Wandering in Oregon – May 2024 – Part Four

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger size & highlighted text are links to additional information

Please click here for – Part Three

 

The Oregon Outback

 

It is, of course, never too early in the day to have a milkshake at Fields Station. The Lady ordered her favorite flavor (3 C’s) and we happily shared the milkshake. No way can either of us finish off one on our own. The place was quiet on this Sunday morning. Two birders from Page Springs had arrived before us. They came for breakfast. One young couple was having milkshakes and a local, a pilot, was sitting outside looking for someone to talk with. We took the bait.

 

With full bellies and smiles we continued south to Denio Junction in Nevada, turned east on highway 140, and made a stop near Baltazor Hot Springs.The water is extremely hot and it is on private property. It sits in a gorgeous valley with ruins at the springs. We, again respected private property.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our objective for this day was Guano Valley north of highway 140 back in Oregon. We’ve made 4 trips into this vast outback. This trip we wanted to make a stop at The Shirk Ranch.

 

 

 

 

 

David L. Shirk was one of the original cattlemen in Oregon. He amassed vast holdings. He purchased this property in 1883 for development into a horse ranch. Most of the remaining structures are from Shirk’s time here. Shirk owned another ranch in Catlow Valley near Frenchglen, home of the massive French-Glen Cattle Company. Its headquarters was the P-Ranch we’d visited this morning. Peter French and David Shirk were rivals and French wanted to move Shirk out of the area. During one skirmish in 1889 Shirk killed one of French’s employees – a man who once worked for Shirk. Charged with murder, Shirk was found not guilty at the ensuing trial. Shirk sold his holdings in 1914 and settled into a different life in Berkeley, California.

 

This high desert landscape – 5000 feet and above – is well watered.

 

 

 

 

 

Here’s an excellent narrated video on the historic ranch – Shirk Ranch. 

 

The day was cool and a strong wind made it colder. We were alone out here; in fact, we did not meet any other vehicles on the drive in. We saw many speed goats (pronghorn) and the broad valley has grazing cattle in abundance. The buildings are open and used as nesting places for swallows. The floors are deteriorating, the stairway moves. Watch where you step and what you touch. Overall, the place is fascinating and a step back in time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

During this visit we were unaware of the grave site on the knoll to the west mentioned in the video. We’ll need to return.

 

It was time to search out a place to spend the night. Although there was a stiff wind, we decided we’d drive up to the top of the rim. The possible vast vistas would be well worth putting up with wind. It was a steep 4x4 low drive up the primitive road. We crossed several bands of basalt. There was one gate to open and close. Three and a half slow miles later we found an open wide spot.

 

 

 

 

 

The Lady delighted in spotting speed goats with her see mores. You should notice her gloves and fleece hat pulled down tight. The wind bit.

 

But what a marvelous place!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We walked several miles and explored ‘til well after sunset.

 

 

 

 

 

You guessed it, it dropped to 32° overnight. We closed the windows and started the furnace. Soon coffee mugs were ready for our morning wanderings.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started toward home. On the steep descent in 4 low we banged into one rock that we both were surprised by. We were sure we’d clear it.

 

South of Alturas there was one place that’s been on our list for years we wanted to finally visit, West Valley Hot Springs. This is a story of a road that starts out in good shape and then gets worse with every mile. But you keep going, drive slow and carefully, and think it can’t possibly get any worse. But it does. There was one spot we got out and scouted. We figured out a line and getting through was uneventful. We found the hot spring with its small building over a small concrete soaking pool.

 

 

 

 

 

The signs are new. The barbed wire is stretched tight. We respect posted land and private property.

 

 

 

 

We had a good laugh and then retraced our path and returned to pavement. Outside of the well named small settlement of Likely, we were stopped by a cattle drive – a real one, no ATV’s. One of the wranglers on horseback, a woman, stayed behind and asked about our personalized license plates. After a friendly chat we all agreed that there is one thing this world needs, more banjo pickers.

 

We decided we would spend one more night out before returning home. A long dirt road goes east from Ravendale to Nevada. Just before the state line we found a dispersed campsite on a pleasant highpoint.

 

 

 

 

 

Juniper, sage, and Hooker’s Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza hookeri), a great combination.

