At 8036 feet, Pelican Butte is an inactive shield volcano in Southern Oregon’s Sky Lakes Wilderness. It’s a fairly rutted and occasionally muddy road to the top, so leave the passenger cars behind.
The view here is exceptional — on a clear day you’ve got a 360-degree panorama with clear views of Devil’s Peak, Klamath Lake, Mt. McLoughlin, Sky Lakes and Blue Lake Basins. Pictured here is a the microwave repeater and lookout tower which you can climb a metal staircase to explore. The lookout is no longer in use and has unfortunately fallen victim to a bit of vandalism.
To get there, take Highway 140 east toward Lake of the Woods. At milepost 41, past Lake of the woods, Forest Road 3651 heads left towards the Cold Springs Trailhead. About 9.5 miles later (right before the Cold Springs Trailhead), you’ll see a signed turnoff for the Butte. It’s about five slow miles to the top.
Also nearby: Mt. McLoughlin, Lake of the Woods, Cold Springs Trailhead & Campground
I checked out all of the available Oregon atlases at the local book superstore before purchasing my first Benchmark Atlas. I keep my used & abused, torn-and-taped copy of their Oregon atlas in my rig and a more pristine version in the house. The atlases feature three main sections: regional, recreation, and landscape.
The regional maps contain a standard U.S. highways map, surrounding states, and a state map.
Next, it breaks the state into a bit more detail with the recreation maps. These maps feature points of interest, national monuments, attractions, campgrounds, and more.
Finally, my favorite and most used maps — the landscape maps — are the heart of these beautiful atlases. Featuring topography, backroads, and unlisted campgrounds, these maps have gotten me out of — and into — many a backroad adventure!
These atlases are large, easy to use, and reasonably-priced. I also like the fact that the company is located in my neck of the woods: Medford, Oregon.
So say good-bye to the days of flipping open a fragile folding map and get yourself a Benchmark Atlas for your backcountry adventures:
View all Benchmark Maps & Atlases »
Last summer on one of my solo journeys in the John Day area, I lost track of time and didn’t realize it was fourth of July weekend. As a result, I had trouble finding a campground that wasn’t full. Since it was getting dark, I accepted the fact that I was going to sleep in my rig and stopped at the base of the Strawberry Mountains (South of Prairie City) to enjoy the thunderstorm and sunset. This was a much better use of my energy.
I must have sat there for a couple of hours — at least two trucks stopped to ask if I was okay. The rain was heavy so I held the camera out the moonroof and had it covered with an umbrella. It’s tough timing these lightning strikes, but I got lucky with this one.
Even though we prefer to be outside, our team has managed to acquire an affinity for a few outdoor television shows. Here are our favorites:
Man vs Wild
Season 2 of Man vs Wild is out and so far it’s great. I loved the eyeball Bear Grylls cooked in the boiling hot spring river in Iceland. The turtle slaying was a bit barbaric but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do, right? Even though this is only a survival simulation, do not let the two camera guys eating MRE’s and power bars share their rations with you; because you’ve got a turtle to stab. And anyways, it’s not like it’s a protected or threatened turtle. Honestly though, this show is great.
Survivorman
Les Stroud is definitively the more rugged “Survival Personality” on television. He might not have a black belt, have summited Mt. Everest, or been trained in the British Special Forces like Bear, but this Canadian brute carries his own camera gear — all 70 pounds of it. And when you see a shot of him walking down a hill or mountain. Just remember that he has to do it twice so he can retrieve his gear. Not only does he have to worry about surviving, he’s also constantly filming and thinking about the show he is producing. Last I heard, Les was filming Season 2 and that one episode was going to air in February of this year. So far, it hasn’t come out and the websites haven’t been updated. Anyone know what’s going on?
Planet Earth
Filmed in HD, Planet Earth is the Grand Poobah of all nature shows. Even in low-fidelity, this show’s film work is nothing short of awesome. My favorite so far is the fungus that grows out of insects — killer time lapse video! Robert Attenborough’s narration is perfect although I think Patrick Stewart would have worked well too.
Another honorable mention is a mini-series called “Long Way Round” in which actors Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman travel the world on motorcycles. They are followed by camera and support crews and the complete journey is documented.
Any other great outdoor television shows we are missing?
(I made this photo comp, but now that I look at it, it looks like Les is going to pull a tick off of Bear’s head.)
Is there a chance you’d ride a stationary bike in a closet to help produce electricity?
Probably, not.
While the idea of going green makes you feel good inside, reality says it’s too expensive. After reading this brilliant and meaningful guide I was surprised to learn that living green is simple! “Living Green” by Greg Horn, offers easy and obtainable ways to create a healthier home, family, and environment. From changing your light bulb to purchasing a hybrid car, there are practical solutions for everyone. This book is chock full of information and even created from recycled paper.
I was amazed how this book motivated me and after reading I wanted to know more. I was happy to discover the bonus section at the end which lists websites and other helpful resources to assist in your own personal “green movement.”
