Skyline Trail Riders
July 5, 2022
STR-Ride Waiver and Information
Ride Date: Wednesday, July 13th through Sunday, July 17th
Location: Juniper Springs Ranch, Mt. Vernon, Or
Hi Cowboys.
Attached is a waiver for you to print, sign, and bring with you to the ride. You will need to present the signed waiver to get your hat band name tag.
For those of you who are arriving on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday, Dick’s kitchen will be open.
I will be cooking dinner on Sunday, Breakfast and Dinner on Monday, Breakfast and dinner on Tuesday, and Breakfast on Wednesday.
Any help would be appreciated.
There will cold cuts and cheese and bread and condiments for lunches.
There will be a “tip jar” on the table and the suggested donation for each meal is $5.
Please bring some cash.
Mondo Catering starts cooking on Wednesday evening with the Happy Hour and the Dinner.
The Long Branch will open at 5 pm on Wednesday.
You will also need dollar bills for Crinkle.
Here are the rules for Crinkle, aka, Screw Your Neighbor”:
https://playingcarddecks.com/blogs/how-to-play/screw-your-neighbor-game-rules
There will be a pie plate saying “STR Campsite” at the entrance of the road off 395 which leads to the campsite.
It looks like it will be getting sunny and hot. I would suggest that if you have a pop-up canopy you bring it because the camp site is pretty sunny.
Looking forward to seeing all of you on the STR 65th Annual Ride.
Dick
May 24, 2022
Updated Information on STR Ride:
Ride Date: Wednesday, July 13th through Sunday, July 17th
Location: Juniper Springs Ranch, Mt. Vernon, Or
Howdy Cowboys,
I went over to Mt. Vernon on Saturday and spent Saturday afternoon and all-day Sunday poking around the Juniper Springs Ranch with the owner, Mike Kilpatrick. Last time I was there was in early November, and it looks a lot different with all the spring grass. The more I go there the more impressed I am with the riding. Mike’s ranch is 4,000 acres, but he has gotten the permission of two adjoining landowners so we can ride on their land as well. So now we have 25,000 private acres plus access to the national forest.
Rather than repeat all the information from the previous announcement I am going to point you to the STR website which has current information. You can print the information from the website. This announcement will also be posted on the STR website so if you lose it you can always check the website.
Here is the link and the password is “long branch”
https://www.skylinetrailriders.com/ride-info
By now all of you members should have received an invoice from Matt Bordonaro, our Secretary-Treasurer. It should have come to you in an email. If you are having trouble finding the email on your phone or computer, remember that it came from Quickbooks not STR so search for Quickbooks. If you can’t find your email with your invoice, just contact Matt and he will send you another one. mbordonaro@comcast.net
Also, we are encouraging you to bring guests. Just contact Matt and let him know who your guest is, and Matt will send you an invoice if you are paying for the guest, or if the guest is paying his own way, Matt will send your guest an invoice.
It would help us greatly if you would sign up and pay as soon as possible for you and for your guests so we can get a feel for the numbers this year so we can plan with the caterer.
In my last announcement I was kind of discouraging trailers but after being at the campsite this last weekend it is larger than I thought and I think there will be plenty of room.
You can click this link to see a short video I made about the waterfall that is near our campsite.
Link to view video of waterfall by camping area.
The password is “long branch”.
I also videoed Mike talking about the nearby mountains and showing the terrain for riding which is really great. It is open and there are lots of tracks that go all over the property. About halfway up it turns to pine.
Here is the link:
The password is “long branch”.
This year the caterer will be providing a grilled hot dog lunch plus beer on Thursday at Mike’s house that has the hot springs, and then on Saturday it will be repeated with hamburgers at the hunting cabin at the top of the ranch. Of course, sack lunches will also be available on those days as well.
I have told Bordonaro to buy lots more liquor and better quality so we don’t run out like sometimes as occurred in the past.
Probably only a few of you now would remember Mike’s dad, Roy Kilpatrick, but he was one of the early members of STR. Mike came on the ride in the 70’s and 80’s with his dad. We are riding this year on Roy’s old ranch. When Roy bought the ranch in the 50’s, the old Mt. Version Hot Springs spa building still stood, but it burned down. Mike had a copy of the old advertising brochure for the Mt. Vernon Hot Springs and I have attached it as a pdf. The water is still hot, and it will be nice to soak in it after a hard day’s ride.
