A Crisp Fall Day at Catherine Creek, WA (18-48)

November 1, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Catherine Creek Arch Trail, October 27, 2018 (#59)

We walked a loop above the arch and part way up Tracy Hill, then dropped down into the oak and big leaf maple-lined canyon in front of the arch. Windless day, river like glass, slanting sun through the clouds enhancing the fall colors.

First stop near the trail head – looking across the Columbia River to the fruit orchards east of Mosier, Oregon.

Our path along the far side of the canyon.

Walking upward toward Tracy Hill.

Looking over dry flower heads back to the river.

Lunch view from the knob just north of the arch.

Lunch view to the eastern gorge, Rowena Plateau and Memaloose Island.

From our high point on Tracy Hill the lowest shoulders of Mt Hood can be seen under the clouds.

Heading down to Catherine Creek.

Orange oak trees, yellow big leaf maple trees.

The pinnacles of Catherine Creek.

We walk by the Arch….

And continue our way back to the trail head, feeling refreshed, before heading back to the rest of our rainy weekend in Portland. 3 miles, 600 feet.

On our way to the hike today, we stopped at the Women’s Forum Viewpoint on the Historical Columbia River Highway to look at the view of Vista House, Beacon Rock and beyond.

Knitting

The back and one and a half front panels of the Ivy Cardigan.

Fall Colors at Home

Fowey Estuary Walk, May 3, 2018 (18-47)

October 25, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Day 8, Fowey Estuary Loop

We were settled into a cottage for the next few days, and happy to take a day off from driving. We chose to walk a loop around Fowey Estuary by foot and ferry.

We walked from our cottage down to the ferry crossing at Bodinnick.

Waiting for the ferry to dock.

Rocks and barnacles at the Bodinnick landing.

Looking back to Fowey.

After our brief ride across the river, we walked up hill onto the bluffs above the estuary. Most of our trail was part of the Hall Walk, a National Trust property with historical markers, beautiful wildflower displays, and great views of the landscape.

Hall Walk

Looking toward the English Channel

Fields on Bodinnick Heights

Wildflower-lined path

A place to rest and look at the view.

We were lucky to be here when many flowers were in bloom!

Red campion

Wild garlic

Speedwell

Stitchwort

Blue bells

Primroses – at first I thought these were someone’s garden plants gone astray, but after seeing great drifts of creamy white primroses on most of our hikes, I realized that these are native wildflowers here.

Buttercups

Lords and ladies arum

A side path led to monuments to historical figures.

The path then turned eastward along the bluffs above an inlet to the river called Pont Pill.

Looking east across Pont Pill.

Looking west toward River Fowey estuary.

Looking down past red campion and budding trees to Pont Pill.

Up the stairs

View out to sea

Cattle on the Bodinnick Heights

Down another flowery path

More flowers

Waypost

Bodinnick Heights again, before the last descent.

We crossed Pont Pill, and then headed toward Polruan to finish our walk.

Pont Pill

Waterfall on the south side, heading back up onto the headlands.

Wild garlic lined path

Wild Garlic

Primroses

Looking down on Pont Pill.

Looking across to Fowey.

Closer view…

At Polruan we took another ferry back across the River Fowey to Fowey harbor.

Looking upriver…

Fowey harbor – tide is out…

Harbor wall, low tide.

Looking back to Polruan from the landing.

Walking Around Fowey

I then poked around the town and bought a Cornish pasty to supplement our dinner.

Church tower

I came across these signs on a gate which led me to discover that Kenneth Grahame’s book, Wind in the Willows, was thought to be partly inspired by time he spent in Fowey.

Lots of interesting rooftops, doors, windows, walls:

Back in our cottage, we did laundry and prepared for going farther afield in Cornwall tomorrow.

Trapper Creek Wilderness, WA (18-46)

October 23, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

October 20, 2018 – Observation Peak and Sister Rocks

We hiked up and down this roller coaster trail, through autumn light and sun, to viewpoints of the surrounding Cascade mountain peaks rising above a bluish haze.

