Eastern Oregon I: Exploring the Alvord Desert
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- Опубліковано 15 гру 2024
- NOTE: This is a re-release. It was necessary to re-edit this video due to some errors I made the first time around. The original has been deactivated for months so if you're a recent subscriber, this may be new to you! :-)
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Episode 1 of 3 covering a multi-day overland excursion exploring and camping in remote eastern Oregon wilderness.
Eastern Oregon Part I: Exploring the Alvord
We meet up with friends old and new in southeastern Oregon to experience the vast open expanse of the Alvord Desert. Our crew crisscrosses the playa by day and set up a cozy encampment for the night.
Eastern Oregon Part II: Beyond the Alvord
• Eastern Oregon Part II...
Some of us push further into the remote Oregon desert for another night of camping, creek crossings, and historical finds.
Eastern Oregon Part III: Malheur National Forest
• Eastern Oregon Part II...
After saying goodbye to the crew, my son and I take an unplanned excursion exploring Malheur National Forest and run into some trouble at our campsite.
Huge thanks to @pnw_crosstrek and @dahlenadventures for providing footage and photos to help complete the story.
Tons of credit to my son Colin who provided a lot of the camera operating as well as creative vision. Thanks Colin!
Colin's tent cot:
amzn.to/32OpHcu
The $15 iPad Mini mount:
amzn.to/2YauaGT
FuelPax 3.5 gallon gas can by Rotopax:
amzn.to/2YbqFA2
X-Bull Traction Boards:
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(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases made after clicking one of my ^ links. This costs you nothing, but the small commissions earned on referrals help make it possible for me to continue creating content for this channel. Thank you for your support!)
I guess that we have to make our own fun. So good to see friends in the out of doors enjoying life.
Thanks for sharing,
This seriously makes me wanna move out west and get into spending more time outdoors. Love your channel by the way!! Sending love all the way from Pennsylvania🙂
I'm from MA, I feel the same way now! 😁
I agree. From a S/W Pennsylvanian.
Check out the venture4wd channel. He does a bunch of pretty awesome videos overlanding up in your area. Beautiful area (im from out west, its brown here).
stevbarto oh sweet I didn’t know there were any areas like that in PA. Thanks!
The west is the best 👌
9:38 SAFARI!
The vegetation islands at 4:30 reminds me of the water version my wife and I like to paddle on the Inner Coastal Waterway at Topsail Island, NC. Strange and wonderful, how nature repeats.
Thank you my friend for another amazing adventure video. This area of our state is truly awe inspiring. I stood atop Steens Mountain and gazed longingly at the Alvord. Now that you’ve enlightened me and showed me that I too can “soft road” it, I can’t wait to go back and explore this part of the state. I await with eager anticipation your videos in the upcoming new year. Peace, good health and happiness to you and yours.👍🍻🚙
Thank you! And yes...totally worth a return trip, driving on the playa is such a unique experience. We were unable to get up onto Steens when we were there as the road was still under snow and hadn't opened for the season yet so I've got to get back down there one day! Seasons greetings to you!
I saw the Alvoid from the top of the Steens and I never went down there now I have to see it myself !
Must admit, I never get bored of watching your vids no matter how many times I see them, even if I don't always comment. You have the knack of making everything you film so interesting. Keep ondoing what you're doing!!
Loved your initial release of this. Fun to see it again in the re-release. Such a beautiful area and those sunset shots, wow!
Thanks Dan. Definitely a highlight of 2019, gotta get back here too as the road up Steens Mountain was closed when we were there and that looks to be a spectacular drive.
Coming back to this video for research. Heading here soon. Woohoo. Looks epic. Think I will channel my inner you as this is a drivers paradise
GET IT MATT COOK! Let's see that Crosstrek rippin' across the playa! Epic drone shots waiting to happen. Just avoid the darker stuff!
Thanks for the nice surprise. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Adventurous New Year!
Great attitude and video. Impressive cinematography! Thanks for sharing!
Nice re-release. I watched the first one and can't remember any issues. Merry Christmas.
Came across your channel I don't recall exactly how long ago via the Primal Outdoors channel....the Oregon connection I guess.....and I had started following Primal Outdoors because of the trailer he was towing (I was shopping for an off-road trailer at the time).
So I've been going back thru and watching some of your older videos (nice body of work) and I just now see this video..... and so by now I have my trailer already and just over a month ago I took it to "The Playa" Black Rock Desert which is very similar, bigger version of the Alvord.....
And so I had also posted a video of my trip after our return so it was very interesting to now see your take on a very similar place.
If you're curious and have some time to waste you can see my take in the video I made, and my trailer set-up on my channel BirdPhish.... the video title is "Expedition 2.0 by Off-Grid Trailers goes to "The Playa" - Black Rock Desert" It was an adventure for sure! Bonus teaser....you'll see what happens when we get a visit to our camp from a HUGE Great Black Hornet! Happy camping!
