Trip type: backcountry ski/backpack
Special gear: skis
USGS Quads: Fish Lake, McCoy Ridge, Wildhorse Lake, Page Springs
Trip Report
We got gate keys to the Steens gate above Page Springs at the BLM in Burns. Mom and Sarah drove us up until the road was covered in snow. Starting at around 9 AM we all hiked for a few miles through patchy snow, finally Mom and Sarah went back and Dad and I headed for Jackman Park. We arrived at camp at around 3:30 PM, set up camp and then headed up to Blitzen Gorge (the nearest big one anyway). The next day we skied up to the summit, we made it back to camp after full darkness had fallen. On the third day we went up to Keiger Gorge, then back in camp we had lunch, and then spent a very enjoyable couple hours skiing up and down the hills above our camp, I could have done that all day. On the fourth day we broke camp around 9 AM and were back on dirt road by 1:30 PM.The Steens are beautiful with snow, all rolling hills with impressive gorges and cornices. Great skiing.
Maps
- USGS 1:100,000 map: Steens Mountain (good for identifying distant peaks)
- USGS quad: Fish Lake
- USGS quad: McCoy Ridge
- USGS quad: Page Springs
- USGS quad: Wildhorse Lake
Visited
Dave, Gabriel, and Sarah on the west side of Steens Mountain
Looking-down-the-east-side-of-Steens-Mountain
45-Keiger-Gorge-on-Steens-Mountain