Route Climbed: Strawberry Basin Date Climbed: October 13, 2002
Spent a cold night sleeping in my Jeep at the campground because I got there late and was too lazy to set up my tent. Overslept and got started about 9:30 am. Nice hike up to Strawberry Lake which was crystal clear with big cliffs of Slide Mountain to the left. Hiked around the west side of the lake under golden larch and poplars. A little further and I came to Strawberry Falls half-frozen as the nights are now down to about 20 degrees here.
Hiked up to the meadow and got my first view of the yellowish peak. Switchbacked up to the saddle and then up through a ridge of dead bent-over trees. Saw a mink in the rocks and it looked at me for a while before disappearing under a boulder. Traversed the talus field and then up the north side. Spent an hour or so lounging in the sun, eating and deciding which trail to take back. Decided to go back the same way to avoid the uphill last mile of the Onion Creek Trail. Had views down to Steens Mountain. Up in just over 3 hours and down in about 2 and a half. Then I had a looooooong drive back to Portland that night. Beautiful place and great weather though.
Brian Jenkins - Oct 15, 2002 8:58 am
Route Climbed: Strawberry Basin Date Climbed: October 13, 2002Spent a cold night sleeping in my Jeep at the campground because I got there late and was too lazy to set up my tent. Overslept and got started about 9:30 am. Nice hike up to Strawberry Lake which was crystal clear with big cliffs of Slide Mountain to the left. Hiked around the west side of the lake under golden larch and poplars. A little further and I came to Strawberry Falls half-frozen as the nights are now down to about 20 degrees here.
Hiked up to the meadow and got my first view of the yellowish peak. Switchbacked up to the saddle and then up through a ridge of dead bent-over trees. Saw a mink in the rocks and it looked at me for a while before disappearing under a boulder. Traversed the talus field and then up the north side. Spent an hour or so lounging in the sun, eating and deciding which trail to take back. Decided to go back the same way to avoid the uphill last mile of the Onion Creek Trail. Had views down to Steens Mountain. Up in just over 3 hours and down in about 2 and a half. Then I had a looooooong drive back to Portland that night. Beautiful place and great weather though.