When I was at the ranch last weekend I visited Mike Ballard, another STR old-timer, and friend of Roy, and I have invited him to the Friday night dinner to tell us a few tales of the old days. Also, Archie Osborn, from Monument who is supplying the 4,000 gallon tanker truck with water will be camping with us and Mike tells me that he is a legendary western story teller who will also be entertaining us as well. Another guest will be Kim Mahaffey, the owner of our backup ranch in Baker City. Kim is a large animal vet who will be bringing all his vet supplies and can help with animal or human injuries.
While I was at the ranch I drove and walked all over using the tracking feature of OnXhunt to produce the map below. The colored lines are tracks. I also made a lot of waypoints and I will be marking the key features with signs and ribbons once I get there in July. I will also be having this blown up to poster size and also have 8.5x11 inch handouts. Mike is going to draw the neighbors’ fences on the map and indicate the location of the gates. I really like this app and I would encourage you to get it and use it on the ride. It costs about $30 for a one-year subscription for Oregon. I can email you the link to these routes and the waypoints I have created and you can have them on your phone if you have the app. It’s really nice to know where you are. The map is a lot more fun on your phone than it is below in print.
.
Well, that’s all for now. I hope to see you on the ride come July.
Here is picture that shows the views from part of the campsite.
All the best,
Dick Noble
2022 Ride! July 13 through Sunday, July 17
Date: May 5, 2022
To: STR Members and Guests
Re: 2022 STR Ride Information
65th ANNUAL STR RIDE
(1958 to 2022)
JUNIPER SPRINGS RANCH
MT. VERNON, OREGON
WEDNESDAY, JULY 13TH TO SUNDAY, JULY 17TH
Howdy Cowboys. This is a message from your 2021-2022 STR President, Dick Noble, providing you with information about the upcoming ride. Any questions email me atrichardnoble@richardnoble.com. This email is being sent to all current members and all first year guests from last year’s ride.
LOCATION:
The 2022 STR 65th Annual Ride will take place on the Juniper Springs Ranch owned by Mike Kilpatrick which is located in Grant County just north of Mt. Vernon, Oregon.
Here are the directions to the ranch (watch for the pie plates):
“From the South: In Mt Vernon, go North on 395 about 2 ½ miles. At milepost 118, turn left (North) on a dirt road with green gate and no cattleguard. Proceed about ¾ of a mile to camp. Do not cross the next cattleguard.”
“From the North: Coming south on 395, turn right 100 feet before milepost 118. It is harder to see coming south.”
See Ranch Info below for more details.
DATES:
Wednesday, July 13 to Sunday, July 17, 2022. Ride officially starts at 5 pm Wednesday when the Long Branch opens followed by dinner at 7.
However, the officers will be setting up the camp starting on Sunday and early arrivals are welcome. Bring your own food or eat at Dick’s Kitchen.
COST:
$700 per attendee. Members will receive an invoice by email in the near future. You can pay by credit card. If you have not paid your $75 dues for 2022, $75 will be added to the invoice. You must be current on dues to go on the ride. Be sure and check your email.
If you do not receive an invoice, email STR secretary Matt Bordonaro at mbordonaro@comcast.net.
We would prefer that you pay by credit card, but if that is not possible, you can mail your check to:
Matt Bordonaro
4220 SW Torr Ln.
Portland, OR 97221
GUESTS:
You are encouraged to bring guests, especially younger guests, and guests from central and eastern Oregon. We need to bring new people into the STR as older members hang up their saddles. The charge for a guest is $700.
If you want to bring a guest, you should email STR secretary Matt Bordonaro at mbordonaro@comcast.net.
In your email you need to provide Matt with your guest’s name, street address or PO, City, State, Zip, telephone number and email address. You must also say in the email whether you will be paying for the guest or whether the guest will be paying for his ride. We need this information to add your guest’s name to the STR roster.
