Pilot Butte-Big Butte Challenge #5

After we finished our South Sister Adventure we decided to extend our trip a bit and head out to Crane Hot Springs.  Crane Hot Springs are out past Burns so still a bit of a drive but worth it!

We said our goodbyes to Josh and Wendie and headed out.  

On the way through Bend we decided to get another Butte hike off our list since we were going to drive right by the Butte.  It sits literally in the city of Bend.  

This one is a one mile hike up to the top of a cinder cone.  

We got there before 10 am so the gate to the road to the top was closed still.  We parked over in a nearby church parking lot and walked over to the road.  We realized later there was a parking lot on the other side of the butte and a trailhead there.  But it all worked to be the same mileage so oh well.  

I was a little worried about how my knee would feel after the adventures the day before coming down from Moraine Lake.  

The nice part was that it was only a one mile ascent.  We also walked on the road so there wasn't rocks and roots to navigate. And there was only 500 feet of elevation which comparted to the 1,500 feet of elevation from the day before it seemed not too bad.  

Overall I felt good.  We took it slow and I only had to take a couple of short breaks to catch my breath.  Breathing at higher altitutdes is no joke and I see why athletes go to places like Colorado to training in the high altitudes!

We got to the top and as usual, the views did not disappoint!

Broken Top and the Sisters with Bend in the foreground.

Weird to think that one day earlier I had been much closer to Broken Top and the South Sister!

We walked down the road.  We could see lots of mud and debris from the storm that had happened the night before in Bend but had missed us up in the forest.  

I still have a long way to go with weight loss (again) but making progress.

Once we got to the main road we were walking to the truck and Joe spotted three bucks in a grassy space between the road to the top of the butte and the houses on the next street.  They all had big racks with at least four points, maybe five.  So crazy they were right in the middle of town!

So now we have five buttes done in the Big Butte Challenge.  Going to have to work hard to get the rest done before October 1 but I believe we will! 

This challenge has really helped my confidence in doing hikes with lots of elevation.  Especially since I am so heavy right now.  

Getting stronger, one hike at a time.