Ikenick SnoPark Adventure

Claire & I took the doggers yesterday to play in the snow on the Santiam Pass. We drove about 70 miles before we came to the first SnoPark, an ODOT parking lot that is plowed so people like us can park off the road and play safely away from the traffic. We really like Ikenick as it's the closest SnoPark to our house and it's never very busy. When we arrived it was about 30 degrees and the snow was just starting to come down.

We got dressed and tromped around for about an hour and a half, enjoying the first heavy snowfall in the Cascades of the year. We loved checking out the dogs' athleticism as they cruised around the trees and over big snow piles. They were definitely having a great time playing in the cold stuff.


I'll let the video describe the rest of the trip...


If you like this video and this blog entry (or ANY of my others!) I encourage you to leave a comment letting me know. Thanks, Andy.


Have you enjoyed the outdoors today?

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Gold Lake snow backpacking trip

This week my brother Lee and I went to the Cascades to do some cold-weather camping.  It had been a LOT of years since I'd pitched a tent on the snow and I wanted to remind myself what it felt like.

Lee and I met around 11:00 a.m. on Monday morning and loaded up both our packs and the dogs.  We made good time to Oakridge and had a quick bite to eat before heading into the woods.  The area where we went was very near Gold Lake, just west of Willamette Pass ski area.  The parking lot we parked in is an ODOT SnoPark, meaning that certain times of the year a permit is required to park.  Being that we were so early in the season (permits aren't required until Nov. 15th) we were happy to avoid the fee and assembled our gear for the hike.

 We didn't have any real agenda, save that I was interested in seeing Maiden Peak, about 8 miles away from the car.  I let Lee know the rough itinerary and we headed across the highway and onto a seasonally-closed Forest Service Road.  As we hiked the sun came out and let the blue sky provide a beautiful contrast to the snow-laden trees.  I was very impressed at the serenity that was afforded to us almost immediately into our journey, as there were no other tracks in the snow indicating that we were the first folks on the road for at least a day or two.  We watched the dogs run back and forth (and back and forth again), playing in the snow they love so much.
 

 

After about two miles on the road, we came to a trailhead that led to the PCT, then on to Maiden Peak to our East.  We opted to take this route knowing that there were no lakes on this segment of trail that we would pass.  A note about my dogs; despite all common sense, they absolutely LOVE playing in the water, even in November, even when it's snowing, even when they are sleeping in a tent with me.  Knowing this, it was silly for us to continue on to Gold Lake where the dogs would inevitably go swimming.

We huffed up the trail (it was moderately steep) for an hour or so and then took a break, shedding layers and snacking on granola bars.  Lee and I decided to make a camp sooner than later, as we knew by this time (nearly 3 p.m.) we wouldn't make Maiden Peak on this excursion.  We donned our packs once more and hiked a short half-hour to our campsite, a wonderfully level tree-free area just about 100' off of the trail.

We decided although the sun was still shining that putting up the tent first would be a good idea.  This was fortuitous for sure as soon after erecting the tent it began to spit ice pellets.  They were very small and not long in falling so we continued to stay out of the tent, hours of daylight left before we wanted to head inside.  Lee had a strong urge to build a fire (and I did not) so he began to scout for firewood among the snowy branches.  The amount of snow on the ground was minimal, maybe two to four inches, so there were many canopies that had protected their undergrowth from the wet weather.  Lee quickly found several dry twigs, but it was apparent that I would be a big jerk if I didn't help him find debris.  We spent about half an hour looking, looking, looking for firewood to burn and finally amassed a small cache to get us started.  Although I was initially against the fire in the first place, I long ago learned that a good fire is the centerpiece for a decent camp, and that things just seem nicer when a soft glowing flame is warming your fingers and toes.

We had the fire going after one match, be it a VERY large match, and we quickly smelled of smoke and began to warm up.  After stopping our body temperatures quickly dropped so it was nice to have another heat source to keep us warm.  Lee put a can of soup on the coals to warm up and I cooked some ground beef and combined it with a container of leftover rice from home.  Soon enough, we had dinner and a couple beers, as well, provided by yours truly as a special treat.

We ended up going to the tent around 7:30 or so due to the darkness and the timidity of the fire.  We were sharing a four-person tent with the dogs, but they both insisted on sleeping ON our sleeping bags instead of next to us.  This made for a headache as neither of us could roll over or move our legs due to 65 pounds of yellow lab laying on us.  I slept poorly, on account of both being smashed and the cold air that crept into the tent when the wind blew.

