My B-Day @ Metolius River!

18 06 2010

Love the ever relaxing Metolius

Spanking GREAT weather broke for my birthday weekend on the Metolius River June 12-13 2010.

We had planned a trip there in late April with a great forecast. But NO, in typical 2010 fashion, the weather turned ugly exactly 8 hours before departure and we canceled. This rescheduled weekend was – picture perfect. Clear, no wind, no humidity, temps 75 – 80 – just perfect for humans to enjoy. AND – no bugs, no skeeters.

I’ve got a special place in my heart for the Metolius, and in particular for the walk in campsites at Allen Springs Campground. There, the river bends around the campsites in a perfect U, so you get stereo burbling all day/night. It’s just wonderful! Magical, actually.

Metolius = magic for a number of reasons. The river comes out of the ground fully formed at the south end of the valley. It never changes levels. Same all year. It’s busy – flowing fast – but few rapids. The trees are orange bark Ponderosa Pines, a very cool contrast to the verdant green, low vegetation below, and the blue sky above. In  between, fly fishermen present their caddis flies to finicky salmonids.

Planning strategically, I headed down early Friday afternoon and scored a campsite on the peninsula. Not my first choice campsite, mind you, but a site good enough for our group of six. It had views of both sides of the peninsula, and plenty of space to the adjoining site. All was good because we scored, and the campground subsequently filled up.

I was to be joined by Kent, and then Jessie and her brother Joel. Later, after dark, Christian and Katie arrived. Saturday morning we breakfasted on French Toast topped with walnut and sliced pears, with bacon on the side. Yum!

Our plan called for hiking two miles down to the Lower Bridge and then back up the west side to Wizard Falls Fish Hatchery. What a nice hike it was. Filled with views from “A River Runs Through It” the whole way. Each bend brings more photogenic views into play. One would think they had polarized eyes.

Along the way we witnessed two fishermen, on either side of the river, bringing in fish. They were casually talking as they reeled in their quarry when one guy’s rod just about broke. He said, “Holy Cracker! A 20-pound bull trout just ate my fish!” We all stopped to view the spectacle.

He was not far from netting his burden when the bull trout let go – leaving this mauled, dead trout on the hook. I was really disappointed! I wanted to see that!

Later Saturday we packed up the boats and headed over to Suttle Lake for a sunny paddle. The lake was not really busy – only one jet skier – but it seemed a bit busy for the group compared to our campsite. Little did they know how it can be later on. Anyway it was pretty because Mt Washington is visible, all snow covered.

We did a shared Mexican meal Saturday evening. Soft tacos with green peppers, onion, salsa, cheese, jalapenos, beans, rice – all good stuff on there. Darn hungry we were. Then it’s time for my birthday treat – a cherry pie! Following the food fulfillment was a nice talk to the campfire. I also used my Android phone to use Google Sky Map to check out the constellations above!

Hey! Wake Up!

Sunday was an oatmeal feed with fruit, honey, nuts, butter, cream, brown sugar, all the good stuff.

I knew of a place high up on Green Ridge, which forms the east side of the valley, with amazing vews. So with hot beverage in hand, we headed up there. Wow!

You can see at seeminly eye level from Mt. Hood to Diamond Peak. That’s Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Washington, Three Sisters, etc.

Then we kinda lazily packed it all up. Had to end sometime!


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Memorial Day 2010: Timothy Lake, Oregon

2 06 2010

My friend Jessie reserved two sites at Gone Creek, a campground at the  popular Timothy Lake recreation area less than two hours from Portland, Oregon. Reserving a site means putting your bucks on the line – especially in our region, especially this year. Fact is, you never know if people will show up or if you will get stuck with all the fees. So I committed to show support! When all was said and done, 2010 was the rainiest May in history! But this weekend we braved the weather and scored. Four of us headed up Friday night and set up regardless of the forecast. Francis and I arrived first and set up these easy up shelters over the picnic tables, and got our tents set up during a lull in the rain. In all, ten campers/kayakers enjoyed the weekend!

