Day 23 of Lupe’s 3rd Summer of 2021 Dingo Vacation to the West Coast!
Another day, another decision. The question, of course, as always, was how best to avoid the wildfire smoke? Skies were surprisingly blue over Odell Lake as the RAV4 headed NW over Willamette Pass (5,128 ft.) on Hwy 58. Maybe staying up among the higher peaks of the Cascades made some sense?
Coming into Oakridge, the deciding factor was dead ahead. A partial view NW beyond the Cascades looked very smoky.
Kind of the opposite of what I expected, Loop! Good thing we’re flexible.
So, we’re not going to the Oregon coast, SPHP?
Oh, we will, but not today! I’m thinking Diamond Peak (8,744 ft.)!
Diamond Peak! Think we’ll find any diamonds, SPHP? You know what they say, diamonds are a Dingo’s best friend!
What? I thought I was your best friend, Looper!
You’re highly rated, SPHP, but don’t let it go to your head!
S of Oakridge, Diamond Road (paved USFS Road No. 21) wound along the Hills Creek Reservoir for miles, then continued up the Middle Fork of the Willamette River valley. A scenic drive to be sure, but a time consuming one, too. Indigo Springs campground was something like 30 miles from Oakridge, and the turn onto USFS Road No. 2154 came 3 miles later.
After a few miles, No. 2154 turned to gravel. A couple more miles, and No. 2160 appeared on the L, followed by a R turn onto No. 380, which went to Emigrant Pass, but Lupe never got that far.
No. 380 was narrow, but good for only about a mile. Beyond a pond, the road became deeply rutted. SPHP had no intention of submitting Lupe’s new RAV4 to such abuse. This would have to do.
12:53 PM, 69ºF, USFS Road No. 380 – The RAV4 was safely stashed near the pond. A smoke-tinged sky, but not bad at all. Looked quite blue.
Let’s check out the pond, SPHP!
Kind of a mucky shoreline, but the remote little pond was nice.
What do you think, SPHP? I like it! This is a great spot!
I like it too, Loop. Hidden serenity! Have a question for you, though. We got here so late in the day, that we’re kind of forced to gamble one way or another. Diamond Peak is not a trivial undertaking. Over 6 miles one way from here, and close to 4,000 feet total elevation gain. Think we can get there before sunset. Still want to go for it?
Sunset on Diamond Peak would be awesome, SPHP, but that means we’d get back awfully late! Wouldn’t we be better off waiting until tomorrow? We could leave early in the morning, and be back before dark.
Yes, ordinarily that would be the thing to do, Looper. However, we also have to consider what tomorrow might bring. If the wind shifts tonight, and all the smoke we saw rolls in, then what? We might have missed our shot at Diamond Peak entirely. The smoke is minimal right now. Who knows how long that will last?
Extended debate was out. Decision time! The Carolina Dog was willing to give it a shot. Diamond Peak (8,744 ft.) was a go!
Could have walked the road another mile plus E over Emigrant Pass to the Pacific Crest Trail near Summit Lake, but a Diamond Peak trailhead had been passed on the way in only 1/8 mile back W along No. 380. The trailhead didn’t amount to much, scarcely a wide spot in the road, but it didn’t take long to get there.
On the N side of No. 380, a sign saying Diamond Peak Trail No. 3699 stood on a sandy bank. Next to it a trail headed up into the forest.
Above the little sandy bank, the trail leveled out. Almost immediately, Lupe came to a registration station. Registration and a free, self-issued permit were required. Paperwork complete, SPHP consulted the posted map. Lots of trails shown, but only the Pacific Crest Trail actually got close to Diamond Peak.
Beyond the registration station, Diamond Peak Trail No. 3699 was fairly level, an easy stroll N, then NW, through the forest. Less than 10 minutes got Lupe to a small pond. W of the pond, the trail gained elevation, then lost it again going past a large rock formation.
Once past the pond, Diamond Peak Trail No. 3699 continued N, most of the time gradually gaining elevation. Unlike other trails Lupe had been on in Oregon and Washington, No. 3699 looked seldom used, and had a fair amount of deadfall. Along a 50 foot stretch almost entirely hidden beneath deadfall, SPHP briefly lost the route.
However, other than that one point, the trail was easy to follow. Lupe leapt over, or snuck under, whatever deadfall she came to. Nothing to see but trees. The forest went on and on, but progress was good.
Diamond Peak Trail No. 3699 eventually steepened and turned NW. Nothing major, but Lupe gained 300 feet of elevation before it leveled out again. A short rest break was taken at a rotten log. Continuing on, the trail soon started downhill.