 

Morning came eventually and I was the first one up.  My toes had been cold all night, but even with my thick wool socks (thank you in-laws) putting my feet in my frozen boots when I woke proved to be too much for me to cope with.  I couldn't feel my toes after about half an hour so I decided to revive our fire to help warm me up.  I worked for an hour or so on gathering more wood, then finally warmed back up once the flames were going.  Lee awoke and joined me, his boots frozen so solid that he couldn't lace them up, nor fit his feet in until thawing them near the flames.  I guess that it was about 25 degrees when we awoke, and it wasn't getting any warming as the morning wore on.

Lee and I then decided it was time to head back to civilization so we packed the tent, gear, and extinguished the fire.  We made good time heading back to the FS road that we came in on, and the snow was nearly constant.  It was wonderful to see the car at the parking lot and warm up our bodies again.  All in all, I had a wonderful time with Lee and was really glad he was able to join me on this trip.  Having done snow camping before I knew we'd have a few challenges, but we managed them well and neither of us got frostbite.  Next time, more warm clothes will be a necessity.

French Pete Trail Backpacking Trip

Well, well, well.  Another week, another trip to tell you about.  I am afraid this dog won't run much longer but let's keep it going while we can!

Graham, Jake, and I took another trip last Wednesday to the Three Sisters Wilderness.  We spent quite a bit of the morning procrastinating around the house but finally got my backpack and other gear loaded around lunchtime.  We headed out of Springfield to the east toward Cougar Reservoir.  After a quick stop at the McKenzie Ranger District's office we were off to check out the French Pete Trail (#3311) along the Aufderheide Scenic Byway, a beautiful 60 mile segment between McKenzie Bridge and Blue River to the north and Oakridge to the south.  I'd been on the Aufderheide many times before but had always buzzed right by the French Pete trailhead.  I knew from years past that there was a bridge somewhere along the trail (which goes over French Pete Creek) that had been washed out and so that usually deterred me from stopping to hike.  It being the very end of the dry weather from the summer, however, made me confident that whatever was left of the creek wouldn't be too menacing to ford.

Aufderheide Scenic Byway

After arriving at the TH, I was delighted to see not a single other car in the parking lot.  I let the dogs out of the car off leash (rare that I do this at the TH) and they seemed to know that we were in for a great hike and camping trip.  They ran around like lunatics for the five minutes or so it took me to ready my gear.  Once the pack was donned, we were off to explore new sights!

French Pete Creek

Oregon's State Flower

One of two log crossings

Vine Maple leaf

The trail is only open to hikers (horses are strongly discouraged) and being that it's a wilderness area, bikes are a no-no also.  The trail was heavily used from the car until about the second mile of hiking, then it became a nice mushroom-lined path that paralleled the creek below us.  Graham and Jake loved taking any opportunity to run to the water and take a quick swim.  We made good time hiking and by about 4:30 in the afternoon we were at would become our campsite.  The river was about 150 feet from the trail which was perfect, all the wonderful sounds from the flowing water were in the background and the dogs were happy to stay close to me and out of the water (so we could all be dry when bedtime came).  It's been a while since I've camping in such a beautiful spot.  Judge for yourself:

Our campsite

I put up the tent while the dogs chased each other and I arranged my bedding.  I knew that it was much too early to start dinner so we hiked another 1/2 hour down the trail to explore.  I got a few great shots here due to the lighting and was happy I spent the extra time walking, especially without my heavy backpack!

After returning from our outing I started dinner, some leftover tuna casserole from home and a spinach salad.  After I had my fill it was time to feed the dogs...and boy were they ready!  Something about being in the woods makes all three of us particularly hungry I have found.  With the three of us happily stuffed I debated about what to do next.  It was about 6:00 and light was fading quickly in the western sky.  I opted for the tent and we piled in.  I was very happy the dogs were dry- though the tent is HUGE they insist on sleeping on top of me and I really don't like wet dogs on my stuff.

Last of the day's light

I played a bit of solitaire (never did win) while the dogs figured out their sleeping arrangements.  After a while I became bored and decided early or not it was time to sleep.  We were all three out quickly, enjoying the kind of tired that comes easily when tromping through the wilderness.  I slept pretty well but woke up about 9:00 for the requisite bathroom break.  I noticed when my head returned to the pillow that the moon was rising, casting the last of the maple leaf shadows on the tent near my head.

