I only went on two hikes in April. My husband and usual hiking partner was away on a photo trip to Patagonia. When he returned, we wanted to get out in the eastern Columbia River Gorge to see the spring wildflowers, especially the balsamroot, before it got too hot!
4/20 – Part 1 – Dalles Mountain Ranch, WA
I did an abbreviated version of this hike, as I was still regaining my stamina. After lunch, I returned to the trailhead via a dirt connecting road, while my hiking partner continued the loop. I saw a slightly different version of the usual views, and then had to climb a fence to get back to the main road – all part of the adventure! (2.6 miles, 220 feet)
Approaching the the Columbia Hills, painted yellow with balsamroot.The classic view of Dalles Mountain Ranch and Mt Hood, with balsamroot.Trail viewBalsamroot all the way down to the river…We stopped for lunch at our favorite oak tree.Oak tree
There were other flowers among the yellow…
Phlox, lupine, and desert parsleyMilk vetchBitter cherry, with Mt HoodBalsamroot closeup
After lunch, I made my way back up the hill along the old road, assuming from my map that it would connect to the Dalles Mountain Road…
Wide view down to the Columbia River, with Mt Hood.And over to the ranch, from the east.My route in blue. It rejoins the road at the gate.The unexpected gate was actually pretty easy to climb, and I was back at the trailhead after a short roadwalk.
4/20 – Part 2 – Bitterroot at Catherine Creek, WA
We stopped on the way home for a short hike up to the Fairy Ponds at Catherine Creek – I thought the bitterroot might be blooming, and I did not want to miss them!
From the trailhead, the wide open meadows are turning brown, with late season flowers – purple tomcat clover and white cluster lilies.The fairy pools under the oak trees are dried up, with monkey flowers and camas blooming in the shade.Buttercups and camasWe found bitterroot blooming on the nearby rocky outcrops.Bitterroot, Catherine Creek Arch in the distance.A large clump of bitterroot.Heading down – eastward view. Westward view, with Mt Hood.
4/28 – Weldon Wagon Road, WA
This is another place we go to see huge swaths of balsamroot in bloom, and once again, it was a beautiful hike, with a side view of Mt Adams from the lunch stop. It is steadily uphill, but never too steep, as it was originally a wagon road. (4 miles, 1100 feet)
The lower slopes are shady oak woodland, with meadows full of buttercups, vetch and other tiny flowers – very colorful!Bicolored lupines and barestem biscuitrootA few clumps of lupine in the shade, and lots of poison oak everywhere off trail.Eventually, the view opens up to the balsamroot slopes…Before continuing, we popped over the ridge on a side trail to our lunch stop – with views to Mt Adams.Mt Adams
After lunch we continued upward along the main trail…
Upward on Weldon Wagon Road – clouds covering Mt Hood.Looking down the slope.In the upper woods, tall western groundsel,Large-head clover, and Pacific waterleafEventually Mt Hood started to emerge from the clouds.Hiking back down, noticing the fern leaf desert parsley among the yellow blooms.Fernleaf desert parsleyAnd back down through the painterly lower meadows and oak trees. Another good visit to this trail.
Four hikes in the eastern Columbia River Gorge, with wildflowers and fire recovery notes; and two urban walks.
3/3 – Crawford Oaks, WA
On a calm day, we walked the Vista Loop from Crawford Oaks (5 miles, 750 feet). We saw the earliest spring flowers, and the Columbia River reflecting the landscape like a mirror.
Eight Mile FallsGold Stars blooming along the trail.Grass widows and salt and pepper parsley blooming at our lunch stop, looking toward The Dalles.Dalles Mountain Ranch. We saw a few yellow bells blooming in the dry grass.Emerging balsam root bloomsEastward view up the Columbia River toward Celilo.Spotted towhee
3/17 – The Labyrinth, WA
I finally made it all the way up to the guide Ponderosa pine, for the first time since the Burdoin Fire last summer. There was evidence of fire damage along the way, and extremely lush meadows full of flowers. (4 miles, 900 feet)
Starting up, green meadows with blooming popcorn flowers and filaree.Swales of white cress flowersGold stars and grass widows near Hidden Falls.Lots of water in the creek, with buttercups.Grass widows, and the orchards of Mosier across the Columbia River.Fire damage in my favorite oak grove.More fields of glowing grass widows as we approach the lunch ledge,And a view of Mt Hood with lenticular cloud.Columbia desert parsleyThe ridgeline oak treeContinuing upward toward the ‘guide’ ponderosa at the turnaround/viewpoint,On closer view, I can see the burn damage, but there is still a lot of green. I’m hoping it will survive.View eastward from near the ponderosa.Saying goodbye to the trail guardian oak on the way down – also still here, and undamaged.
3/21 – Portland Waterfront Cherry Blossoms
We took quick walk, along with thousands of others, to see the blooming cherry trees along the Portland waterfront, on a sunny day. Given all the usual protest vibes we live with, this day was a refreshing break. We were all enjoying the sunshine and the blossoms!
