Gearhart Mtn, north face.
Slide Mtn.
Gearhart Mountain dominates a big chunk of national forest between Silver Lake and Lakeview. FR 28 runs for 80 miles from Silver Lake to near Lakeview and is paved, though it shrinks to one lane in places. It would make a good cycle/bike tour. Paved spur roads drop down to Paisley and Bly. Both towns have gas and groceries as well as Silver Lake. Lakeview is the biggest with a Safeway. A good road map for these paved roads is the free Oregon map at a chamber of commerce. Posted 2014.
GEARHART MOUNTAIN el 8360 has trails all around it but only the east one is still in use. Drive to the east end of Bly and follow signs to Dairy Creek. You'll be on paved FR 34. It starts out bumpy but smooths out. At mp 13 turn left at the sign for Gearhart Trail. It's a mile and a half on a decent dirt road to the TH. Most cars can make it. There is a free campground along the dirt road and some shadier spots near the TH. The trail goes about 4 miles to a major saddle. Now you can see the rest of the route. Some hikers go up the ridge, but that didn't look easy and there was a crag in the way. I wanted to get on the summit ridge just past the crag. I stayed on the trail as it lost 200 feet then went easily up thru the trees to get on the summit ridge at N42 29192, W120 52325 el 8000. It was easy to walk left of center up the broad ridge for 3/4 mile to the BM at 29760, 52641. 6 hours, 2600 gain, zero brush. An easy but long hike. In late July there was a cold stream along the trail about 2 miles out reading 28610, 50497 el 7100. Stash some beer there for the return. And take a quality brand in case I happen by. Camp spots start about a tenth mile beyond the stream. Another stream is just on the other side of the major saddle. Hikers driving from Lakeview can turn off highway 140 at Quartz Mtn Summit which is at mp 66.6. Paved, one lane FR 3660 goes about 14 miles from there to FR 34 where you go right a short way to the sign for Gearhart Trail. SHORTCUT ROUTE: a good gravel road goes for nearly 3 miles up the east rim of Brownsworth Creek to el 6600. Drive to mp 12.7 on FR 34 and turn onto FR 220. Stay on the gravel and go .4 mile to a main fork. Keep right there then stay left at the next 2 main forks then keep going a mile to the end of the gravel road reading 27397, 50318. There is a camp spot here with a view of Shasta. Just hike up the gentle ridge nearly a mile and a half to the main trail at 28434, 50894 el 7300. The wilderness boundary is about half way. It's a pleasant walk thru the forest. Not too steep and no brush, some rocky soil. This shaves a mile and a half off each way and saves 400 of gain. I'll never hike the standard route again. Posted 2014.
BLUE LAKE TRAIL is another hike of interest in the wilderness. Drive the same as for Gearhart Mtn but keep going on FR 34 to Dairy Creek at mp 18.8. Turn left there on graded FR 3372 and go just over 8 miles to a sign for Blue Lake at mp 13.2. Turn left and go just over a mile on a narrow gravel road to the TH el 6400. It takes just over an hour to stroll thru the dense forest to the lake reading N42 31904, W120 51522 el 7000. There is a cold stream about 15 minutes in where you can stash the beer. The trail isn't cleared beyond the lake. A restroom is at the TH. Posted 2014.
MITCHELL MONUMENT is at mp 9.3 on FR 34. This is where the Japanese balloon bomb killed some kids in the 1940s. There is a shady picnic area. No fee.
DEAD HORSE RIM el 8100+ has a trail to the top called the Lakes Loop Trail. Take FR 28 to mp 50.9 and turn at the sign for Dead Horse Lake. Drive 2 miles on graded road to Campbell Lake then keep going nearly 2 more miles to the end of the road at a wooden fence on the south side of Dead Horse Lake el 7400. Walk thru the fence on an old road for a quarter mile to a trail on the left with a sign that reads "Campbell Lake 5 miles". Go up the trail to the next fork at a high saddle reading N4232949, W120 47148 el 8000. A sign here says the left fork goes to Campbell Lake in 4 miles. But you want to take the right fork for 10 minutes to the summit area. My GPS couldn't tell where the high point was, but a good view is at 32805, 47322. 2 hours, 700 gain. A GPS isn't really needed here. For a loop, I suppose you could take the trail that goes on to Campbell Lake and hop on a mtn bike you stashed there on the drive in. These trails aren't on the map. There is a campground at each lake for $6 a night, but shade is skimpy. Posted 2014.
BALD BUTTE has an easy 4wd road to the top. Take FR 28 to mp 45.6 where there is a sign. It's 3 miles to the old lookout that is now a rental for $40 a night. Mtn bikes would work here. Posted 2014.
