Strawberry Mountain

The Strawberry Range is located three hours east of Bend by the small town of John Day.  It is a mountain I have wanted to climb for years, mainly due to its evocative name.  Who wouldn't want to visit Strawberry Mountain?  With Rosanna and the kids visiting her parents and out of town, a prime opportunity arose.  While doing research at the public library, I ran into a friend, Dave Engel, who also wanted to go.

This being my first backpacking trip in years, I have absolutely no equipment suitable for an overnight stay.  But we make do with what we have and can always, beg, borrow or buy what we need.

Dave and I set out from Bend at  7 am and drove 2 hours to Burns.  From there we turned north onto 395 for 45 minutes until we hit the tiny town of Seneca, near the entrance to the south side of Strawberry Mt.  Asking some of the locals for information yielded little other than directions - 10 miles down a Forest Road and we may or may not encounter snow.  10 miles on the road and no snow, but the 11th mile was packed.  A four wheel drive pickup just spend 1 hour getting hauled out of a snowbank...I don't think my two wheel drive minivan would fare any better.

Back out the road and on to Prairie City.  From here it is 11 miles drive to Strawberry campground.  The parking lot is packed and we're concerned about campsite availability.  We hike up the 1.2 miles to Strawberry Lake and encounter a most impressive mountain face.  I spend the next two hours taking about 40 identical pictures.  Gotta love that free digital!

OMG Wow!

With Dave - picture taken by one of the cool hikers in the area

We are a little concerned that the good tent sites will be taken and as we walk around the lake our fears are justified, as one after another excellent spot is tented.  At the far end we cross over one of the many flooded log bridges (the amount of water cascading off this mountain was incredible - July 2nd was practically the first hot day of summer after a record-setting snow year) to the west side of the lake and the campsites dwindle as the terrain is steeper. Halfway to the end, feeling depressed and anxious as the shadows lengthen, I run ahead without my pack to scout available sites.  If none, we can turn around and try elsewhere.  Finally, there at the very end of the trail is the best site and, best of all, unoccupied!  Have faith and persevere, and be rewarded.

Dawn on the Lake...(or more like 11 am)

The next day is more beautiful weather.  We pack up, take a few more pictures, and then boldly go where not many hikers have been yet this year....up to Strawberry Falls and Little Strawberry Lake.  The trail to the Falls is snow free half the way, and then snow packed, maybe 1-2 feet the rest of the way.

Strawberry Falls

 
At the falls we run into an Italian couple and we debate the wisdom of trying to make it to Little Strawberry Lake.  Their guidebook shows it is only 100 feet ascent and 0.4 mile to the left of the top of the falls.  Seeing a kid come down the trail and saying he has just been to the lake convinces us to go.  Soon though we are lost in the snow, following footprints that lead in the wrong direction.  We regroup and set out in different direction, and soon find faint singular footprints that lead us to a faint whisper of a lake.  Most of it is still frozen over and covered in snow.  We find evidence of massive avalanches, with trees snapped in half at the base of the mountain. 

At the base of the range, near Little Strawberry Lake

Getting back down is more adrenaline pumping than getting up, as we short-cut our way down some pretty steep terrain.   Finally we reconnect with the trail and head for home.

Final pic