We are frequently asked if we lead trips on Steens Mountain. The answer is no, although we would very much like to. If you are interested in such a trip, please contact us. At this time the Bureau of Land Management is working on a new management plan for the area. Commercial use permits will not be issued until it is complete, if at all. We are advised that our chances of acquiring a permit will increase if we can demonstrate that the public is interested.

When the area was designated a Cooperative Management and Protection Area (CMPA) October 30, 2000, a new management plan was required before new permits would be issued. Pending for ten years now, the plan is finally in process and will be released for public review this summer. We anxiously await the opportunity to comment. Hopefully the completed plan will allow us the permit we need in order to provide you with packing opportunities in this marvelous area. In the interim, we have scouted routes and potential campsites in all areas of the mountain and know the landscape well. We remain hopeful that we will be able to offer trips in the near future. Should you wish to plan a trip of your own, please don't hesitate to contact us. We are happy to provide information about the area.

THE MOUNTAIN

When the northern Great Basin country in Oregon's SE corner fractured into massive escarpments and vast broken valleys, Steens Mountain as we know it, was born. Some sixty to seventy miles long, the mountain consists of a block of land that broke along an eastern fault and tilted westward creating a formidable edge on the east and a long gentle slope on the west. Prior to the breakup, a huge shield volcano built of layer upon layer of lava covered the area. As the land cracked and the 'scarp' rose, these layers were exposed to eons of weather cycles that included periods of long cold glaciations. Short glaciers cut the crumbling eastern face into steep hanging basins and canyons, while long rivers of ice gouged the western, northern and southern slopes. The ice is gone now, but the huge U-shaped valleys remain and the drop from the summit to the valley on east is still a nearly vertical drop of over a mile.

The current summit of Steens Mountain lies at over 9700 feet. While it is accessed by a gravel road that tourists frequent, the gorges, eastern slopes and most of the western slope are accessible only by foot. With water easily available in an otherwise desert country, this is a phenomenal place for llama trekking. We, at Burns Llama trailblazers have explored the mountain extensively and compiled a list of superb outings.

Sample Pack Trip:   BIG INDIAN GORGE

Big Indian Gorge is an easy and spectacular hike. Beginning from south Steens Campground on the Steens Mountain Loop Road, this route follows an old jeep track turned hiking trail into the mouth of Big Indian Gorge. Once into the gorge evidence of the jeep track mostly vanishes and you are left to hike a gentle single-track. For Steens Mountain this is a very popular hike, yet the remoteness of the country means you will share the experience with few others. The flat-bottomed glacial valley provides excellent campsites along Indian Creek. Water is always present. Cows have been eliminated. Shade is provided by cottonwoods, aspens and willows.

The route shown above is about eight miles long and climbs some 1900 feet with a resultant average grade of 7%. While we consider this an easy hike, it should be noted that the starting elevation is about 5300 feet and the ending elevation is near 7000 feet. These heights can be difficult for some people and may require slow travel and acclimatization. The trip can be extended by climbing up the headwall and out of the gorge. There is a user 'trail' that leaves from the eastern end of the illustrated route and parallels the small stream descending from the NE. The route is brushy in places with poor footing and steep. There are other options for climbing out as well. All of them require expertly trained llamas and very steady nerves on everyone's part. They are not recommended.