Looking down on the Willamette River waterfront from the Steel Bridge.Cherry trees and the Burnside BridgeLooking back to the Steel BridgeCherry blossoms, Convention Center tower beyondCherry blossoms
3/25 – Mosier Plateau, OR
We hiked with friends on this windy day, out to the Mosier Plateau, where we could see the first balsam root flowers blooming, and great views across the Columbia River. (3.2 miles, 650 feet)
Walking uphill along Mosier Creek, past Mosier Falls.A few switchbacks and stairs, still protected from the wind; with Columbia desert parsley.Now walking north toward the exposed plateau, balsamroot blooming along the trail.Windy view across the Columbia River, with balsam rootFreshly blooming balsamrootWestward view, down the Columbia RiverNorthward view, directly toward Coyote Wall; Labyrinth to the right. All burned by last summer’s Burdoin Fire, and now all green.Upriver view, toward the Catherine Creek area.
3/30 – Catherine Creek, WA
Our first time doing this eastern loop since the Burdoin Fire. The meadows were full of blooming flowers. There were many remnants of burned trees, and I learned about bonfire moss, a neon green variety that marks the fire areas. I didn’t see my ‘ent’, a snag that I greet every time we hike here. It seems to have vanished in the fire…though if it were a true ent, it would have moved away from the fire. (3 miles, 500 feet)
Meadow full of death camas at the trailhead.Gold stars near the bridge.Rosy plectritis in abundance.Camas, shooting stars and saxifrage.View back to Mt Hood across the Columbia River.Walking uphill along the eastern trail. I don’t see my ent, but it should be somewhere in this view…I did see many remnants of burned trees – blackened logs, surrounded by bonfire moss.Miners lettuce and bonfire moss.We passed many burned logs, each with their bonfire moss halo.View from the cliff edge across Catherine Creek, as we return down the trail. The yellow patches are monkey flowers.RIP to my old ent… perhaps he is wandering out there somewhere. Photo from 2024.
3/31 – Fort Vancouver Land Bridge, WA
We took a brisk two mile walk over the Confluence Land Bridge near downtown Vancouver, Washington. The bridge and trail trail connect historic Fort Vancouver to the Columbia Riverfront, over the freeway. Art and signage explain historical and natural history. Although it was very noisy near the freeway, and on this day, the view of the river was blocked by a parked train, the bridge does provides a creative and protected way to cross the freeway and the train tracks, and we saw many bikes and people making use of it.
Sign explaining the Confluence Project and this Land Bridge.Entrance to the bridge.Historic placards and native plants along the way.Red currantOregon GrapeA lovely view of Hwy. 14 to the east, and that train blocking the river view.View of Fort Vancouver.Going down the north side – more artwork. Note the towers of the Interstate Bridge and the freeway interchange in the distance.Indigenous art.We walked near these reproduction cabins at the Fort Vancouver site,and then walked over to the Fort.It was quieter here. We had another appointment to get to, so didn’t have time to explore.We attended living history demonstrations here with our kids many years ago, but haven’t been for a long time. Despite being so close to freeways, the interstate bridge, train tracks and a lot of traffic, we appreciated having a green place to walk between appointments on this busy day.
1/5 – Balfour/Klickitat Eagles, and Labyrinth Trail, WA
Our annual visit to this eagle nesting area near Lyle, Washington…
Osage oranges on the trail to the eagle overlook,Lagoon with salmon, ducks, and eagles hiding in the trees. We saw about 20 while watching for a half hour.EaglesEaglesZooming in on the snag in the distance – more eagles.
Next we went to the Labyrinth Trail, our first time here since the fires last summer…
Looking up to the guide Ponderosa Pine tree above the Rowland Lake Trailhead.Zooming in, I can see it is partially burned.The waterfall – quite full this time of year.Hiking upward through the mosaic burn…The burned areas are sprouting new grass.My favorite oak grove is scarred, but trees are still standing.View upriver from our lunch ledge.The ridgeline oak tree is intact.We didn’t get all the way to the guide tree on this day, but zooming in, I can see it is less burned on the west side.
1/14 – Catherine Creek and Rowland Basin, WA
Another rainy day in Portland, but nice and sunny in the eastern Columbia River Gorge…
First we walked the lower loop at Catherine Creek, looking for the first grass widows, which we had seen reports of…
Trailhead. The burned slope here is turning green.We found a few clumps of early grass widows along the ADA trail south of the road. This area did not burn.Catherine Creek waterfall viewpoint.
Next, we walked up the trail that starts at the base of Rowland Wall, and walked about a mile up into Rowland Basin, having never started our hike from this point before, just to see what we would see.
