Details Please
Here's about as specific as we're going to get. Much of our ride took place in the Soldier Mountains north of Fairfield, all in Camas County. Okay, one more tidbit. We did make our way up to the Iron Mountain Lookout (elevation 9,694 feet). The lookout sits on a sliver of ridgeline that was just a little more than one, maybe two, sled lengths wide. And what a view from the top. It was 360 degrees of picture-postcard beauty. It was from that spot that we could see what drainages we dropped into and climbed out of and what mountains we traversed to get to that spot.
It was one of those times where you pat yourself on the back and say, "Wow, I made it through that to here." You knew the riding was challenging through the trees and in and out of the drainages and gullies but when you're running on adrenaline and you're so focused on making it through the tough stretches (including a 1,000-foot plus drop off a ridge through the trees-what a rush that was; that was also our way out), you don't appreciate the territory you just passed through. Sitting on top of the Iron Mountain Lookout allowed the magnitude of it all to sink in.
This secret riding spot is part of the larger and fairly well known Fairfield/Camas County snowmobiling area. But to get to and then around in this chamber of secrets, you have to enlist the help of local riders who know the terrain and right where they are. Our group leader said they had only been to the lookout once before after they finally figured out a way to get there by sled, as big chunks of the trip involve some fairly technical riding. It was definitely a challenge but we were well rewarded with vast tracts of untouched powder and untracked hillsides once we got farther back into the chamber of secrets.
One bowl in particular allowed us to have about as much fun on a snowmobile as possible. It wasn't a traditional point-and-shoot kind of bowl, but rather one you had to negotiate around a stand of trees here or a creek bottom there. The sidehilling was phenomenal and the snow was as good as it gets. In fact, the snow the entire day was excellent with a firm base and plenty of powder on top.
Our riding was between 5,752 (our unloading spot, and I can't even reveal that) and 9,694 feet at the top of Iron Mountain.