The Obsidians

East Wild Iris Loop
2020-10-13
Wild Iris Ridge is a 255 acre park in the southwest hills, the western most segment of Eugene’s Ridgeline Trail system.
We will enter the Wild Iris Ridge Loop from the less used trailhead at Summit Sky Boulevard and explore the less developed east valley of the park, a lovely 2.5 mile loop with a gradual 300 feet elevation change.
We start downhill and come back uphill but will be walking at a leisurely pace as we check out the Oregon White Oak Savanna, Madrone trees abundant in this ecosystem, Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pines and Incense Cedars. This east valley is not as steep as the climb up from Bailey Hill Road.
Parking is at the summit just west of the address
3160 Summit Sky Blvd, Eugene, OR 97405
Note — We are NOT starting from the Bailey Hill Road nor the Bailey Hill View Drive trailheads.
There is a trailhead sign there on the south side of the street with plenty of street parking. Across the street from the sign is an estate entry gate with right to it. Call the leader with any questions or if you would like to caravan the “back way” via McLean in South Eugene.

Amazon Hdwtrs/Spencer Butte
2020-10-14, 2020-10-21, 2020-10-28
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.)
Social distancing will be maintained. 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 meet someone going your way, MASK UP, excuse yourself and pass. If someone is coming the other way, MASK UP and if that person doesn’t get over, step aside and face away. If you are following within 8 feet of another person, you should mask up. You are in their slipstream. People can change their pace and suddenly you’re too close. PLEASE DO THIS.
If you can’t see up the trail far enough to have time to put on your covering, leave it on. Make sure you can quickly put on your face covering. Don’t congregate when you meet someone on the trail or on the summit. Maintain face coverings or stay 6 feet apart.
If you don’t feel well, please don’t come. 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.

52nd Street/Spencer Butte
2020-10-14, 2020-10-21, 2020-10-28
For several years we’ve done a conditioning hike on Wednesdays from the Martin Street Trailhead to the summit of Spencer Butte. In 2020 we’ve been using this route while work was being done on the trail near Fox Hollow. This route is a mile shorter with 400′ less elevation gain.
If the parking lot is full, park on 52nd street on the other side of Willamette Street.
Social distancing will be maintained. 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 meet someone going your way, MASK UP, excuse yourself and pass. If someone is coming the other way, MASK UP and if that person doesn’t get over, step aside and face away. If you are following within 8 feet of another person, you should mask up. You are in their slipstream. People can change their pace and suddenly you’re too close. PLEASE DO THIS.
If you can’t see up the trail far enough to have time to put on your covering, leave it on. Make sure you can quickly put on your face covering. Don’t congregate when you meet someone on the trail or on the summit. Maintain face coverings or stay 6 feet apart.
If you don’t feel well, please don’t come. If you are not willing to follow the guidelines, please do not join the group.

Columbia Sternwheeler & Mt Hood Train
2020-10-14 00:00 - 2020-10-16 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles)
EARLY DEPARTURE!!
Load bus at (former) Shopko site at 5:45 a.m.; Depart at 6:00 a.m.
This is a 3 day adventure you won’t want to miss.
Day 1 Wednesday: We’ll leave Eugene very early to drive to Cascade Locks where we’ll board the Sternwheeler for the 10 a.m. “Landmarks of the Gorge Cruise.” While traveling through the locks at Bonneville and viewing sights along the gorge on our 5 hour excursion, we’ll enjoy both a continental breakfast and a lunch buffet. Then we’re off to Hood River for our 2 night stay at the Hood River Inn that includes breakfast each morning.
Day 2 Thursday: After breakfast at the hotel, it’s “All Aboard” as we board the Mt. Hood Train to Parkdale, enjoying beautiful views of Mt. Hood while on a 35 mile ride through woods, orchards and vineyards. We’ll return to our rooms at the Hood River Inn for the night.
Day 3 Friday: After breakfast at the hotel, our drive on Hwy 35 will take us around the back side of Mt. Hood and through the Cascades on back roads towards Salem. Our final stop will be at Bauman Farms in Gervais for some pumpkin adventures. We’ll return to Eugene at approximately 6:00 P.M.
Cost: $515 Members $521 Non-members $50.00 Deposit due at registration $235.00 due August 14 Balance $230.00 (member) $236 (non-member) due September 14, 2020
Please make checks payable to Obsidians Bus Trips
REGISTRATION & MAIL CHECKS TO: Sharon Cutsforth 541-746-4929
1120 South 39th Street, Springfield 97478
Meetup/Departure Location: (former) ShopKo Coburg Rd/Chad Dr,(btwn ShopKo & Taco Bell)

