Hello Spring

Don’t let the reports of a never-ending winter fool you.  Spring has arrived in central Oregon.  The snowpack around town finally melted.  With longer days and buds ready to burst at any moment, it was time to get the camper back on the truck and head out for a quick weekend hike and some time around the campfire.  We headed north to the Cove Palisades State Park and hit the Tam-a-lau trail.  The trail starts in a climb from the level of the reservoir to a plateau called The Peninsula offering great views of the cascades and a portion of Lake Billy Chinook.

Three Sisters

 

Mt. Jefferson

 

Tam-a-lau views above Lake Billy Chinook

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Deschutes River, Fall, 2016

Wow, is fall flying by!  Wasn’t it just September?  Now the end of October is closer than the start.  I guess there’s just a bit of catching up to do here.  Fall means a lot of things, among them is steelhead season and getting on the big D to see what can be dredged up in that department.  The first float on the Deschutes actually began in September and then there it was, October by the end of the trip.  The second trip was only 4 days later.  A little bit of a whirlwind, but was it ever nice to be on the river.  And of course it’s always nice to get out and see some fall sunsets as storms threaten that usually don’t produce a whole lot.

Trout Creek Sunset
Trout Creek Sunset

 

Juniper Ridgeline, Sunset
Juniper Ridgeline, Cotton Candy Sunset

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Klamath River, September 2016

As I crossed over the Santiam Pass I noticed it.  Red and yellow leaves in every direction.  It’s fall, my favorite time of year.  Not only does the temperature moderate from the triple digits of summer, you get that crisp feeling in the air and most of all fire season tends to moderate and the opportunity might present itself to unplug for a few days.  There is no better way to unplug in my book than to float down a river.  First up this fall, the Klamath in northern California.

Klamath River Solitude
Klamath River Solitude

The Klamath flows through some pretty remote country.   (more…)

Continue ReadingKlamath River, September 2016