Seemed like the Carolina Dog had been on No. 3699 for nearly 2 miles now. SPHP was starting to worry that a junction with Rockpile Trail No. 3632 might have been missed, when Lupe came to it. No. 3632 was a broad well-traveled path with nice new signage. Actually would have been hard to miss!
After another short break at the intersection, Lupe headed E on Rockpile Trail No. 3632. Still in the forest, the trail climbed steadily at a moderate pace. No deadfall at all now. Even the forest had a groomed look to it.
The trail soon turned NE, and before too long began to level out.
Huh. Diamond Rockpile (6,323 ft.) sure isn’t what I had envisioned. Just another hill in the forest.
Diamond Rockpile? Where’s that, SPHP? Is that different from Diamond Peak?
Yes, entirely different. Think we just passed Diamond Rockpile, Looper. This must be the saddle between it and the next hill NE, HP6310. Trail went within 100 feet of the top. If we had more time, we would check it out, but we better keep going.
Wait! We’re close to a diamond rockpile, and we aren’t even going to spend a few minutes filling your pockets with diamonds? That’s crazy, SPHP!
Sad, but true, Loopster. Price of our late start. We’ll have to be content with whatever diamonds we scoop up off Diamond Peak. Shouldn’t need tons of ’em, anyway. Even a single small diamond is pretty valuable.
Beyond the saddle, Rockpile Trail No. 3632 climbed modestly, topping out while traversing HP6310‘s upper S slope. This high point provided the first distant view of the day, Cowhorn Mountain (7,664 ft.) and Sawtooth Mountain (7,301 ft.) beyond Summit Lake.
Upon reaching the E end of HP6310, Trail No. 3632 started downhill. Lupe saw water in a clearing down in the valley the trail was heading for. Looked like what was left of a pond that was drying up.
Another nicely signed trail junction was at the bottom of the hill. Marie Lake Trail No. 3632.2 went NW (L) bound for Marie Lake, which was less than 0.25 mile away.
However, Lupe was destined to miss out on Marie Lake, too. Rockpile Trail No. 3632 went S (R) here, passing through the clearing Loop had seen earlier. The water was actually what remained of a stagnant stream, not a pond.
Lupe followed the stream through the clearing, but it soon veered off to the SE. Near the top of a sandy rise, the Carolina Dog came to another junction. Trail No. 3632.1 went SW (R) to Rockpile Lake.
Ignoring this spur as well, Loopster stuck with Rockpile Trail No. 3632, which wound SE through a gently rolling region of fine, dusty soil where virtually nothing grew. This region was thinly forested with numerous small clearings.
No. 3632 soon turned NE. By the time Lupe reached the next junction, the clearings and dusty soil were gone.
Made it to the Pacific Crest Trail, Looper!
Lupe saw no one, but voices could be heard off to the S. Kind of creepy! A clear plastic bag hung from the signpost.
What’s in the bag, SPHP?
Dunno, Loop, I’ll take a look. Hmm. Appears to be donated supplies for hikers on the PCT. A note says “Enjoy your day!”
Supplies? Like what? Any goodies for American Dingoes in there?
Not really, unless you like powdered soup. Oh, wait! Here’s something, a nice big blueberry fig bar.
Do I like blueberry figs, SPHP? Can’t remember what they taste like.
That’s because you’ve never had any, Loop. I don’t know. You might like them. Sounds intriguing to me!
Well, break a piece off for me then, SPHP. I’ll give blueberry figs a try.
Oh, maybe we shouldn’t do that, Loop. From the looks of this stuff, most of it is intended for through hikers on the PCT, not just day hikers like us.
Could have told me that at the start, SPHP! Now here I am salivating over blueberry figs, and I don’t even know what they are!
Tell you what, Loop. We’ll leave the blueberry fig bar here for now. If it’s still here when we come back this way after our adventure on Diamond Peak, we’ll nab it then under cover of darkness! How’s that?
Under cover of darkness? You make it sound like we’re leading a life of crime! It’s just one blueberry fig bar!
Sure about that, Loop? Might be the start of something big! Our career haunting the PCT as diamond and blueberry fig bar smugglers!
Leaving the junction, Lupe took the heavily-traveled Pacific Crest Trail N. At first it was flat. Glimpses of Diamond Peak began to appear as the trail headed NNE. Before long, though, the trail began a gradual ascent, and forest hid the mountain again. 0.5 mile from Blueberry Fig Bar junction, the PCT curved WNW.
We’re not all that far from the S end of Diamond Peak now, Looper. We’ll be climbing it from the S, so we need to start looking for where we should leave the PCT.
The PCT doesn’t go up there, SPHP?
No. It by-passes Diamond Peak to the E, so we can’t just stay on the PCT. Let me know if you happen to sniff out any kind of use trail. Thought it would be easy to tell where to start up, but didn’t realize we wouldn’t be able to see the mountain.
