Crawford Oaks Trail (18-9)

March 5, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Columbia Hills State Park, WA, Vista Loop 3/3/2018 (#9)

We walked the lower loop from the Crawford Oaks trailhead, passing Eight Mile Falls.

Eight Mile Falls from the trailhead

Signs along the way document the depth of the Missoula floodwaters – always an exercise for the imagination that this landscape was scoured many times!

Eight Mile Falls from the trail

Back toward the river and Horse Thief Butte

Eight Mile Falls from the trail

The trail continues on a oak lined road along the creek, then crosses the creek.

Gold Stars and oak trees

We then headed south toward the river on the Vista Loop, along along the Missoula Flood scoured benches of volcanic rock, with views east and west in wide angle view.

View east along the Columbia River

West view back toward The Dalles; shoulders of Mt Hood behind the clouds on the right.

The trail crosses the power line corridor a couple of times.

Mt Hood is behind those clouds.

The crest of the Columbia Hills was draped with snow.

Dalles Mountain Ranch and Columbia Hills

Early spring blooms were sprinkled throughout the dried grasslands.

Gold Stars

gold stars

grass widows

parsley

fillaree, salt and pepper

yellow bells

A lovely 5 mile/1000foot hike – I had no problems, but I could feel my quads and triceps were a bit out of shape.

Quilting

I finished the crosshatch quilting in the center of the Jane Austen quilt, and made the binding. Still pondering center motifs.

Knitting

One sock done, another started. The strong heel fits fine – not sure why it isn’t more widely known, especially for people who don’t like to pick up stitches, and don’t like the wrap and turn short row heel.

Also, another scrappy tortilla is in the pile.

In my garden:

The first wind flower

In the meantime:

It has been almost two months since my surgery. I feel almost normal, but unfortunately, the growth hormone levels have not actually decreased as low as expected. It could still happen, but if not, then there will be trials of medication in store for me. I am visualizing a completely healthy and functional pituitary.

A Painterly Mist (18-7)

February 20, 2018February 20, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Catherine Creek Arch Loop, WA 2/16/2018 (#7)

Sunshine and clouds, spring flowers and just enough misting rain to create wandering rainbows.

We walked the arch loop counterclockwise while noticing the latest spring flowers to emerge. Purple grass widows sprinkled everywhere in the green, and the first parsleys – yellow, white and purple, as well as white saxigfrage, gold stars, pink prairie stars, and the whorls of green bitterroot foliage.

Grass widows, gold stars

Salt and pepper

Columbia deserts parsley

Saxifrage

Bitterroot foliage

Gold and prairie stars

Yellow parsley

The bare oak trees around the arch stand out in a textured gray palette.

After crossing the bridge we sidestepped up the next hill to the fairyland ponds.

Constantly changing light created a sense of walking through a painting.

A short, easy hike and I feel I am slowly regaining stamina. 2.5 miles, 500 feet.

More rainbows and clouds driving through the gorge:

Quilting: Thread choices for the Jane Austen Quilt

Knitting: Girl in the Nuerosurgery Ward Shawl – Ravellenic WIP Dancing.

Shawl with light dusting of snow

New socks: Berocco Sox yarn knit top down with a simple k7p1 leg, then a Strong Heel – a new to me technique. If it doesn’t fit I will rip back and go with a traditional heel flap.

First daffodils in my front yard.

Beacon Rock, Cooper Mountain, Hats, Flowers (18-6)

February 12, 2018February 12, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

River to Rock Trail, Beacon Rock State Park, WA 2/10/2018 (#5)

From the switchback staircases on Beacon Rock we have looked down to see a dock on the Columbia River.

August 2015

Today we looked up at the ant-sized people climbing the Beacon Rock stairs from the dock. We walked to the dock from the Doetsch Ranch Trailhead. There are great views of Beacon Rock,

Beacon Rock boat dock

Beacon Rock from the boat dock

Beacon Rock, Table Mountain, Aldrich Butte

Stairs and switchbacks

History

and of the burnt trees along the ridge line on the Oregon side of the Gorge.

We had planned to continue up the River to Rock trail toward Beacon Rock, but they remove an all important bridge during the winter.

No bridge.

It is parked across the road.

After completing the loop around the former Doetsch Ranch area, we parked at the upper River to Rock trailhead and walked down to the viewpoints around Riddell Lake.

