Forum Index > Trip Reports > Gray Butte (Central Oregon) - 3.10.2007
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ragman and rodman
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Joined: 28 Apr 2005
Posts: 1219 | TRs | Pics
Location: http://rgervin.com/
ragman and rodman
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PostMon Mar 19, 2007 11:03 am 
At 5100 feet, Gray Butte provides the highest 360 degree views of the area surrounding Smith Rock State Park... Bachelor, Broken Top, the Three Sisters, Mt. Washington, and Jefferson are to the west... Mt. Hood to the north... and rolling plains to the east and south. We parked in the Smith Rock State Park parking lot ($3 day-use permit required)... quickly lost 150 feet of elevation and crossed the Crooked River on a footbridge... turned north (right) and walked along the river to the park boundary... regained the 150 feet of elevation and connected with the Burma Road... after a mile of walking on the the Burma Road we reached the ridge and got our first good look at Gray Butte... here we left the Burma Road and found a nice trail that traverses along the hillside for approximately two miles where we reconnected with the Burma Road... one mile of steady uphill road walking got us to the top of Gray Butte. 10 miles roundtrip, gaining 2750 feet of elevation. Gray Butte pictures ..

"Teanaway 70" Peaks List... a guide to hiking and scrambling in the Teanaway Area. ----------------
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Tazz
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Joined: 27 Apr 2005
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Tazz
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PostMon Mar 19, 2007 11:07 am 
hey I did this one with Josh! It is a nice peak for some great views of the area. Thanks for the images. smile.gif

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Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)



Joined: 02 Mar 2002
Posts: 1967 | TRs | Pics
Location: ex Kennewick, Wa & Lehi Utah
Dean
(aka CascadeHiker)
PostMon Mar 19, 2007 12:29 pm 
Nice to see your central Oregon reports and pics. Lots of neat areas in Oregon that most people don't know about. up.gif

Dean - working in Utah for awhile and feeling like it is a 'paid' vacation. http://www.summitpost.org/user_page.php?user_id=1160
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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon



Joined: 03 Feb 2007
Posts: 2456 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Dakota
moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon
PostThu Apr 05, 2018 5:53 am 
ragman and rodman wrote:
Gray Butte pictures
"The Photo Album you are requesting has been removed: I am sorry for this inconvenience... however, the photo album software that I was using prior to 2008 is no longer supported by the developer. All of the photo albums that were created after December 31, 2007 are still available for your enjoyment." Rats....I was really wanting to see pics of this butte. It was suggested to me as a good location by a business acquaintance in Bend, but I haven't been back to central Oregon in the past two years. Anyway, if you still have the pics, are you able to host them elsewhere? Thanks for the interesting website, there is more to see, I see....

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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ragman and rodman
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Joined: 28 Apr 2005
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Location: http://rgervin.com/
ragman and rodman
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PostThu Apr 05, 2018 9:55 am 
moonspots wrote:
I was really wanting to see pics of this butte. It was suggested to me as a good location by a business acquaintance in Bend, but I haven't been back to central Oregon in the past two years. Anyway, if you still have the pics, are you able to host them elsewhere?
This photo was taken from the Burma Road... looking down on Smith Rock State Park... with Broken Top and the Three Sisters on the left horizon... and Black Butte on the far right horizon: Looking down on Smith Rock State Park from the Burma Road. This photo was taken an hour after the above photo... looking up at Gray Butte... probably taken on the section of trail that cuts off a portion of the Burma Road: Gray Butte from the Burma Road

"Teanaway 70" Peaks List... a guide to hiking and scrambling in the Teanaway Area. ----------------
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wildernessed
viewbagger



Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 9275 | TRs | Pics
Location: Wenatchee
wildernessed
viewbagger
PostThu Apr 05, 2018 5:57 pm 
up.gif

Living in the Anthropocene
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Old Not Bold Hiker



Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4745 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bend Oregon
boot up
Old Not Bold Hiker
PostThu Apr 05, 2018 9:17 pm 
I live a 35 minute drive from Smith Rock so I get there fairly often. My favorite loop is going up Burma, down the other side, and then loop back on the River trail. A local favorite is the "Triple Threat", going up Burma, hitting the peak right behind Burma Pass, then going over to and hitting Grey Butte, finishing off by going over Misery Ridge. You don't want to do that in the heat of a Summer afternoon! There is "back way" to get to Grey butte, using some backroads and going through some open range land, not going in through Smith Rock State park. I haven't done that one yet. I don't have too many pics of behind Burma. It's not all that photogenic in comparison to the "front facing" views.
Grey Butte, Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
Grey Butte, Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
The little peak right behind Burma "Pass" has close to the views of Grey Butte.
Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
Behind Burma pass, Smith Rock
And really, the views from Burma are about 90% of the views from Grey Butte.
7.7 miles round trip 
1700 feet elevation gain. 
The elevation curve says it all. 
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
7.7 miles round trip 1700 feet elevation gain. The elevation curve says it all. Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Mtn biker enjoying the view from the top of Burma. 
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Mtn biker enjoying the view from the top of Burma. Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Mtn biker contemplating Burma road. 
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Mtn biker contemplating Burma road. Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Definitely a worthwhile place to visit and hike! I have a 2 year Oregon state park pass, daily admission is reasonable, but parking fills up fast, so get there early, especially on weekends. You get out of the crowds very fast when you start going up Burma.....You will find out why. Plus most of the parking seems to be climbers, and they stay out of the way, heading up the walls.

friluftsliv
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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon



Joined: 03 Feb 2007
Posts: 2456 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Dakota
moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon
PostFri Apr 06, 2018 6:41 am 
ragman and rodman wrote:
This photo was taken from the Burma Road...
Thank you, that is a very good shot, and one I'd like to send to a friend. I was describing the Misery Ridge trail to her yesterday, and she thought perhaps she and her fiancee would like to hike in the area next summer.

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon



Joined: 03 Feb 2007
Posts: 2456 | TRs | Pics
Location: North Dakota
moonspots
Happy Curmudgeon
PostFri Apr 06, 2018 6:47 am 
boot up wrote:
I live a 35 minute drive from Smith Rock so I get there fairly often.
And thank you for those shots and the narrative. I've been to Smith Rock once. I visited the head office of Entreprisis (the climbing wall manufacturer in Bend), and on the way back up to my kid's place in Washington, I stopped there for a bit. What a neat place. I'm wanting to get my son and my brother (and maybe the grandkids) up there, perhaps this summer. Thanks again.

"Out, OUT you demons of Stupidity"! - St Dogbert, patron Saint of Technology
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Old Not Bold Hiker



Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Posts: 4745 | TRs | Pics
Location: Bend Oregon
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Old Not Bold Hiker
PostFri Apr 06, 2018 8:13 am 
moonspots wrote:
I was describing the Misery Ridge trail to her yesterday, and she thought perhaps she and her fiancee would like to hike in the area next summer.
I personally think the Misery Trail is overrated compared to the Burma trail. Unless you like to watch crowds of people slipping on the steep and scrabbly trail. Burma gets you up higher with better overall views of Smith Rock, for about the same effort and less crowds. Of course a lot of Locals like to do Burma and Misery on the same hike. Closer cropped view of Misery from Burma
Misery trail from Burma, digital zoom
Misery trail from Burma, digital zoom
And the view of lower Misery trail from the parking lot side...
Climbers with a long way to go. 
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Climbers with a long way to go. Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
I it is hard to get a pic of the backside of Misery Trail, which goes by Monkey Face, and I will say a closeup view of Monkey Face is pretty cool. This is it from the River Trail.(River trail is a nice family friendly option)
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Smith Rock State Park, Terrebonne OR 3/12/18
Just don't do silly things like jumping around on the rocks on top of Misery Ridge. A few people die doing that from time to time.
Smith Rock 1/8/18, Terrebonne OR
Smith Rock 1/8/18, Terrebonne OR
It is pretty hard to go wrong hiking anywhere around Smith Rock, just beware of hot summer afternoons. Heck, even the parking lot Rim Trail has amazing views.
Smith Rock 1/8/18, Terrebonne OR
Smith Rock 1/8/18, Terrebonne OR

friluftsliv
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