Hiking, camping, and overlanding adventures in Oregon and beyond
This last week we had the opportunity to go snow camping with like minded adventures who happen to have a Youtube Channel. Winston & Kim rock a sweet 100 series LandCruiser and take a similar experience focused approach to overland style travel. Our weekend with them was about as close to an ideal camping trip as you can get and their latest video captured the experience perfectly.
Next we went to work shoveling out or stomping down the snow immediately around our cooking area and fire pit. This step makes it a lot easier to walk around camp without snow over flowing into the top of your boots! If you can dig all the way down to the soil that is ideal, otherwise you run the risk of creating an iceskating rink when the temps drop (we may have learned this the hard way haha).
We diving into vehicle and tire selection, weather conditions, and driving techniques need for driving in deep snow.
Driving off-road in the snow can be an exhilarating experience, and an excellent way to get into some gorgeous scenery during the winter months. Yet for many people it can also be little intimidating. We put together this guide for new off-roaders who want to go play in the white stuff this winter, but don’t know where to start.
The trail to Rosary Lakes satisfies the desire to hike through lightly forested woods and beautiful lakes.
Sweet Creek Falls is the perfect mini adventure covering 11 waterfalls that are accessible all year round on this relatively easy forested hike in between Florence and Eugene, OR. With a paved access road and minimal elevation gain Sweet Creek Falls is popular with hikers of all ages and experience levels.
By late June we were getting the itch to take our 3rd camping trip of the 2018 season. The plan was to find a high mountain lake to play in for a couple days, and unwind from a busy month at work (for both of us). Summit Lake sounded like the perfect spot for this. We knew that the bugs would be bad, but figured that REI's Jungle Juice would solve that problem... We were wrong.
Few places in our part of the state conjure more mystery than the Bohemia Mining District Southeast of Cottage Grove. This area has a colorful history dating back to the discovery of gold in the 1860s, and the handful of long bearded miners who are still working active claims. As a teenage search and rescue volunteer I spent part of a summer in the district digging for a cold case murder victim in a collapsed mine. But that is a story for another time.
On the last part of our Eastern Oregon trip we explore Borax Hot Springs, eat tasty burgers while surrounded by dead deer, find ourselves in the middle of nowhere, and end up having more of an adventure than we had bargained for.
On the second day of our Oregon's Outback trip we leave Hart Mountain to explore Steens Mountain and the highest road in the state.
We embark on our biggest adventure yet to Steens Mountain and the Alvord desert. In this post we explore some of Central Oregon's most remote attractions before spending our first night at Hot Mountain Hot Springs.
Lately, the mountains have been calling us, so, for Memorial Day Weekend, we gassed up the new truck, threw all of our camping/survival supplies in the back seat, and set out to see what kind of trouble we could get ourselves into. Our planned destination was Indigo Lake, to scout for a backpacking trip with friends later this summer... but the mountains had a different adventure in store for us.
The end of 2015 brought about many new adventures of the urban adult variety for Dylan and I. He started a new full time job in December with Western Shelter, purchased a Toyota Tundra in May, and my family and I purchased a house at the end of November, while I have started the entertaining task of finding a design internship...
One of my favorite Christmas traditions is going to a tree farm with my family to cut down our own tree. I love bundling up for the cold, driving out into Oregon's beautiful countryside, and then searching through several acres of trees to find the perfect one. There is also a certain amount of pride that comes from cutting your own tree down, and the fresh pine smell of a self cut tree is hard to match with one that has been sitting on a lot for a week or more.
This easily accessible hike offers two beautiful waterfalls for the price of one. However, the real star of the show is the section of river between the two, featuring pure, blue water rushing through a lush green forest.
With Halloween coming up this weekend it’s time for an adventure with a real horror movie feel. This hike is not for the faint of heart, or easily spooked. We mentioned Mount Pisgah’s haunted house in our Halloween activities post, but now it’s time to actually take you there!
In the Cascade Foothills of Southeastern Lane County lies a land that time seems to have forgotten. Oregon's Bohemia Mining District is still the wild west, with rusty ruins, active gold mining claims, and "colorful", long bearded, locals who would be very much at home in 1890. This region's sketchy feel, combined with epic views, and gorgeous scenery, make it an awesome place for experienced adventurers to explore.
For any ladies who are looking to purchase a backpacking pack, this is the article for you! This reviews the Osprey Aura Women's pack as well as provides an overall guide for shopping for the perfect pack for you.
With Halloween fast approaching we thought it would be a good idea to come up with a quick list of local activities that capture the spirit of the season.
Finding the right gear to hike with is important. It can keep you safe on long hikes as well as be your own personal fashion statement out on the trails. This is a guide for all the ladies on how to pick out the perfect day pack to take on their adventures and a review of the Osprey Sirrus 24 Pack that I use for my own day hikes.
Proxy Falls is my go to hike when friends or family come to Eugene and ask to go on an adventure outside of town. This easy trail offers two breathtaking waterfalls for the price of one. Just be sure to check weather and road closure conditions since the road is usually closed from November through May.
In a rare guest post, photographer Paul Garrett tells the story of his adventure to Oneonta Gorge. Thi is a fun, adventurous short summer hike that involves climbing over a giant log jam, and trekking a quarter mile through cold water that is waist deep at one point to the base of a beautiful waterfall.
Eugene is an awesome place to live for lovers of the outdoors. You could easily fill a years worth of weekends exploring new trails without ever leaving the county. However, it can be quite a challenge to figure out where to go next. We wrote this post to give you a taste of what this area has to offer.
Whiskey BBQ Chicken is a delicious recipe that can be modified to fit most dietary needs. It is a great dish for a stay at home date night or an easy dish to bring to your next tailgate party. Whether you are an experienced cook or new to the kitchen this recipe will have your guests salivating for more!
By far Eugene's most popular hike, Spencer Butte offers 360 degree views of the Willamette Valley, and a "deep in the woods" feeling while only being a few minutes away from town. Changing seasons, and two distinctly different trails to the top, will have you coming back time and time again.
At the end of May, a few weeks had gone by since Tessa and I had our last adventure, so we were itching to hit the trail. Our destination had come about in a rather unorthodox way. I studied a map of the Three Sister’s wilderness area and found the biggest lake I could find that was not accessible by car: Mink Lake.
With fall quickly approaching its time to take a look at a cooler weather hike! For those who are looking for spectacular views and fresh mountain air without having to drive very far, Mount June is the perfect local hike for you. Enjoy our story about Mount June while preparing for your next cold weather hike.
Planning a trip to Southern California soon? There are so many things to do in Orange County that it can sometimes get overwhelming. Thankfully for you we managed to put together a very well rounded day at the beach that combined relaxation, adventure, Mexican food, and fire. Read our story, and share your own tips for a good time on the Southern California coast!
For most people, Treasure Island is just the halfway point on the Bay Bridge, a blip on an annoying commute. In reality, the Island is a calm oasis in the middle of California's second largest urban center. It is also home to a great deal of history, 2,300 residents, and arguably one of the best view of the San Francisco skyline. On top of all of that, entry is free and parking is plentiful!
About The Blog
We are a young couple that spends our weekends seeking out new adventures in the Oregon Wilderness. Born in California, we strive to blend our Southern California Roots with the Oregon outdoor lifestyle. Putting our adventures into a story is our opportunity to bring to light the beauty, wonder, mystery and often humor of the Oregon Wilderness.
We’ve touched on snow driving and snow camping in some of our previous posts, but have yet to take a deep dive into the single most important factor that prevents most lovers of the outdoors from carrying their camping hobby into the winter months: THE COLD.