Bob DenOuden's Pacific Northwesterner: August 2018

Road Trip Through the Blue Mountains

Looking northwest from Spanish Peak

It was a perfect weekend for a long road trip. Perfect weather, a 4wd full size truck, and a good friend were the only ingredients needed. Our route took us through nearly all of the sub-ranges of Oregon's Blue Mountains; the Ochocos, the Aldrich, The Strawberries (barely), and the Elkhorns. It was the beginning of bow hunting season so we were not lonely, but I got to see some places that have been on my list for decades, such as the summits of Vinegar Hill (8,200') and Spanish Peak (6,900'). I also got to see Greenhorn (pop 3) for the first time. Oh, and brewpubs including Ochoco (Prineville), 1188 (John Day), and Side A (La Grande). All-in-all a successful road trip.

View from Vinegar Hill

Mountain Goat on Vinegar Hill

Soda Creek - Green Lakes Loop

Soda Creek

Green Lakes is just too crowded. I have avoided this area, especially on weekends, for years. Today, a Sunday, dawned crystal clear and wonderfully cool for August, 2018. I could not resist the idea of a quick day hike in the high country but I didn't want to drive far. That leaves few options other than crowds. A bit of a compromise is the Soda Creek Trail. It starts at the same trailhead as Green Lakes, but gets less use and is, in my opinion, a more interesting trail. After a 30 minute drive from home I was on the trail in the cool morning air. The sky bluer than I have seen it in a long time. The Soda Creek trail follows the creek and wanders through and along numerous meadows as it works its way high onto the shoulder of Broken Top. I was planning on an out and back, avoiding Green Lakes, but in the end opted for the loop, not wanting to backtrack. While the Falls Creek trail from Green Lakes was, indeed, busy, it is still a spectacular hike with one waterfall after another. And after Soda Creek I was able to put up with a few more people (and dogs) that I would otherwise have tolerated.

Broken Top

South Sister from Green Lakes

Disheveled Ouzel

Backpacking with my Brother

Sunset at Camp

Last weekend my brother and I returned to an area where we did out first real backpacking trip. It was 1981, I was 14 and Ken was 15. We had done several overnight trips in the hills around our Mohawk Valley home, but this was the real deal. Dad dropped us off at the trailhead with instructions to pick us up in a week. We were on our own. It was glorious. Last weekend was equally glorious. We saw not another sole from the time we left the trailhead to the time we returned three days later. That is hard to do in this day and age. I am so glad to be able to continue to share these experiences with my brother after all of these years.