7 miles, 1575 feet (#58)

Driving to the trailhead on Dry Creek Road we passed through a tunnel of yellow trees.

View through the front windshield…

Bunchberry and huckleberry along the trail provided some color.

At the top of the first ridge, the views from the rocky outcrop are to Mt Rainier and Mt Adams.

Mt Rainier

We then took the side trail to Sister Rocks, with a great view of Mt St Helens and Mt Hood. Lunch stop.

Dan atop Sister Rock; Soda Peaks on the left.

My shadow and Mt St Helens

Closer view

Mt Hood

The intermediate high point on the Sister Rocks spur provides an excellent view of Mt Adams.

Mt Adams

Returning to the main trail, we headed down hill, then back up to the views from Observation Peak of four tall volcanoes rising above the forested landscape.

Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, and Mt Adams from Observation Peak.

Mt St Helens and the Mt Margaret backcountry

Mt Rainier

Mt Adams

Mt Hood

As we departed Observation Peak I spotted what may be the last blooming aster of the year.

Mirror Lake

The lake is at the base of Vista Point in Rooster Rock State Park. As we drive through the Columbia River Gorge on I-84 we sometimes see swans here in winter. This morning, no swans, but the fog was lifting poetically, so we stopped to look at the light.

Knitting

Another dishcloth finished, and I frogged and am reknitting the front of the Ivy Lace Cardigan.

Owl Point and Hoyt Arboretum, OR (18-45)

October 17, 2018October 17, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Owl and Alki Points and the Rockpile from Vista Ridge October 12, 2018

This was our first hike on the Owl Point trail, which follows the northern edge of Vista Ridge and leads to views of the north side of Mt Hood and the Clear Branch valley below. Much of the lower elevation landscape was burned by the Dollar Lake Fire in 2011.

The first views from the 0.3 mile trail junction display the luminous seed heads of abundant fireweed at the edge of the burn zone.

Pearly everlasting and fireweed

The trail leads along the ridge, mostly through forest with a few viewpoint and meadow openings.

A meadow

Fungus along the trail

Beargrass and huckleberry

The first major viewpoint along the trail is called The Rockpile:

Approaching The Rockpile

Dan at The Rockpile

We went on a short way to Owl Point where we had lunch and signed in at the trail register.

Owl Point

Dan at Owl Point

The next views are a panorama from northeast to south:

Upper Hood RIver valley in the distance

Laurance Lake

Continuing south – Clear Branch Valley

Lower flanks of Mt Hood and the Dollar Lake burn

Mt Hood

Leaving Owl Point:

Finally we went on to Alki Point which let us look north into Washington on this brilliant blue day.

Alki Point – first Mt Rainier (behind Mt Defiance) and Mt Adams come into view.

Farther out on the point, we can also see Mt St Helens.

On our return, we stopped at the 0.8 mile overlook with a better sun angle. The one yellow tree, possibly a larch, stood out in front of The Pinnacle in the grey foothills leading up to the mountain.

Barrett Spur in front of Mt Hood

Coe Glacier close up

We enjoyed this trail for great views of Mt Hood from a new aspect.

Huckleberry foliage

5.4 miles. 800 feet. (#56)

Hoyt Arboretum October 14, 2018

We also took a three mile wander with our son along trails in Hoyt Arboretum in the west hills of Portland to see the fall colors. (#57)

Aralia with birds eating the berries:

Sassafras

CRAFTING

I finished the Fiore Washcloth.

Steigerwald Lake, WA (18-44)

October 10, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Steigerwald National Wildlife Refuge 10-7-2018

Rainy weekend. We were too early for the migrating birds, but saw foggy cliffs across the Columbia River, a few waterbirds and reflections in Gibbons Creek and Redtail Lake, late season flowers, berries and a few fall colors. (hike#55) 4.4 miles

Late lupine, berries, fog on the cliffs across the river.

I always appreciate the welcoming path entrance.

