Some may remember posts I did the past several years on Oregon Road Trips. This weeks installment:

Fort Rock and Hole In The Ground, revisited

Attached File


Fort Rock
created when basalt magma rose to the surface and encountered the wet muds of a lake bottom. Powered by a jet of steam, molten basalt was blown into the air, creating a fountain of hot lava particles and frothy ash.

Attached File


Attached File


Hole In The Ground
Basaltic magma intruding near the surface flashed ground water to steam, which blew out overlying rock and soil, along with some juvenile material. As material slid into the hole formed, it closed the vent and the process repeated, eventually forming the huge hole. About 1 mile across and 300' deep.

Attached File


Attached File

Nice!
Somewhere I’ve a picture of my old car on a road on side of fort rock before they closed it.

I love that area.

It’s beautiful out here!

and freaking quite! Last time through I went to Hart Mt., Fields, Jordan Valley... I don't think I saw anyone.
There is a road between Jordan Valley and Burns (probably the only one) where I stopped and pissed in the middle of it.. I could see for miles in both directions. Miles...

Hope you had a milkshake in Fields and a dip in the hot spring at Hart mountain on that trip.

97 has a special place in my heart. We go down to Sunriver nearly every year, taking I-90 from Western WA and cut south on 97 from there. The drive down is one of my favorite parts of the trip - Grass Valley, Moro, Kent, Shaniko...always love passing those little towns as we make our way to the High Desert country

As foodies, we were pleased to discover Ariana in Bend years ago. Awesome date night for the Mrs. and me every time since.

I like your roadtrip idea.  My family is going stir crazy in Gresham, and looking for outdoor activities close to Gresham was a bust.  I swear the state is doing everything they can to shut down the great of outdoors, and those spots that are open are swamped.  We drove out to the Sandy River Delta this afternoon to find the entrance barred.  We then drove down the Clackamas River and it was a mob scene at every park or campground towards Estacada, cars lining the shoulder and every lot full.  After an hour and a half in the car, we returned home to settle for squirt guns in the yard.  I don't know if we would want to venture that far East, but we will have to find more options or get up a heck of a lot earlier.

The Clackamas River area is an insane place right now. From the mouth at OC/Gladstone well up past the Collowash River.  Rode my bike up there yesterday towards Detroit Lake and back through Silverton.

Finally found a spot to shot with out campers just before dropping into Brieghtenbush.

Sub2k at 50 yards
Attached File