Sycan River Adventure

Willie and I just got back from a little trip to Eastern Oregon, the Sycan River, near the Sycan Marsh, to be exact. We live west of Crater Lake on the edge of this map.

I had been doing some late night real estate research and found that there was this huge development, surrounded by the Fremont National Forest, near the Sycan River. It is unusual to have so much private land, plotted off, especially surround by national forest. This is high desert, 5,000'.

What sparked my interest was a log cabin on 10 acres with trees for sale in that development for $29,000. Wow, I started looking at that area and found that there were many lots for sale, 10 acres - $14,000, then I even saw on E-Bay, 10 acres - $6,000!! I checked it all out on Google Earth. Huge rectangle, maybe 10 miles by 2 miles, with a regular grid of roads for 10 acre parcels.I started thinking I could afford to buy some recreational land here.

Of course it depended on what it looked like, there is some bleak land in Eastern Oregon, sagebrush and huge lava rock that goes on as far as you can see....we had to check it out and since Friday was my birthday, and I got to pick where the birthday trip would be this year, I picked the Sycan River!

We headed up the back road to Crater Lake.

We did not go all the way up to look at the lake this time, we just skirted the southern end of the National Park and went on down to Fort Klamath. This is a view of the back of Crater Lake, the mountain in the background it what is left of the rim of Mount Manzama when it blew off. These columns were formed by hot gas escaping back to the surface. The little waterfall you can see in the top right is the Annie River and she cut this amazing canyon.

From our house it was 200 miles of paved road to the turn off to the property. Ah, but which turnoff? It was remote here, 75 miles north of Klamath Falls. It was gorgeous here too, large meadows rimmed by pine trees, lots of springs and wetlands. There would be green lovely grass and wildflowers and then it would abruptly turn into sagebrush and lava rocks.

Luckily, we were in one of the many possible side roads looking at our map when a woman drove up and since she could not pass us, she stopped and we started talking, she told us that half the roads on the map we had were either not passable or not there. Wow. She directed us a way that we could come out a mile or so above the property and take the road there from down.

After 3 grueling miles uphill, on sandy roads, we got to where we declared it - the end of the road. She and we, we decided had different definitions of road.

Here is a close-up of the last shot, the "street sign" is the road before the one the cabin is on. The "road" goes straight ahead. We turned the truck around, got out our bikes and headed down. Most of the trail was sand or rough rock river crossings, it was getting late and we needed to get back to the truck, and go find a camp site near the river before dark.
Heading out, though I was still very intrigued and planned to come back the next day. We found a great campsite on forest service land, just north 3 miles on the Sycan River. And just north of there is the Sycan March, 30,000 acres of wetlands owned by the Nature Conservancy.

I thought it very peaceful and beautiful. There was hardly any one up there and the views were awesome.

The next day we rode out on our bikes.

It was a great ride up an old forest service road to the "development", we came in the back way and thought we knew where we were, and realized we were too tired to get to the cabin and ride back.....unbelievable. So still could not get there.
Then found a woman who said we were actually not on the road we thought and riding away from the main road.

We met a guy walking in as we were going out who had just bought 10 acres on E-Bay, sight on seen and was now going to look for it! He had the same map we did.

The realtor, sent me a map and said there is a sign up.

We might have stayed another day if the next morning we were not awakened at 6 am to the sound of chain saws and trees falling. We were in the National Forest and some yahoos were cutting firewood illegally at dawn on a Sunday, I couldn't believe it.

On the way out, soon after the pavement started, was a for sale sign, 8 acres, $4,800. It was wonderful, large pines, green meadows, privacy, flat, views, springs, wow....Even to spend just a little time there every year, would be like a renewal, a pilgrimage, just to know that spot of wildness is there...I'll let you know.

Again, thanks to my loving husband for these great photos.

I'm thinking about going back in September.......................................... :)