Riddell Lake

Closest view of the stairs and switchbacks.

Spring plants and natural history – the Missoula Floodwaters were 200 feet above the top of Beacon Rock!

violets

Oregon Grape foliage

Missoula Floods

Although I have been feeling well, like I turned a corner in stamina this week, I was glad to reach the top of the small hill back to the trailhead. Today was not the day to climb Beacon Rock, but it was great get a close view of its columnar structure from a new vantage.

3 miles/200 feet

Lookback: Switchbacks and stairs on the Beacon Rock trail.

November 2013

August 2015

Cooper Mountain Nature Park, OR 2/11/2018 (#6)

We walked the 2.8 mile loop with friends on a clear cold Sunday. Nice to continue stretching my legs, and the 300 feet elevation change was plenty. We enjoyed the view of the Tualatin Hills as we ate our lunch from a well placed bench on the overlook trail. There should be a good wildflower display here come spring.

Cooper Mountain GPS track

Knitting

I finished the second Sonic Six hat, easily winning at yarn chicken, and in good time for Valentines Day.

I cast on and finished a bulky weight Brassica hat, out of Collinette Prism yarn in the Fresco colorway. This is the last of the yarn I bought in Scotland last year.

Flowers in the neighborhood:

My yard:

crocus

primroses return from last year

rosemary

witch hazel

lily seedhead

Down the street:

First cherry trees blooming!

heather

Chinese paper bush

Back on the Trail – Grass Widows, Bald Eagles and Osage Oranges (18-4)

January 30, 2018January 30, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

This has mostly been a recovery week – taking things very slowly, and with awareness to my limitations. I have been able to walk more, drive the slow back way, and gradually increase all my activities.

Catherine Creek Trail, WA 1/28/2018 (#3)

I saved my weekend energy for a walk on one of the easiest trails – the Universal Access trail at Catherine Creek just east of Hood River along the Columbia River. We often include this trail as a quick stop on our hiking trips to see the latest blooms. Today at my slow pace I appreciated the paved surface and benches along the way, the small details and micro landscapes. Grass widows are beginning to bloom.

View to the west, labyrinth waterfall in the distance

grass widow

bitterroot foliage

mushrooms

ponderosa needles

moss

oak leaves

reflection

1.5 miles, 120 feet

Lookback: A couple of pictures with snow, and with more flowers:

1/27/2017

2/26/2016

Balfour-Klickitat Eagles

We also stopped at the Balfour-Klickitat trail near Lyle, WA to look for bald eagles in their nesting area. We saw about a dozen, mostly juveniles, perched in the trees around the pond, and taking occasional practice flights.

White spots are bald eagles

Another highlight of this location are the Osage oranges, at this point, mostly lying on the ground in colorful curious piles. Signage explains that the fruit is inedible, but that the thorny dense foliage was used as a natural fencing material by settlers in the west in the 1800’s.

.75 miles, 100 feet

Lookback : A couple of pictures from snowier days:

12/28/2015 Six eagles

12/30/2016 Osage oranges

Knitting and quilting

Progress on the Girl in the Neurosurgery Ward Shawl:

My sister sent me a bouquet of fabric as a get well gift – a beautiful rainbow of batiks that will fit beautifully into my collection for my rainbow themed quilts in planning stages.

And the first crocus peaked up in my front yard:

36. Labyrinth Hiking

December 20, 2017December 20, 2017 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

The Labyrinth Trail, WA 12/16/2017 (#58)

East out of the Portland mist, through the frosted central gorge to the open dry eastern gorge, this time to the Labyrinth, trailhead at the Hwy 14/Old Hwy 8 intersection at Rowland Lake.

Waterfall along Old Hwy 8

The aptly named trail winds gently upward between columnar basalt buttes and a cascading stream.

Bare trees, gold grasses, dried flower seed heads, lichen splotched talus piles, higher and higher, rising to views to the south of the Columbia River, the orchards, fields and cliffs around Mosier, Oregon.

To the east the open skies of the Columbia Plateau beckon; to the west, the lowering clouds of western Oregon gloam, this whole area scoured by the Missoula floods. We explore some of the side trails around the waterfall,

at the base of a columnar basalt butte,

and to our lunchstop viewpoint.

Then on up a bit more,

past the cliff that is covered with purple desert parsley in spring,

View toward Coyote Wall

past the oak tree on the trail’s edge,

to the next high point.

