Category Archives: Adventure

Afternoon drive to Green Ridge

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Well I found myself with a rare afternoon with no plans, so I decided to take a drive to Green Ridge to see if the Morel mushrooms were out yet. I know it’s mid may but we have had a cold and snowy spring here in Madras, so I was not sure if I would find them or not.

The drive out of town was spectacular as always. I took the route around lake Billy Chinook and up through Grandview and 3 Rivers into the mountains.

There are some great views of the Cascade range along this route and it was a perfect day to see them.

The road winded through the mountains mile after mile as I looked for likely spots for the mushrooms to grow. I checked disturbed areas and burns as these are spots the morels seem to be found in.

I continued deeper into the mountains checking here and there and driving slowly while checking the roadside until eventually I started finding a few Morels.

Did I mention that the views of the valley and lake Billy Chinook from Green Ridge are truly awesome? well they are and it is well worth the drive just to see them.

If you find yourself with a few hours to kill, I suggest taking a drive out toward Green Ridge. The roads are unmaintained for the most part, but not too rough for most vehicles. and it is always a great and scenic drive especially in the spring.

Visit to Alder Springs Trail

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We got kind of a late start, as Jim had an appointment in the morning. This gave me time to visit the Madras Saturday Market in Sahalee park. As always it was a laid back affair with live music and good people.

I always love hearing the music being played as I play a bit myself. This time I was caught getting some video for my Youtube channel.

But enough of that, we were soon on the road and headed for Alder Springs.

We took the route around lake Billy Chinook because it is such a nice scenic drive through the canyon.

It was a perfect day and we couldn’t have asked for better weather. Soon we were on Geneva rd. and heading out through the Grasslands. It was a little bumpy and dusty as we have not had rain in a few days, but it is only a short way to the turn off to Alder Springs.

Before we knew it we were turning off the main road and onto the trail. It was smoother than I thought it would be, and everything was green, which was made more amazing since this area recently burned in a wildfire.

It wasn’t long before we got to Wychus creek crossing and the little campground there where we stopped for some lunch.

So after some time in the shade and some we deserved fried chicken, we made our way toward the Alder Springs Trailhead, and all too soon the pavement and our way home.

The road out was a little rough in places but there were a variety of cars and trucks traveling it so it couldn’t have been that bad.

We made our way past the trailhead as it had quite a few vehicles in there and I value quiet more than company. We instead found a shady place to relax and take in the views.

Then it was out on the highway toward Sisters and loop back around to Grandview and lake Billy Chinook to make our way home.

What a beautiful drive. I encourage you to get out and take this drive if you can. It is truly spectacular with it’s views of the cascade and the high desert. You will not regret it.

Goodbye to a Favorite trail

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Cougar Canyon was always one of my favorite trails, not only was it challenging but it was close to my home.

The side roads in the Ochoco National Grasslands are closed in the winter to protect wildlife and to prevent erosion of the roads and trails. As a result I was anxiously waiting until April 1st so I could get out there and explore.

I set out from my home in Madras, Oregon with my friend Jim to Jeep our way up the canyon and film it for the Adventures of Oregonman Youtube channel.

It was a beautiful day and we were looking forward to getting out there and enjoying it.

The drive to the grasslands from Madras was beautiful and short, only about 10 miles. Once we were off the pavement the fun began. The roads were not too muddy as it has been pretty warm here lately and everything is green this time of year. What a perfect drive.

Soon we were at the turn off to Kettner Springs where we stopped to air down the tires. (this is a pretty rocky area)

once we got aired down to about 15psi, we were underway. On our way to the canyon entrance we were greeted with some spectacular views of the Cascade range.

You can easily see why this is one of my favorites.

At the entrance to the canyon everything was pretty much as expected. It is a very narrow, rocky canyon with very steep sides.

We began making our way up the trail through one obstacle then the next until we came to the steep narrow part where we began to see the result of the heavy rains and snow melt.

The trail was washed out to about 4-5 feet deep in places. We decided to continue as far as we could to see if it was still passable, but there were some pretty intense and narrow sections to negotiate.

Unfortunately we were forced to turn back a little further up the canyon when we came to a narrow spot that had been washed out to about 5 feet deep with a rock filled cattle trough washed into the middle of the trail. It was too steep to go around and too heavy to move with our winches and jeeps.

We stopped at a campsite on the way back out to air up the tires and enjoy a cold drink, disappointed that we couldn’t get through the canyon. It was still a great day and a fun trip.

Until next time…

To check out the video click the link below:

Foley Butte 2nd attempt

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Well it started out as a beautiful day, not at all like our first attempt where we got turned back by snow and ice and almost lost the drone to the wind. This time it was warm and calm. The kind of day where nothing could stop us, or so we thought.