Super exploration footage, warm colors and a lot of nice motion! Planning a trip with family to drive Crosstrek and ADV bike from PDX.
Subscribed. Thanks!
Glad to see Colin taking an interest in this. Something cool you guys can share. You're doing a great job in production too. Keep it up!
Thanks! Colin is now doing video production and other media arts studies at the community college. He's become a real asset when he's able to join me. I'm looking forward to getting back out on the playa soon and hope it doesn't rain!
3rd watch. Checking out Alvord videos for editing inspiration. You were 2nd on an Alvord desert youtube search!
I'm not watching your vid unless we get to see your Crosstrek racing across the playa.
Looks like a mad max movie...... : )
Haha! That didn't cross my mind at the time but you're totally right...maybe we should have a little fun with that next time we're down there. ;-) Thanks for watching!
Those burgers look amazing!!!!
That looks awesome.
It *was* awesome, among my favorite trips ever! Totally worth trekking to whatever playa is nearest you...it's really unlike anything else.
Вау, чувак! У тебя уже почти 10к подписчиков, Поздравляю! Помню когда нас было 650)
Спасибо!
Ty for the Christmas present :D
Newer subscriber here ... love your videos keep em coming ..
I started to watch this video, without read description, and tell to myself: "Hum... I have already see this one, no?" 😆
Haha, yes, yes you have. :-)
Your videos inspire me to trek out to the wild with my family for next year (live in MA, but love visiting NH and ME). Sucks that we don't have nice off roading spots like Oregon. 😩
We are indeed very fortunate out here. All of the western states have pretty significant tracts of National Forest and BLM lands which are just waiting to be explored. I hope you're able to come get a taste of it! Thanks for watching!
10:55 vast, desolate sunset vistas are a feature, not a flaw, of camping out west.
Not sure I understand...was it suggested they are a flaw?
@@softroadingthewest That's a meme based joke.
Davey Bernard Aaahh gotcha, went right past me 😆
Love your vlogs dude! Jk. Amazin area. Think its any good in winter? Maybe boring when covered in a sheet of snow. Anyways im about to head to mountains for a week hope I find something interesting.
As I understand it, it's rather treacherous once it gets wet. Though I think it would be the opposite of boring under a sheet of snow...that would be pretty amazing actually. But I wouldn't dare go out there now. Have a great week Matt...sounds nice! I will be very surprised if you don't find something interesting over the span of that much time in the mountains.
Do you by chance know what type of front bumper is on the xterra at the beginning of the video? Is it a custom one off?
I'm 95% certain that was a custom build. He is @xturda on Instagram, might find more info on his page. Thanks for watching!
Thank you! Love your channel, keep up the great work!
Fellow Eugenian here. Four questions: 1.How does one get from the Fields-Denio Rd onto the playa itself? I'm looking on google map satellite view and it's not entirely clear. I see you entered pretty easily, are there a lot of ways to drive in? 2.Coming from Eugene and then via Burns (I expect) does it make more sense to take Fields-Denio Rd or 205/Catlow Valley Rd? 3. Where is the closest gas? Fields? 4. When was this trip? Thank you! Great video, it's bittersweet to see the halcyon days before Covid :)
Coming from Burns, take 205 all the way to Fields. Gas up there (it's the only gas in the area), then head back north up Fields-Denio Rd past the 205 junction to get to the Alvord. The access road I used both times I was there is a little less than 2 miles south of the Alvord Hot Springs. It's rough but do-able in a vehicle with decent ground clearance. There is a lot of private land along there so you definitely don't want to go down any of the roads that look like they lead to houses. My understanding is that there's a smooth flat access road from the Alvord hot springs, but it's private road and they charge $5 or something to use it. The trip in this video was late June 2019.
I was actually just back down there a few weeks ago, which will be seen in this weekend's upcoming video, though this new episode doesn't really provide any additional info or insight. :-)
@@softroadingthewest Awesome, thank you for the info sir! You are a scholar and a gentlemen! 😁
Do you think that’s a good area to 200mph on my hellcat?
It is a place where land speed records have been attempted and set. Note that famous racer Jessi Combs crashed and was killed attempting to set a speed record on the Alvord just last year; granted, she was doing over 500 mph in a jet car. But the surface of the playa doesn't feel quite the same as driving on pavement. At 70 mph my car starts to feel weirdly floaty, and my friends reported the same phenomenon. The surface is not smooth and there can be hard dry ruts that get cut into it by people driving when it is soft and wet. Most of the time, there are at least some people out there tooling around, and some people even set up camp out in the middle of the playa. Visibility can be impacted by the wind kicking up dust and distances become difficult to judge. Personally I don't think trying to drive 200 mph out there (or anywhere other than a closed racetrack or airstrip for that matter) is a safe activity, unless ample precautions are taken, including pre-scouting the entire course one would run to ensure no obstacles, some way to prevent people from erring into your course, having tires and suspension that are up to this specific task, and I would think a roll cage, harness, helmet, etc. I don't know if there are specific regulations for people making speed attempts, but discussing it with the local BLM office that manages this area seems like it would be wise. People drive fast out there, and it's huge, very wide open, but no one out there expects to encounter something going 200 mph. :-)
I do really enjoy your videos. I wonder what editing program you are using, then you are a pro!