I woke around 5:00 or so, and noticed that the shadows were now at the other end of the tent as they followed the setting moon.  A few hours later I awoke, ready to start the day.  Graham and Jake got fed first this time, and I wasn't very hungry so I just had some fruit.  We broke camp quickly and by 8:30 we were back on the trial, heading to the car.

I ended up hiking about 10 miles total over the trip and loved nearly every minute of it.  There were two log bridges that I had to cross, both of which made me nervous about falling in the creek below.  The trial was nice in most spots, but at times became surprisingly steep and thin.  There were more mushrooms on this trip than on any I've ever been on, averaging about one every 4 or 5 feet I would wager.  Also the fall leaves here were at their peak and I took full advantage of my new camera to shoot the colors.  The dogs and I returned to town and unpacked the gear (they watched, I unpacked), content knowing that even a short trip to the woods is better than no trip at all...

Little Cowhorn Mountain Lunch

Claire, Scott, Emily & I went for a hike a week or so ago and I wanted to share our trip.  We went to a trail that leads to Little Cowhorn Mountain, in the Willamette National Forest.  The rain was relentless, but we didn't mind too much.
After we started on the trail we noticed that there were a lot of mushrooms out.  We saw many varieties including our favorite, Chanterelles which make for wonderful eating.  These are NOT Chanterelles in the photo, but it's the best shot I got that day of any mushrooms.

 The woods looked nice, as they usually do when it's raining out...misty, quiet, and isolating.

  The trail was short, only about 1.5 miles in length total.  The elevation is about 4,000' so usually you get a wonderful view at the top...that day it was simply too cloudy.
  The lookout cabin at the top of the peak provided a great spot to shed our rain gear and have lunch.  The dogs stayed outside while we ate, played a game of cribbage and relaxed.

Oakridge Mountain Bike Trip

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Hello friends!

Yesterday, October 14th, was a special day for me and my mountain biking hobby.  A friend of mine, Arthur, who is a VERY skilled cyclist took me on a trip to Oakridge to do some mountain biking.  I've gone in the past to places like Goodman Creek and the McKenzie River National Recreation Trail (MRT), but I'd never rolled over the dirt in Oakridge until this trip.  Billed as the "Mountain Bike Capital of the Northwest", I knew that Oakridge had a lot of trails to explore via two wheels but I had no idea at the quality of the riding until yesterday.

Arthur and I decided to take advantage of a great service when we got to town.  A company there by the name of Oregon Adventures provides guided trips but also has a shuttle service that prevents the masochistic need to ride up the gravel road to begin each route.  I had previously won a gift certificate for Oregon Adventures so it was obviously the route I wanted to use to get to the top of the mountain!  The owner of the business, Randy, was one of the first enthusiasts to really get the Oakridge trail system going for mountain bikers and his enthusiasm for riding was obvious when I met him earlier this year at a conference.  I felt while getting in the van to start our drive to the trail that there was more than one reason he was responsible for my mountain biking adventure that I was about to have.

The route that Arthur and I rode was the Alpine Trail, a 15 mile route that is the crown jewel of Oakridge-area mountain biking.  This trail is fast, varied, and incredibly scenic to boot so I knew from the webpage that I would be in for a real treat.   What I didn't know, though, was how much I would enjoy the ride with Arthur.  I expected to have fun, but he was the perfect person to take me down this trail the first time, always bombing down a steep path in front of me providing ample motivation to follow.  At other times he'd be calling out "switch" or "heads up" just in time for me to change gears or navigate a hairy turn.  Arthur's patience was also incredibly forgiving, as I lost my chain multiple times and often had to walk up the steepest parts of the trail due to poor planning or lack of gumption.

The trail description from the previous paragraph's link can tell you all about the Alpine Trail's attributes but I got so much more out of the trip that I didn't expect.  I was very nervous when we started due to the trail being a brief 1/4 mile uphill right off the bat.   I remember thinking about how I should have prepared better by riding more before today's trip.  Next, as we flew through the Jedi section of the ride I remember thinking, all I want to do when we get to the bottom of this ride is give Randy a huge hug (I think the adrenaline was doing funny things to my brain)!  I was stoked at the wonderful views afforded from the trail and also at the fact that 90% of the trail was downhill...I was in mountain biking heaven for those two hours.

