Beaten back by rain, snow and wind, Tucker and I shamelessly retreated to the shelter of a Lakeview motel. The weather is predicted to improve tomorrow, so we hope to be right on track with the itinerary for a hike up DeGarmo Canyon tomorrow, a quick soak in Hart Mountain Hot Springs, and the trip over to Steens.
We finally launched from the driveway a bit after 10 a.m., just a couple hours after I'd hoped. Not bad given the slacker weekend I enjoyed in the warm sun! After a couple last-minute errands, Tucker and I and a car-load of camping gear were on our way.
I marveled at how little snow there was at Government Camp, then started down the east side of the mountain in a driving rain. This trend would continue most of the way to Lakeview, broken up by periods of sun, snow and hail.
There was nothing summery about Summerlake. In fact, you could barely see the lake for the black cloud that was draped over it. Even so, the trip down Oregon Highway 31 was quite enjoyable. Pine flats gave way to rolling sagebrush hills, then wide green valleys sprouting ranches in the shadow of Winter Ridge.
When we arrived at the junction of 395 (where we planned to turn north to enter Heart Mountain Antelope Refuge) Heart Mountain was shrouded in thick gray cloud, so we opted to head south to town and shelter. Tucker and I walked around town during a break in precipitation, then I sought refuge in Mexican food and margaritas.
It seemed the entire residency of the Lakeview Lodge was also there. There are only four restaurants in town and two are closed on Mondays, so options were limited. A group of BLM staffers were in town for a meeting, and a couple from Portland had driven over today to take care of her mother's estate.
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