If you are paying for your guest, Matt will email you an invoice for you to pay by credit card. If your guest is paying for himself, he will email your guest an invoice for your guest to pay using his own credit card.
You should forward this email to your guest(s).
RENTAL HORSES:
Rental horses are again being provided by Paul Wilson of Chinook Pass Outfitters. Here is his contact information.
Paul Wilson
Chinook Pass Outfitters
PO Box 1030
Naches, WA 98937
Office:509 653-2633
Mobile: 509 952-4813
Email: 8308789@gmail.com
Paul has had some problems in past years with people splitting horses. If you want to share a horse, you must rent the horse from Paul and pay for the entire horse. Then you can get reimbursed by your partner. You will need to tell Paul who your partner is. Both you and your partner will have to sign a release.
INFORMATION FOR GUESTS:
For those of you who are first timers the following information is provided.
The ride operates out of a base camp. There will be about 80 people on the ride. You provide your own tent and sleeping bag. Attached is a copy of Carl Burnham’s suggested Packing List.
Be sure and bring a cowboy hat. Everyone has a name tag which is attached to the hat so you will be able to learn the names of all the riders.
STR has a shower truck with hot, running water. There are portable toilets.
Friends usually camp together in groups. You can camp with your sponsor.
The food is provided by a caterer who also provides a tent with tables and chairs. The food is fantastic. Breakfast is served at 7. After breakfast you pack your sack lunch for the ride.
People take off in groups on horseback after breakfast, eat their sack lunch at noon, and return to camp around 2 or so.
Then there is time to take a shower and relax prior to the opening of the STR bar, the Long Branch, at 5. Liquor is plentiful and included in the ride fee.
As a guest you will have the opportunity to serve as a bartender and meet all the other riders.
Dinner is served at 7. Following dinner there is a band on one night, and on most nights a card game, Crinkle, which is quite popular. The Long Branch stays open late-how late depends on the enthusiasm and energy of the drinkers.
A highlight of the ride is the Saturday night dinner where the ride gift is presented and there is the ceremony following dinner to honor members who have passed during the year.
CELL SERVICE:
ATT and Verizon provide good cell service at the campsite and all over the ranch.
RANCH INFORMATION:
The 2022 STR Annual ride will take place on the Juniper Springs Ranch located in Grant County just north of John Day. The ranch is owned by Mike Kilpatrick. He inherited it from his dad, Roy Kilpatrick, one the early members of the STR.
I got to know Roy as a new STR member in the 80’s.Roy was a larger-than-life character with a law office out in the country on 395 just north Mt. Vernon- a triple-wide trailer. His desk was covered with a deer skin, His office attire -- a T-shirt which read “Trust Me I’m A Lawyer.”
He lived on his 4,000-acre ranch with his own private elk herd and private hot springs just up the hill from his law office. In 1991, I spent a night at the ranch when I was coming back from Vale where I had a case. It was quite an experience. His ranch is the location of this year’s ride.
His son, Mike, was also a member of STR and went on the ride for many years with his dad. Like his dad, Roy, Mike was back then, and still is, a lawyer who has an office in Mt. Vernon. He also lives part of the year on Wrangel Island in Alaska where he keeps his fishing boat on his private dock. Mike will be joining us on the ride this year.
Let me tell you about the Juniper Springs Ranch. The 4,000-acre ranch is located just north of Mt. Vernon off Highway 395. It features two creeks: Hot Springs Creek and Fall Creek. There is a developed hot spring with a pool which we can use adjacent to Hot Springs Creek. Mike has his house there. Next to the Hot Springs is an area where Mike keeps his private Elk herd. This year the caterer is going to provide a grilled hotdog lunch option with baked beans for those who want to ride over to the hot springs on Thursday.
This Google Maps view shows the location of the Hot Springs:
(Latitude/Longitude-enter in Google Maps Search: 44.450238814831934, -119.10646473053511).
Click or copy and paste on the following hyperlink to view the Hot Springs in Google Maps:
The road up to the hot springs is a private, gated road.
