Bunchgrass Ridge to Mount Fuji…
Planned and executed a route from the lower Bunchgrass Ridge trailhead, where we parked the first shuttle, up through the middle of Big Bunchgrass Meadow to a view spot, then SE along the Bunchgrass Ridge trail (3359), all the way to the Upper Bunchgrass Ridge trailhead, where we went cross-country up a ridge system that went towards Mount Fuji, where we caught the upper trail to the summit. Took a long rest break, then took the trail back down to the Mount Fuji trailhead, where we parked the second shuttle.
A big day through a beautiful lush meadow with lots of flowers, along a ridge with various degrees of wildfire burn, and up to the summit of Mount Fuji. Some places in the severe burn it literally felt like we were in an oven, hot sun with no shade.
A fantastic long day out with my lovely wife, Deb.
Bunchgrass Trailhead (upper)
Entering what’s called Big Bunchgrass, a large meadow…
Nice view of Diamond Peak. We can also see Mount David Douglass and Verdin Rock.
Some wildflowers…
Looking north, down towards Black Canyon in the distance.
Looking west, down at the town of Oakridge. If you zoom in, you can see the airport runway…
I thought I saw a Giraffe, but it was only a toasted log.
Another view of Diamond Peak.
The Bunchgrass Ridge trail is very overgrown due to the lack of boots on the ground since the 2022 Cedar Creek Fire.
A short unburned section…
Severely burned section…
Getting closer to Mount Fuji, which you can see through the dead trees.
From the ridge, looking NE at The Three Sisters, Broken Top, and Waldo Lake…
From the summit of Mount Fuji, looking back at where we came from…
Back at the Mount Fuji trailhead (upper)
Today’s track…
Good that you planned a shuttle. That would have been quite a long hike in the heat.
The burned area reminded me of the area around Marion Lake after the fire there.
And the burnt wood sure did look like a deceased antlered creature.