TrailheadUphill, again, plenty of burned landscape, all in recovery mode…And we can see the guide tree from here.Another zoom in on my favorite ponderosa.All the usual undergrowth is gone under the oak treesLooking back eastward toward Rowland WallWe found a few clumps of grass widows out hereAnother view of Rowland Basin, before we start back.Hiking back down.
1/20 – Hummocks and Boundary Trails, Mt St Helens, WA
And now for something different – It had been a low snow January, so we drove up to Mt St Helens to try the Hummocks and Boundary Trails. As long as we stayed among the hummocks, we could enjoy the day. There was a cold wind blowing along the Boundary Trail, so we only walked a short way up…but we had great views, and a real change of scenery from the Columbia River Gorge.
Mt St Helens, as seen from I-5 as we drove north.Snow in the parking lot. The trail was mostly clear. The trail winds around through hills of volcanic debris that were completely barren after the eruption in 1980. Forty five years later, the hummocks are covered with vegetation and there are many lakes and ponds throughout this landscape.On this day the lakes were partially frozen.I was fascinated by geometric patterns in the ice, apparently caused by differential melting due to plant shadows.More ice patternsSnow patches along the trail.Groves of alder trees have filled in much of the landscape.Alder treesToutle River Overlook – this downstream landscape is unstable and constantly changing.Another pond with tree reflections.Tree reflectionsJunction with the Boundary Trail, toward Johnston Ridge…into the wind we go.The trail switchbacks up onto the ridge on the left, toward Johnston Observatory, with great views of the northwest side of Mt St Helens.View from our turnaround point…the wind was getting stronger the further east we went.Closer view of the summit on this side.The return loop passes by this inverted tree, still buried where it landed in May, 1980.And one more reflective pond picture…
We stopped for a last look from the Elk Rock viewpoint on Hwy 504 on our drive home.
Panorama of the Mt Margaret backcountry, Mt Adams, and Mt St Helens.
1/28 – Eagles and Catherine Creek, WA, again; with a side of Multnomah Falls, OR
My sister was visiting, and interested in an easy hike, so we took her back to a couple of our favorite places in the Columbia River Gorge.
We could see a few bright white spots in the trees as we approached the overlook at the Balfour/Klickitat Reserve.Three bald eagles. We saw about a dozen this day.The pond is icier than it was earlier in the month.
Next we walked the lower ADA Trail at Catherine Creek, and found just a few of the early flowers.
Catherine Creek ADA trailGrass widowBudding Columbia Desert ParsleyWaterfall OverlookWe walked up to the fairy ponds, now frozen around the trunks of slightly burned oak trees,and looked over to the Arch.
And finally, we drove back through the rainy Gorge, and made a quick stop at Multnomah Falls.
Multnomah Falls
I am gald to be back out on the trails, though I have some work to do to regain my stamina!
I am having a hard time keeping up here – real life is getting in the way, as it should, I suppose, but I want to keep my record. Future me wants to read about what happened. So this post is my summary of 2025, written in February 2026, to the best of my current memory.
Last year I still managed to knit and read a fair amount, but our hiking and travel were somewhat curtailed by health issues, and I did very little sewing and quilting.
Knitting
I finished 17 projects in 2025, including nine donation items, mostly hats.
My 2025 Knitting Projects, from Ravelry
One goal for 2026 is to finish the Zephyr sweater I have been working on for two years.
Zephyr Cardigan, in progress
Reading
I always set my goal to my age, but lately have zoomed past it. This year I read just over 100 books.
Quilting, Sewing and other projects…
Stitching was mostly helping my daughter work through her mending pile whenever she visited. I also briefly worked on these quilt blocks. Next year I hope to quilt four languishing quilt tops, and I have several planned tops in my minds eye…
Hands All Around Blocks, Modern Quilt Studio
We also made progress on home maintenance and repair: interior wall repair; new dining room blinds, new hallway carpet; new kitchen faucet; window repair; storm window cleaning and repair; exterior paint; and exterior brick tuck pointing. This 1932 house will always need something!
Hiking
I have had the goal of at least a hike a week in recent years. I only made it to 49 in 2025, mainly due to health setbacks. Hip bursitis, and a complete cardiac work up for me, and neck surgery for my husband, kept us on shorter and easier walks for a while. I have noticed that I have much less stamina on hotter days, and we seem to have many more hotter days now.
Highlights:
March – Grass Widows at Rowena Crest, ORApril – Green meadows with Death Camas, Shooting Stars and many other wildflowers at Catherine Creek, WA…these meadows would burn in July….April – First walk through the new hiker/biker tunnels at Mitchell Point, ORMay – Return to that one trail between Multnomah and Wahkeena Creeks, ORMay – Tall larkspur at Cape Horn, WAJune – Avalanche lilies on the Ant Hill Trail, Mt Hood, ORJuly – Bear Grass near Picnic Rock, Mt Hood, ORJuly – Bird Creek Meadows, Mt Adams, WAJuly – Elliot Moraine and Timberline Trail High Point, Mt Hood, ORDecember – First return after the fires to Catherine Creek, WA
Travel
Travel was mostly local this year. We had to cancel plans for Paris, Switzerland, and Mt Rainier due to the previously mentioned health issues. We spent two lovely weeks in January and August at Bandon, on the southern Oregon Coast.
