High-Desert Running

Hot weather, lava rocks, and remote wilderness tested our mettle and overland skills in Central Oregon.

by

Words by Mercedes Lilienthal

Waking up to a cool and crisp morning, my husband Andy and I load up our camp gear into our new-to-us 1994 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear 4x4 van. As we take off, our camp list keeps going through our head. Did we miss anything? Did we pack everything for our maiden off-road adventure with it? Did we pack our ARB ZERO fridge full of food and drinks? Yes. Did we bring our Lifesaver jerry can to filter water? We did. As camping veterans, we’re used to pulling things together quickly for off-pavement excursions. But, this time was different—it was many months since we last camped. It felt awkward and a bit uneasy to gather our essentials. It’d be the first time we’d camp during a global pandemic.

COVID-19 has ravaged the world, including North America. Our friends are isolated from us. Gone are the days of North American overlanding rallies where we can hang out, be merry, and talk of previous adventures. Here are face masks, social distancing, and world-wide uncertainty. However, we don’t want our sense of adventure to dwindle away as our waistlines get bigger. We got out for five days of solitude while distancing properly with another Delica buddy of ours Martin Myers, his son Cooper, and Jorge (a two year old Chihuahua mix dog).

Double Delicas

Martin Myers enjoys almost everything outdoors-related. From backpacking, kayaking, and skiing, to fishing and off-roading; his Delica 4x4 van helps him explore these areas. Marie (named after the first woman to climb Mt. Blanc in Chamonix, France) is Martin’s 1992 Mitsubishi Delica (L300) Star Wagon Chamonix edition with a high roof. “Its current upgrades are an EGR delete, EGT gauge, two-and-a-half-inch side dump exhaust, black steel wheels (wrapped in 30x9.50 General Grabber ATX all-terrain tires),” said Martin.

Up top are Thule cross bars, a Thule cargo box, and a 2500x2500mm awning to provide shade. Inside upgrades consist of a homemade slide-out kitchen and storage bed system, “keeping things easy and convenient while on the road.”

While our Delica Space Gear is nearly stock (sans BF Goodrich KO2 all-terrain tires, window tint, and a US-market head unit and aftermarket stereo speakers), we have big plans to build it up. We’re already researching front and rear steel bumper options and will install a WARN winch and auxiliary lights once they’re mounted. Additional upgrades will be a roof rack system and long range replacement diesel tank from Australia (supplied by Long Range America). Our interior, while mostly original, may also don a camp/sleeping build-out.

Ground Hog Rock Crawl and China Hat

After rendezvousing in Bend, Oregon, we quickly left civilization to head for high desert remoteness. About 32 km (20 mi) outside of Bend, several kilometres off of Highway 20 on Road 2510, is the Ground Hog Rock Crawl and OHV play area—part of the East Fort Rock OHV trail system. It’s the perfect spot to start our double Delica off-road and remote camping adventure.

Created in 2006, the Ground Hog Rock Crawl offers a lava rock crawling pit and large gravel mounds left over from an old rock quarry. Although small, it’s a fun pit stop while investigating many of the 512 km (318 mi) the East Fort Rock OHV trail system has to offer. Craggy lava rocks creak and crack in a hollow-sounding manner, while the soft gravel mounds sound like ocean waves crashing about when driving over them.

As we toured around, we made our way to the top of China Hat via a narrowly cut dirt-filled trail. As many other mounds in central Oregon, China Hat is a volcanic butte. China Hat Road, named after the butte, is a major connector to many of the trails in the region. The butte was named for its similar appearance to the hat worn by Chinese immigrant labourers, when viewed from Fort Rock.

Paulina Peak and Crack in the Ground

After staying near Ground Hog Rock Crawl for a few nights, we packed up and headed for Paulina Peak. Boasting an elevation of 2433 m (7,984 ft), Paulina Peak is highest point on the Newberry Volcano. Located just off of Highway 97, 31 km (12.9 mi) east on County Road 21/Paulina Lake Road, then 6.6 km (4.1 mi) on Forest Road 2100 500, is where the overlook is. While most vehicles can make this trek, folks with a fear of heights should take note. While the gravel road seems well-traveled, oncoming traffic can be a bit tricky.

