Fuji Creek Shelter

Spend the night in the snow and wake up to awesome views of Diamond Peak.

The trip to Fuji Creek Shelter is a fairly easy day excursion, but if you're up to it, the overnight ski (or snowshoe) experience can't be beat. Fuji

Directions: Take I-5 south from Eugene for approximately 3 miles. Take the Oakridge/Klamath Falls exit (Exit 188A). Stay to the left onto Hwy. 58. Take 58 for approximately 36 miles through Oakridge. Approximately 20 miles east of Oakridge (about a mile east of a tunnel) take a right at the sign for Salt Creek Falls. You might have to drive all the way to the parking lot by the Falls, but park as near to the highway as you can because you?ll be walking back there. The first left is a spur road with some good parking spaces for 4-wheel drives. Once you're parked, walk back up to the highway to the snowed-over road directly across the highway from the Salt Creek Falls turn-off.

Most of this trip will have you snowshoeing or skiing along this road. Walking or skiing on a road may seem kind of lame, but just wait for the views. The Fuji Creek Road (FS 5894) climbs gently uphill for about a mile through a nice forest before turning abruptly to the east. At this point it's another two miles or so to the shelter. And all along the way are spectacular views of Willamette Pass to the east, Mt. Yoran and Diamond Peak to the south, and, occasionally, Maiden Peak to the north.

Approximately three miles from Highway 58 you'll see prominent markers and a helpful map on the left-hand side of the road that'll steer you to the Fuji Creek Shelter, a sturdy three-sided affair. There's a big stove and there's usually plenty of wood, although you shouldn't count on it. If you decide to spend the night, you've got a good sleeping bag and pad, and you can get the stove going (bring along some newspaper and a small axe for kindling), you'll stay plenty warm. The open side of the shelter faces directly at Diamond Peak.

Once you've got the fire going, and if it's a clear night and you really want to have some fun, strap on the skis or snowshoes and get back on the trail. There's nothing quite like skiing at night. If it's a clear night with a big moon you won't even need a light, and you'll have the time of your life gliding across moonlit snow, a million stars overhead.

Skiing at night is technically not all that smart. The light of the moon and stars on the snow wrecks havoc with your depth perception. Don't ski off a cliff.

If you've spent the night, or if you're on a day trip but still have some spare time you'll want to explore some of the network of trails to the north of the shelter. These trails receive hardly any use in the winter, but are sporadically marked with blue diamonds. The trail from the shelter splits in about a quarter of a mile. The left-hand turn will take you west and drop you onto Fuji Creek Road about a mile from the highway (this route is hard to find from the road while you're coming up). If you continue north the trail will lead you Island, Verde and Birthday Lakes, and eventually into the Waldo Lake Wilderness.

Sidebar: You can rent snowshoes at:

Bergs Ski Shop, 13th and Lawrence, 683-1300
McKenzie Outfitters, Broadway and Oak, 343-2300
REI, 3rd and Lawrence, 465-1800