Steens Mountain… Fields, OR… Dirt Road… High Desert… Snow…
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If you live in the rural west,
you know many dirt roads are almost as easily traveled as paved ones,
most are well maintained by the local county or state DOT.
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This road, Oregon State Route 205,
taking you from Frenchglen over the southern end of Steens Mountain to Fields,
is one of them and the views are spectacular.
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Steens Mountain is a fifty mile long fault-block mountain running in a north/south direction
between Fields and Diamond (near Burns)in the high desert
of southeastern central Oregon.
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Here, descending the near summit (5,648′ elevation),
looking east down towards the small community of Fields (population 86),
you can see some of the beauty of this very rural, rugged, and isolated place.
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I checked the current weather conditions, it is 21 degrees F. (-6 degrees C.) and clear this morning, brrrr that’s a bit chilly!
Fields is a ‘last chance’ gas stop in the area,
the next gas is 100 miles away in any direction.
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Established in 1881 and located 112 miles southeast of Burns,
the tiny unincorporated community of Fields, consists of Fields Station (the gas station/convenience store/post office)
and Fields two-room school,
a few homes and
miles and miles of
sage brush and beauty.
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‘WEEKLY TOP SHOT’ – Week #5
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wow, that’s gorgeous! almost looks like you photo-shopped different pieces into one photo!
It WAS breathtaking! One of the most beautiful, isolated places I’ve ever been. The mountains looked like you could reach out and touch them, but they were miles and miles away.
So gorgeous!!! What an amazing pic!!
It is an amazingly beautiful place… I’d go again in a heartbeat!
WOW! That is spectacular!! Love it!!! :)
Thanks, CC… ;-)
Wow, spectacular scenery and photo.
Thank you, Steffe… loved your b&w photo of the birch trees recently….
I would love to be Right Here right now! this is gorgeous
Me too… let’s go!
Wow, Madge, you’ve done it again. America at its best!
Your comments on GDP make my day!
Thanks, it is such a beautifully rugged place and the isolation is almost palpable, but I’d love to live there for a time!
Those colors, wow is all I can say.
It is so much more stunning in person… it almost takes your breath away!
Wow! What a view!
Thanks, I couldn’t agree more!! ;-)
Well I could certainly learn to live in Fields. This photo is almost surreal.
I must again say, it was one of the most ruggedly beautiful places I’ve ever been in the Pacific NW!
This is one spectacular place, and an equally spectacular photo of it!
Thank you Kathy…
I would love to walk there into the quiet.
It was a beautiful place to walk… a bit chilly, but oh so quiet and peaceful! I would love to live in a place like this for while…
Absolutely breathtaking photo, Madge! A just-right combination of a beautiful place with perfect conditions. You caught it just right & introduced me to a new must-see place. Thanks!
Thanks Kay… I hope you’ll go. It is a long drive between small towns in central Oregon to even begin getting close to this place… but I’d pack a bag and return again tomorrow if I had the chance!
That is just the most beautiful photo I have seen in a long while, what a fabulous place!
It IS more fabulous than this image can do justice to… it is a must see with ones eyes!
a lovely photograph and yes minus 6 degrees celcius is a strong contrast to my current 35 degrees celcius at 5.50 pm in our springtime. ‘warm and balmy’
Yes… brrrr a bit chilly!
Truly amazing image Madge, it looks like a classic landscape that you’d find in an art gallery. Brrrrrr! -6degrees, can’t even imagine wht that would be like!
Thanks you, Grace… it is one of those classic isolation places in the western US… the weather? what can you do, you put on another layer… lol!
that is gorgeous!!!! what an amazing shot!!! i want to be there…thanks for taking me… :)
You’re welcome, Laura! I’d like to stay there for a year, four seasons and learn to slow down.
Amazing look this morning. Weather a strange thing… near 60 today here… snow Wednesday.
Wow, Birdman… that is strange… t-shirt to parkas! ;-)
Gorgeous!
Thank you, Sharon!
Love the photo. Are those the current conditions; a dusting of snow? I’m thinking not, because it might be hard to find Internet connection in that part of Oregon. I was in the high desert region, further west (Painted Hills area) in Feb. 2009 and found that it was difficult to find open restaurants, gas stations, or places to buy food. If I recall correctly, a restaurant in Mitchell closed at 7 pm Saturday evening, and was not open Sunday.
Jim, the weather conditions are current… you’re right there is no wifi connection there or along the Alvord Desert and the Wild Horse Valley, although the school had satellite dishes and I would surmise that they have internet over the phone lines for the students there. Much of the area operates as all areas did in the 1950s, the sidewalks roll up on Saturday nights… but you know I don’t think that’s a bad thing…
Wow, Madge, this is one postcard-perfect picture!
Thank you, it is ever more spectacular in person!
Now that is one gorgeous shot Madge! Well done!
Thank you, Paul… everyone seems to enjoy it a lot! ;-)
What a beautiful place and what a beautiful photograph, Madge! Good job.
Thanks Jack… it is SO much MORE beautiful in person… I want to return another time!
BEAUTIFUL!!!!
Thank you, Susan!
Wow! This is an amazing scene.
It is SO much more in person… it takes your breath away!