Paulina Peak offers an expansive view of the Newberry Caldera (south and west flanks of the Newberry Volcano), the Cascades Mountain Range, the Fort Rock Basin, as well as central Oregon. On a clear day, over a dozen mountains of the Cascade Range can be seen. From California’s Mt. Shasta to Washington’s Mt. Adams, as well as many of Oregon’s majestic peaks in between. We were fortunate to count more than a dozen white-capped mountaintops during our visit.

Never have we seen massive lava flows, a huge water-filled caldera boasting Paulina and East Lake, an abundance of evergreen trees, and distant sand dunes in one spot before—all framed by mountain peaks. This majestic sight was awe-inspiring; it’s part of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument - a place we won’t soon forget.

Crack in the Ground, however is the exact opposite of Paulina Peak. This volcanic fissure is about 3.2 km (2 mi) long, with its craggy depth measuring a dozen metres below ground level in some places. This sliver of oversized lava boulders and smooth lava rock walls invite curious hikers inside for a temperature-dropping experience. Temps can be much cooler the lower you go—a welcome relief to the searing sun that was pounding our bodies that day.

Located about 11 km (7 mi) north of the small town of Christmas Valley, Crack in the Ground is a must-stop for hikers who are looking for a unique “slot-canyon” type excursion. A pit toilet is supplied on site.

Hole in the Ground

Approximately 88 km (55 mi) southeast of Bend lay an array of forest roads that connect Highway 31 to multiple trailheads. National Forest Road 400 was our dirt-laden access road to yet another uniquely named feature: Hole in the Ground. As with many other trails our Delicas traversed during the trip, NFR 400 required careful maneuvering to make it to our next camp destination. Running high-clearance vehicles in central Oregon is a must when adventuring remotely.

Hole in the Ground is an “explosion crater” that was caused by red hot magma heaving upwards under the Earth's surface until making contact with groundwater. The massive explosion blew rock and ash into a perfect circle, approximately 1.6 km (1 mi) across. A rim road offers up a 360 degree view of the crater while three trails lead down to the crater’s bottom (two trails heading straight down whereas the third spirals into its silty center).

Remote camping is permitted around the rim; make sure to pack out whatever you bring along with you, and then some. The south and west areas of the rim are wooded with intermittent pine trees, whereas the rest of the rim is bare to nature’s elements. Both Delicas found a spot deep enough to park just off the rim road, and as we sat in our windy paradise having a beer, watching an amazing sunset that never seemed to end. Stars eventually greeted us in vivid fashion—with the dark night’s sky adorned with a flowing and colourful Milky Way.

“One of my favorite parts of the weekend was taking Andy and Mercedes to Hole in the Ground, a place I've been many times, and seeing them have the same reaction as the first time I went there,” Martin said.

Prepare for Anything

As the old adage goes: we can hope for the best but should prepare for the worst. Anything can happen so be prepared with tools, recovery gear, layers of clothing, extra water, etc. when venturing remotely. During our off-pavement travels, the cap on Martin’s five-quart motor oil jug popped off in his Thule cargo box, sending oil oozing down the side of Marie. Our rear lift gate didn’t want to shut. Additionally, a driveline damper rattled loose and was making an awful metal-on-metal clanging noise on our L400.

Trail-side mishaps or repairs happen—but, by being prepared with proper gear and a level head makes adventuring a lot easier. After troubleshooting the clanging together, the driveline damper was disconnected, we figured out how to manually shut the lift gate with our Leatherman tool, and Martin cleaned up the oil spill with Simple Green and towels after he got home. A quick clay bar and wax job afterward and Marie, his Delica, was back to her old self again.