After finishing the Alpine Trail, we still had a four mile ride back to town where our car was parked, so we hopped on the pavement for a bit and connected to our next trail.  The last section was very different from the Alpine Trail but still enjoyable.  The terrain went from steep, conifer-lined dirt to a mostly flat and rocky, river-view path with lots of maple leaves on the ground.  The difference was dramatic and provided yet another reason I love Oregon- diversity in nature.  Arthur navigated our way back to Oakridge and we headed back down the mountain to Springfield, enjoying a well-earned beer and bite to eat at one of our local breweries.  Perfect end to a perfect day?  I'll say!

Check out our trip route and detailed summary here.

Goodman Creek Mountain biking

Hi folks!  It's been a while since I've posted but I've been busier at work (boo) and have also been busily reading the house for winter (yay!).  In the meantime, Graham, Jake, and I went to a wonderful place called Goodman Creek a few times last week to explore the single-track mountain biking trail there.  Here's the website for the trail.

The very green forest

The Goodman Creek Trail is in the Willamette National Forest just about 25 miles from my front door.  I loaded up the dogs and we quickly got out of the valley, which was filling with low clouds and fog.  The trail itself is only about four miles in length, so I make a loop of the area that connects a parallel road with the trail.  I almost always ride up the steep gravel for about three miles, then race down the single-track awesomeness for four miles.  Not a bad deal considering  the best part of my mountain bike rides is the downhill!

Graham checking out the tall grass

 On our way up the gravel road, the dogs had a lot of energy and played rambunctiously as I huffed along, dragging my body up the path.  I was tired after about two miles and the dogs still were running at a good clip, always ready to run faster if I would only speed up.  I was jealous to put it nicely.

Once at the top of the road where the trail met back up, we took a quick break and the dogs got a drink from my water supply.  We all panted and huffed for a few minutes before diving off into the woods to ride and run the trail back downhill.  This is always my favorite part of the trail because I know that most of the work is done.  At this point it's switchbacks, some rocks and roots to jump over, a few uphills, and then I'm done.

Great section of the trail with leaves on the ground.

 After about two miles or so we passed Goodman Creek itself and took a break.  The dogs played in the water as I took off my very sweaty pack and relaxed for a few minutes.  At this point, the dogs were starting to become more tired than I was.  Finally!  We had a quick photo shoot and then back on the bike to finish the trail.

Graham (left) and Jake (right) panting away.

 We had a great day here and I expect that it was the last time we'll mountain bike Goodman Creek in 2010.  The rains have started this week and the trail is simply too muddy now to run safely or ethically as it tears up the path to ride on it when it's wet.  Good memories were made on this trip and I'm sure that Graham and Jake have no idea how spoiled they are.  Shouldn't we all be so lucky?

Tired and sweaty at the finish!

Climbing on Travel Oregon's Blog page

Hey folks I just ran across this list of climbing areas in Oregon that the state tourism board, Travel Oregon, has noted as great places to climb in Oregon.  Some of the areas are for bouldering, some are best for sport climbing, and still others are great mountaineering areas.  Check out the entry here.

Trip Report: Obsidian Trail/Middle Sister Adventure

Trip Report from Sept. 20/21, 2010.  Bold print below corresponds to video time points.  Read along and when you get to a bold time point press play 'til you get to the time on the video.  This way you can "see" exactly what I'm describing in the TR.


Kohl & I got a chance to hike the beautiful Obisidian Trail in the Three Sisters Wilderness of the Cascades last week.  We left town early afternoon on Monday and spent one night in the wilderness before coming home late Tuesday evening.  This trip was very last minute and we didn't know we'd be going until about 2 hours before our departure.  However, Kohl & I had both hiked this trail in 2008 with our partners and I felt comfortable with our plans.  I'm telling you this because it will make you say "oh, that's what happened" later...


We arrived at the Trailhead about 4 p.m. to find about three other cars in the parking lot (:01).  We knew we didn't have a lot of time to hike as it would be getting dark just before 8 p.m. or so.  We hit the trail and quickly ascended through the very wet (it was misting on us as we started our hike (:12) forest, noting many mushrooms and unique plants along the way.  After about 2 hours or so we exited the forest and encountered a fantastic sight; a lava flow (:21)!  This flow was only about 1/4 mile in width but we were happy to have a change of scenery and a chance to view the North Sister.  Unfortunately she was out of sight when we got around the corner but the change of pace was nice nonetheless (:29).


After finishing our stint on the lava flow we headed back into the woods.  At this point in the trip we were at a fork in the trail (:33).  Go left and we'd continue on toward our planned campsite, making a summit attempt the following morning very probable.  Go straight and we'd end up an hour or so later at Obsidian Falls, along Obsidian Creek, and not where we wanted to be.  So we went straight- oops!  We didn't know until the following morning that we were making this mistake, so we tromped off happily into the woods looking for a nice place to eat and set up camp.  We discovered more finds, like a pine cone that I at first believed to be a mushroom (:36).


