2002 image2002 image

During OSP '93, this huge Ponderosa became a victim of lightning. Around 1 or 2 am., a monster bolt of lightning smashed down; your OSP photographer (Bruce) was huddled in his tent nearby, first deafened, then frightened as pieces of the pine rained down nearby, to the accompaniment of powerful deluges of rain...Two years later (probably Spring 1995), OSP's original "mascot" tree, "Rob's Tree," was felled by vandals, paving the way for this Ponderosa to fill its "shoes" in OSP t-shirt images and other publicity. Officially, most now call the dead Ponderosa "LT," for "Lightning Tree." In this 2002 image of "LT," 6,800 foot Mt. Pisgah and 4,700 foot Big Summit Prarie form the dead tree's backdrop.

The above spectacular picture from OSP 2004 is a vivid reminder of the fact that Oregon's high mountains during the summer can and do occasionally bring lightning storms! Image compliments of OSP participant Shannon Miller.

Fire Closure! This is the nightmare headline which OSP fears.....Below I have quoted a Fire Alert from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). I post it to remind modern OSP participants that thunder and lightning can be much more than just scarey or inconvenient. Our Indian Trail site was chosen for many reasons beyond the simple fact that it is considerably closer to the Portland area. One of these is that the potential for lightning-caused Fire Closures is lower than in the SE Oregon area surrounding the mighty Steens Mountain, where the first four OSPs were held....

from a BLM alert, date August 22, 2006: "....fires near Weed Lake and one near Diamond Craters have shown significant movement. Two fires are being allowed to burn within the Steens Mountain Wilderness.
Due to the activity, potential for spread, and limited resources available to battle these fires, some precautionary measures have been put in place for human safety. Effective immediately, the Steens Mountain Loop Road is closed to incoming traffic from Page Springs Campground to the Rooster Comb area. Also, Page Springs Campground is under a recommended evacuation while Fish Lake and Jackman Park Campgrounds are under mandatory evacuation. All primitive campsites on the north side of Steens Mountain will also be evacuated. The areas will be closed to public use until further notice."

Such closures by the U.S. Forest Service or by the BLM can affect us at our new site at Indian Trail Springs. The possibility of such a last-minute closure of our star party loomed so large in approx. 1995, that the OSP Committee took a serious look at a place called Soldier Creek Meadows (aka McCormick Ranch), on private land some 60 miles ENE of Bend. I was there, and was impressed-- it could have made a fine site, but costs were prohibitive.

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