Teasel, blackberry

Water birds on Gibbons Creek

Evening Primrose

Chicory

Fuzzy lettuce lines the path

Views of Vancouver Point and Reed Island from the dike path.

The door to the art trail is closed for winter nesting season. Time for the birds to come home.

Fish ladder

We walked to the end of the refuge.

Sand bars between Reed Island and the Washington shore.

Vista House under the fog on the Oregon cliffs.

On our return walk we saw a few more birds.

Snowy egret across the channel

We learned from a trail steward that the refuge is planning to breach the dikes to the Columbia River to reestablish the natural flood plains and wildlife habitat, beginning sometime next year.

Knitting

I finished another round dish cloth.

I started knitting a Fiore washcloth. I learned the picot cast on, and I am relearning stranded knitting and catching floats for this project.

Garden

Zinnias and peppers

Sumac

NE Portland changing colors. View from a walk up Alameda Ridge.

Through Dartmore to Fowey – May 2, 2018 (18-43)

October 7, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Day 7 – Road Day – Through Dartmoor to Fowey

Happy Birthday Dan! We had his celebratory birthday dinner the previous evening in Lyme Regis. We were as close as we may ever get to the Isle of Wight, he does not seem to be losing his hair, and we were very glad to be sharing this wonderful adventure. Onward to Cornwall, where Dan had planned several hiking adventures for us.

Dartmoor National Park

We chose a slightly roundabout way to Fowey by driving through Dartmoor National Park. The moors are broad uplands bisected by river valleys. Rocky ‘Tors‘ cap the high points, and much of the landscape is divided by walled and treed hedgerows. Most of the land has or is being grazed and/or farmed at some point in history. This is not a USA style National Park, with wilderness and limited access. There are roads, villages, farms and livestock as well as walking paths (hiking trails). The land is being conserved in partnership with the farmers.

Our road wound up and onto the moors. We reached a parking area at what seemed to be the top of the moor and stopped to look around. There was a trail heading off to the nearby Tor – Mel Tor. We walked along the hedgerows, around the sheep and cow enclosures, and up a path to the top of the rocky promontory. From the summit we could see moorland in every direction, and the River Dart to the south.

View across Dartmore

Nearby Bel Tor

Our path to Mel Tor – sheep ahead

Another sheep

Up the hill

Mel Tor

Birthday boy at the top

Views across Dartmore

The River Dart below

Another view on the way down

Looking back to Mel Tor

Another sheep

We continued our drive west, over the moors, planning to stop at the National Park Visitor Centre at Princetown for more information about the park. But first we had to drive through a herd of wild Dartmoor wild ponies? Apparently they range freely over the moors, and we were lucky to see them before we knew that we should look for them.

We stopped in Princetown for lunch and a visit to the National Park Visitor Centre.

Sherlock Holmes tableau in the Visitor Centre

We stopped again at a picturesque viewpoint over the moor before leaving the National Park. The landscape reminds me of the Land of Counterpane illustration from my childhood copy of the Robert Louis Stevenson book A Child’s Garden of Verses. I keep looking for that edition in used book stores but have yet to find it. The boy’s patchwork bedquilt was transformed to a land of hedgerows and fields, similar to my view here, and nothing like I see anywhere in the US. I think my love for British literature makes all the typical British scenes seem so magical to me. The western US is much different – dryer, wilder, more expansive, beautiful, but not ‘British’.

Land of counterpane

Hedgerow

Gorse

Our rental car

In Saltash we bought groceries for four days of home cooking at our self catering cottage in Fowey.

Fowey

Fowey is a Cornish village that is draped down the cliffs above the harbor on the estuary of the River Fowey. Our rented cottage was in a row of dwellings about a quarter mile above the harbor, not too far from the community carpark. The streets and lanes are very narrow and steep, and individual homes do not necessarily have car parking. We were able to park in a construction zone long enough to offload our luggage and groceries, then moved our car to the carpark and walked back down the hill via the scenic route, to the cottage.