We started out from Madras with a full tank and some snacks and we headed for the Ochoco National forest just north of Prineville, Oregon. Enjoying the sunshine as we turned onto McKay rd. and headed north into the mountains. We were trying to get up to Foley Butte for the second time in as many weeks, though this time we had sunshine and warm temps and we were taking the low road to avoid the majority of the snow along the ridge.

We were having a great time as we turned off the main road and started for the top. Patches of snow here and there but nothing serious. The previous weeks warm weather had done it’s job and we had little trouble making the vista.

It was on our way down that the adventure truly began. As we made our way north to the main road we encountered some snow drifts that had not melted yet and we were having fun driving through them and splashing through the puddles left by the melting snow. But when I came to the last and deepest of the snowy spots, I heard a banging noise from under my jeep. The kind of noise that you don’t want to hear when you are in the mountains in deep snow. Yep my front drive line had come off the transfer case and the caps from the universal joint had been transported to another dimension (forever lost). Well Damn!

I could still drive just not in 4WD. I had my friend Jim with me in his Jeep TJ and we both had winches and recovery gear so I knew I was not stranded, but there was another problem. There was a blue PU truck stuck in the middle of the road that we would have to rescue first before we could head down out of the snow.

So we set about getting unstuck from the snow drift we were both in, then getting the blue PU out so we could all get down.

Jim getting free so he can help me with my busted Jeep

Click below to view the whole video, and if you like these videos please hit the like and subscribe buttons.

Full video of our Foley Butte adventure

Exploring at Cline Butte OHV

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Jim and I set out today around noon from Three Rivers to explore the trails we had heard about near Sisters, Oregon. We took the dirt road to Sisters rather than going around the lake and though it was a little bumpy, it was a much nicer drive.

It was a little cold but mostly sunny, at least until we got to the area we were to explore. Then, of course we got some snow. Well it is Oregon in March.

When we did arrive at Cline Butte we were greeted by quite a crowd of people but since it is the only area open year around near here I should have expected it. Never the less we were there to explore and explore we did. Click on the video link below to come along for the ride.

As always thanks for watching….

Trout Creek Run (Early Season)

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The day started out nice enough. A little cold but sunny and a little windy. We were getting a late start as I often do when it’s cold out, We headed out about noon from my place in Madras, Oregon.

The Roads we were planning to travel on the first leg of the route were extremely muddy due to the recent rain and snow, so we decided to take the paved road to Ashwood, Oregon instead. We would still see plenty of mud on this trip.

As we headed out of town on HWY 97 we were enjoying the beautiful views of the high dessert, but soon the skies had turned gray and the wind had picked up reminding us that it is still winter in Oregon.

When we pulled into Ashwood it was starting to hail and as we left the pavement that hail was covering the road. The road was not frozen and so still muddy under the hail. As we continued up the valley heading south the mud was slick but no deep. That all changed when we passed the last ranch on the north end, at once the mud was slick and deep, and in spots sticky clay based mud. Now it’s time to engage the 4WD.

I don’t have many pictures of the mud as I needed both hands on the wheel to stay on the road, so you will have to trust me that it was fun.

After several miles of mud we got to the canyon along the creek which is a little rockier and with a few creek crossings.

Crossing Trout Creek

After that we were in the Ochoco National Forest, and snow. The snow started out only a couple of inches, but as we climbed toward the McKay summit it quickly tuned to a couple feet deep. Ofcourse with three jeeps (two YJ’s and a TJ) we knew we would be able to make it over even if we had to fight for it.

Fortunately, that didn’t happen as the snow was not yet melted and refrozen, We drove right through it and up to and over the summit. Once on the south side of the summit we encountered other vehicles. Up to this point we had the whole place to ourselves. Maybe the others knew better or had more sense then us. Either way it was a great adventure in beautiful country with good friends.

Click on the link below for the highlights video.

As always, thanks for checking in and have a great day!

Foraging Wild Mushrooms

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As promised I am writing about my recent trip foraging for mushrooms. In a previous article I mention that I had found a good mushroom spot along the salmon river in Oregon. I returned to this spot after the hunting season to see if there were any mushrooms left.

The weather had turned cold at the end of the Archery season and we even had a bit of snow. As is usually the case the snow didn’t last long and the temps warmed up, so I ventured back to my hunting spot to see what mushrooms had survived.

On the drive in I saw many mushrooms along the roadside, most of which are inedible but nonetheless a good indicator that the bloom was still on.

I did manage to spot a small patch of White Chanterelles along the road emerging under a rhododendron bush. This was a great find and we were off to a good start. I didn’t leave my house until almost noon, so I knew time was limited. So not as much hiking as I would have liked.

