Gearhart Mountain Camping Trip August

Gearhart Mountain Camping Trip August 2003!!
FRIDAY AUGUST 1 THROUGH SUNDAY, AUGUST 3

Camping trip to Gearhart Wilderness, south-central Oregon. This trip was planned for 2002, but the venue was moved to the Three Sisters area due to large fires near the Wilderness.

All NARGS members and their friends and family are invited to this weekend of botanizing and fun in the hidden wonders of south-central Oregon. Gearhart Mountain, reaching nearly 8400 feet and its twin, Dead Horse Rim, are the remains of huge shield volcanoes, largely built of thin, pasty flows. Erosion has created unusual and outstandingly scenic landforms; the bizarre labyrinth of "cow-patty basalt" pillars at the Palisades is one of the most striking spots I've seen in Oregon. The vegetation is diverse, with Cascadean species mixing with Great Basin and Californian elements. The old-growth ponderosa pine and Shasta fir forest have understories rich in saprophytes; such interesting species as Paeonia brownii and Synthyris missurica grow at the forest edge, and the endemic Penstemon glaucinus grows along trailside.

The Gearhart Mountain trail also traverses sunny meadows, streamside meadows and thicket and rock outcrops to reach alpine krumholz, screes with Epilobium obcordatum and several good ferns, and a cirque valley with extensive dodecatheon meadows. See the Fremont National Forest website for a plant list of the area This campout is a good base for a more extended visit to south-central Oregon. There are many possibilities for a more extended visit. Of greatest botanic interest would be Crane Mountain and Drake Peak, to the southeast and northeast of Lakeview respectively, both with outstanding floras including Great Basin alpines like Polemonium viscosum; Hart Mountain Antelope Refuge, and the outstanding geological features along Oregon Highway 31 between Paisley and Fort Rock Valley.

LOGISTICS Subject to change, be sure to check this page for updates: We plan to camp Friday and Saturday nights at Dairy Point Campground on Dairy Creek. This very pleasant campground does fill up on weekends; please let me know that you're coming so that I can try to reserve tent spaces. In the event of overflows, there are a number of other, smaller campgrounds nearby (see the Fremont National Forest website for details. There is no fee for any of these camps. Also, little or no service: bring plenty of water, firewood [unless there are closures] and/or stoves.

Directions to Dairy Point Campground:
From Bly Ranger Station: Head east on Hwy 140 0.5 mi. Turn left onto Campbell Road, then 0.5 mi to Forest Road 33 [left]. Go 20 miles on FR 33, then left at T intersection onto FR 28. Go 2 miles on FR 28 to Dairy Creek. Cross the bridge, and turn left onto FR 3428. Dairy Point Campground is on the left immediately after the intersection.
From Paisley [southbound on Hwy 31]: Turn right on Mill Street. [Note: The Paisley Ranger Station is ½ miles south of this intersection, if you need maps or a trail permit.] Mill Street becomes FR 33 at a Y junction. Stay left and continue on FR 33 for 19 miles. At the T intersection with FR 28 [paved] stay left. Stay on FR 28 for 2 miles, cross Dairy Creek, and turn left onto FR 3428. The campground is on the left immediately after the intersection.

Hiking: On Saturday morning, we'll hike the Gearhart Mountain trail from the Lookout Rock trailhead at the eastern end of the wilderness. Anyone meeting us at the trailhead should be there by 9:30. Directions from Dairy Point: Go east on FR 3428 for 8 miles, left on FR 34 for 5 miles, then right on FR 012 to its end. This trail is well-graded, staying on the south side of the ridgeline. The out-and-back hike has several natural turn-around points. Good plants, and much of the best scenery, including The Palisades, can be seen along the first 3 miles, with a turn-around at The Dome. I expect to keep a leisurely pace, and stay together this far. After that, I expect that some will want to go as far as The Notch [6 miles in], or take the scramble trail to the summit ridge. Sunday: I plan a shorter hike, so that people can leave by midªafternoon. Depending on bloom and local information, we'll likely hike the other end of the Gearhart Mountain trail to Blue Lake, or explore Dead Horse Rim from Dead Horse Lake [about 3-4 miles roundªtrip].

Resources: See chapter on Gearhart Mountain in William Sullivan's Exploring Oregon's Natural Areas. Useful maps: Fremont National Forest; USGS Gearhart Mountain. For more information: Contact Loren Russell by email [loren.russell@attbi.com] or phone [541/752©7558]. I'd like to know who's coming!