We will take the junction to head through fields to the Cattail Pond and then south to Bruce Road. At Bruce Road, we turn east and walk along the refuge’s southern boundary to the Cheadle Marsh Trail. We will walk around the marsh and then over to Pigeon Butte. If the weather is clear, we will make a side trip to the quarry overlook on the butte. We continue on the trail north past Cabell Marsh to the Homer Campbell Boardwalk then continue west/south on the gravel road back to the parking area. At the Woodpecker Loop Trail —if the trail is open— we’ll take the wooded southern trail to the Intertie Trail, cross the gravel access road, and return to the Refuge Office building and our cars. There is a restroom at the building with an area to change into dry clothes if needed.

Iron Mountain
2023-10-29
Updated: Meet at Weyerhaeuser-McKenzie Natural Area at 42nd St. and 3809 Marcola Road.
It is an hour drive up Mohawk Valley to Sweet Home where we will head east up Highway 20 around 35 miles to Deer Creek(milepost 63) or Tombstone Trailhead for the loop hike if possible. Cone Peak Meadows is 4950 ft. and Iron Mountain summit: 5,455 ft. If snow, trail conditions become an issue, we will make a group decision to hike at la ower elevation (House Rock, Santiam Wagon Road, Soda Creek Falls)
Bathroom stop at Foster Dam (Shear) Viewpoint, east of Sweet Home. Toilet at the Trailhead.

Cemetery Saunter
2023-10-30
Meet at Tugman Park on Hilyard Street and 37th, in south Eugene. We will saunter from Tugman Park making our way gradually uphill through the neighborhoods to 46th St. and Brae Burn Drive. After several blocks of very steep uphill we will then hike up a short but steep dirt trail through the woods to the back side of the cemetery on Willamette St. We will skirt the cemetery via a dirt path. Then we will have several short bursts of steep up and down hill as we make our way down 60 steps and go past the pot-bellied pigs. After that we will go through the cemetery on Crest Drive and down another dirt path, ending up by the post office where we will then saunter back to Tugman Park.

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2023-10-31, 2023-11-07
We will start on time at 6:45am. 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
2023-11-01, 2023-11-08
NOTE: Flexible departure time from 8:15 to 8:30. NOTE NEW START TIME
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.

Green Island, McKenzie River Trust Stewardship
2023-11-04
Obsidians volunteer day at Green Island just few miles north from Coburg, OR.
We’ll work 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM on various projects 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.

GameNight!
2023-11-07
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)

Delta Ponds
2023-11-09
Trip description: From Owen Rose Garden (North end of Jefferson St.) we will walk at a moderate/brisk pace first along the river, then across Goodpasture Island Rd. to a partial loop around the ponds before returning. Most of the resident winter ducks should be present. The walk will “officially” end after the loop so people who want to dawdle and watch ducks can do so while those who just want to walk can head back to the cars. All paved or well-packed trail, no mud. Occasional restrooms.

Pisgah East Side Loop
2023-11-10
East Trailhead – from Eugene, drive east on Highway 58 towards Pleasant Hill. Turn left on Ridgeway Road at the 76 Station and drive 1.7 miles to the parking area on the left. The parking lot is small, but vehicles can also park on the main road if necessary. Lane County Parking Pass is required to park in the lot. Remove any valuables from your vehicle. There is a porta potty at the trailhead. We will hike to the summit on trails #2, 4, 3 and then #1 and returning on trail #6. Good conditioning hike. Optional brunch/lunch following hike

Veterans Day Hike
2023-11-11
We will continue the tradition of a Veterans Day hike started by the late Dave “The Griz” Lodeesen (1952-2021), who served in a helicopter squadron in Vietnam in 1971 and frequently wore a hat saying “Practice Peace.” He founded the hike in 2016 and led it for four years.
This walk will go by two memorials by Skinner Butte and along the Willamette up to Valley River and either across and back on the other side or straight back.
We welcome Veterans, and as our guests, Veterans will not be charged the guest fee. Please sign up using the Guest Registration feature in the Online Trip Signup link. Nobody should feel at all out of place.
Wear what you wish, and if you have a Griz story, that would be welcome. We will be done by 11:30, maybe earlier.
We will have this regardless of the weather, although the Griz once told me in writing that Wind+Rain=Misery.
Dorothy van Winkle is a co-leader for this.

Get Acquainted/Ribbon Trail
2023-11-11
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

Trestle Falls Loop
2023-11-12
With recent heavy rain, the Upper and Lower Trestle Falls should have high water flow. Autumn leaves may still be colorful. Lund Park Trailhead will be the starting point, hiking east on Brice Creek Trail to a junction with the Upper Trestle Loop. This has some steep ground and a couple challenging portions to get down and up past a root ball. The trail goes behind the upper falls and continues down the east side through more beautiful forest. Returning to Brice Creek Trail will take us to a turn off for Lower Brice Creek Falls, then back to our trailhead on Brice Creek. Snack breaks and lunch breaks will be taken along the way.
**Meet at LCC at 8:30, then drive to Walmart in Cottage Grove where I will meet you and we’ll continue to the trailhead.

