Steens Mountain Loop

   Today we took the loop up to Steens Mountain.  It was a fun day.  With the exception of the smoke from the fires down south the scenery was great.  It has been two years since we had been on this road and there were changes.  A few miles in on south road, we encountered a few wild horses louging under a Juniper tree. 


   The south end of the loop has been improved, by a huge amount.  Where there were ruts and large rocks in the roadway, there is a smooth layer of gravel.  The incline is still very steep, the edges look down into the canyon as you climb what is called the coxcomb.  The elevation gain is over 4000 ft in the span of about 5 miles so that rush is still there.  The u-shaped canyons still draw your eyes toward them as you negotiate the serpentine route to the east.


   Our favorite stop off place is still there.  A great lunch of sprimp and crackers at the edge of miles of nothing.  Gazing off into a canyon, no one anywhere nearby, the only noise were the grasshoppers making sounds like lawn sprinklers, chi -chi - chi, shtt, shtt,shtt shtt, chi, chi, chi

   After lunch we resumed the climb to the summit, to the altitude of 9724 ft.  It's the highest place in Oregon you can drive to.  The view is amazing, canyons to the north, east, and south, the  Alvord Desert 5000 ft below to the east.  Time spent looking and photo taking and then the 26 mile descent back to Frenchglen with a stop to check out the gnarled Aspens at Jack Lake.