We hiked for another hour or so, every few minutes getting a gorgeous peak of North Sister in the Alpen-glow (:40).  Shortly after it was getting dark enough that my camera wasn't working except for up-close shots.  We decided that we'd take another fork in the trail, this time to Obisidian Falls.  As soon as we got within ear-shot of the whitewater racing down the mountain next to us I started to realize that we'd indeed ended up on the wrong trail.  Up to this point, we felt that it was possible that we just didn't remember the trail that well.  Now we were realizing that we weren't where we wanted to be.  Bummer.  Anyhow, darkness and empty stomachs were the priority at this point, so we raced up the trail to a flat area where we could set up camp.  A few minutes later, we were pitching the tent and starting dinner (:48).  It was cold up here, about 40 degrees I would say and I donned gloves to keep my fingers warm.


After our meal we moved the bags down near the creek to give the bears something to eat other than us, played some rummy and then went to bed.  Sleep was difficult for Kohl I later learned but I was very tired and knocked out quickly.  Something about being in nature always lets me sleep well.  Our original plan was to wake around 5 a.m. to make a mountain summit attempt, but we both decided to hold off until after sunup due to our new found lost-ness.


We awoke around 8 or so and were VERY cold!  Problem was the sun was hitting the rain fly on the tent and melting the ice that had formed overnight.  While I was cold, I was less inclined to get wet so got up and out of the tent in a hurry, unlike Kohl who was already wet AND cold (:53).  Breakfast was oatmeal with fresh-filtered creek water to wash it down (1:02).  We made a decision at this point that I feel now was very wise, but at the time I was quite bummed about.  We knew that we were not where we thought we should be for a summit attempt, so we planned to hike around on the trail we were on until after lunch and then head back to the car, tails between our legs, not attempting to summit Middle Sister.


We broke camp and hiked down below the falls (1:12) to the original trail and headed south away from our Trailhead.  We were quickly greeted with a wonderful view of Middle Sister and lots of plant life that was turning a beautiful fire-red color (1:37).  We hiked about 40 minutes or so from our overnight camp and realized that we could scramble up a nearby ridge for much closer and personal views of the mountain, and possibly see North and South Sisters as well from a higher viewpoint.  We made a good assessment of the trail where we departed on and agreed where we'd head once we were off-trail (1:45).  We scrambled up the loose lava rock ridge and quickly found an amazing view of South Sister (1:57).


After soaking in the view to the south and refueling our bodies with granola bars we decided to go yet further up and to the north to see about views of North Sister.  We really pushed our bodies here and got a great workout to boot as we ascended another 1000' or so up the flanks of Middle Sister (2:09).  The views were astounding and the fact that we hiked above the cloud layer to the west was pretty neat as well (2:13).


After our final ridge was summited we decided to head back down for the trail, which we could see a LONG way down below us (2:32).  After about 45-60 minutes we rejoined the trail and headed back north toward the car.  We made quick work of the trial out of the Wilderness Area and enjoyed a tasty beer at the Trailhead just before 5 o'clock (2:53).  All said, some things went unexpectedly and we did well to communicate to one another when one of us wasn't comfortable doing something.  The trip was definitely a fun one and I was glad to be recreating with Kohl, a friend I hope to share many more backpacking trips with.

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Benternship sights & sounds Summary

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Benternship July 12- DAY 13

This series documents a very special opportunity I had recently. I was accepted as an intern at a company in Oregon that provides naturalist-based guided tours in many different activities that travelers enjoy. All of the entries are taken directly from my makeshift journal, my camera, and my iPod video camera. Items in bold are not original to the journal, they have been added for clarity or reading enjoyment. You can decide which.

Today I headed out of Bend. It was an exciting and worthwhile trip to Central Oregon and I certainly gained a lot of knowledge to sort through once I get home. I met with Dave this morning at the office and we had a de-briefing. I felt that there were lots of things that we both received from my working with his company over the past two weeks and I'm proud of that. I greatly look forward to using the momentum gained from this experience in the future to help start my own outdoor-oriented company.

After leaving Bend, I headed up the highway toward Portland. The next few hours (3 total) provided me with views of Oregon I didn't know existed! The drive was a highlight of the day for sure, and I took lots of videos to prove it.

