1/29/08 Barlow via Dufur
1/29/08
2670
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Explored the east slopes of northern Oregon Cascades out from Dufur yesterday. We followed (some very hard to find) directions up to Billy Bob snowpark in the Barlow Ranger District of the Mt Hood National Forest. On the way in, I was kicking myself for having never checked it out after all of these years living in the Gorge. It is very much like the high desert country around Bend. Big pine trees in a park like setting. Light pow. Sunny.
Amazingly, Billy Bob snowpark is adjacent to a pretty nice little ski hill (the east face of 5 Mile Butte). It looks like an old clear cut with numerous 10-15 old trees. Lots of room for skiing though and the snow was superb. Maybe 700-800 feet of 30 degree vertical. After some downhill, we went xc skiing and I found myself on some of my summer time mountain biking trails that we get to from Hwy 35. The XC conditions were EXCELLENT. The local snowmobile club does a nice job of grooming and the snow was fast and fluffy. Back at the snow park was a warming hut with a nice fire going.
Very cool place and a new regular stop for me!
Amazingly, Billy Bob snowpark is adjacent to a pretty nice little ski hill (the east face of 5 Mile Butte). It looks like an old clear cut with numerous 10-15 old trees. Lots of room for skiing though and the snow was superb. Maybe 700-800 feet of 30 degree vertical. After some downhill, we went xc skiing and I found myself on some of my summer time mountain biking trails that we get to from Hwy 35. The XC conditions were EXCELLENT. The local snowmobile club does a nice job of grooming and the snow was fast and fluffy. Back at the snow park was a warming hut with a nice fire going.
Very cool place and a new regular stop for me!
Excellent! Glad you found a new spot! Sounds like it's not too far a drive for you either!
Great trip report! since that's such an unusual place for many XC and backcountry skiers. I worked on a USFS fire crew for 2 summers on that ranger district so spent a lot of time in that area but never in winter. Always wondered what the skiing was like in winter.
"Cross Country Ski Routes: Oregon" (2 ed.) by Klindt Vielbig has a chapter called "Clinger Spring and Brooks Meadow" that covers this area. He really likes the ski tour up Lookout Mountain in Badger Creek Wilderness up from High Prairie. I've hiked up to Lookout Mtn in early summer once or twice but have never skied it. It seems like it'd be a good tour.
"Cross Country Ski Routes: Oregon" (2 ed.) by Klindt Vielbig has a chapter called "Clinger Spring and Brooks Meadow" that covers this area. He really likes the ski tour up Lookout Mountain in Badger Creek Wilderness up from High Prairie. I've hiked up to Lookout Mtn in early summer once or twice but have never skied it. It seems like it'd be a good tour.
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