The original plan and permit for August’s super blue moon was to backpack in Three Sisters Wilderness, but fire smoke suggested a different idea. Campground reservations were easy at Thielsen View campground, surprisingly. The fire smoke was supposed to be … Read More

For several days (3 nights), from a car campground (Lost Creek) I rambled around the west side of Mt Hood. This was the fourth consecutive year hiking on PCT, Timberline and other connected trails. Camping at Lost Creek, which was … Read More

Note: all photos are iPhone SE After a sequence of >95 degree and smoke-clogged days, some marine air entered the valley, for a morning at least. The route took mostly back country roads northwest up the valley past Harrisburg. For … Read More

Note: photos from USGS For birds, and raptors especially, power lines crisscrossing rural and wilderness areas are both a tool and a danger. Poles and structures are usually one of tallest elements and often within or on the edge of … Read More

With a couple of fires burning around home, (OR Fire Marshal has 3: Priceboro, Salmon and Bedrock; the Incident map from US Gov has 2: Salmon and Bedrock). GaiaGPS has a smoke forecast feature and here’s the map for then … Read More

Last night’s full moon, per the Farmers’ Almanac, was a sturgeon moon, and it was BIG. I hung out in what we call the “kiddie park” in an open field waiting for the moon to arrive. Sunset Before the moon … Read More

While walking around town this morning, chasing photos, the contrast between natures power and beauty and the humans’ stupidity smashed me full on. Flowers A couple of wonderful flowers from around the neighborhood and some even have some bees. Osprey … Read More

Treeline Review, a great hiking resource, posted an updated article on stream crossings while hiking and backpacking, “How to Ford a River”. Below is the opening paragraph, and for those hikers who need to cross streams, especially glacial streams in … Read More

Another conditioning bike ride along the Willamette River and another surprise – I had very different company on the bike trail along the Clearwater Bike Path. (All Trails, Willamalane). With only my iPhone SE, photos are crap, but the company … Read More

Mary’s Peak I often compare to Spencer Butte for a day hike. Both are right outside college towns, Eugene and Corvallis, and heavily used, but Spencer is city and Mary’s is US Forest Service. July 25, 2023 was all Mary’s … Read More