I felt TOTALLY stoked borrowing my neighbor’s 12×12 Easy Up shelter. That thing ROCKS! It makes fixing and eating dinner a snap and rain not a problem. Later Jessie arrived with her new Kelty 16ft long tarp. When all set up we had the square shelter over the table and the ‘entry way.’ It was awesome – and we added battery operated, color changing Christmas lights.

Our awesome executive campsite!

Fire lit, dinner done and a glass in wine in hand, we hung out around the fire and enjoyed as the rain showers diminished. All night the rain pitter pattered on the roof of my tent. It was my new REI Quarter Dome T3. It was nice to have all that space. It didn’t leak, but putting up the fly-a piece ripped and I’m gonna have to take it back.

One issue Friday night was our Saturday morning breakfast person – Rebecca. Was she going to show up? Did we have stuff to eat if she didn’t show? Rebecca was supposed to make vegan burritos Saturday. But no show. So we sat around the fire and figured out what we were going to make for Saturday breakfast….some of this…some of that. A little oats, some hard boiled eggs, fruit, some bacon…

It didn’t rain. But some of this was Monday’s breakfast! So we asked Kent, on his way up, to grab some more stuff to replace Monday’s supplies!

I had scheduled a Meetup.com paddle for 11:00. Our group wasn’t motivating very quickly and it was already 10:20. I tried to hint hey wegotta get moving!

Ready to head out!

So I got my dry suit going, and by 10:45, Brian, the day paddler from our meetup showed up. And then Laura! That got the rest of them moving. I greeted Brian and tried to kind of stall, hoping everyone else would get moving. He was patient and they got it together. By 11:30 we were off.

We headed west to Hoodview Campground, then turned north to cross the lake. My plan was to show the group the primitive camping sites on the north and northeast side. It’s a simple way to get away from crowds and enjoy peace without having to go really far afield. We put ashore and everyone thought the sites were lovely.

We lunched at a picnic table, and checked out the neighboring site. These sites are nice as they even have fire rings!

Once done, we headed east past Meditation Point and up the east arm of the lake. Little Crater Lake Creek enters the lake at the top of the arm. The character of the lake changes completely here. It becomes more marsh like, with islands of reeds and peaceful areas on either side. Further on, it narrows and the current quickens.

Laura checks out the beaver lodge

We pass a beautiful beaver lodge. You can paddle right up and check it out. The water is so clear, you can see the underwater entrances the beavers use to enter their home.

Further on, and faster current.

Rod attains up the creek

The stream meanders a bit and then we run right up into a walking bridge – no further paddling possible! A few of us disembark to check out the site.

After paddling back across the lake, we take time to start the fire and relax, sharing stories. Soon, Kent arrives, and then it’s time to begin preparation for the highlight of the evening – Wok night at the campsite! We chopped onion, carrot, green pepper, garlic, brocolli, ginger, bok choy, water chestnut, baby corn, shrimp, chicken, etc. All kinds of sauces are available. Brown rice as a bed. Yum! Then, Laura breaks out the lemon squares for dessert! And of course the wine flowed.

But before dark Mount Hood emerged for us!

Then, time for more fun by the fire….lots of stories. I brought the blow-poke. This brass barbed tube is good for stoking the fire and moving the logs around.

Sunday Katie and Christian prepared a breakfast feast of oatmeal with fresh fruit and it was just what we needed. All fed and fueled up, some headed back out on the lake, whilst others decided to do a big hike. Jessie and Joel hiked all the way around! Francis and I packed up and made a cover for Jessie’s stuff and headed out. A nice Memorial Day weekend! Let the summer begin!


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Early Season Timothy Lake!

19 05 2010

Two weeks ago we had a group headed to camp at the magical Metolius River. Cars all packed up and ready to go. All week, the forecast had been sunny Saturday and Sunday. Friday morning? Wake up, check the forecast: Cloudy, temperature lowered to high of 50, with 15-20 mph winds gusting to 30! Collectively we said forget it! It was really disappointing.

This past weekend the opposite happened. Everything changed for the better. So good, in fact, that I took it upon myself to call the ranger station and inquire as to whether Road 42, the access road, was clear and if  Timothy Lake might be open.

