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The Trip

Overshadowed by mighty Steens Mountain to the north, the Pueblo Mountains are almost totally unknown, rising above the surrounding landscape of dry playas and low-lying rimrock country in one of the most remote areas of the continental U.S. Yet this foreboding-looking range contains immense solitude, a never-ending series of magnificent views, several hidden oases with abundant aspen trees and brilliant wildflowers that astonish in their contrast with the dry surrounding landscape, and the amazing geology of a thousand feet of ancient seafloor and basalt layers tilted to impossible-looking angles.

On this trip, we will backpack across the western crest of the range, initially following the Desert Trail, a cairn-to-cairn route that was established in the early 1980s, before turning southwest to follow the range to its southern terminus, finishing the trip at the dramatic Thousand Creek Gorge, in Nevada's Sheldon Wildlife Refuge. About 3/4 of the route is cross-country, with the occasional old jeep road or game trail to follow.

Itinerary

Our group will meet on Saturday, May 26 (the day before the official trip start) in Bend, where we will have dinner, distribute group gear, and go over logistics.

Day 1: On Sunday, May 27, we will drive southeast from Bend, camping at the southern end of the Alvord Desert playa. A late-afternoon hike into the Steens foothills gives a wide view of this 60 square mile lake bed and the vast emptiness beyond it.

Day 2: We leave the Alvord playa camp in the morning, driving to Fields. We may stop along the way for a short day hike to the summit of Alvord Peak, from which we will have an up-close view of Steens Mountain to the north and the twin ridges of the Pueblos to the south. Participants will have a rest and milkshake break at Fields, while the leaders will shuttle one van to the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge and lay in a water cache for the trip's fifth night. We will begin the backpack in the afternoon, with 6.6 easy miles, mostly on fading jeep trails, to our camp on BLM land, just southeast of Roux Spring.

Day 3: The day's hike begins with about a mile of gradual uphill on an old BLM way, until we reach the first cairn of the Desert Trail. From here, the trail ascends very steeply, climbing to the top of the Pueblos' western crest, which we then follow to Cottonwood Basin, eventually making camp near the clear water and lovely aspen trees along Van Horn Creek. At 9.5 miles, this day will be the most physically demanding of the trip, but the rewards make it worth the effort as the crest offers some of the best scenery in all of Oregon, with 50-mile views of the desert landscape in every direction.

Day 4: We will take a well-deserved layover rest day. There are several excellent options for day hikes, including, if weather permits, a climb of the range's high point, Pueblo Mountain.

Day 5: We begin the day with a long, scenic climb out of Van Horn Basin, reaching the narrow saddle between Van Horn and Denio Basin. Descending into Denio Basin, we will pick up another BLM way, following this into Albertson Basin, with our camp near Mustang Spring. Compared to the wild heart of the range, Albertson Basin has a little more evidence of BLM development, but the basin is still open, empty, and wild (on his last trip there, John came within 100' of a family of coyotes and spotted a large herd of pronghorn antelope). Total mileage for the day is around 8.5, of which the final 6.5 alternate between gentle downhill and moderate climbs.

Day 6: We bid farewell to the Pueblos, hiking south along a BLM way for 3.8 miles, before turning west for a 5.6-mile cross-country trek among the low hills and rimrock to our camp at Railroad Point, a long rimrock table formation at the northern end of the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge. Total hiking for the day is around 9.4 miles. Mostly a gentle downhill, this is the easiest terrain of the trip, but it is also the driest, with little if any available surface water. We will need to carry extra quarts of water during the day, and we will pick up a cached supply of water near our camp.

Day 7: A climb of 250 feet begins the day's hike, reaching the top of Railroad Point for grand views north toward the Pueblos and south into the wide expanse of the Sheldon National Wildlife Refuge. From here, we will travel south a level 3.5 miles before descending from the rimrock, crossing Highway 140, and turning west for another four miles through the stark, low foothills of McGee Mountain. We will make the last camp of the trip in Thousand Creek Gorge, whose walls rise 500 feet above the narrow canyon bottom. Water availability changes from year to year, and the leaders will have set a water cache beforehand, if necessary.

Day 8: Following an old jeep trail, we will climb above the southern wall of the gorge, gaining 500 feet in about 1.4 miles. After three miles of cross-country travel south of the gorge and a final mile along a lonesome BLM gravel road, we will reach one of our vehicles at Virgin Valley Campground. After retrieving any detritus from the water caches and the other van from the northern beginning of the hike, we will return to Bend around dinner time.

Getting There

The Pueblo Mountains are hundreds of miles from the nearest airport, and the trip cost includes transportation to and from Bend, Oregon. Trip participants are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from the start of the trip in Bend. You should plan to arrive in Bend at least one day before the start of the trip. We will return by mid evening on the last day, so participants can schedule flights home the day after the trip ends. The closest airport is the Redmond Oregon Municipal Airport, and there are shuttle services from there to Bend, as well as from the Portland Airport, so it should be possible to avoid the cost of any car rental.