 

 

 

 

 

We slept well, as always, and woke to…………. Take a guess. I’m making a bit of fun about the continuing cold overnights because, in looking at weather forecasts during trip planning, the forecasts were for much warmer, more springlike temperatures.

 

One push for taking off on this trip was getting out before the Memorial Day weekend. Away from  the crowds, not traveling, we’ve found a good use for the holiday weekend. Memorial Day weekend is used for annual truck and camper chores. The camper comes off and both the truck and camper are thoroughly washed, detailed and waxed. Also, the truck gets its annual lube job - u-joints, ball joints, tie rod ends, etc.

 

As I pulled the truck into the garage for detailing after washing, Julie noticed that the truck was tilting - lower on the passenger side. This is what we found –

 

 

 

 

That split is not normal on the lower control arm (how's that for an understatement?). We both recalled that rock we bumped while crawling down that steep two track in southeastern Oregon, near the end of this trip. Was that the culprit? If so, that probably cracked the lower control arm but I do not believe the crack opened up – as shown in the photo – until after we returned home.

 

What to do about it? Fix it, of course.

 

 

 

Wandering in Oregon – May 2024 – Part Three

please remember you can click on a photo to see a larger size & highlighted text are links to additional information

Please click here for – Part Two

 

Exploring the Forks of the John Day River

 

With this endeavor our success rate was 50%. Put your feet up, relax, maybe grab something to drink (always non-alcoholic for us), and I’ll let the story unfold. Our initial plan for the next morning was to explore up the South Fork of the John Day River south of Dayville. A sign stopped us about 8 miles south of town as we entered the Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area (Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife). The sign said “Parking Permit Required.” Where to get one? There was no iron ranger or way to buy one there – put money in an envelope, put the tag on your dash. We drove back into Dayville and talked with the woman inside the tiny gas station. She knew nothing about the need for a parking permit or even what the Phillip W. Schneider Wildlife Area was. She suggested we ignore the sign and do whatever we wanted.

“We can’t do that ma’am,” I politely said. “Julie and I taught outdoor survival and land navigation for our state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife for 25 years. We will not  violate a sister state’s Fish & Wildlife regulations.”

The woman’s puzzled look was remarkable. In the meantime, the Lady discovered cell service and Internet.

“It says we can get a permit where hunting and fishing licenses are sold. Where’s that?” she asked the woman.

“The hardware store in John Day.”

Going back and forth to John Day would take too much time so we headed north on 395 from Mt. Vernon. When the highway crossed the Middle Fork of the John Day, we headed down stream to Ritter Hot Springs. We had no plan to stay there but would check it out if possible. It has been closed since 2022 for repairs and renovations. It has still not reopened. From there, after being held up by a cattle drive – at least they were using horses and dogs and not ATV’s – we drove the county road up and over the ridge to the North Fork of the John Day. Our mapping program showed an improved dirt road from that point all the way along the river back up to 395. It looked like a nice loop to do and we hoped to find a peaceful dispersed campsite along the river. The road deteriorated immediately as we turned east along the river. It was as narrow as our small truck. The left side was right against the canyon wall and a four-foot drop into the swollen river was to the right. It was rough and deeply rutted from use when wet.  It was, at best, an unimproved dirt road. After crawling along for more than a mile we came upon the first opportunity to turn around and took it. We backtracked all the way back to the Middle Fork and then 395 and turned south. We put together plan C. We’d pick up a parking permit at the hardware store in John Day early the next morning and get on with our explorations of the South Fork.

 

I’ve since, I believe, figured out the mystery of the North Fork Road. Travel downstream on it from 395. It will end at a ranch on the North Fork about 1.5 miles up from our stopping point. No matter what the map says, you always have to deal with what you find on the ground. That’s a lesson we’ve learned years ago.

 

We turned off the highway at the top of Long Creek Summit. The elevation was over 5000 feet and the USFS road appeared that it had just opened. The road was clear but patches of snow remained and much debris had not yet been cleared off the road. We found a dispersed site that appears to be heavily used in the Fall by hunters.

 

 

 

 

 

Yellow Avalanche-lilies (Erythronium grandiflorum) were abundant and striking.