Zena Forest Hike and Mill Tour
2020-10-15
We will be visiting the Zena Forest (1300 acres) and Mill in the Eola Hills NW of Salem. This is a family owned business and they have managed the forest since 1987 with a focus on maintaining a healthy and diverse forest ecosystem. The owners’s mother, Sarah Deumling, who manages the forest and oversees all restoration, logging and planning, will lead our hike for at least 2 hours around the woods and talk to us about forestry and conservation, etc. (The above mileage and feet gained is approximate.) She says, “Sustainability is the most important part of what we do.” We will lunch at their pond on the way back from the woods to the mill. At the mill, there will be a little tour of what Zena does there, their products, philosophy, etc.
Please read the COVID-19 Protocols on the Obsidian website prior to this activity. Participants will manage their own transportation. At Zena, they are still working, albeit with extra safety precautions. We need to follow their COVID-19 guidelines: https://www.zenaforest.com/covid19. Meetup/Departure Location: ShopKo Coburg Rd/Chad Dr,(btwn ShopKo & Taco Bell)

Rigdon Lakes
2020-10-16
This hike visits several lakes in the Taylor Burn area of Waldo Lake Wilderness. It starts out along the north shore of Waldo Lk, which gives you views across the lake to Diamond Peak. After 2 miles, we will turn north for a 3.5 miles loop past Lower Rigdon, Upper Rigdon and Kiwa lakes, before returning to the north shore of Waldo for lunch on a beach and the return to the TH. We will be hiking at a moderate pace and stopping for a snack break at the Rigdons…with possible swim if not to cold.
Participants will manage their own transportation. Obsidian protocols for social distancing will be observed on the hike. Refer to main website page for information.

Heceta Head/Beach Loop
2020-10-17
Everyone will arrange their own transportation. If you want to carpool please make your own arraignments. We will meet at the Target Store on West 11th at 7:50am. We will drive to and meet at Heceta Head Lighthouse State Scenic Viewpoint parking lot. This is a state park parking lot so expect a $5 parking fee.
From the car we will hike to the lighthouse for a short stop so everyone to look around the outside of the lighthouse. We will NOT be taking any lighthouse tours. From there we will hike north up to the Hobbit trail and on to the beach. Hiking north along the beach to the Washburne State Park. There may be 1 or more beach stream crossings. Cross hwy 101 into the park picking up the Valley Trail south. Crossing hwy 101 again to the Hobbit trail and back to the car.

The Twins
2020-10-17
This is my favorite hike in the Willamette Pass vicinity because of the view at the top – in addition to Waldo Lake and the row of Cascade peaks, one can see several of the lakes on Cascade Lakes highway and the Taylor burn. It’s fun to reach the first cinder cone peak, see the view, drop down and then hike to the 2nd peak for lunch. This hike is described in Sullivan’s Central Cascades book.
Participants will make their own transportation arrangements. Pl read the covid-19 Obsidian rules on our home page, including when to wear a mask.

Patterson Mountain
2020-10-18
I will be driving the logging road prior trip to make sure it is clear all the way to trailhead. The hike travels through old growth and past Wolf Shelter. If the day is clear we can get views of the Three Sister and the Willamette drainage. The is. Very nice fall hike that is close to Eugene. PLEASE SEE CHANGE IN MEETING PLACE. LCC CLOSE TO PUBLIC.

Ankeny Wildlife Refuge
2020-10-18
Leave from Eugene at 8:30 AM Limited to 8 riders and 4 cars. We’ll begin by riding the paths around the Ankeny Wildlife Refuge. Then stopping in Independence for lunch(that you pack) and return to the Refuge via the ferry crossing the Willamette River(cost $1 for each person/bike).Make sure your bike is healthy. Have a spare tube, pump, helmet, rain gear, layers, water. You will receive directions to the meeting place by Saturday.
Meetup/Departure Location: Ankeny Wildlife Refuge

Blanton Ridge to Spencer Butte
2020-10-20, 2020-10-27, 2020-11-03
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.