January – Bandon, ORAugust – Bandon, OR
We visited family in Connecticut and Philadelphia in the fall.
Sleeping Giant, CTDelaware Water Gap, PAWashington Crossing, PAValley Forge, PAPhiladelphia, PA
And I spent two weeks in southern Utah in June, but that was mostly within health care settings, and too hot to go outside.
June – Snow Canyon, UT
RIP
I will miss these family members who left too soon.
Mary (1950-2025)Nathaniel (1986-2025)Art by Nathaniel
Etc…
2025 was worse than expected, with the government now being run by corrupt criminals who have a stranglehold on the checks and balances built into our government. Someday, someone will figure out why Congress and the Supreme Court won’t do their jobs (Epstein files?). In the meantime, people are protesting in the streets, and every avenue of progress has been set back; basic rights are denied to many people. I thought this was behind us! I wish I was living in that other reality, with a woman president, all people feeling respected as humans, climate change initiatives proceeding, and everyone learning to accept diversity as a natural part of the human species. In the meantime time I will do my bit to communicate, vote, knit, read, and share in resisting tyranny. In spite of everything, I have to hold an optimistic spark in my soul, for hope that we end 2026 on a brighter note!
Neighborhood encouragement…City encouragement…Literary encouragement…(From Instagram)Encouragement from a modern bard.
We only went on two hikes in December, one in town, and one out in the eastern gorge.
12/1/2025 – Mt Tabor, Portland
On a sunny day, we drove to our nearest extinct volcano, and walked around its circumference and up to the top, taking in views, and getting a good leg stretch (2 miles, 200 feet). There are many trails that circle around and through the park, and many users, running, walking, and stair climbing. It is a great public space on the east side of Portland.
As we gained elevation, we got a western view toward downtown Portland across one of the reservoirs.We continued upward on one of the forested trail to the top.There is a view to Mt Hood through the trees near the summit.And another view toward downtown.We hiked down the northern slope, and got a peek at Mt St Helens.The amphitheater near the parking lot has an outcrop of the volcanic layers.We passed Joan of Arc, glittering defiantly in the sun, in her traffic circle, on the drive home.
12/23/2025 – Catherine Creek, WA
We went with our daughter to this favorite winter hiking spot. This is our second time here since the Burdoin Fire last July. This time, we walked the East Loop above the Arch, and also made a quick trip down to the waterfall viewpoint on the lower ADA trail. (3 miles, 450 feet).
At first we planned to walk the loop that returns by crossing the creek below the Arch, but we wanted to be sure the creek crossing was possible, so we went to look.
Catherine Creek crossing on the lower Arch trail. The waterfall-like step is actually the plank bridge, now broken and underwater. The road/trail was not accessible without serious wading. So we took the trail above the Arch, and then the eastern return loop.Walking across the burned slopes toward the lower bridge across Catherine Creek. This one survived the fire.Once we reached the slopes near the Arch, we could see across the Columbia River to the west,And to the east.Bitterroot foliage coming up through a rocky, mossy area that likely escaped burning. There were a few unburned areas within this mostly burned slope.View from the top of the Arch, new fence in place.We ate lunch on the rocky outcrop just north of the Arch, then continued our loop to the east, passing scorched pine trees.We returned back across the lower bridge.
Then we took a quick walk down the paved ADA trail south of the parking area, to see the waterfall.
Catherine Creek Waterfall. This side of the road has dead, dry grasses on the slopes because it didn’t burn along the paved trail. But it looks like it did burn across the river.
We enjoyed this hike on an overcast but not rainy day. It was nice to spend some outdoor time with our daughter. And it will be interesting to watch the land here as it recovers from the fire damage.
We hiked the upper loop from the ranch ( 4 miles, 450 feet). We began the day with fog and mist, which evaporated by lunch time, and we finished our hike under clear blue skies. We visited the ‘one tree’, and had a quiet day on the trail.
Looking up into the Columbia Hills at the start of the hike. Lots of dried balsam root foliage in the foreground.The hills were still misty when we sat down for our lunch break,right near my favorite oak tree.I watched a flock of towhees in the nearby bushes,By the time we finished our lunch, the mists had evaporated, and the oak tree was illuminated under a blue sky,its leaves glowing in the sun.After lunch, we continued our hiking loop, which circles down to a view of the Columbia River and The Dalles. The sun angle was wrong for photography, but we could see Mt Hood under its cloud cap on the far horizon.We hiked back up to the Ranch along Eight Mile Creek.A satisfying hike on an autumn day, with very few other trail users today.