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The meadow I was going to is surrounded by old growth forest and is really more of a rhododendron bog, very difficult to hike through. I finally got there about 3:30pm after checking a couple places on the way in. I was pleased to see many Matsutake mushrooms growing on the roadside as I approached my destination, and I quickly had a gallon or so of these. As always I examined them much more closely once I got home and found that about half of what I had, looked like Death Caps a Matsutake look alike and a very common mistake. Know your mushrooms!!  These a very similar and VERY easy to get mixed up when they are covered in dirt and grow in the same areas.

Matsutake Mushroom
Death Cap (Amenita genus)

Anyway, once at the meadow I encountered the abundance of mushrooms I had remembered from hunting season. There were mushrooms everywhere, so I grabbed my pack and my rifle (hiking alone in this area is not wise even with a gun) and off I went.

At first all I saw was a beautiful but inedible collection of mushrooms. Mushrooms of every color, reds, oranges, brown, purple, pink, white and even black. once I got down the hill and closer to the river though I started seeing what I had come for, Golden Chanterelles. A sea of them.

I quickly filled a one gallon Ziploc bag, and then another. With the weather freezing at night I knew there was no need for restraint as they all would be dead within days, so I continued on. Within about 40 yards I had filled the four gallon sized bags I had with me and run out of places to put them, so I had to return to the truck. Next time I will bring baskets and not bags, and have enough room for more then four gallons.

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Lions Mane

I did collect a bears head (Lions Mane), the Matsutakes mentioned earlier and a gallon of White Chanertelles, so about 7 gallons in all.

I urge you to know your mushrooms before eating them, many have poisonous lookalikes, and can make you very sick or worse. I always examine each one when I get home and start cleaning them, and if you are not sure please don’t risk it. I do not recommend wasting natures precious bounty, but poisoning yourself is not an option.

There are a great many edible and medicinal plants, herbs and mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest and I encourage each of you to learn and enjoy them.

Bringing home the bacon

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It was another Saturday morning at the bike shop, coffee brewing, the smell of donuts and gasoline in the air, and the phone ringing. Only this call was not from a customer but a friend. My friend Lannie explained to me that the helicopter pilot Keith had shot and killed a nice wild hog on one of his properties, and they were checking to see if I wanted it. Well not being one to turn down free food (especially if it includes a wet and muddy recovery effort) I agreed that I would recover the pig and salvage the meat.

Needless to say, the bike shop closed a bit early and I set about getting my atv’s ready. By the time I got loaded and gassed up it was already afternoon. I took one of my employee’s with me for backup just in case I got stuck in the 2+ miles of mud I would have to get through and set off.

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Allen and I arrive at the property a short while later and found a place near the hiway to park the truck. I nearly got stuck in the mud just pulling off the pavement. The weather here in central Oregon has been cold and very wet for the last month. We have had snow and frozen ground, followed by many days of rain and temps near 50. This in combination with the fact that the antelope area is known for it’s deep sticky mud, means we are in for an adventure.

We offloaded the atv’s, and gathered our things. It was spitting rain and to the south was a black wall of misery, that was surely headed strait for us so we had rain gear, necessary supplies for dressing out the swine, a tow strap to hook to the winch if one of us sank, and a six pack of Budweiser for luck.

We were using my ATV’s, two older Polaris. One a big boss 6×6 and the other a sportsman 4×4 so I was confident we would have no problems.

Finally ready we set out. When we were within sight of the area we stopped and scanned with binoculars, but no sign of more pigs. I had brought along my Sam Yang big bore air rifle just in case we got a chance at a second hog. There were cows grazing all through the area, but no wild pigs.

We proceeded into the meadow and noticed that the entire valley was running about an inch deep in water, which meant that the areas that would normally have water were a couple feet deep. We did our best to stay on the high ground as we made our way to the lower end of the meadow where we were told the pig would be and after about a mile of dodging deep spots we found it.

Now the work begins. The hog was a boar with impressive tusks for this area and a live weight approaching 300 lbs. We parked the ATV’s nearby and got to work dressing out and loading the pig on the 6X6.

The ride out went much as the ride in had. Dodging deep spots and mud holes.  The damage the hogs had been doing was obvious to see, large patches of ground overturned, bushes bent and broken from rubbing and chewing. What a mess, and some of those holes they had rooted up were more than a foot deep. That should be fun to drive through with a tractor come summer when the ground is dry and hard.

When we got back to the truck we loaded the ATV’s and tied everything down, then enjoyed a well earned beer before heading back to town.

When we finally got the pig skinned and hung up headless, it weighed in at 128 lbs. Not huge but a good pig and well worth the effort.

When I cook up some pulled pork from him, I will let you know how it was.

Until then, thanks for reading, and I hope to see you in the field one day soon.