Wind rising, we agree to turn around. Down we go, light changing, shoulders of Hood briefly exposed, back to the old highway then home.

LOOKBACK

During our first hike here in June of 2012, I was enchanted, just exploring the bones of the landscape, the windings between rock exposures then covered with halos of pinkish grass.

May 2012

We attained a high viewpoint back down to Rowland Lake and the river and began to realize the potential. Future trips saw the cliffs and mounds adorned with yellows and purples of spring wildflowers,

Mt Hood from Old Hwy 8 approach trail, May 2012

Balsam root near Hwy 8, April 2014

April 2014

Grass Widows, March 2017

Gold stars, March 2017

Buttercups in oak woodland, March 2016

Columbia Desert Parsley, April 2014

the white snows of winter,

December 2015

and actual rainbows.

December 2016

Some comparisons: the waterfall –

May 2012

March 2017

December 2015

the oak tree –

May 2012

December 2015

We also brought back poison oak and left behind one contact lens. We have explored a few of the side trails – there are many more to look forward to.

CRAFTING

Knitting the green shawl: finished another tortilla and the Sonic Six hat.

Decorating the tree – Diamond Log Cabin Christmas Tree Skirt (Quilt In A Day pattern) made in the early 2000’s. I have learned a lot about color and fabric choices since then, but It still fits our decor and I like it well enough to continue to use it. The rest of the tree decorating is waiting for one child to be home from college.

24. Frog Lake Buttes, Mt Hood

September 26, 2017October 9, 2017 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Frog Lake Butte, Mt Hood, Oregon 9/24/2017 (#47)

A beautiful sunny day with only a few people fishing at Frog Lake when we began our hike.

Views of Mt. Jefferson and red huckleberry bushes on the way up.

A bit of snow from last week at our view point of Mt Hood atop the butte.

A few asters and a million frogs in the meadow and around the lake shore on our return. The frogs must have been sleeping this morning, but they were hopping all around my feet in a few areas.

2 cm frog on the rock

aster

Looking back on the Frog Lake Buttes from the west side of the lake.

About 6 miles, 1500 feet.

SaveSave

23. Visiting the Midwest

September 24, 2017September 26, 2017 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

As I write this I get an Eagle Creek Fire update: Rain has finally slowed the fire, and operations are turning to cleanup and recovery.

We flew to Ohio, passing over the south side of Mt Hood – smoke not impeding our view today to Mt Adams and Rainier beyond.

Mt Hood, Mt Rainier and Mt Adams

Ohio

Oberlin College

We visited our daughter at Oberlin College in Ohio. I had previously only had a brief peak at the campus the day we moved her into her dorm two years ago. She and her roommate are now in a two bedroom apartment and enjoying the non-dorm lifestyle. We walked all around campus, seeing the various buildings and rooms where she spends her time. She introduced us to friends that seemed to appear around every corner. I enjoyed the quiet, but intensely busy vibe on this early-term late summer weekend. We got coffee from The Local, ate delicious dinners at The Feve and Indian Garden, and joined her for a student prepared lunch at her dining coop.

Coffe Shop

Ivy Tree B&B

Door to the radio Station

Physics Bldg

Carnegie Library

Tappan Square

Brandywine Falls, Cuyahoga National Park, Ohio Sept. 17, 2017 (#46)

She also wanted to go for a hike. We chose a 4 mile hike about an hour from campus, the Stanford/Brandywine Falls trail. It was a beautiful sunny day though the humidity was much greater than we are used to in the Pacific Northwest. There was enough shade in the woodlands to stay comfortable, a few summer flowers struggled along, and fall colors were beginning to pop.

Chicago

We then flew to Chicago to visit to our son. Beautiful weather continued on Monday as we enjoyed the Architectural Boat Tour.

Architecture Tour

Sears Tower

Windows and reflections:

After lunch we rented Divvy bikes and rode four miles along Lakeshore Drive trail from Millenium Park back to Lakeview where we were joined by long time friends for dinner.

The Bean, i.e. Cloud Gate, in Millenium Park

Biking north along Lake Shore Drive

The next day we visited the Chicago Art Institute.

We spent most of our time in the Impressionism and Modern American galleries. My favorite piece was by Georgia O’Keefe, a 24 foot long painting that filled a stairwell:

This also caught my eye:

We walked around some of the parks near the Art Institute.