Eugene Mural Meander
2023-11-12
This is a meandering walk through Eugene’s downtown to check on current/new murals and street art pieces.
Plan to walk 3 miles in total and up about 7 flights of stairs. Our zone for walking will include the area around Willamette Street from the 5th Market area and the bus station. We should finish our walk about 2:30pm.
Our walk BEGINS inside the 5th St. Market, meet at the fountain on the lower courtyard. (5th St & High).
Our walk will END just across the street on Market Alley (5th & Pearl).
Restrooms are available at the beginning and end of the walk, and if needed a restroom at the bus station which is half-way in the walk.

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2023-11-14
Please be at the trailhead by 7:00am. 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
2023-11-15
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.

Potluck/ExploraTalk-Marli Miller: Geology Roadside view of OR & WA
2023-11-17
Assembling the Northwest: A roadside view of Oregon and Washington’s geology
With its spectacular mountain ranges, lush valleys and tumbling rivers, the Northwest landscape attracts nature lovers and travelers from around the world. But the rain-soaked coast range, snow-covered volcanoes and expansive high desert didn’t appear overnight. They formed through a variety of geologic processes over millions of years.
On November 17, geologist and photographer Marli Miller will outline the geology of Oregon and Washington as seen along our federal and state highways. Beginning with our plate tectonic setting, she will describe the process of continental growth that forms the underlying but diverse basement of the region, followed by a photographic “roadtrip” up the Columbia Gorge to illustrate younger features. You will leave the Lodge eager for your next road trip!
Miller is the author of Roadside Geology of Oregon, 2nd Edition, Roadside Geology of Washington, 2nd Edition, which she wrote with Darrel Cowan of the University of Washington, and most recently Oregon Rocks! A Guide to 60 Amazing Geologic Sites. She is a Senior Instructor II in the Dept. of Earth Sciences at the University of Oregon. Copies of her books will be available at the event.
You do not need to be an Obsidian member to attend. All are welcome! Signing up here is not necessary, but it is helpful.

Marli Miller talks Geology - an ExploraTalk / Potluck presentation
2023-11-17
Marli Miller is a senior instructor at UO in the Dept. of Earth Sciences. She always makes the science of geology understandable and fascinating as she did when she spoke at the Lodge most recently. Her 2021 book, “Oregon Rocks!’, describes Oregon’s wonderful geology. Since then, her online posts with photos demonstrate what a poetic and accomplished writer and photographer she is. Join us for the potluck at 6:30 PM and/or come to hear and see her presentation at 7:30 PM, as she will unearth our NW land features in a compelling way. You will leave the Lodge eager for your next road trip!
Social time starts at 6:05 PM; Potluck at 6:30 PM; Presentation at 7:30 PM. You do not need to be an Obsidian member to attend. All are welcome! If you want to attend just the presentation, please arrive just before 7:30 PM. (Visit Potluck & Entertainment page for more information about the potluck portion.)

Alton Baker Park
2023-11-17
We will meet near the bathrooms in the large parking lot. Take Day Island Road from Club Road–it passes under Ferry Street Bridge–to arrive at the parking lot. We will make a loop within the park for a casual walk. We will have lots of options to do what the group wants.

Assembling the NW: A roadside view of OR and WA Geology - Marli Miller (ExploraTalk / Potluck & Presentation)
2023-11-17 18:05 - 20:30 (America/Los_Angeles)
This is an ExploraTalk presentation: Marli Miller is a senior instructor at UO in the Dept. of Earth Sciences. She always makes the science of geology understandable and fascinating as she did when she spoke at the Lodge most recently. Her 2021 book, “Oregon Rocks!’, describes Oregon’s wonderful geology. Since then, her online posts with photos demonstrate what a poetic and accomplished writer and photographer she is. Join us for the potluck at 6:30 PM and/or come to hear and see her presentation at 7:30 PM as she will unearth our NW land features in a compelling way. You will leave the Lodge eager for your next road trip!

Pisgah Long Route w/Options
2023-11-19
Meeting place: Mt. Pisgah, West (main) Trailhead, by the bathrooms. If you don’t have a Lane County pass, be sure to allow time to purchase one with a Debit/Credit card (no cash) at the fee box by the upper trailhead.
We will follow the Incense Cedar Trail and Trails 5, 56 and 6 to the summit, where we will gather for water and a snack. (At this point, those who prefer a shorter hike can return from the summit directly via main Trail 1, a total of about 5 miles and 2-2.5 hours.) To complete the long route, we will descend Trail 2, then follow Trails 4 and 3 around Swing Hill to the North Trailhead, and finally return to the West Trailhead along the river trail. It will probably take about 4 hours to hike the entire 9.4 miles. We can adjust the route if the weather is poor.

Mt Pisgah 5 miler
2023-11-20
Mt Pisgah, west (main) trailhead by the restrooms. If you don’t have a Lane County pass, be sure to allow time to purchase one with debit/credit card (no cash) at the fee box near the main (trail #1) trailhead.
On this out and back trip we will hike north and clockwise around swing hill following trails 17, 7, and 3. We will continue north-east through the forest on trail 4 crossing to trail 1 via the 14 connector to the summit spending time to enjoy the view, snacks and hydrate. The route is roughly 5 miles out and back and should take 2-2.5 hours. Elevation gain is about 1100 feet.

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2023-11-21
Please be at the trailhead by 7:00 am. 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.
