10
Feb
2013
jloomis

Snowmobiling Near Badger Lake on Grasshopper Road 4860

What better way to finish the weekend than with another snowmobile adventure? On Sunday my friend John and I went snowmobiling from Frog Lake Sno-Park (about 7 miles SE of Government Camp, Oregon). I wanted to ride about 20 miles to the area where we have been deer hunting the past few years near Badger Lake. There are some clearcuts and open areas that could be potentially fun on a snowmobile.

John met me at my house and we hit the road before 7 AM. There were about a dozen vehicles already at Frog Lake Sno-Park when we arrived a little after 8 AM, many of which had been there overnight. The weather was perfect. No wind, blue sky, and about 25°F. I knew it was going to be a phenomenal day.

We unloaded the snowmobiles at a leisurely pace while enjoying the barking of all the sled dogs eager to get on their way. There was only a trace of fresh snow on the trail, but it was still soft and without ice. We quickly made our way down road 2610 to 43 to 48 and finally to 4860 about 22 miles away. We made great time on the previously groomed trails. Road 4860 is not groomed and is much narrower, so we slowed down a little. It is also farther East and lower in elevation meaning less snow (only about 6 inches). We quickly climbed in elevation to where there was several feet of snow on the ground.

Beginning of Grasshopper Road 4860     Our Deer Hunting Spot Burried in 3-4' of Snow

We found our deer hunting spot and played around in some of the sparsely treed meadows of the area which John coined "Loomis Meadows." It was all untracked, virgin powder. Fantastic - and nobody was around!

After getting our fill of fun in the meadows, we headed back to the main road and continued on toward Grasshopper Point.

Wide Open Spaces Make for Lots of Fun     Grasshopper Road To Badger Lake

We made another stop on the way at a viewpoint of Mt Hood and a memorial for someone named Toni Ann Hunt (1950-2003). We have seen the memorial before during hunting season and it was still very much visible in the middle of winter. All snow seemed to have been blown away, keeping the memorial clear for all to see.

View of Mt Hood     Toni Ann Hunt Memorial 1950-2003

We made a hairpin turn left off the main road onto the old Grasshopper road which heads close to the top of Grasshopper Point. Just before the road started heading back down, we turned off of it and headed to the right. By miracle, we weaved in and out of the trees and right onto the top of the highest part of Grasshopper Point. It's only a small area about 100 square feet total. It is clear of trees and has unobstructed views of Mt Hood to the North and Mt Jefferson, Mt Washington, Three Sisters, and Broken Top to the South. We found it on accident one year while deer hunting in the area. This was our first time here in the snow. It was definitely worth the trip. We stuck around and relaxed for a while, taking in the views and soaking up the warm sunshine.

Mt Hood from Grasshopper Point     On Top of Grasshopper Point
Mt Jefferson from Grasshopper Point     Parked on the Very Top of Grasshopper Point

After our break, we pushed our snowmobiles back down off the point (they don't have reverse and the point was steep and rocky on the other side) and headed back to the main road where we continued on toward Badger Lake. We made it within two miles of the lake and decided to turn around at the same spot some past snowmobilers had. This part of the road is cut into a steep hillside and gets washed away in snow. We decided it was too steep and not worth the risk trying to traverse the hillside on snowmobiles. Hiking would have been fine and I am sure some of the more experienced sledders out there could have made it with a little work.

Road to Badger Lake     Two Miles from Badger Lake
The Disappearing Road Two Miles from Badger Lake

On the way back we stopped again to play in Loomis Meadows and eat lunch. The sun was still shining brightly and the wind almost non-existent. It was an absolutely gorgeous day and probably the best day snowmobiling I have ever had. We had a great time, stayed safe, and didn't crash the sleds.

Gear List

'02 Polaris 500 RMK Snowmobiles
Osprey Variant 37 Pack
GMAX GM76X Helmet
Smith Phenom Turbo Fan Rx Goggles
Columbia Men’s Bugaboot Max Electric Boots
Columbia Men's Echochrome Ski Pants
Columbia Titanium Hightail II Softshell Jacket
Columbia Men's Triple Trail Shell Jacket
Columbia Powerfly Down Puff Jacket
Head Digital Sport Liner Gloves
Outdoor Research Ambit Gloves
Columbia Men's Fast Trek Fleece Hat
Balaclava
Petzl TIKKA XP 2 Headlamp
HighGear ATF8 Altimeter
Olympus Tough TG-1 Camera
Lifeline Aluminum Sport Utility Snow Shovel
First Aid Kit
iPhone w/NeoTreksGPS
Suunto A-10 Compass

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