Beginning of Rt 66 from the Art Institute steps

Looking north up Michigan Avenue

South from the Grant Park train bridge

North from the train bridge

An artist walking nearby

After dinner we went to see Hamilton!

Our view from row N seat 5

This was my first visit to Chicago, and only lasted two days, but I enjoyed my time, and can see why my son likes living there.

Knitting update:

11 dishcloths

22. Mt St Helens Boundary Trail

September 13, 2017September 24, 2017 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Eagle Creek fire update as of 9/11/17: 34000 acres, 7% contained.

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USFS Incident Map

Boundary Trail toward Harry’s Ridge 9/10/2017 (#45)

The skies are alternating blue and cloudy today. Unsure of any firesafe place east of us, we opted to drive north to Johnston Ridge, Mt St Helens National Monument. Clouds that were floating at mountain level when we arrived late morning evaporated during the day.

Mt St Helens

We hiked the Boundary Trail toward Harry’s Ridge.

Coldwater Peak, north of the Boundary Trail

Toutle River, pumice plain

The trail that used to go along a steep, cliffy slope to the grand viewpoint at Devil’s Elbow is now closed. The new alternate route cuts over the ridge, and has a view to Spirit Lake from the pass at the top of the cutoff. We stopped there for lunch.

Lunch stop at the top of the new cut off trail, with view to Spirit Lake

I decided it was too hot to continue, so hiked slowly back to the observatory. Dan went on to Harry’s Ridge then met me back at the observatory later. I had the chance to watch the excellent 16 minute film that simulates the eruption and illustrates the forces of nature during the 1980 eruption.

View while hiking back toward Johnston Observatory

Looking east from the observatory toward Mt Adams

Mt Adams

There are straggling summer flowers in bloom – lupine of both large and dwarf varieties, penstemon, paintbrush, yarrow, an abundant yellow composite, and equally abundant white pearly everlasting gilding the slopes, and standing out strongly in contrast to the early reds of fall.

Pearly everlasting

lupine

Red fall foliage

Lupine

penstemon

We stopped at Coldwater Lake to walk the boardwalk trail that illustrates the Birth of the Lake. It was peaceful and beautiful there, with excellent views of Minnie Peak and Mt St. Helens. It is pleasant to walk through shady foliage after spending time in the blast zone. My total mileage for the day was about 5 miles/800 feet.

Coldwater Lake

Coldwater Lake, Mt. St Helens

Coldwater Lake, Minnie Peak

LOOKBACK:

Boundary Trail to Harry’s Ridge – we have hiked this trail in several seasons, with different views of the mountain:

June 2016

September 2017

Inner crater dome close up June 2016

September 2017

Coldwater Lake:

In March of 2015, a low snow year, we walked the 12 mile loop around Coldwater Lake. The foliage was mostly dormant and brown. We had views of the mountain, walked by the abandoned logging machinery destroyed by the blast, got some closer views of Minnie Peak.

March 2015 Minnie Peak and old logging machinery on Coldwater Ridge

March 2015 Minnie Peak

March 2015

September 2017 Mt St Helens and Coldwater Lake

In Spring of 2017 we were in the area hiking the Hummocks trail, and we visited the Science and Learning Center, which gave us a snowy view of the boardwalk that we walked on today.

February 2017 Looking down on Coldwater Lake

19. Vista Ridge again, Fireweed this time

August 28, 2017August 28, 2017 / margaretquilts / 2 Comments

Vista Ridge, Mt. Hood, Oregon 8/25/2017 (#43)

Looking for another trip to subalpine elevations, we walked up the Vista Ridge trail on the north side of Mt. Hood, as we had in late June. This time, instead of millions of avalanche lilies, we were treated to the late summer swath of pink fireweed through the burn zone, with readily picked huckleberries along the way. We could see the dried seedheads of the earlier lilies. Other blooming plants in the burn zone were pearly everlasting and goldenrod, and plenty of Sitka Mountain Ash with ripening clusters of red berries provided additional color.

Fireweed and pearly everlasting understory in the burn zone

Mt Hood from the switchback viewpoint

Dried avalanche lily seedheads

Golden rod and fireweed

We reached the timberline trail, and rested in a shaded pocket at the edge of Wy’East basin, as lovely an alpine meadow as one could hope for – though the flowers are fading in the open areas. We continued walking east toward Elk Cove, hopping over the small strands of Clear Branch Creek that trickle down through Wy’east basin. Pink monkey flower, yellow groundsel, purple aster and lupine, and magenta paintbrush were the main riparian blooms.