11/25 Portland Arboretum
We hiked a short loop (2.5 miles, 200 feet), past the view of Mt St Helens and our favorite Japanese maple tree, through the Winter Garden, and then back up the Beech Trail.
The snowy top of Mt St Helens was floating like a cream puff on the horizon.The maple tree was past its prime, color faded, but not yet leafless.Red hawthorne berries were glowing, as were the camellias and some of the foliage in the Winter Garden.Beech leaves lined our trail back to the start.
11/28 Catherine Creek/Rowland Wall
This was our first return to this favorite hike since the Burdoin Fire in July (2.7 miles, 720 feet). The blackened slopes have become green with newly sprouting grass. We passed many charred trees, and many that survived the conflagration.
The area of Lower Trail, south of Old Highway 8, did not burn, so looks same as it ever does in winter, with dried grasses fringing the landscape.
Unburned landscape south of the highway.
North of the highway, where the fires swept through, most of the golden grasses and shrubs were completely removed, and the landscape is covered with blackened earth and newly sprouted grasses.
Looking north from the parking area across the burned slope.We began by walking up to the Fairy Ponds.Trees near the Fairy Ponds show fire damage.
We continued walking up the Bitterroot Trail, to the ridge just west of Catherine Creek.Looking upriver from the ridge, all the way to the town of Lyle, where the fire stopped at the Klickitat River.Blackened soil and trees.Juncos were pecking around in the dirt here.Looking across to the Arch, which already has new fencing in place.Wider view of the Arch, and the lower trail in front of the Arch.
We walked up slope, and past the power pylons to the edge of Rowland Wall.
Looking eastward across the landscape, up the Columbia River. Oddly, green areas are burned, golden areas are unburned. Orange pine trees are fire damaged.Continuing uphill toward the power pylons.Near our turning place – the golden, unburned area at the top was burned in last year’s controlled burn of the area, and I guess they held a fire line there in July.Eastward from our high point. It was a gorgeous day!
From the edge of Rowland Wall, we looked at our familiar landmarks to the west to see how they fared.
The tall tree here can be seen from many of the trails in the area – I think of it as the ‘guide’ tree.Zooming in – it is still standing, but appears to have some fire damage.Next, we hiked down the Rowland Wall cliffs…I found bitterroot foliage in the usual places – a good omen!Chartreuse lichen on the cliffs – not burned.Wider view: guide tree on the skyline. Lots of burned trees in the volcanic landscape below the wall.
Next, the trail takes us back east toward our parking area. Some of the lower tree stands in this area were very badly burned.
View back toward the parking area.Many burned pine trees.I hope the frogs will be back in this pond, where we often hear them.This is the first time I have seen the rock cliffs behind these trees – all the undergrowth is gone.The ponds are still reflective on this beautiful day.
The experience was a little heartbreaking, but also hopeful – there were still birds, and some of the wildflowers were beginning to sprout up in the blackened dirt. We will return in spring to monitor the changes. I’m glad we can continue to hike here on rainy days in Portland!
In September we visited an art festival, and went on two hikes in the mountains, and one at the beach. I took my usual neighborhood walks, read a few books, and made very little notable progress on my ongoing knitting projects. At the end of the month, we flew to the east coast to visit family there (next post).
A hot day in Portland. We drove to the coast for a short hike to Crescent Beach in Ecola State Park, then went to Cannon Beach to walk near Haystack Rock at low tide.
View to Crescent Beach and Cannon Beach from Ecola Point.Trail through the forest, about 3 miles round trip.Descending to Crescent Beach, looking south.Looking north.We walked down the beach and found a spot to eat lunch.Zooming in on Ecola Point, where we began our hike. We hiked back up after lunch.South view along Crescent Beach.
After an ice cream break in Cannon Beach, we walked toward Haystack Rock. It wasn’t a particularly low low tide today. My husband took a much longer walk, while I found a good perch right in front of the Needles, and watched several pods of pelicans fly north along the breaker zone.
Walking toward Haystack Rock.View from my perch in the sand.Zooming in on The Needles, with pelican.Pelicans.
9/10 – June Lake, Mt St Helens, WA
Another hot day. Another relatively easy hike, first to June Lake, then up onto some of the lava flows (Worm Flows) on the south side of the mountain (4 miles, 800 feet).
Trail to June Lake through the forest.
Some of the late wildflowers along the way:
PenstemonFireweed and Pearly everlastingBunchberry
June lake is calm, reflecting the waterfall coming out of the lava flow above.
June Lake
Then we went up a fairly steep trail, and onto the Loowit Trail, and the lava flows:
Up the Worm Flows…Vine Maples beginning to turn orange.A few flowers along the rocky trail.A glimpse of the top of Mt St Helens beyond the clouds.We went just high enough to get the full mountain view.Zooming in on a glacier near the summit ridge.The trail not taken ahead – our knees and balance had enough for the day.