SLIDE MOUNTAIN el 7700+ is the highest peak on Winter Ridge and allegedly the site of a massive landslide. Views are outstanding from the cliff edge shown in the photo. FR 332 starts at mp 42.3 on FR 28 and goes over the peak then down to FR 3315 near mp 12. Trouble is, the middle section isn't cleared. I was able to ride a dualsport cycle from FR 28 for 4 miles to the rim el 7400 then it was only a quarter mile hike to the top. I had to weave around several trees to get to the rim then a million trees were in the road and I couldn't even hike it, so I went straight up the slope. The USGS BM is at N42 40904, W120 43480 with lookout ruins all around it. A mtn bike might be the best vehicle for this. Jeeps could get in over a mile. There is a long way around for jeeps that would get them to within a mile. Drive to mp 48.2 on FR 28 and turn on graded FR 3315. Go a bit over 8 miles to FR 143 at mp 13.2. The reading here is 38822, 41802. Follow that easy 4wd road for over 4 miles to a T which is FR 332. Now it's only a mile to the rim where I parked but trees will prevent driving the whole way. These were the conditions as of Aug 2014.
SYCAN BUTTE has an easy 4wd road to the top. Take FR 28 to FR 2916 at mp 21.5. Go 1.4 miles on graded FR 2916 to FR 059. Now it's a mile and a half to the top. A switchback at the top has a bad spot but there's a turnaround. The BM is on a high rock. Posted 2014.
HAGER MOUNTAIN el 7100+ has a shady trail to the top. The lower TH el 5200 is at mp 8.9 on FR 28. For the upper TH, drive to mp 9.1 on FR 28 and turn on FR O12. It's 2 miles to the TH el 5600. 2wd trucks can make it and even some cars. 3 and a half hours, 2000 gain from the lower TH. 2 hours, 1500 gain from the upper TH. There is a road to the lookout on top but a locked gate is at el 6200. I'd rather use the trail. Posted 2014.
There is a small free campground on FR 28 at mp 41.8 and another at mp 39.4.
FREMONT POINT, on Winter Ridge, has good roads to it. Take FR 28 to FR 3219 at mp 27. Go 5 and a half miles on 3219 to a T which is FR 2901. Go left a bit over 2 miles to FR 034. Take that for 2 and a half miles to the point. A table and restroom are there. A new cabin might be a rental. Some cars might have a clearance problem with the last 2 miles. This would be good mtn bike ride. Fremont was here in December 1843. They must have had antifreeze in their veins. Posted 2014.
COLEMAN RIM el 7400+ is SE of Gearhart Mtn. Take highway 140 to Quartz Mtn Summit at mp 66.6 and turn at a sign for Corral Creek Cg. FR 3660 is a bumpy one lane paved road. At mp 4.6 turn right on a white gravel road which is FR 300. Go nearLy 2 and a half miles to an easy 4wd road on the left reading N42 20658, W120 42683. Take that road for a fifth mile then keep right. Go another 2 miles to a fork at 20973, 41300. Go right to the end in 2/3 mile el 7200. Hike NE a sixth mile to the rim. Loggers stopped just short of it. Follow the rim for 3/4 mile gaining only a couple hundred feet to the approximate high point at 21137, 40666. Point 7445 shown on maps is another 500 feet further on. Partial views can be had by moving around. I saw no stumps or roads or trails on the rim top. This is a short "nature hike" in a forest the way it used to be. Posted 2014.
COUGAR PEAK el 7919 has a foot trail to the top with 3 trailheads. Take highway 140 to mp 73.8 to a sign for Cottonwood Rec area on FR 3870 which is paved to Cottonwood Cg at mp 6. The lower TH el 6300 is at the entrance. Before that at mp 4.9 where the road levels off, FR 3724 forks up to the left. Follow that for 3 and a half miles to a crude road forking to the right at the base of the peak. 2wd trucks can get this far. Go right at the fork then shortly take the next left to a sign for the middle TH reading N42 18358, W120 38542 el 6900. OHVs can get higher by staying on the overgrown road. I got to a big tree blocking the road at el 7600+. The road was getting too rubbly anyway. Right past that the foot trail crosses the road and I had a short hike to the BM at 18437, 37852. The campground was $6. A good free spot is at mp 4.9 where FR 3724 goes left. Posted 2014.
GRIZZLY PEAK el 7700 has a road to the top. Drive to the Cottonwood Cg described in the Cougar Peak trip. Follow graded FR 3870 around the right side of the campground to FR 383 at mp 7.6. Go 2 and a half miles on 383 to a T. Go right for 2 miles to the towers. The BM is at N42 15163, W120 38349. This would be a 6 mile mtn bike ride from the campground. FR 383 and beyond has some erosion ruts but 2wd trucks should make it. Posted 2014.
