Our Wednesday hike group consisting of 8 members gathered at the Wagner Butte trailhead after driving up Wagner Creek Road in a dust storm generated by a logging truck which passed us going at a break neck speed. Other than that encounter, it was a beautiful day to hike a distance of 10 miles (RT) and a steady climb up over 2,800 feet to the top. The temperature was ideal and slightly cool at the beginning but never getting out of the 60’s. A gentle breeze was present throughout our hike.
Along the way we saw numerous wildflowers and the sounds of song birds that were a nice distractions from the climb up.
There was several streams to cross en route . Only 4 of us elected to scale the boulders to reach the summit but it was worth it just for the spectacular views of the valleys below and the peaks around us that still had a fair amount of snow.
After lunch we started back down, gathering the rest of the group who elected to stay just below the top. It was definitely much easier trekking downhill back to the trailhead. Unfortunately, we saw billowing smoke rising up from a fire in the upper Applegate as we descended, and which has continued to burn and spread as I write this report a day later.
The group agreed that the Wagner Butte hike, although demanding and sometimes onerous, was a wonderful hike made easier by the cooler temperature, but spoiled by the fire in the Applegate, reminding us that fire season is upon us as the summer begins.
Michael Bowman
