Sharp's Ridge Loop 08Nov2025

[tobyw]

The reasoning for this trip was twofold: I have an annual commitment as an onX Maps Trail Guide to provide at least one new trail writeup each calendar year; and second was a test run for the minion's wadded up XJ rebuild. We launched from the West Richland Maverick around 0730 under picture perfect weather conditions and rapidly made our way South to bustling metropolis of Dale, OR where we stopped to stretch and use the facilities. In the group were myself accompanied by the female minion in the Donkey; the boy minion and his ever-present buddy piloting the aforementioned rebuilt XJ; Rottwheeler in his new-to-him grey JLU-R; Chef Marcus and his buddy Clarence in the black Colorado ZR2; and OG in Ginger the red JLU-R:

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Junk was offloaded and air released from tires at the staging area, and we made our way to the trailhead by about 1030hrs:

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The recent rains knocked down the vast majority of the dust for the day, and provided some squishy areas leading to dirty wheel wells and windows as we plodded along the trail and the ridgetops:

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Some of the underbrush was a little tight in places:

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We found a suitable location for lunch with a fantastic view to the South:

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Bellies full, we carried on the trail and eventually made the full loop back to the main FS road:

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From here we bebopped our way back to the staging area, but not before a quick stop to czek out a beautiful creek and another quick stop at a viewpoint looking back to the North:

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We topped off the day with a stop at Abbey's Pizza in Pendleton on the way home. If you've never been there, you need to add it to your list. It's really the only reason Pendleton is still around