After going 0.5 mile WNW, a clearing on a rocky hillside appeared. The Pacific Crest Trail began a steeper climb. 4 minutes farther, and Lupe reached a viewpoint. To the SSE, Summit Lake, Cowhorn Mountain, and Sawtooth Mountain were all in view again. Loopster could even see the dramatic summit spire of Mount Thielsen (9,182 ft.).
That wasn’t all, though! This same viewpoint also had somewhat of a view to the N, where a high ridge was in sight not too far away.
That’s where we need to be, Loop! That’s the S end of Diamond Peak.
Not as high as I thought it would be, SPHP.
That’s just the beginning, sweet puppy. Anyway, we aren’t going to be able to stick with the PCT much longer. Keep that sniffer to the ground! Would sure be nice if we can find a use trail instead of having to bushwhack our own route.
The PCT curved NE. Lupe didn’t have to sniff hard for long. 2 minutes past the viewpoint, the American Dingo did find a use trail! Even SPHP might have spotted it. A candy cane ribbon was wrapped around a rock that was part of a small cairn. More ribbons were tied to nearby trees.
The long slog higher began. The Carolina Dog was soon heading up a steep, sandy slope that supported little vegetation other than trees. Above the sand, Lupe reached a curve where there actually was some ground cover, already sporting fall colors. A rock slide came next, yet for the most part, the trail remained relatively easy to follow.
The slope eventually opened up. Rocky and loose. Trees were scarcer. The trail was braided along in here with no clearly favored main route. Angling slightly toward the W, Lupe made it up to a minor ridgeline where the terrain wasn’t quite as steep.
Once on the ridge, the going was easier, but no major improvement. The ridge went N, angling slightly back toward the E again. Lupe finally got up to where she could see what lay ahead.
5:50 PM, Diamond Peak, S slope – Ugh! The view was distressing. A vast, barren, rocky slope, devoid of life except for small, scattered stands of stunted pines, stretched endlessly skyward toward an impossibly distant rocky high point at the far end.
Holy smokers, SPHP! It’s another 1,000 feet, easy!
The situation was starting to look hopeless. Running out of time! Another couple of hours, and the sun would be down. Sure would be nice to get to the summit with enough daylight to spare in order to be able to enjoy it. No telling, though, what might still be ahead.
Lupe was high enough now to see a new threat, too. All day long, the sky had been blue. Not crystal clear, but decent. Unfortunately, thick smoke was now pouring in from the W. Views were rapidly disappearing.
No choice. The Carolina Dog had already come so far, she had to keep going. Maybe it would all work out?
Onward! Puppy ho!
Nothing technically difficult about it, just a long, steep trudge higher. Loose sand and scree generally meant slippage with each step, although some stretches were firmer. Still a braided trail situation, so choose your favorite route!
Already tired, short breathers, and a few longer breaks had to be taken. During one of them a small bird landed on top of a nearby tree.
Hey, Loop! Look at that! These must be whitebark pines. That’s a Clark’s nutcracker! Saw a picture of one yesterday on one of the displays on the way up Paulina Peak (7,984 ft.).
That’s cool, SPHP! Glad to see that there really are some still around. Gives me hope! By the way, have you seen any diamonds yet? I haven’t seen a one.
Diamonds? No, not yet, Loop, but I haven’t been paying close attention. Just trying to keep moving. Most diamonds are tiny. Think we’d have to look pretty closely to find them, study each little rock on the ground.
Shouldn’t diamonds sparkle, though, SPHP?
Maybe, but probably not all that much until they’ve been cut. To tell you the truth, Loopster, in my whole life, I’ve found shockingly few diamonds laying about. Not entirely sure what a diamond in the rough looks like.
Well, all I can say is Diamond Peak is an impressive mountain, SPHP, but it’s not nearly as much glitter, bling, and sparkle as I thought it would be.
The climb went on. Bit by bit, step by step, progress. Even so, gazing back down the mountain, what had been accomplished didn’t look like any great shakes. Took a while for the hill above to start looking like that, like maybe sometime soon Lupe would actually be there.
Diamond Peak was dry as a bone. A gentle breeze was enough to stir up the loose dust from every step. Breathing an unhealthy mix of dust and whatever smoke was already here, the trudge higher continued.
At last, Lupe was close to the end of the long climb! The smoke situation wasn’t good, but at least the sun remained well above the horizon. Still some time left. What was ahead? Loopster would know in a moment.
6:38 PM, HP8421 (Diamond Peak’s S summit) – Streaked with shades of gray and rust running down its flanks, Diamond Peak was beautiful! For the first time, the true summit, still 300+ feet higher, was now in sight 0.33 mile N. The more distant part of the ridge leading to it didn’t look bad at all. Cake!