Morning mist on Timothy Lake

The Zig Zag District Ranger said the road is definitely open, and there would be camping. Though opening day is May 21, they were going to try to open a week early if they could. Further, even if the campground is closed, camping would be allowed and free – you’d just have to walk in. With that, I was stoked, and scheduled a Meetup with PaddleNW, my paddling group.

I planned to head out Friday night but during packing disaster happened. a petroleum odor was coming from one of my gear boxes. Opening it, I saw to my horror that one of the tiki torch bottles for Metolius had leaked 1″ of kero all over! Some gear was ruined, and what wasn’t needed a thorough cleaning = heading out that night aborted!

With everything cleaned up, I took off Saturday morning. In Friday’s chaos, I canceled the meetup. But the weather was looking SWEEET. Arriving at Skyline Road, also known as Forest Road 42, there wasn’t much snow around. A few patches at best. All along the 9-mile road there was a bit of snow, but the road was 100% clear. Once at the Timothy Lake area, I passed closed Gone Creek and Oak Fork Campgrounds, and my heart sank a bit. But luck struck! Hoodview was open. And only 35% full. Lots of spots – I got one lakeside.

It was also an opportunity to use my REI Quarter Dome T3 tent for the first time.

New Tent – Big Space, Under 5-lb

It is very strange to set up. It has a system where, once you have them all connected and straight, all three poles are locked together by swivels – you cannot pull the poles out! There is only one right way to do it. Putting it up took twice as long as my other tent. But once done, it does have a lot of room inside, for a 3-person tent. It also weighs less than five pounds.

Fish on a string

Paddling was a treat. It was warm, over 70 degrees, and very slight wind.

A few fishermen tried their luck. One had a whole string of hatchery trout already!

I decided to paddle across the lake to Meditation Point. Meditation Point is a primitive camping area. Access is by backpack or boat only. What’s cool is that these primitive sites have fire rings.

Looking across from Meditation Point

Way nice. I plan on bringing the Meetup group here later in the summer.

The evening brought plenty of bright stars. Very quiet – with the campground not busy.

Next day, it quickly turned sunny. Sooo pretty. I could see the ski areas on Mount Hood, some 13 miles distant. It was closing day at Mount Hood Meadows.

Warning!

I had to use one of summer’s dreaded haunts – the pit toilet. There was some new language in there, reminding me of what is to come. At this early stage, it was darn pleasent in there, though.

I undertook another paddle, to check out the closed campgrounds. I left in the sun, it was just gorgeous. But once arriving at Gone Creek, something weird happened. Rain! The one cloud in the area was arriving over the campground and I was right there. I could see it NOT raining back at Hoodview. So I sprinted as fast as I could to get out of that shower. And once there, I packed up my stuff as fast as I could – fearing another bomblet of rain would soak everything.

Well, all packed up, I bid farewell to the fishermen on shore and headed home. On the road there were places where it had rained a lot! I felt fortunate my spot stayed dry long enough to pack up. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks for Memorial Day!


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Rack Envy: Euro Hybrid

13 05 2010

Sometimes I run across something that catches my eye. The other day on Hawthorne it was a Rolls Royce driven by

Brit with Svelte Swedish rack!

a stuck-in-the-1960s, tie dyed hippie with long gray hair and beard. Kind of like a Santa Claus! It all happened too fast to whip out the camera.

Today I almost missed this one! Now that’s a NICE RACK, and so too the perfectly restored Jaguar E-Type!

And I thought my rack was adequate.


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Lewis River to Ridgefield Paddle April 2010

22 04 2010

The week before this paddle I noticed the forecast for Sunday was sunny! What better reason to schedule a paddle with Paddle NW, my Meetup group. The paddle from Paradise Point Park to Ridgefield is a nice transition from forested land and the East Fork of the Lewis River to the mighty Columbia River and then to the Ridgefield Wildlife Refuge.

