Leaving home very early to catch first light on the trail did not prepare me for the early morning moon. The harvest moon was later in the day, and I was ready for that one, but the morning moon surprised … Read More

3 days covering a harvest moon and the fall equinox … what a time to be in the woods. Cascades Lakes highway has much to offer regardless of your activity or gear … I chose Elk Lake for a 3-day … Read More

The winds of change have shifted: the winds were blowing cold (~40 f) bringing smells of rain and weather people put 100% probability of >.5″ of rain on Saturday (one report said no meaningful rain since July 7). What better … Read More

Another 1 day hike on PCT from one of my most frequent TH, Trapper Creek. There was a small window to do 2 day / 1 night to capture longer PCT, but current backpack situation did not work … So, … Read More

A quick 3x to the top and touching both Fox Hollow and Willamette trailheads was the mid-week work out. Put on my Northface 20L day pack, and hit the trail by 6:30am. Smoke was threatening to fill the valley from … Read More

After last week’s Diamond Lake adventure, and to stay loose for next week’s PCT Mt Jefferson ramble (fires & weather pending), I revisited Spencer Butte for an early morning 15 mile warm up. The hike started at S Willamette TH, … Read More

Yep, another year to Diamond Lake, and another year with fires … fires almost everywhere to the west, south, and north. Hwy 58 was deemed too prone to fire delays for the return trip. Temperatures were also >95 in valley … Read More

Not to let 6-legged monsters keep me from PCT plans, I went back to Waldo Lake area to complete the section planned earlier but denied by the swarm. The swarm was gone and those left were easily outrun, though resting … Read More

What started as a 3 day, 2 night camping and hiking adventure at Waldo Lake was reduced to a 2 day, 1 night psychological and physical test due to one small, swarming 6-legged monster: mosquitoes. Everybody who plans on hiking … Read More