Benternship July 10- DAY 11

This series documents a very special opportunity I had recently. I was accepted as an intern at a company in Oregon that provides naturalist-based guided tours in many different activities that travelers enjoy. All of the entries are taken directly from my makeshift journal, my camera, and my iPod video camera. Items in bold are not original to the journal, they have been added for clarity or reading enjoyment. You can decide which.

With Claire being in town I knew that I had to get her out on a trip with the company. I needed to show her that the caliber of trips that Wanderlust Tours provides was exactly the quality that I wanted in my own trips someday. Witnessing first-hand what the guides do so well here in Bend was something that I simply couldn't explain...it needed to be experienced.

Claire & I signed up for the moonlight canoe tour departing Saturday evening. We met up with Jack @ Fred Meyer and hopped in the van. Off to Sunriver for another pickup and then lake time! We headed up to the Cascade lakes that flank South Sister, Mount Bachelor, and Broken Top and pulled into the Hosmer Lake parking lot. After a brief introduction on paddling by Jack, we set out on the water just as the sun was setting. The looks we got from the fisherman (who were all coming OFF the lake at this time) was priceless. Looks of shock and curiosity were prevalent on their faces as we paddled past them, eager to see what the night sky would bring us. Keep in mind that Claire and I have never been on this lake before in our lives. The trust that we placed with Jack was considerable but I knew we were in great hands.

Jack quickly assessed our groups' paddling ability (there were 6 guests including Claire & I) and took time to help out those who were still learning the tricks of canoeing. Claire & I watched in wonder as the last of the day's light faded from the evening sky. Suddenly between our boat and the next, not two feet from one another, you could see bats flying between the canoes on their way to swallow all those pesky mosquitoes that were flying around us. The bats were hard to see directly but if you stared at the water about 10 feet away from you suddenly a shadow would pass that was undeniably a bat...a very cool experience and one of my favorite parts of the moonlight canoe trips.

Jack took our group to a beaver lodge that was nestled along the bank of Hosmer Lake and explained how they were constructed and used by the beavers that lived in it. While listening to his oration it was easy to look around this marvelous piece of Oregon and feel quite content to be away from the lights and sounds of a city. The dark was really beginning to take hold and as the last of the twilight slipped from our view we noticed fish swimming about below our boat, no doubt scanning above for insects just as the bats were doing.

Unlike the other lakes I'd seen at this point during my Benternship, Hosmer lake surprised me in being quite marshy. As we reached a channel in the lake I noticed that we'd be paddling through a snaking portion of marsh, which when combined with the beaver lodge area comprises only about half of the total lake surface. We stayed close together and with the moonlight beginning to take over the night sky easily saw our way through the reeds to the opening of the channel.

Once the four boats were all through the bottleneck, Jack asked us to look up and analyze the sky. It was still a bit too early to see many stars, but what we could see amazed us still. Jack pointed out Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter and we were all astounded by the sight! It was one of the most memorable night skies I've ever witnessed, simply because I finally had someone to tell me exactly what I was looking at!

We continued our paddle to another point toward the northern end of the lake, all the while being sung to by shorebirds looking for food or mates. The call of one in particular, the Common Nighthawk, was especially fitting for a nighttime paddle as it's peculiar sounds come through the trees sounding quite foreign to one's ears.

As we reached a stopping point in the middle of the lake, Jack corralled our boats together and began passing out hot cocoa and baked almond bars for the guests. The treats were well received by the group as we had been working up an appetite paddling around the lake. After the snacks were passed out, Jack continued to speak to us about the constellations, including Cassiopeia, Scorpio, and Orion. The detail and passion in which Jack shares these tales is quite enjoyable to witness, and you can tell he has a strong background in theater as he weaves his tales for his audience.

Content with all we had witnessed for the evening, the group paddled back toward the south end of the lake under Jack's guidance, all the while in a lights-out caravan of canoes. Several of the boats saw a deer just off to the side of the shore munching in the marshy grass, no doubt. The stars were vivid and as we paddled back south the view of Scorpio became more and more clear to us. Arriving at the boat ramp, canoes were loaded, PFDs were shed and the gear was stowed for our return trip to civilization.

The moonlight canoe trip with Wanderlust Tours was definitely a highlight of my Benternship and quite possibly my time here in Oregon. I have been thinking about all of the amazing sights I've seen in Oregon and I would contend that seeing the stars from a pristine Cascade Mountain lake rivals many if not all of them. If you have a chance to tour with Wanderlust, do it! I promise you'll not be disappointed.