Saddle Mountain

Watching the sunset from the top of Saddle Mountain

Almost a year since my last blog post! I have been wanting to write and have a ton of pictures, but it seems I never find the time. So, finally, lets get going again with a trip report from yesterday.
Ever since Lee Ann and I have been to Crater Lake at the beginning of Summer and I got to see a very dark sky with lots of stars, I have been looking for a place to do that without having to drive five hours. I want to take one of those gorgeous, colorful Milky Way pictures every photographer but me seems to have taken.

Looking South

Oregon is difficult for sky watchers. Even when it doesn't rain, the air is seldom very clear; at least not where we are. Further inland or higher altitude is the solution. Looking at the map on darksitefinder.com and trying to find a little bit of altitude led me to Saddle Mountain. With Mack and Val we did an exploratory trip a couple of weeks ago just to see what it is like and how long it takes to get there. We had dinner at the quirky Camp 18 Restaurant and then went a 1/4 mile along the Saddle Mountain trail up to the Mount Humbug lookout to see the sun set. There was not much to see: We were in the middle of a cloud. Since then, I have been wanting to go back and see the view from 1,500 feet higher up.

After sunset looking toward the lower peak with the saddle just below

The weather was iffy. Most sites said "mostly cloudy" and all agreed that it would rain today. It's sunny here, as I write this... When I got to the top it was enveloped in cloud, but after about ten minutes the cloud we were in moved on and we were greeted with the sight in the top picture. It was windy and cold, but the wind helped move the lower clouds around. Sometimes there was nothing to see at all, and at times it opened up and we were treated to a landscape with clouds moving between and over the hills of the Oregon Coastal Range.

A cloud moving past

Because it was evening, I encountered mostly people coming back down. There were three girls, I guess young women is the correct term, who also started at the same time I did. I wanted to make sure I was at the top long before sunset and I didn't want to listen to their constant chatter, so I pushed myself a little bit to get ahead of them. Actually, the chatter wasn't constant. When we hit steeper terrain, it would stop momentarily to pick up again when they reached another flat part. After a while I had increased the distance between us enough so I couldn't hear them at all. I'm proud to say that I beat them by 40 minutes to the top. (It took me an hour and fifteen.) I was soaked in sweat when I got to the top, but happy that I was faster than the three women whose combined age is probably about the same as mine.

Later, after everyone else had left the mountain, I found out why they might have been slower. They had brought big backpacks, unpacked hammocks and prepared to spend the night on the mountain top. They asked me to take their picture while laying in the hammocks and eating their sandwiches. They probably saw a beautiful sunrise this morning!

Click on the pictures to see a larger version

As it was getting dark, I started my trip down. Not far below the summit I slipped, fell, and twisted my ankle. As I was lying there, I was wondering how rescue would come and get me on this remote spot. (And how much it might cost!) There is no cell phone reception at the trail head and most of the trail, but it works on the top. So, at least, I could have called for help, but it was not necessary. I was limping and every time I put weight on my left foot it hurt, but I could walk.
Going down in the dark on a fairly difficult trail, trying not to hurt my foot even more, was quite a challenge. I got lost once and had to retrace back up the hill, slipped a bunch of times, hurt my ankle a couple more times, and took longer to get down than up. Right now, safely back home, I have trouble walking and it is swollen big time, but I'm confident it will heal again in a week or so.

I slipped and fell a little bit further down this trail

There were several reasons for this hike: Get some exercise, see a nice sunset, figure out how long it takes to get to the top, learn how difficult it is to come down in the dark (for when I'll go up there to take Milky Way pictures), and whether I should get new hiking shoes. The last one is a definite Yes.
The trail was wet in some places from the clouds swallowing and regurgitating the mountain, has lots of loose rocks and debris, and it is quite steep in places. Better gripping shoes and more ankle support would have been nice.
Trekking poles would have been very nice on the way down as well. Due to my left eye not really seeing much, my depth perception is basically non-existent. That's why I don't play ball or any other sport with fast moving objects.
Hiking down, with the trail illuminated by my flashlights, it was difficult for me to judge how steep some steps would be. Not wanting to pounce on my left food helped intensify the adventure.

On a clear day you can see the Pacific, the Columbia, Rainier, St. Hellens, and Hood from this spot. And, presumably, lots of stars at night. After my foot heals and clear weather is predicted, I'll go have a look!