Narrow lane down to the harbor

Upstream view of the River Fowey

View across the estuary to where we would walk tomorrow

Polruan, across the river

We walked all the way down to the harbor

Upstream view from the quay

Downstream toward the mouth of the River Fowey

Local history

We walked past this church

and around the maze of buildings and lanes, trying to get a feel for the locale. We were glad to have prepurchased our groceries – there were restaurants and Cornish pasty shops aplenty but I did not see any grocery stores. We enjoy eating out while traveling, but after a few days we miss our own cooking – simpler, cheaper and healthier. We returned to our cottage for the evening.

Our cottage

View from the window

Local artwork depicting Fowey Harbor in our cottage

Falls Creek Falls (18-42)

October 3, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Falls Creek Falls Trail, Gifford Pinchot National Forest, WA 9/29/2018 (#54)

This trail provides fall foliage along Falls Creek, and an impressive waterfall at the terminus.

Colorful vine maples at the trailhead

Into the woods

Over the first bridge

Along the creek

Over the upper bridge

Around this turn we hear the falls

Then look up and see the upper falls

Middle and lower tiers (about 225 feet high) of Falls Creek Falls viewed from the end of the trail.

Lower plunge pool

Downstream view

After eating our lunch, we returned back down the trail,

Through the vine maple corridor

Under the big leaf maple canopy

With a pause by the stream

And another pause near the trailhead to play with the impressionistic reflections…

We saw a variety of leaf displays…

Vine maple – green

Vine maple – turning orange

Vine maple – orange

Solomon seal, with berries

Vine maple – red

My new identification for the day was Pacific dogwood without the distinctive white flowers. In the fall it has red leaves and red seed pod clusters.

About 4 miles round trip and 800 feet.

CRAFTING

I have made knitting progress on my Ivy Lace Cardigan and a round dishcloth.

Fall Equinox, Indian Heaven, WA (18-41)

September 27, 2018September 27, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

East Crater Trail, 9/23/18 (Hike #53)

Indian Heaven is a landscape of lakes, cinder cones, forests and meadows in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest southwest of Mt Adams. The Pacific Crest Trail runs right through the center of the Wilderness on its northward path through southern Washington state. There are abundant wild huckleberries in late summer. By fall, the huckleberry and other foliage display a vibrant spectrum of bright colors – reds, oranges, fuchsias, magentas, yellows, yellow oranges and yellow greens that stand out in sharp contrast to the forest and lake greens and browns, and the sky blue.

Last fall the Indian Heaven Wilderness was closed due to the East Crater Fire that occurred at the same time as the Eagle Creek Fire, so we are back this year after a 2 year absence.

Today we hiked the East Crater Trail to Junction Lake in the center of the wilderness area, then completed a loop that passed several lakes and followed the Pacific Crest Trail back south to Junction Lake.

Red huckleberry bushes in the forest

Layers of color

Unnamed lake just east of East Crater – the burn from last year seen beyond and above.

Top of East Crater

Junction Lake

So much color in the meadows!

Ripe huckleberries

Amanita

Dropping down to Lemei Lake where we had our lunch:

Lunch view

The southbound section of the Pacific Crest trail was more forested, with views through the trees of a couple of bigger lakes.

Bear Lake

We passed Junction Lake again, then hiked back to the trailhead.

Huckleberry and spirea

Mountain Ash

Huckleberry stump

The last little lake on the trail out.

Our total for the day: 9.6 miles/1000 feet elevation.

Panther Creek Falls

We made a quick stop on our drive home at this massive waterfall complex – there are three creeks that tumble together into the main branch of Panther Creek.

Quilting

I went to the Northwest Quilt Expo in Portland and purchased some fabric for my next quilt project:

Late Summer Adventures Part 3 – Three Sisters, Oregon (18-40)

September 24, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Rest Day 9-14-2018 Whychus River Overlook

I slowly walked the easy one mile loop (#51) and contemplated distant views of mountains and close up views of the high desert forest. My legs were not up for much more today. Dan hiked down to the river and wandered there for a bit.