We descended, with another stop at the beautifully reflective June Lake…
June LakeJune Lake
9/16 – Little Crater Lake, Mt Hood, OR
And yet another hot day! Another easy hike, first to Little Crater Lake, then to the eastern edge of Timothy Lake along the Pacific Crest Trail (3.5 miles, 50 feet).
This small artesian spring-fed lake is always a treat, with its deep turquoise color, reflections and transparency. An indulgent photo stop.
Little Crater LakeReflectionsTransparencyGlowing imagesUpside down treesSubmerged branches
We walked to the eastern edge of Timothy Lake, then retraced our steps.
Timothy LakePacific Crest Trail – nice and shady on a hot day.Passing by Little Crater Lake again.
We were told we could see Mt Hood from the Timothy Lake Dam, so we drove around the lake to see the view – it was just a glimpse over a ridge.
Timothy Lake, Mt Hood in the distance.Zoom in to Mt Hood – almost snow free!
Neighborhood walks
Flowers and landscape elements I noticed in September:
LantanaSunflowersArbutus
I haven’t done much quilting lately, so I composed a concrete quilt from some of my favorite sidewalk cracks.
September books
September books
I finished six books in September. The most inspiring was the biography of Robert Louis and Fanny Stevenson – A Wilder Shore, by Camille Peri. They were a very unusual couple for their time. He chose writing instead of the family business of lighthouse engineering. She grew up in rural Indiana, spent time with her first husband in the mining camps of Nevada, then in bohemian San Francisco, before going to France with her children to study art. They traveled all over the world, by horse carriage, train and ship, eventually settling in Samoa. It seems amazing to me that they were so widely travelled, and that she lived her own style, ignoring much of the expected behavior of a proper Victorian lady. I was inspired to reread my childhood copy of his poem, The Land of Counterpane, from A Child’s Garden of Verses, with illustration by Garth Williams – this is one of the definitive visual memories from my childhood – the quilt, and the imaginary play it inspired.
From The Tall Book of Make Believe
Also in Portland…
Things started to heat up. Deliberate misinformation reported a ‘war zone’ throughout the city. The only actual activity is near the Federal ICE facility in southwest Portland, where the true spirit of Portland is on display in peaceful protests that defend free speech and due process. I am writing this in October, when things have gotten crazier but in September, we were just getting ready for threatened invasion! I’m sure I will be adding something about the frogs next month.
Wall art in my neighborhood.Screen shot of local fiber arts.
We hiked again where we have hiked before, through the lush wildflower meadows on the southern slopes of Mt Adams, on the Yakama Nation Tract D. We started at Bird Lake, and went counterclockwise uphill to the Hell Roaring Viewpoint of Mt Adams, then down along the Round the Mountain Trail and back to the lake (~5.5 miles, 1000 feet). We saw wildflowers, waterfalls, and some views through the burned forest, on a day when we only had fleeting glimpses of the mountain itself. The wildflower meadows were ‘beyond category’ today, and I took a lot of pictures!
Lower trail, from Bird Lake to Bluff Lake:
Bird Lake. Mountain not out, but pretty reflections in the lake.Partridgefoot and lupine on the lower trail.Asters under the burned trees.A frog in one of the stream crossings.Monkeyflower, lupine, lovageFireweed and false hellebore.Heather and magenta paintbrush.Bluff Lake
Next, continuing uphill to the Round the Mountain Trail:
BuckwheatMagenta paintbrush, lovage and lupineSpireaMossy waterfallUp the cliffs, with mariposa liliesMore meadowsBrilliant bouquets all along the trail…Staircase Falls, just below the Round the Mountain Trail.
And continuing above the Round the Mountain Trail, on the Trail of Flowers, we finally had a glimpse of Mt Adams from under the clouds.
Mt Adams, with cloud cover.Closer viewBracted lousewort, with more magenta paintbrush and lupineA watchful treePhloxA brief view of the summit of Mt Adams.Orange paintbrush, yellow ‘daisies’ of some sort, and white sitka valerian.And another view of Mt Adams as we hiked up to the next rock ledge.
The ledge along the upper Trail of Flowers Loop provides a view to the landscape to the south.
Looking south toward Oregon – blue arrow pointing to the smoke plume from the Burdoin Fire.Closer view of the Burdoin Fire smoke plume.And a wider view across the southern flanks of Mt Adams, and its ghostly forest, burned several times in the past twenty years.
We continued upward through more meadows to the Hellroaring Viewpoint…
Mt Adams on view from the upward trailSandwort and mariposa liliesHellroaring Viewpoint – top of the mountain back under the clouds.Mazama Glacier Hellroaring Falls
We retraced the trail back to the Trail of Flowers, then down to the Round the Mountain Trail, and continued westward through numerous meadows divided by small creeks that are all branches of Bird Creek.
