Mary's Peak: Siuslaw National Forest, OR

Let the rain begin, the season of enlightenment! Well, the fog anyways...an unexpected surprise when the anticipation of downpours hits you in the core before beginning a hike. Today was the OSU Adventure Club's first outing since its creation this year, leading 9 students into the wild wilderness of the west: Mary's Peak. Ok, so Mary's Peak isn't the most wild place, or the most wilderness-y, but it does rein over the valley as the tallest mountain in the Oregon coast range at 4097 ft, which totally kicks ass.

Today's journey brought us up the East Ridge trail, beginning from Connor's camp off of Mary's Peak Road. Connor's camp does cost money to drive in, but for day hiking there is a free parking lot on the side of the road just past the camp. The trail starts off well defined in lush forest as it ascends the east side of the mountain. The landscape quickly shapes itself into a roomy douglas-fir forest, leading through an understory of vine maple, sword ferns, oregon grape and vanilla leaf. The trail ascends at an angle enough to burn my precious calves, but makes for a good cardio workout if one pushes their way on, enjoying the open forest floor and views of the mountains through the trees.

The East Ridge Trail eventually meets the North Ridge trail, which took us up to the old dirt road near the summit's parking lot. The peak was dismal, with no visibility on an otherwise amazing mountain, but hey, we cheered anyways. A scramble down a drainage to the west presented some challenges with thickets of thorn-laden brush and slick understory on steep slopes..but we all survived with a skip in our step and a sense of adventure. The East and North Ridge trails are great day hikes that rank a "moderate" difficulty (for those who keep track), and a picnic on the summit is definitely recommended on a clear day. Overall, if one hasn't made a trip to Mary's Peak yet, it is a gem of Western Oregon and a great trip for OSU students needing a trip to the woods.

McDonald Forest/Jackson Creek, Benton County, OR

What better way to crown the beginning of a new travel blog but with an adventure in my own backyard. Traveling with a good friend who hails from back east, we decided to check out Dan's Trail in the Jackson creek area of the Oregon State University-managed McDonald Forest just north of Corvallis, Oregon.

This 7.6 mile trail had some pros and cons, but felt deceiving from the very start. From all of the local literature on this trail, the "strenuous" difficulty rating was something to question from the second we hit the trail. The 1,400 feet elevation gain and difficulty rating led me to pack a full day's worth of food, weather-appropriate gear, water, first aid and emergency supplies in attempt to follow the ever-growing list of "10" essentials, while my hiking buddy rained in with a thermos of water and a sandwich. First thinking this was a difference in style rather than trail norm, I quickly realized virtually no one along the trail had packed much more than my feisty friend..except me.

The trail itself was well used, running into a variety of hikers, dog-owners and mountain bikers along the way. Starting at the junction of Chip Ross Park in Corvallis, the trail winds through mixed forest, crossing jackson creek at a tiny water pool. The last 2 miles leads to switch backs of less-then-epic proportions, easing their way up to the summit of Dimple Hill. The trail is banked by blackberries that are ever-plentiful here in the Beaver State, providing a yummy post-lunch snack while sitting and enjoying the pastel views of the Willamette Valley in the low autumn sun. Overall, it was a nice hike..(dare I say stroll?)...for anyone in Corvallis it is a nice quiet getaway from the buzz of Monroe St and academia.