Nearly flat trail through the Ponderosa forest

Looking down to Whychus Creek

Middle and North Sisters

Mt Washington, Pole Creek Fire forest

Rabbit brush

Manzanita

Manzanita bark

Manzanita leaves

“Little apples”

Ponderosa

Sage

Sky

Whychus Creek recovery team logo

Back in town I visited The Stitchin’ Post, a wonderful quilt store.

Window display

I bought a small package of Australian-themed fabric.

On a related note, we enjoyed having a Double Wedding Ring quilt on the bed in our lodge room.

Tam McArthur Rim 9-15-2018 (#52)

This trail provides another entrance point to the Three Sisters Wilderness, from the east toward Tam McArthur Rim along a ridge that leads toward Broken Top. We had hiked this trail in September two years ago on a clear day. Today we watched clouds cover the peaks, lifting occasionally for views. By the time we reached the top, a bitter wind was beginning to blow and the cloud cover was increasing. We didn’t stay long.

Tam McArthur Rim and Three Creek Lake as seen from the trail

Broken Top appears as we cross the upper plain

Almost to the top, with Little Three Creek Lake below

Middle and North Sisters from the End of Trail overlook

Broken Top and South Sister from the overlook

Closer view of the glaciers on Middle and North Sister

All three Sisters, with clouds

North view beyond Tam McArthur overlook. Pole Creek fire burn zone in the foreground; Black Butte beyond.

Late blooming lupine

Neon lichen

Lookback to our hike in September of 2016 to compare the views:

Middle and North Sisters, September 2018

In September 2016, on a clear day

We hiked about 5.5 miles/ 1200 feet today.

Back to Dee Wright/Mckenzie Pass at sunset

We took our last opportunity this year to spend a little time at the lava lands of Mckenzie Pass – and one of my favorite places in the world. Despite the cold wind we wanted to see the sunset. The Sisters were still covered in clouds, but as the lowering sun streamed in from under the western clouds, Black Crater lit up a bright, ethereal red orange that seemed magical. To the west, the streaky clouds glowed pink and gold.

Lenticular cloud over Mt Washington

Black Crater at 7:01 pm

Black Crater at 7:04 pm

Clouds continue to hide North and Middle Sisters

What North and Middle Sisters look like – from September 2016

Sunset colors to the west

A fitting end to our late summer adventures – back to Portland tomorrow.

Late Summer Adventures, Part 2 – Crater Lake and the Obsidian Trail (18-39)

September 24, 2018 / margaretquilts / Leave a comment

Crater Lake 9/12/2018

We left Boardman to drive to Sisters, Oregon for another few days of hiking. The webcams at Crater Lake National Park showed the smoke haze had mostly lifted, so we added a side trip to see Crater Lake.

We had been to Crater Lake about 20 years ago, but our visit that summer was early in the season and there was too much snow to do much more than admire the view from the one small area that was accessible. It has been a goal to return and hike down to the lake, take the boat to Wizard Island, and hike to the many viewpoints around the lake. We were foiled again this year by the extremely bad air quality that was present during the time we had planned, but at least we got to see the views on a nearly clear day and admire the absolutely blue water.

Discovery Point – first view of the lake and a sign showing what Mt Mazama looked like before the eruption and collapse that created Crater Lake.

Close view of Llao Rock; Mt Thielson in the distance.

Wizard Island

South view to Garfield Peak

Wizard Island and Mt Scott beyond

Crater at the top of Wizard Island

The tropical blue water in the shallows around Wizard Island

Obsidian Trail 9/13/2018

We have stayed in Sisters, Oregon several times, but have yet to explore all of the trails in the area. This was our first time to hike in the Obsidian Area of the Three Sisters Wilderness (#50) (12 miles, 2000 feet).

The first few miles are through forest, including part of the 2017 Milli Fire burn zone.

Obsidian trail

Bear Grass and huckleberry foliage

Sims Butte through the Milli burn zone

At about 3.5 miles, the trail ascends over and through a lava flow, with views to the Obsidian Cliff and to North and Middle Sisters – though today the Sisters were hiding in clouds.