Hendricks Park
2020-10-22
Join us for an early evening autumn stroll. We’ll walk all 3 sections of the park – Native Plant Garden, Rhododendron Garden and the Forest – there will be ganderflanking. The pace through the 2 gardens will be slow, and then we can take on a steadier rate through a forest trail. It should be dusky as we finish.
The park is always changing, but always amazing.
Social distancing will be maintained. 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 meet someone going your way, MASK UP, excuse yourself and pass. If someone is coming the other way, MASK UP and if that person doesn’t get over, step aside and face away. If you are following within 8 feet of another person, you should mask up. You are in their slipstream. People can change their pace and suddenly you’re too close. PLEASE DO THIS.
Please read our Covid protocols. Meetup/Departure Location: Wilkens Shelter

Finley Wildlife Refuge
2020-10-23
Close to Eugene. This primarily is a hike but feel free to bring binoculars. We will hike both the Woodpecker and Mill Pond trails. We will stop at the main office area for lunch and to checker the feeders. This is a mixed forest so we may get some color

Moolack Creek to Devils Punchbowl
2020-10-24
Meet before 7:30 AM at Jerry’s Home Improvement Center, 2600 OR-99, Eugene. (NE corner of the parking lot)
We will leave promptly at 7:30 AM and carpool Hwy 99, Hwy 20 and Hwy 101 to the Moolack Creek Parking lot.
From there we will hike north on the beach to the Devils Punchbowl, crossing several shallow creeks. After the leisurely lunch and time to explore Devils Punchbowl State Natural Area, we will hike same way back. It should be beautiful day.
➽ Participants will manage their own transportation. Obsidian protocols for social distancing will be observed on the hike. Refer to main website page for information. Please indicate your transportation preferences. If you want to drive by yourself, please indicate “Have” and 0 for passengers. If you’re willing to take another person or more, please indicate the number of people (not counting yourself) you could take.

North Bank Habit Area
2020-10-24
Hike on ancient ranch roads perfect for social distancing. CHANGE for Departure time and Meeting Place: Shell Station parking lot on Seavey Loop on way to Pisgah. North Bank Habitat is near Roseburg, exit 135, Wilbur, then on North Bank Rd to the West Entrance. The drive takes around 1 hour and 15 minutes. The scenic up and down loop has rolling—some steep & challenging hills— up to and along the ridgeline with oak savannas, meadows, and views of the North Fork of the Umpqua River. One will need to watch for poison oak in a few places. Expect a few sections of the trail to be muddy depending on rainfall in recent days. We should start hiking around 10:00 and complete the hike around 3:00. It will be a steady moderate pace with a late lunch so bring some snacks. The elevation gain is like doing Mt. Pisgah twice. If the weather forecast is for rain, I will probably substitute my usual 8 mile hike at Mt. Pisgah. You need to arrange your own transportation/car pooling.

Salt Creek Falls
2020-10-25
Usually this is a snowshoe trip. But I think it might make a nice hike for those who do not enjoy winter trips. We park at Salt Creek trail head. The trail above Salt Creek follows along the canyon passing some nice view points and passes a large waterfall before turning back toward the trailhead. LCC closed to pubic. See new meeting place above.

Clear Lake
2020-10-25
Great fall hike that will start just north of Clear Lake at McKenzie River Trail north trailhead. We’ll head to the lake then circle around it, find a nice spot for lunch. The concessions at the resort are not open. It might be icy on the trail, temperatures really dipping this weekend. Participants will manage their own transportation. Obsidian protocols for social distancing will be observed on the hike. Refer to main website page for information

Talking Stones
2020-10-28
We will start at SEHS. Walking through university to Knickerbocker Bridge. On the other side is first stone. From there we follow the map and hope we find all of them. Hopefully, we have good weather and can enjoy the fall weather and views of the river.

Mt Pisgah Sunset/Moonrise
2020-10-30
This is a short hike to the top of Pisgah where we will celebrate the Blue Moon one day early! It will take approximately 45 minutes at a moderate space to get to the top. The timing is good for us to see both if weather cooperates. The sunset is 6:04 and moonrise is 6:04. Going up we will take Trail 17 to Trail 4 to Trail 1 and may see the longer hike group at the top. Coming down after sunset we will take Trail 1. Look for us by my car, one or two rows down from the fee box.