Accommodations and Food

All food, starting with lunch on the first day through lunch on the last will be provided. We take pride in providing meals that are tasty and filling, and make a concerted effort not to rely too much on freeze-dried foods. Vegetarians can easily be accommodated. As on most Sierra Club trips, all members help with cooking and clean-up chores. All group commissary and cooking equipment will be provided. Trip participants and leaders will all share in carrying food and equipment.

Trip Difficulty

This moderately strenuous trip (rating 4/5) is for the physically fit backpacker, with at least some previous experience. By desert standards, the high country of the Pueblos has an unusually large number of reliable creeks, but long stretches of the hike are completely dry, and desert travel requires a greater than usual attention to regular hydration. You will need to carry an extra supply of water, and combined with food and commissary for the greater than normal length of the trip, you should be prepared to carry a pack weight in the 40-50 pound range or higher.

High desert weather at this time of year is generally sunny with moderate temperatures, though the occasional thunderstorm is possible. This is rugged country, alternating long, level traverses with a few, very steep climbs. Along some parts of the route, we will follow old jeep trails and BLM ways, but most of the route is a trailless trek through sagebrush and ancient basalt.

Though there are very few exposed sections on this hike, the terrain often requires slow, careful footing. We will travel at a reasonable pace, and no one will be rushed through difficult sections. Elevations are fairly low (generally 6,000-7,000 feet), so altitude will likely not be a factor.

Equipment and Clothing

The leaders will send out a detailed equipment list to approved participants prior to the trip and are happy to discuss any questions you may have.

We will conduct a gear inspection of each participant before the start of the trip in Bend. Everyone will be expected to bring appropriate gear, such as boots with good ankle support, waterproof rain gear (yes, really), and a pack of sufficient carrying capacity in good repair. If necessary, it will be possible to purchase new gear in Bend.

References

• St. John, Alan, Oregon's Dry Side.
• Kerr, Andy, Oregon Desert Guide: 70 Hikes.
• Bishop, Ellen and John Allen, Hiking Oregon's Geology.
• McPhee, John, Basin and Range.
• Topographic maps covering much of the route can be ordered from the Desert Trail Association (http://www.thedeserttrail.org/). Look for the "Pueblo Mountains" and "Sheldon Wildlife Refuge" sections.

Conservation

The Sierra Club is an environmentally focused entity. We are concerned about conservation and sustainability of resources, both locally and globally. Our work is accomplished by volunteers and aided by a salaried staff, and encourages grassroots involvement. Our outings seek to empower participants toward greater understanding, advocacy, and participation in the goals of the Club. Sierra Club National Outings is an equal-opportunity provider and will operate under a permit from the Bureau of Land Management.

In addition to the astonishing scenery, the Pueblo Mountains are home to a wide diversity of plant and animal species, including several (such as the Bighorn Sheep) that are candidates for federal listing under the Endangered Species Act. Nearly 73,000 acres of the range has enjoyed a few decades of temporary protection as a Wilderness Study Area, but a 1991 BLM recommendation called for the removal of this protection for 46,654 acres. A proposed bill in Congress (H.R. 1581/Senate Bill 1087) would end protection of all acreage. A test site for wind power generation was approved in 2006. There are scattered though undeveloped mining claims for gold, silver, copper, and mercury in the southern basins, so any removal of wilderness protection would put the range under immediate threat of devastating development.

Trip Price

See the How to Apply for an Outing section for more details on registering for this trip and details about our Reservation and Cancellation Policy.

The payment of a deposit does not confirm you as a member on the trip. Participants must be approved by the trip leader. After signing up for this trip, you will be sent a confirmation packet containing approval materials (Participant Approval Questionnaire, Medical Form, Liability Release Form). Each applicant (including those on the waitlist) must fill out these forms and promptly mail them to the trip leader. The leader will review the approval materials and notify you of your acceptance in a timely manner.

Staff

Leader:

John Lasseter is a certified Wilderness First Responder, and in 2010, he trained to be a volunteer trip leader with the Sierra Club. He has spent the last 17 years backpacking and hiking in the wild areas of the Pacific Northwest, the Oregon High Desert, the Alaskan Arctic, and most recently the mountains of New England and upstate New York. He is also an avid photographer, musician, and runner, and loves his day job as a professor in the Math and Computer Science department at Fairfield University.

Co-Leader:

Suzanne Swedo is a botanist who leads wilderness seminars for the Yosemite Association and other organizations as well as her own adventure travel company. She has just written a new book, Hiking the Hawaiian Islands, and she writes trail guides for Falcon Publishing including Hiking Yosemite National Park, Best Easy Day Hikes in Yosemite, and Wilderness Survival. She has led Sierra Club outings for 20 years and has hiked the mountains of every continent.

E-mail: wildswedo@gmail.com

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General Notes About Sierra Club Trips

• Carbon Offsets
• Carpooling
• Electronic Devices
• Equipment
• How to Apply for a Trip
• Leader Gratuities
• Liability Release and Assumption of Risk
• Medical Issues
• Non-discrimination Statement
• Participant Approval
• Reservation and Cancellation Policy
• Seller of Travel Disclosure
• Travel Insurance
• Trip Feedback
• Wilderness Manners