Boys Fall Camping - 2025 (10th) Steins Mt.

While it’s been actually been 12 years since starting the boys fall camping trip we missed 2022 (Family rafting on the Main Salmon - Idaho), and 2023 due to fire and bad weather.  So this year was our 10th year of an official boys trip!

Our plan was to travel through the hart wilderness antelope wildlife refuge in Deep South central Oregon that is only open a few months from aug - Nov.    We got into the refuge as far as the hot springs but the gate past that goes deeper into the refuge was blocked … I thought after last years fire it would be open but seems like this closed it again this year for some type of herbicide spray. We changed plans and headed east over to Steins mountain to explore that area.   

Our first stop was by hart lake and the warner wetlands with another stop up higher to overlook the wetland areas.  (interesting to see this much water with desert all around)

From here we entered the Hart wilderness antelope wildlife refuge.  We actually saw a heard of antelope along the road which was fun to see.  We drop in to a hotsprings that was marked.  We all agreed the most fun and interesting hotsprings we have ever been too!  It is a rocky hole beside a creek that a stone structure and pool edge was built around.  The temp was perfect -  not too cold or hot - around 100 degrees.  We had lunch here.  

From here we backtracked to the junction that would take us overland to hwy 205 further east by Steins Mountain.  We drop up from frenchglen (where hunter and I stayed a number of years ago).  The aspen groves were beautiful this weekend with many groves even up high still yellow.  We stopped in at fish lake for a break.  

From there we continued on to the summit of Steins Mountain.  A beautiful and deceptively high peak at over 9700 ft at its summit.  Some photos on the east rim and from the summit.  The weather was clear but cold and windy near the top.  I have always wanted o hike wild horse lake near the summit.  We didn't go down since it was getting later in the day but next time.  

From there we did the full loop on the road and decided that best place to camp would be back at fish lake that we visited earlier in the day.  We found a great camp site in the aspens.  Noah also did some tree climbing in the aspens to share.  He said he likes climbing these better than junipers :)


Sunday, we woke to clouds wind and shortly followed by rain so it was a hasty pack up to get on the road unfortunately but that is sometimes what you get at this time of year.  

Previous trips

 


Crater Lake

Interesting fact.  Since living in Oregon we have never been to Crater lake at least in the summer time.  Hunter and I winter camped there a few years back in 2022, but its just been one of those things where its been a bit of a drive for a day.  Anyhow with Addie - Hunter’s girlfriend here we decided to make a day trip and it was great to see it.  

Great weather and great views of the Lake!

We also parked (along with the masses) and hiked down to Cleetwood cove - the steep (and only) trail that takes you down to the waters edge and took a swim in the frigid waters.  Helped that the weather was hot.  To be honest, it was cold but not the coldest water i have felt before - it felt good given the temps.   

The Gormly’s summer visit 2025

The Gormly crew came to visit us. They stayed a few nights in Caldera Springs which is right outside of Sunriver. We couldn’t have asked for better weather.They got to play at their beautiful resort in the pool and we also got to do a hike around Paulina Lake to the hot springs. Preston and Abbie were at camp but even without them we still all managed to have fun together.