Every kind of flower in these meadowsEasy walking,Another brief glimpse of Mt AdamsAnd more meadowsAll the flowers!A pondAnd more meadows! Next we crossed a slight rise, and then descended to our start point, by going down the Crooked Creek drainage…More meadows on the downward trail…This slope along Crooked Creek was so colorful!More color!Approaching Crooked Creek FallsCrooked Creek Falls
The slopes below Crooked Creek Falls are heavily burned, but the creeks are still colorful with flowers…
Monkey flower, lupine, Sitka valerian, paintbrush
And back to Bird Lake…
Back to Bird Lake, partial view of Mt Adams this afternoon.Meanwhile, dark clouds formed a backdrop for these glowing ghost treesAnd a last view of Mt Adams from the gravel road down.
It was a “wildflower bathing” day on the slopes of Mount Adams!
I wrote most of this post in July, as this event unfolded.
The Burdoin Mountain Fire started on Friday, July 18th, near Coyote Wall: a hot day, an east wind, and whoosh, by Sunday, July 20th, it had burned all the way east to the Klickitat River. In Portland, I followed news reports of evacuations of homes and families and communities; of firefighters on the ground and planes scooping water out of the Columbia River. I kept checking the map on the Watch Duty App – as the red line crept east, remembering all of the many hours we have spent in the fall, winter and spring, hiking the open grassy slopes and rocky cliffs above the river. Wildflowers and fall colors, all captured in my mind’s eye, and stored on my computer hard drive photo files…
July 19th fire boundary – Screenshot from the Watch Duty App.July 24th fire boundary. Screenshot from the Watch Duty App
The biggest concern is for the area residents and their homes. I was keeping my fingers crossed for my favorite trees, too. I hoped the speed of the fire as it traveled through the grass would cause the conflagration to bypass some of the trees:
The guide tree above Rowland Lake – a tall ponderosa pine near the spot where we often have lunch when hiking the Labyrinth – it overlooks many of the trails here in its high perch – will it still be there?
Arrow pointing to the guide tree – from near the Labyrinth trailhead above Rowland Lake, October 24, 2024.Guide ponderosa as seen from Rowland Wall, April 20, 2018.Guide ponderosa from the west as we hike toward our lunch stop and turnaround point, December 16, 2017.Lunch stop near the ponderosa, with all the eastern gorge on view, October 17, 2023.
Also along the Labyrinth Trail, my favorite oak grove:
Labyrinth oak grove in the spring, May 17, 2025.Labyrinth oak grove in the fall, October 27, 2021.
The solitary oak tree that perches on the cliff edge is always photogenic, as seen going uphill, to the east:
April 18, 2018October 24, 2024December 3, 2016December 28, 2015
And downhill, to the west:
October 17, 2023, with Mt Hood beyond.
On the way down, I always say goodbye to the one-eyed oak sentinel on the lower trail:
October 17, 2023October 27, 2021
I have been browsing my photo library, and there are so many other beautiful trees there. As the red fire boundary moved farther east on the map, to the Catherine Creek slopes, I thought of the many ponderosa pines, and the small oak groves, including those guarding the fairy ponds:
March 3, 2025
Even farther east, there is my ‘ent’, a snag guarding the eastern slope where there is always so much birdsong in spring, and so many flowers!
November 7, 2024‘Ent’ snag
Next I see fire has made its way all the way east to the Balfour-Klickitat Reserve where we go to see the juvenile bald eagles practicing flight in the small lagoon off of the mouth of the Klickitat River every winter…
January 17, 2023December 28, 2015
We are in the Schroedinger phase…that is, all I know is the fire outline on the map, that keeps spreading eastward. I don’t know what has burned and what has survived.
Part 2 – Preliminary outcome report
As of this writing (late July), the fire is contained, evacuations lifted. Tragically, 19 homes were destroyed and 47 were damaged. No lives were lost. Local people have reported that the burned area was patchy in nature. Many trees were spared. The local residents have a difficult path ahead. Land managers will be monitoring the trail situation. We don’t usually hike here in summer. When the weather turns to cooler temperatures, I hope to find myself on these trails again, to visit my trees and report back.
View north toward the Burdoin Fire area from the Mosier Plateau, April 21, 2025, taken before the fire. All of this area north of the Columbia River is in the burn zone, from Coyote Wall, on the west, past the Catherine Creek slopes on the eastern edge, and farther east, all the way to the Klickitat River. The arrow points to my guide ponderosa, on the slope above the Labyrinth.
We went on five hikes in May, all in the Columbia River Gorge, following the wildflower bloom…
May 6 – Lyle Cherry Orchard, WA
Warm and a bit windy today – we got a chance to see the waning balsam root – everyone’s favorite!
Purple ookow blooming on the Convict Road.Ookow and the seedpods of Columbia desert parsleySwales of lupine on the middle plateauThe last of the yellow balsam rootA poppy patch.