When Roy purchased the property many years ago, the original brick building of the 1890’s spa still stood, but it has since burned down. There are rumors that in the 30’s and 40’s it had become a hot springs whorehouse (why is it that this group is attracted to hot springs and whorehouses?). In any event, the hot springs remains for our use during the ride. Remember how great it was to soak at Lehman Hot Springs a few years ago?
CAMP SITE INFORMATION:
We will be camping on the other creek – Fall Creek – named for its waterfall which is a bit uphill from where we would be camping.
(Location of the Campsite Latitude/Longitude-enter in Google Maps Search: 44.44680688139539, -119.08371671152084).
Click or copy and paste on the following link to view the campsite in Google Maps:
This Google Map view shows the location of the campsite:
The private, gated access road to the campsite is really good and suitable for all rigs including Paul’s. The campsite is about three-quarters of a mile up the access road from Highway 395 and is only about two and one-half miles north of Mt. Vernon so it will be easy to get to town to buy more liquor and ice which always seem to run out. The campsite is isolated, and I don’t think you can see any lights at night. The view is of the Strawberry Mountains to the south in the distance. The ranch gradually climbs uphill from Highway 395. The riding will be very good since the terrain is open and there are lots of jeep tracks around the property.
You will be camping among junipers and there are some areas without shade so I would suggest that you bring a pop-up shelter for shade. The site is not suitable for large RV campers or large RV trailers. Horse trailers and pickups with campers are fine. For sleeping I would suggest a tent would fit in better.
CABINS:
From the campsite the private road continues uphill. About a mile uphill from our campsite is the cabin of the ranch manager.
(Latitude/Longitude-enter in Google Maps Search - 44.45546893596323, -119.08634527635614). This amazing lady lives off grid with a generator and solar power.
Click on the following link or copy and paste to view the ranch manager’s cabin in Google Maps:
Up at the top of the ranch there is a cabin on Fall Creek which we will use as a location for a lunch-option on Saturday which will be catered. Hamburgers, macaroni salad and beer. The cabin also has a hot tub. The cabin is in the pines. (Latitude/Longitude-enter in Google Maps Search - (Latitude/Longitude-enter in Google Maps Search - 44.48654978583369, -119.09498301906554)
Click on the following hyperlink or copy and paste to view the site of the cabin in Google Maps:
Also, right near the cabin is the access to the Malheur National Forest which we can use if we get tired riding around the 4,000-acre ranch. (Latitude/Longitude-enter in Google Maps Search -44.48994, -119.10320).
Click on the following hyperlink or copy and paste to view the access site in Google Maps:
According to Mike one can ride from here all the way to Baker City without leaving government land.
MAGONE LAKE:
One last plus about this ranch is its location near Magone Lake.
(Latitude/Longitude-enter in Google Maps Search- 44.54762345497308, -118.91233338887272).
Click the following link or copy and paste to view the location of Magone Lake in Google Maps:
To get to Magone Lake you go up Hwy 395 about 10 miles and then right on a Forest Service Road and go about 10 miles in. Magone Lake is a state park, much-beloved by the locals, which offers in addition to camping, a really great day use area with a dock and swimming area which would be a great afternoon get away after riding.
Click the following hyperlink or copy and paste to see some more information about Magone Lake:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/malheur/recarea/?recid=39964
VIDEO:
I have also made a video about Mike’s ranch:
Here is the link on Vimeo:
The password is: “long branch”.
Let me know if you have any problems viewing the video.
ONXHUNT:
For those of you who use onXHunt app here are some links to Mike’s ranch. OnXhunt is a GPS tracker application which superimposes the names of the owners of property on the map. It also allows you to enter waypoints and record your movement as a track. The purple line records a drive Mike and I made around the property in November. If you download the application on your cell phone you can download these waypoints as well.
This is the route of the inspection trip I made around the ranch with Mike:
https://huntsmarter.app.link/waejTnr1Dlb
These are waypoints I entered:
https://huntsmarter.app.link/sSGnFnN1Dlb
Here is the link to install onXHunt:
https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app
FINAL THOUGHTS:
I am really excited about this ride and I am looking forward to seeing all of you on the ride. This is the 65th annual STR ride. What a great tradition it is. If you have any questions or suggestions, please contact me at 503 635-6235 or by email at richardnoble@richardnoble.com