Continental DIY ‘waffle machine’ breakfast at Klamath Falls’ Super 8 — started Friday B-I-G (ya’ll know, FREE is for me) 🙂 — then travelled north on Highways 97 & 62, today’s ‘bucket list’ destination: Crater Lake Nat’l Park.
Like No Place Else On Earth
Crater Lake has inspired people for thousands of years. No place else on earth combines a deep, pure lake, so blue in color; sheer surrounding cliffs, almost two thousand feet high; two picturesque islands; and a violent volcanic past.
It is a place of immeasurable beauty…
Started at the Visitors Center & tutored myself of everything Crater Lake before veering east on Rim Drive, travelling counter-clockwise ’round the Lake. Best view of this volcanic wonder? Less then 2 miles from the Visitors Center. Seriously.
Parked an hour+ & soaked in the landscape. Ponderosa pine, pristine blue water — trapped snow melt from thousands of years, no water inlet or outlet from the Crater. Natural, untouched by man.
Lunched in Rim Village. Stopped at Watchman Overlook to best view Wizard Island — organically created after Mt Mazama’s eruption 7700 years ago. Today was about taking it all in. Tomorrow I’ll be up-close & personal — marathoning the Rim from Watchman Overlook to the Pinnacles, including a 5 mile grind UP past Llao Rock. Will be my most challenging marathon to date.
Finished the day with a Wet Wubba at Wubba’s BBQ Shack. Early to bed, early to rise — tomorrow, my 36th state run 🙂
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- out of the desert, now surrounded by massive pine
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- check out that horizon – FAAANNNNTASTIC!
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- Wizard Island (foreground), created after the collapse of Mt Mazama
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- tomorrow I’ll run the height of Crater Rim (8,000ft+ elevation)
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- “Like No Place Else On Earth” – no words, stunning
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- trip highlight: pristine blue water & Ponderosa pine – WOW WOW WOW!
‘bucket list’ destination, Crater Lake
Down from Hood, drove 2 hours south – day vaca on Warm Springs Indian Reservation.
Indian casino? Nope – resort day in the high desert between Mount Hood & Crater Lake. Good fit, an unexpected adventure.
Woke Thursday in Kah-Nee-Ta, lil’ stiff from the prior day’s hike, but on a mission. 9-mile morning run on reservation trails up high desert bluffs. Surrounded by sage and volcanic rock, heat kicked up & my energy level kicked in.
Eyes burned of salt, running sweat ’round my goggles. An eagle hovered, motionless riding the wind current – then dropped directly in front of me. VISION QUEST. Super spiritual, centering moment.
Showered, reflected on my run – unexpected beauty trail-running thru Oregon’s high desert. WOW day!
Similar to most Native Americans, Oregon’s tribes lost their land in the late 1800’s & were resettled onto a large swatch of high desert in central Oregon near Warm Springs. Fish-gathering Wasco from the Cascades, nomadic Northern Paiute from the South & the Sahaptin of Warm Springs – all 3 tribes survived on Oregon’s abundant Chinook salmon population.
Visited the Nat’l Fish Hatchery where Ranger Mary Bayer educated on everything Pisces, Pacific Northwest – from dwindling salmon numbers to global warming. Unfortunately nothing to see this day – fish were released 2 weeks prior because of rising river temps, a result of the California/Pacific West drought & increasing ground temps (up another 4° from last year).
Half day at the reservation’s Native American Museum – art, music, dance & local history. Highly recommended.
Tomorrow, Crater Lake Nat’l Park – super excited. On the 3-hour drive south (17 miles from the California border), stopped & watched bungee jumpers leap from Crooked River Bridge on Highway 97. Hmm…someday 🙂
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- BIA 26 to Kah-Nee-Ta
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- 1,019.385 sq mi occupied & governed by the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs
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- 9 mile high-desert run – spiritual & centering
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- mow pesa mu ka yow we yoona
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- the Museum at Warm Springs
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- no Chinook salmon today
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- bridge bungee jumping — hmm, someday
With my Everest climb cancelled (Nepal Earthquake Disaster), shortened summer vaca time (from a month to 5 days) & flew to Oregon – Plan B: Mt Hood, Crater Lake & another marathon (of course).
Briskly left my airport hotel at 5am (Studio 6 was a dive 🙁 ), quick stop at a 24-hour Walmart for lunch supplies & water – then an hour-half drive to Timberline Lodge in Gov’t Camp (trailhead to Oregon’s majestic Mount Hood).
Spent last week googling the multitude of reasons why not to hike Hood in August – but with a smile on my face & a pack overloaded for sub-Arctic conditions, took the PCT (right of the lodge), and started my day journey. Veered off the PCT no more than half-mile in & started UP. No ropes, no ice axe – 2 shirts, double socks, crampons & my bestest boots would have to do today.
Pro: ‘eye on the prize’ – No false summits, Hood is visible from Step 1.
Con: lack of switchbacks – In Colorado we’re spoiled with miles of trail to 14er summits. In Oregon, it’s a straight path UP – 35% grade, no boulders, over volcanic dirt which hasn’t absorbed moisture in years.
Tough hike start – UP 3,000ft+ past Silcox Hut, to the top of a local ski lift (8,600ft).
Two steps up, one step back – like hiking in sand with no rock to steady your step.
Dust – whole lotta dust. Like I imagine what hiking on Mars’ Mount Sharp would be like. This area is generally packed with snow – absorbed directly in the atmosphere before melting into the volcanic soil below. Effects of the California drought are visible up & down the Pacific West. Streams are down, trees brown, forest fires reported from Northern California, across Western Canada, northward to Alaska.
During my ascent, stuck too close to the lift & lost Hogsback, pushing up Zigzag Canyon – Hood’s climbing route. Slow going, dry hiking in August, no ropes – loose dirt & scree, strong smell of sulfur (fumaroles/volcanic vents).
Followed the fall line, hiked left of massive Palmer Glacier. Absolutely stunning!
UP a 1,000ft of Palmer before floor conditions self-frustrated enough to try short steps on the glacier edge itself. Super slick in August. I watched the 2002 accident clip before I left Colorado – one wrong step, fast glissade, then down a crevasse. Wore a bright orange cap this day – wanting to be identified, understanding the inherent danger. Slow and steady.
Nearing the top of Palmer, I could free-climb up & further east – hiking the saddle over to Hood. Is this possible? I could hug Palmer Glacier, reach its top, find a break, traverse the glacier, righting myself closer to Hogsback. Is this possible?
Lack of knowledge can kill ya. Ideal to be hiking with a local or on a weekend, when I could copycat/tag-along other climbers.
Chose the glacier route, saw the glacier break – but ended it there. Summit fail. Not today – lotta snow, lotta ice, no other peeps on the mountain & lack of knowledge/questioned my skills. Ate half a Walmart sub & took in some of the most amazing views.
Not a fan of the desolate hike landscape but Palmer Glacier & Mt Hood (only another 1,200ft UP) – hooked on that vision. I’ll be back.
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- first view — daybreak on Hood
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- the infamous PCT (Pacific Crest Trail, Mexico-Canada)
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- Mount St. Helens, 60 miles north of Hood
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- volcanic rock & dust
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- strong smell of sulfur (fumaroles/volcanic vents)
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- massive Palmer Glacier
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- nearing the top of Palmer – find a break & traverse over?
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- glacier break – mighty steep
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- one wrong step, quick glissade down, killer crevasse below
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- Summit fail — I’ll be back
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- beautiful day, amazing views – LOVED Palmer Glacier — & the best $5 sub ever (expended lotta energy)
Mount Hood’s Palmer Glacier