We admired the view of the three Washington peaks from various angles, and turned the corner toward Elk Cove, with the rocky cliff of Barrett Spur to our right, and the looming peak of Mt Hood and its glistening Coe Glacier to the south.

Mts St Helens, Rainier and Adams

Turning the corner of Barrett Spur toward Elk Cove, with Mt Hood looming above

Close ups of the Coe Glacier

We continued about half way down to Elk Cove, far enough to see the hanging meadow of pasque flowers, and the long drawn out ridge of Barrett Spur. That was our turn around point for the day.

Mt Hood and Barrett Spur

Pasque flower seed heads

Heading back toward Wy’East basin, we located the trail that leads up to Dollar Lake. It is really more of a puddle.

Dollar Lake

Barret Spur and Mt Hood from the ridge above Dollar Lake

Back on the Timberline Trail, we meandered up the side trail to the upper part of WyEast basin to take in the slightly wider view of the horizon to the north.

Sitka Mtn Ash foliage with fall colors

Heading into upper Wy’East Basin

Magenta paintbrush

Looking down into Wy’East Basin and the Washington Peaks

Clear Branch Creek in Wy’East Basin

asters

From there, we retraced our steps back down the Vista Ridge trail, admiring the intense coral/red violet color of the fireweed, and greeting my favorite ghost trees on the way down.

Ghost tree, fire weed

shadows in the burn zone

Another ghost face

Intense coral/red violet flowers

Another friendly ghost tree

Our total for the day was 9 miles/ 1500 feet.

GPS track

LOOKBACK:

I perused my photos from our previous hikes up Vista Ridge. Our trip in August of 2014 had more blooming flowers in the upper meadows.

August 5, 2014

March 29, 2015

August 25, 2017

The photo from August of 2013, taken only two years after the 2011 Dollar Creek Fire, shows a mostly blackened environment. The contrast with the with the avalanche lily / fireweed lined trail of this year is striking, and shows how fast the vegetation is restarting. I didn’t get a picture of the abundant low huckleberry bushes along some parts of the trail – I was too busy eating the ripe berries.

August 23, 2013, two years after the fire

June 30, 2017

August 25, 2017, six years after the fire

Knitting and other home front activity:

two more knitted tortillas

ripe tomatoes

zinnias

18. Late Summer on Mt Adams, Stagman Ridge Trail

August 24, 2017November 9, 2017 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Stagman Ridge, Mt. Adams, Washington 8/20/2017 (#42)

Looking for a hike that avoided wildfire smoke and eclipse traffic, we headed to the west side of Mt. Adams, north of Trout Lake, WA. This was our first time hiking this trail. We like to hike in Bird Creek Meadows this time of year, but that area is closed due to the massive Cougar Creek Fire of 2015. The area around Stagman Ridge was also recently burned, by the Cascade Creek Fire of 2012. The trail traverses through burned forest, with occasional forays into unburned terrain. The silver lining is mountain views through the ghost trees.

In many burned places the underlayer is green, topped by a pink swath of fireweed. Pearly everlasting and golden rod are abundant at lower elevations.

Pearly everlasting, fireweed, goldenrod

fireweed

pearly everlasting

golden rod

Higher up, the last of the asters, lupine and licorice root were hanging on in shady areas.

aster

lupine

penstemon

licorice root

thistle

orange agerosis

dwarf bramble

aster

corn lily

The open meadow at about mile 3 was green but past bloom – most likely thanks to the intense two week heat wave of early August. I would like to return when this meadow is in full bloom – with the open view of Mt Adams to the east – it is a lovely spot.

Glacier close up

We continued on past the meadow to the Graveyard trail junction, then crossed the small creek and headed west toward Lookingglass Lake. Riparian flowers lined the creek crossings.

gentian

second creek

paintbrush

cinquefoil

first creek

We decided the crossing of Cascade Creek looked difficult so we turned back after a rest at the water with great views of the mountain.

On the way down, we noticed the distance views of Mt St Helens, Mt Hood and west toward Indian Heaven.

Mt St Helens

Mt Hood

There were plenty of huckleberries for the picking. Berries, flower seedheads and tints of red foliage in the huckleberry and vine maple foreshadow the coming of fall.