I scheduled the paddle and quickly had a group of 11 paddlers. The day broke bright and promised to be pretty. We met up by I-5 exit 14 Ridgefield, set some cars at the take out and others headed one exit north to east fork of the Lewis River at Paradise Point State Park. Well, most. A couple of paddlers got momentarily lost, but they made it back. That was really important for my day because one of them was carrying my boat!

Paddling on the Lewis

We did some pre-paddle fun warm up exercises, then went through the trip and safety talk. The Lewis was at a nice level. It was nice to see my paddling buddies back out there on the water! We also had Katie and Christian along, great to see them!

The East Fork Lewis joined with the main Lewis. As you paddle over the confluence the depth drops significantly.

Further on, there is a decripit old railroad bridge – which is totally in use today! At one time, it could swing open to allow traffic to pass.

Olde Tyme

Today, the gears are totally stuck. It ain’t going nowhere.

Christian at the rusty bucket bridge

Near the confluence of the Lewis and Columbia, we found a beach and lunched. Bald eagles soared overhead, and fishermen passed by. From there, we could easily see the peak (well, blown off) of Mount St. Helens, and if you paddled out into the middle of the Lewis River, Mount Adams, too.

Kayaks on the beach

Then we paddled up past Gee Creek and up the slough toward Ridgefield, viewing the wildlife refuge as we passed.

In all, it was a terrific day on the water. Can’t think of a better way to spend 2010’s warmest day so far!

Lunch on the beach!


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Easter Sunday 2010 at Mount Hood Ski Bowl

19 04 2010

Winter 2009 – 2010 at Mount Hood Ski Bowl was a joke. I bought a pass in November 2009, when we had four feet of early season snow. Then things happened. Accident, injury and El Nino.

Before this season began I made a commitment to boycott Mount Hood Meadows. Year after year of corporate marketing and boring terrain finally made me say good bye. I craved the low key Mount Hood Ski Bowl atmosphere – plus I loved the terrain in the upper bowl, and the warming sanctuary of the mid mountain hut. Many seasons, Ski Bowl’s lower elevation meant inferior snow. But the past several years it’d racked up some serious numbers, like a 130″ base by early March. I bought my pass gambling that it would happen again. I lost. But not quite in the way I imagined.

Just before Thanksgiving 2009, on my very first run, fate took an unfortunate turn. Standing in the middle of the widest slope on lower bowl, I was hockey check-blasted by a kid on a snowboard. Did not hear him, did not see him. I don’t know what he saw. But my shoulder was dislocated, and with that, most of the 2009 – 2010 season. But Planet Earth also conspired against my gamble. El Nino threw warm, and dry weather at the Pacific NW. My heating bill hit all time lows, as did the mid-season snow pack at Mount Hood Ski Bowl. The base was less than three feet in mid February.

By that time, after diligently following a physical therapy regimen, I was released to go at the hill. Base depths at Ski Bowl didn’t please. So, I headed to Utah for a wonderful week. Returning, El Nino’s grip started to relax. And winter made a late season comeback. Late in March, Oregon’s Cascades received over four feet of fluff.

Easter Bunny Brings Powder

And I took advantage. On Easter Sunday I headed up there, and was rewarded with feathery fluff – a serious bounty. Uncrowded and free of hype, Mount Hood’s Upper Bowl was a treasure. Well worth waiting for.

Here’s a view from upper bowl lift…

Upper Bowl Cliffs from the Lift

No way to describe how good the snow was this Easter Sunday! It was truly dry – a major rarity in Oregon. And deep. My ski poles labored to find bottom. And soft. No ice anywhere. And not crowded nor windy. All just right for me!

Some just weren’t prepared, for I witnessed some serious carnage from the lift. In some ways, I wait all year to see such carnage. You could tell this guy was going to bite it hundreds of feet before he actually did. When it happened is was a beautiful thing, yard sale, skis, poles, goggles, and a 100-ft face first slide…man one has to feel for the guy.

Well, once that guy did his yard sale I figured it was time to take a break. And true to form, the mid mountain hut was full of Easter Sunday merry makers. Folks of all stripes were enjoying the fire and swapping stories of the feather snow we all experienced this day!


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