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Into the woods, to lose my mind and find my soul

Goatbells.blog
Goatbells.blog
Into the woods, to lose my mind and find my soul
Camp Sherman May Day:  Pine Rest CG
Campground

Camp Sherman May Day: Pine Rest CG

ByMichael Goatbells May 4, 2025May 4, 2025

For a couple of nights and May Day, I made a home at Pine Rest campground at Camp Sherman on the magical Metolius River. Smith Rock and Camp Sherman have been my traditional gear shake-out for the first overnight of the season, but this year the extra 2 hours of driving couldn’t be rationalized for…

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Mckenzie River Trail from Clear Lake
Day Hikes

Mckenzie River Trail from Clear Lake

ByMichael Goatbells May 4, 2025May 4, 2025

On my way back from Camp Sherman, a standard early morning stop (for the day) is Clear Lake Resort on Mckenzie River trail. Parking at resort is same price as upper trailhead (several miles upriver) – your permit – but so much safer. I stopped at the resort at 05:30 and was hiking around the…

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Camp Sherman to Suttle Lake
Day Hikes

Camp Sherman to Suttle Lake

ByMichael Goatbells May 4, 2025May 4, 2025

The original plan was to hike Metolius-Windego trail north / northwest until snow pack made it impossible. I left Pine Rest CG in Camp Sherman as part of May Day adventure very early in morning, but headlamp not needed. The planned trip, however, needed to be changed given a missing bridge – and my total…

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Metolius River trail – downriver
Day Hikes

Metolius River trail – downriver

ByMichael Goatbells May 4, 2025May 4, 2025

From Pine Rest campground and my May Day Camp Sherman car camping spot, the first day hike started after setting up campsite around 09:00 April 30. Weather was perfect for the season with clear skies and little wind. The Route From Pine Rest CG, the route went downriver on the east side to the Fish…

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Flowers in my ‘hood
Photo Chasing

Flowers in my ‘hood

Bygoatbells_bupekm April 29, 2025April 29, 2025

There’s few things as vibrant and colorful as spring time in Willamette Valley when the flowers are just popping … these were all a couple of blocks around my house as I walked around today. Opening any photo will display in high quality resolution – extra bonus points to find the bee.

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Quiet Alpine Trail to Tire Mt Trail
Day Hikes

Quiet Alpine Trail to Tire Mt Trail

ByMichael Goatbells April 25, 2025April 25, 2025

After Tuesday’s jaunt up King Castle in the McKenzie valley, Thursday’s hike was up Alpine Trail to Tire Mt in Willamette valley. I had hiked up Alpine not this far earlier, and the difference in trail conditions were striking – leave it to MTB riders to clean up their trails first! All the blowdowns were…

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Solitude on King-Castle
Day Hikes

Solitude on King-Castle

ByMichael Goatbells April 23, 2025April 23, 2025

King Castle is a big rock that sticks up from Mckenzie River outside of Rainbow, OR. A small comms tower at the top spoils some of the views of Mt Washington and the Three Sisters covered in April snows. The trail is mostly used by MTB folks racing down the hill, but Tuesday April 22…

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Moonset, sunrise & friends
Photo Chasing

Moonset, sunrise & friends

ByMichael Goatbells April 12, 2025April 12, 2025

Continuing the practice of walking around farms and lakes before and during sunrise with better weather, the moon, the sun, birds and deer all made an entrance. The lakes just attract beautiful … < — clicking on the image opens up a higher resolution file — > Moonset Sunrise Friends A heron found a pier…

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Farm-side golden hour
Photo Chasing

Farm-side golden hour

ByMichael Goatbells April 9, 2025April 9, 2025

… and a lake-side sunrise with unusual birds. A very cold April morning with temperatures in upper 20s and a short window of clear skies painted a series of wonderful skies above farms around the lakes. < — clicking on photo opens higher resolution image – do it! — > Sunrise on the lake was…

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Lakeside golden hours
Photo Chasing

Lakeside golden hours

ByMichael Goatbells April 5, 2025April 5, 2025

Around a couple of small midwestern lakes, golden hours bring out the very best … water and sky; wonderful feathered residents and visitors. *** clicking on photos will open up higher resolution version *** Mute swans were grouped to > a dozen. A passing bald eagle was looking for an easy meal. One robin caught…

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