 

 

 

 

 

The road runs along the ridgeline, mostly in timber. For our evening walk we spent time in the few clearings that provided nice vistas. Here’s a view down into the broad Fox Valley to the south.

 

 

 

 

 

As much as possible, we enjoy sleeping with the windows open, even in fairly cold temperatures. We woke to 34° in the camper and 32° outside. The furnace and the stove working to make coffee quickly heated up our humble abode.

 

We picked up our parking permit in John Day, returned to Dayville, and turned south onto the South Fork Road. I did not get a photo but we passed the Lady’s favorite sign of the trip – “Please Drive Slow. Really Dumb Dog Ahead.”

 

Besides just the fun of exploring new territory, we had two rock art sites we hoped to find. The first was up Black Canyon and into the Black Canyon Wilderness.

 

 

 

 

 

The South Fork was too high from snowmelt to attempt a crossing and the garden water hose across the belly deep fast flowing water did not, in any way, tempt us. Perhaps we’ll return.

 

 

 

 

We drove further south to Murderers Creek. This is a haunting name that comes from Native Americans killing a group of white gold prospectors in the 1860’s. Our research material mentioned 5 pictograph sites along a two-mile section of the creek. The material does not give the exact locations. It is up to our detective work to figure out the details, sleuth out the clues, and put our experience and skills to the test, a challenge we greatly enjoy.  We found 3 of the sites and counted that as a great success. One of the remaining two was on private property (we respect posted land) and the second will require figuring out some historical references, if we return. The sites we found were very faded and nearly invisible. Again, DStretch was indispensable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The third site also had petroglyphs, rare in this area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We made a stop at the South Fork Falls as we continued up the South Fork of the John Day.

 

 

 

 

 

Late in the afternoon we found a nice dispersed campsite above the river and far enough from the road to have privacy – although only one truck drove by during our stay. For our evening walk we traveled downstream and explored the ruins of the Ellingson Mill. The link provides historical details and period photographs.

 

We again woke to a 32° outside temperature and closed the windows before the furnace turned on for the morning warm up.

 

We finished up our backroad drive by dropping down  to Burns on the Burns Izee Road. We continued south into the Malhuer National Wildlife Refuge. We’ve driven through this area many times. This time we did some exploring. Our most enjoyable and surprising stop was the Diamond Craters and the designated Diamond Craters Outstanding Natural Area. If you love basalt, as we do, plan a visit here. My midday photos are unexciting but provide a few glimpses of what the area is like.

 

First off, a panorama of the Lava Pit.

 

 

 

 

 

And the remarkable lava flows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Malhuer Maar.

 

 

 

 

 

Our next stop was a rock art site, a boulder along Krumbo Reservoir Road.

 

 

 

 

The outstanding petroglyphs are of reptiles, snakes and lizards. Also, at one time in the distant past these worn glyphs were filled with red pigment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is a well-known site and I’m comfortable mentioning the access road. In fact, one of our reference research papers states, “This is the most publicized petroglyph rock in Harney County. It was written up in the Portland Oregonian (May 23, 1954) and also in Sunset Magazine.”

 

It was late in the afternoon – we had lost track of time while absorbed in our wanderings – and had not thought about where to spend the night. We rolled the dice and decided the easiest and closest place would be Page Springs Campground. En-route it dawned on us it was Saturday. How busy would the place be? And what would the notorious mosquitoes be like? There were three open campsites when we arrived. We grabbed a small site away from the larger rigs and their barbaric hum of generators. Life was actually very good here. Well over half the campers were from Washington and the vast majority were birders. It was a nice, very friendly group. The wind stifled most of the mosquitoes and our Thermacell kept the rest at bay. Sitting outside was pleasant. We walked the Wilderness Trail that took us up onto the rim above the campground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The trail loops back down to the campground. We continued up the Blitzen River and then returned to camp.

 

 

 

 

 

We sat outside well into the night, enjoying the cold settling along the river.

 

The string of cold mornings continued, 34°. We packed up early, left the campground, and made a stop at the historic P-Ranch closer to Frenchglen.

 

 

 

 

 

The long barn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the beef wheel.

 

 

 

 

 

We continued south after our visit to the P-Ranch wondering if we would arrive at Fields Station too early in the day for one of their famous milkshakes.

 

Our adventure continues. Please click here for - Part Four