However, the part of the ridge already close at paw was another matter. Rugged volcanic rock formations capped much of the ridgeline.
Hoo, girl! Let’s hope this doesn’t get technical, Looper.
Most of it really wasn’t bad at all. One of the first formations was among the hardest to get past. Staying up top was impossible. The W side of the ridge was too steep. Braided use trails along the E side were only a little better.
Trying to stay too high, SPHP wound up crawling along a narrow pumice ridge with exposure, Lupe right behind. Once past that one, none of the other gendarmes were as bad, but getting by them was still chewing up a bunch of time. Occasionally, the W side of the ridge was best, but staying E was usually better.
Difficulties behind her, evening sunlight streamed over the mountain as Lupe followed an easy, winding path toward the summit. Near the end, the path went through a gap filled with a jumble of rocks, but nothing to it, really. An eerie orange alpenglow influenced by smoke hung over the mountain as the Carolina Dog approached the true summit.
7:30 PM, 60ºF, Diamond Peak (8,744 ft.) – No diamonds sparkled in the alpenglow as Lupe reached the true summit, a flat, barren hilltop 20 feet in diameter covered with small, reddish-brown volcanic stones.
Three ridges radiated from the top – NE, NW, plus the S ridge Lupe had come up. The NE ridge was long, and led to impressive, wild-looking subpeaks. A small glacier lay hidden from the sun on the NE side of the much shorter NW ridge. Between these ridges were huge expanses of much lower territory.
And that was about it as far as what Lupe could see from Diamond Peak. The mountain was surrounded by smoke that seemed to top out at about the same level. To the S, only the tips of Cowhorn Mountain, Sawtooth Mountain, and the spiky summit of Mount Thielsen were visible floating on a white sea. No other distant views except straight up, where the sky still looked blue.
On the summit itself, Diamond Peak offered little of interest. No registry, no survey benchmark, not even a cairn.
Not a single diamond, either, SPHP! Might want to mention that!
Or blueberry fig bar, which was starting to sound mighty good.
Lupe was tired, or perhaps disappointed. Reluctantly, she posed for a few photos, then laid down to rest. A good idea, actually, since the time remaining before sunset was short. Loopster willingly split a chocolate coconut bar with SPHP, then had some Taste of the Wild and water, but displayed little enthusiasm when SPHP shook her paw to congratulate her on the successful ascent.
Good thing the American Dingo hadn’t started out any later, or taken any of the possible side trips to Diamond Rockpile or the lakes! Time was short enough as it was. Refusing to budge, Loop rested as long as she could, enjoying the fading alpenglow on the ridges while the sun sank toward the smoke.
Too tired to search for diamonds, Lupe refused to budge from her gritty resting place. 25 precious minutes on Diamond Peak ticked away. The sun was now on the smoke horizon.
Hate to say it, Loopster, but we better get back to HP8421. Not too keen on creeping along exposed ledges in the dark.
Can we at least stay until the sun is gone, SPHP?
Oh, sure, Loop! That’ll be fine.
A few minutes more, and sadly, already time to go. HP8421 appeared to be above most of the smoke, as Lupe started back.
Took a while, but the return to HP8421 went well. Cake all the way down to the saddle. Then staying lower on the E side of the ridge this time, SPHP managed to avoid the exposed ledge crawl. Still very steep, and rather slow, but a bit of caution was all that was required.
Lupe often wanted to rest during the rocky descent of Diamond Peak’s long S slope. SPHP often obliged her. No smoke above, a million stars glittered in the night sky. The little flashlight’s beam was very weak and acting weird, sometimes going into strobe mode. Changing the batteries helped tremendously.
The dark descent into the black void seemed endless, but at long last the cairn with the candy cane ribbon appeared.
Back at the Pacific Crest Trail, a longer rest in the shadows beneath the tall spruce trees worked wonders. Or maybe Lupe was just glad to be out of all the rock, and back on smooth trail again?
Taking the lead, but always careful to make sure SPHP was still coming, the Carolina Dog no longer wanted to rest. Every time SPHP shined the flashlight on her, Lupe stared back with a big smile, eyes sparkling like diamonds. Miles to go, but even toward the end, back on Diamond Peak Trail No. 3699, she leapt over all the deadfall without hesitation.
At long last, dinner, followed by soft blankets and Dingo Dreamland at the RAV4. However, a rare delicacy was not on the wee hour menu. When Lupe had reached the junction of the PCT and Rockpile Trail No. 3632, plenty of powdered soup remained, but the coveted blueberry fig bar was already gone. (End 1:13 AM, 58ºF)
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