Thank you! I edit in Adobe Premiere Pro.
@@softroadingthewest Thank you! It would be a cool video you showing us how you create your videos. You are really good at it and i think it would benefit the community a lot. Keep them coming!
High desert. Looks like much better than Phoenix and not as hot
Love it!
We gotta get back down there. I'd go again in 2020.
softroadingthewest I would love to get something planned! I’m game! To date, this still gives me chills!
Was that price per gallon correct, $4.25?
Oh yes. It's pretty much the only gas station in the entire southeast corner of Oregon. Believe me, you're grateful to pay a premium to be able to refuel right there and keep exploring. The people running that place are super nice. I'm glad they're willing to live and work there. I couldn't do it! :-)
Did you once get out of the car and take it all in? No.
I'm shocked to discover that 1/4 of Oregon is a desert! Wtf !
Beaches, rainforests, snowy mountain peaks, dramatic canyons, vast expanses of desert. We do have a really nice variety here in Oregon. :-)
Are you still hanging with that loser who sleeps in the back of his car? 😂🤣
All joking aside, this video looks similar to another one you shot a while back. At first I thought you uploaded that video lol.
Just curious how much time do you spend shooting and editing vs just enjoying the time out? I think personally it would be too much to do both, I would want to do more exploring and less shooting.
It IS a re-edit of a video from this summer, which I had to take down some months ago due to a fairly significant error on my part in the first version. I finally got around to remixing it and getting it back online. It is largely the same video however. I figured today would be a good day to slip it back in without anyone noticing, LOL.
I have it on good authority that that sleeping-in-the-back-of-his-car loser is seriously looking at alternatives. He's not sure exactly which direction he's going to take yet but he is getting too old to be crawling around in the back of a rather small car. :-)
If I'm out, I'm shooting. The thing is, I genuinely enjoy it. It's work and it slows me down, but it's fun work and honestly I would not enjoy the time out as much if I wasn't also capturing it. I would just be gritting my teeth, "oh man this is so awesome, I wish I was filming this!" That said, there are moments when the stopping and setting up the camera etc grows tiresome, and when that happens, I do allow myself to just let it go, and just roll and enjoy the moment. So basically, when filming seems enjoyable, I film. When not filming seems enjoyable, I leave the camera alone.
Editing on the other hand...holy crap. I pretty much spend all of my free time - every evening and every weekend I'm not out - editing. It's massively time consuming. Between planning, filming, editing, replying to comments, etc., I spend *at least* 40 hours a week running this channel...in addition to my actual day job which pays the bills. I do enjoy the editing though. I wouldn't be able to maintain that kind of schedule if I didn't love it. :-)
@@softroadingthewest So what are you looking for for alternatives? If you have seen the trailer on my channel (I am sure you have) I can direct you to a place that shows you how to build one (if you have not figured it out yet). Looking at about 50 hours build time and under $1500.00 for materials. It is called a foamie and it has a dry weight of 371lbs. Since you like to build things it might be right up your alley. Your Subaru should easily pull it. Or hit me up I have another one that will be finished this spring.
@@swidahooverlanding2867 Sometimes the idea of a trailer appeals to me but ultimately I'm pretty settled on not towing anything at this point. For $1,500 a rooftop tent starts becoming an option. For the most part I'm not particularly enticed by RTTs, but there are a few models I would maybe consider. I'm also rethinking ground tent as a possible approach, though it would have to be a model that checks a certain number of boxes. Third possibility would be changing my sleep setup inside the Forester...this will likely be my initial approach. I mean, I guess that's technically still sleeping in my car, but I'm looking to make it more comfortable and less coffin-like, LOL. Fourth possibility - extremely unlikely in the coming year or two - would be moving from the Forester to a completely different rig...but again, that's a very unlikely scenario. For the moment, given how often I find myself on narrow forest roads where I can barely turn around the Forester if needed, the idea of managing a trailer as well just feels too limiting. I think one day in the future I could definitely see a trailer as good option...there's a lot that appeals to me about the trailer approach.
@@softroadingthewest Let me know when you are ready. These trailers are light. Worst case scenario if you have to turn around in a tight spot is disconnect, turn the vehicle around and then reconnect.
@@softroadingthewest , what options are you considering? When I get another Forester hopefully later this year, I had thought about a teardrop but the idea is towing anything sounds like a hassle, plus more maintenance and less time out and about.
Read your reply missed it.
I'd hate to see you get rid of the Subaru myself that's one reason I love your channel. Not that I would quit watching it, I'm hooked now. The fact that you have something different then the typical Toyota truck for me personally is awsome!