Hiking

Hager Mountain Lookout, 2018

It’s been quiet around this site for a while but not because there has been nothing going on.  Since the last post there’s been a trip to the north Oregon coast,

 

Wreck of the Peter Iredale

 

a ski trip to north central Washington to glide through the trees,

 

Skiing the Methow

 

and even a stop at Gettysburg.

 

High Water Mark, Gettysburg

 

But now that spring is coming back around its time to get back outside in earnest.

Hager Mountain Lookout is a popular spot.  I’ve been wanting to spend a few nights in a lookout for many years, but reserving far enough in advance before all the days are booked is always a challenge.  6 months and two weeks back we got lucky and there was an opening.  We grabbed it.  In February I was thinking there would be no snow and spring time conditions.  Then March came and with it, finally, winter.  The week prior to heading out snow was in the forecast again.  But by the time we were headed to the trailhead the storm had passed, dumping a bit of snow along the way, leaving us with a nice blue sky day to head to the top of the mountain.

 

Hager Mountain. We are going there?

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Continue ReadingHager Mountain Lookout, 2018

Along the White Rim Trail, 2017, Part 3

We had a good night at Candlestick camp and before we were up we were passed by the only other person going our direction (besides a lone bicycle) the entire trip.  Before long we were out of camp and back on the trail.  We didn’t have too far to go for day three, but there was a hike on the list that would take a bit of time.

 

As you make your way upriver along the Green there begin to be bottoms that seem to be big flat bars along the river.  They may have had extensive cottonwood galleries at one time but now the tamarisk has mostly taken over.  There are still some nice cottonwoods to be found too.  We passed Valentine Bottom, Unknown Bottom, Queen Anne Bottom, Beaver Bottom and Potato Bottom.  Somewhere in there the White Rim started getting closer and closer to the level of the river.  In hindsight it should have been obvious that we were seeing the last of it, but we didn’t really realize it until it was gone.  I would have said goodbye.

The White Rim approaches the level of the river

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Continue ReadingAlong the White Rim Trail, 2017, Part 3

Along the White Rim Trail, 2017, Part 2

Day two on the White Rim Trail was another blue sky day and we had the luxury of not being in the hurry we had been in the last few days.  Nevertheless we were up and soaking in the scenery and the sun and were on the road before too late in the morning.

 

White Rim and La Sal Mountains

 

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Continue ReadingAlong the White Rim Trail, 2017, Part 2