On our drive home, we stopped briefly at the Catherine Creek Trailhead so I could get a peek at the bitterroot that blooms there – probably my only chance this season.
And there it was, on the rocky outcrop just above the parking lot.Lewisia rediviva, bitterroot – one of my all time favorites!
May 10 – Cape Horn, WA
Tall larkspur season at Cape Horn – it is always a treat to walk on the neatly groomed trails here. Today we started at Strunk Road, and walked to one of the lower overlooks – less than two miles, but with rain in the forecast for the next few days, we took our opportunity.
Tall larkspur along the pathCloser viewWhite fringe cup and candy flower also prolific today.Nancy Russell Overlook – we stop to look at the view and say, “Thank you!” to Nancy Russell for her conservation work.Up river view toward Beacon Rock.Continuing downward, the purple path continues…And the fringe cup…A few other flowers tucked in – Hooker’s fairy bells,Fern leaf biscuitroot,and vanilla leaf.
May 13 – Wahkeena-Multnomah Loop, OR
Back again to this five mile long, 1500 foot loop.
We began at Multnomah Falls, and started west along the old highway toward Wahkeena Falls.After passing Wahkeena Falls, the trail ascends up many wildflower-filled switchbacks,to Lemmon’s Viewpoint, overlooking the Columbia River.Continuing up Wahkeena Creek, past Fairy Falls,passing more wildflowers along the way. Columbia windflowers, and salalBaneberryA few fading trilliumLarkspur and fringe cup
After a lunch break at the trail junction, we walked eastward toward Multnomah Creek. This part of the trail has always felt rather magical to me – mostly flat, through a forest of tall firs. The undergrowth has changed a bit since the 2017 fire, but it is still one of my favorite places.
2013 Lookback – Magical trail before the fire.May 2025, Lots of redstem ceanothus filling the forest floor under the burned trees.Still very pretty, and with a view to the river…More wildflowers along the trail as it descends into Multnomah Creek – thimbleberry, columbine, arnica.CorydalisWiesendanger FallsHoneysuckle and inside out flowerBack to the trailhead at the bottom of Multnomah Falls.
May 22 – Cape Horn, WA, again
We wanted to take our son and his fiancee for a hike – though they didn’t bring proper shoes, and it was a bit rainy. We settled for going back to the tall larkspur-lined path from Strunk Road to the Nancy Russell Overlook at Cape Horn. It was less than two weeks since our previous visit, the tall larkspur were even more profuse, and the cow parsley were starting to spread their umbrella heads. Lovely, even with a bit of our Oregon sunshine misting us.
Previous week, May 10, with older hiking gentleman.Same path, May 22nd, with cow parsley and a cute young couple.Misty view from the overlook.Cow parsley
May 27 – The Labyrinth, WA
The Labyrinth was one of the first trails we ever hiked in the eastern gorge, and we have returned many times. The path winds through piles of columnar basalt that provide some protection from the wind, and the views are great! Wildflowers change throughout the bloom season. Today was the first time I have seen this particular suite of flowers – blue and purple bachelor buttons and ookow; white buckwheat, yarrow, and mock orange; pink clarkia and onions; all accompanied by a full gauntlet of poison oak.
The first surprise – abundant wildflowers surrounding the Lower Labyrinth Waterfall on the old highway approach trail – mock orange, bachelor button, ookow, buckwheat, and monkeyflowersMore mock orange, poppies and buckwheat, the Columbia River, and Mt Hood.Mock orange
Starting up the trail along Labyrinth Creek –
Buckwheat, golden grass with late season flowers. YarrowOokow, and bachelor buttons. The bachelor buttons are considered disturbed, but they do add a pretty color to the late season wildflower suite.Winecup clarkiaSwales of flowers in the drying grass
Continuing up along Labyrinth Creek –
Monkey flowers surrounding the upper waterfallHomage to the poison oak gauntlet that we carefully walked through today.Colorful slopes beneath one of the volcanic buttes.My favorite oak grove, with a lush poison oak understory.
Lunch views, with mule deer…
Westward, mule deer on the next ridgeMule deerEastward – Columbia River shimmeringHooker’s onions
It was getting warm, and I was losing my uphill motivation, but I wanted to go a little higher, to the rocky bluff where bitterroot blooms.
Mt Hood and buckwheatAs I expected, the bitterroot is shriveled up – I’ll have to wait until next year.Looking farther uphill, toward the slopes that lead to Coyote Wall – green grass turning to gold.Another look at Mt Hood, then we begin the return hike…I didn’t notice these White Brodiaea on the way up.Ceanothus blooming in the oak groveAnd past the waterfall again on our return to the trailhead.
It was beautiful day in the Labyrinth. But it is getting too hot for me in the eastern gorge – we may not be back until fall! I am going to southern Utah in June, where it is already very HOT, to help a family member. I may not hike much in the next month, but there will be red rocks and possibly some dinosaur tracks…
Margaret Quilts 