Lower Deschutes Camping

Lowell in camper mode

Maria, William, and I escaped for a one-night camping trip along the lower Deschutes River.  None of us had actually ever been on this stretch so it was a treat to see something new so close to home. Beautiful canyon on a beautiful day.  A few fishermen around, and a few trains at night, but otherwise we felt far away.

Fall color in the side canyons

Sherar's Bridge

RR bridge over the Deschutes

Another RR bridge, this one over the White River

That great evening light

Tumalo Falls

Tumalo Falls

Maria and I did a quick hike on a wet Sunday afternoon.  The Tumalo Falls trailhead is bout 20 minutes away from the house and, since it was raining, there were no crowds.  We hiked up until we hit a little snow.  Beautiful fall colors!

From the top of the falls

A little snow - so exciting!

South Fork Crooked River Riparian Planting Work Party

Rattlesnake Butte 

I spent this weekend at "Jake's Place" along the upper South Fork Crooked River.  It was an ONDA work party where we planted some 1800 plants along the banks of the river in an effort to help restore a functioning riparian zone.  Beautiful spot and great company!

South Fork Crooked River

Middle Fork John Day River

Middle Fork John Day River

Last weekend William and I took off in the camper for a couple of nights.  It was good to spend some time on the road with the boy and reconnect a little.  We ended up camping at Pine Mountain one night and along the Middle Fork John Day River the next.  I had not been back to the Middle Fork in twenty years, not since my graduate school days.  I regret not holding more firmly to my dream of studying the restoration potential of that river for my thesis project. I wanted to see what has happened out there in the last two decades.  It was heartening to see that restoration is happening and the river is in better shape then it was.  Also frustrating to see how poorly many of the ranches are treating that river.  The contrast between restored, carefully grazed reaches and the lower reaches where grazing is not well managed is stark.  I hope some day that these ranchers age out and are replaced by more competent land managers.

A whirlpool - it remained in place for two days!

The larch are starting to turn