Mt Pisgah Sunset/Moonrise (long)
2020-10-30
This is a long hike to backside of Pisgah.–It takes two hours and 15 minutes at a moderate space to get to the top!. The sunset is 6:04 and moonrise is 6:04. We will take Trail 7 to Trail 4 DOWN to Trail 2 and then up 800 ft elevation on the east side. Look for us by my car, one or two rows down from the fee box. Email me at jbjacobsen@comcast.net if you have questions. If it is raining, we could opt for a shorter hike. Obsidian protocols for social distancing will be observed on the hike. Refer to main website page for information.

Tie Trail Brushing & Drainage
2020-10-31
For this month’s outing we will return to the Tie Trail to continue brushing the trail sides. We may even get to use leaf blowers to help “sweep” the trail clear of big leaf maple leaves.
Meet at the Main Spencer Butte Parking lot (the paved lot) on Willamette.

Halloween Gillespie Butte
2020-10-31
We are meeting on Lantern Lane (right where Pool St. connects with Crenshaw Rd.). To get there from Delta Highway: take the ramp for Valley River Center. Take the right onto Wilagillespie Rd. Take the left onto Country Club Rd (after Schultz Law). Keep straight: this becomes Sand Ave. Take a left onto Pool St. Continue straight. Take the 4th left which is Lantern Lane.
It’s Halloween, so let’s visit a cemetery! Look out for ghosts, maybe even zombies. We will be walking a loop within the Gillespie neighborhood, including the Gillespie Cemetery. It holds graves named for many streets, schools, and parks in Eugene, familiar family names in the community such as: Gilham, Harlow, Armitage, Goodpasture, Ayres, Young, Gilham and Gillespie. This cemetery honoring our hardy pioneers and the land of Gillespie Butte are connected.
A local author wrote: “the top of the butte is rounded and grassy with scattered oak trees and panoramic views. It is permeated with mystery. If the cemetery speaks of its pioneer past, the butte whispers mostly of a time before the settlers came to the valley.” Living here for over 14,000 years in the southern Willamette Valley, the Kalapuya were the Native American ethnic group and the major tribes were the Chemapho,Chelamela, Chafin, Peyu (Mohawk), and Winefelly.)

Constitution Grove/Shale Ridge
2020-11-01
This is an old-growth forest hike. There are no lakes, raging rivers, waterfalls, or mountain vistas. But it is shady, fairly flat, quiet and peaceful, with many huge Douglas-firs (6′-7′ diameter) and Western Red Cedar trees. We’ll begin our hike at Constitution Grove along Aufderheide Highway and take North Fork Trail #3666 (Segment 5) eastward about 2.8 miles where it joins Shale Ridge Trail #3567. This heads south, and in about 2.6 miles we’ll reach a grove of giant cedar trees, which is our turnaround point. Shale Ridge trail has some very shallow stream crossings which are easily navigated by hopping along fallen trees and large rocks. Hiking poles are very helpful for balance. Note to drivers: there’s no driving on gravel roads! Participants will manage their own transportation. Obsidian protocols for social distancing will be observed on the hike. Refer to main website page for information. ALSO NOTE: Daylight Savings Time ends at 2:00 a.m. on Nov. 1, so you’ll get an extra hour of sleep!

52nd Street/Spencer Butte
2020-11-04
The day after the ELECTION; guaranteed it will be the topic of conversation! This route is a mile shorter with 400′ less elevation gain than the route to the top from the Martin St. trailhead. If the parking lot is full, park on 52nd street on the other side of Willamette Street. Social distancing will be maintained. 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 meet someone going your way, MASK UP, excuse yourself and pass. If someone is coming the other way, MASK UP and if that person doesn’t get over, step aside and face away. If you are following within 8 feet of another person, you should mask up. You are in their slipstream. People can change their pace and suddenly you’re too close. PLEASE DO THIS.
If you can’t see up the trail far enough to have time to put on your covering, leave it on. Make sure you can quickly put on your face covering. Don’t congregate when you meet someone on the trail or on the summit. Maintain face coverings or stay 6 feet apart.
If you don’t feel well, please don’t come. If you are not willing to follow the guidelines, please do not join the group.
