R) Special Friday Adventure
U) Special Day of Remembrance
S) Our last hike of the 2017 Season
H) Social vibe + Great workout
MORE ‘ALL WELCOME’ DETAILS:
BASICS YOU NEED TO KNOW:
VIBE: Social, Fun, Sweaty, all welcome
CARPOOL MEET: Pump House, 10 am
CARPOOL DEPARTURE TIME: 10:15 am
RETURN TIME: 5 pm
POST HIKE EATS: Pump House Burgers!
RSVP RIGHT HERE
HIKE DETAILS:
BRING: Lunch, water, sunscreen, camera, hat
HIKE: 10 miles & 2,180 ft elevation gain
HIKE DIFFICULTY: Strenuous but achievable
SPECIAL NOTES: It is very windy, chilly at the top
DOGS: Yes, well-behaved dogs are allowed
KIDS: Ehh, this is tough
FULL HIKE DESCRIPTION:
Wagner Butte is a doable challenge. Getting to the top is well worth the effort. No expert climbing skills are needed. Reasonable shape and proper previsions are essential.
While not overly strenuous, the Wagner Butte Trail continually gains elevation. The trail starts with some switchbacks and merges with an overgrown forest service road. It continues with the old road, meandering through the forest and meadows, until it comes to the Sheep Creek Slide.
This is an open area created by a severe thunderstorm in 1983 that set off a debris avalanche. From here, the trail continues gaining elevation and traversing SSE until it comes to Wagner Glade. At the glade, the trail switchbacks and continues on for another 2 miles of rolling terrain to the top. The Wagner Butte Trail ends on a rocky mound that was home to a fire lookout station until 1971. Now, the flat area where the lookout once stood provides amazing view to visitors.
DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
From Pumphouse, at the first light in Talent, turn Left onto Rapp Road. After a mile, Rapp Road turns into Wagner Creek Road. Continue on Wagner Creek Road. After a couple miles, Wagner Creek Road turns to gravel.
About 2.4 miles past the pavement, the road forks. Take the left fork. This will go past a clear cut area at 0.5 miles and then over a cattle guard at 1.4 miles.
Just after the cattle guard is another fork in the road. Take the left fork.
The trailhead is about 2.1 miles past the fork/cattle guard. There will be a large parking area on the right and a sign for the trail on the left.
That’s it, another sweaty, fun adventure from the Rushmore Society.
The Rushmore Society is Southern Oregon’s premiere real life social network of very busy people climbing through life with Adventure, Connection and Play. Do More, Live More, Rushmore.
