HEADING TO MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS
I had not been to Mammoth Hot Springs yet so….off I went (avoiding the scary pass to Tower Falls….
Well its hard to see it in this photo but there is a little puff where the gas escapes from the side of the mountain
I stop for every one I see and introduce myself!
The valley is beautiful….
This was the scary part I didn’t know about but I talked my way through it…you have a small car….there is plenty of room….you have never driven off a cliff before…..in statement analysis the third person language would indicate a removal of myself from the events!
It sure was pretty though!
FAIRY FALLS
Fairy Falls is a very popular hike and even though I got there early there was already another car in the parking area . By the time I got back the parking area was full and people were parking on the side of the road. This is a nice hike on a well maintained trail and starts with a walk around a geothermal area. If I remember its about 2 1/2 miles to the falls.
What my hiking book didn’t tell me is that its better to hike later in the day when the sun can shine on the falls.
DRIVING AROUND YELLOWSTONE
I wanted to take roads that I had not been on before so off I went. The park has numerous scenic side roads or loops less traveled perfect places to fly fish or picnic. The mosquitoes are numerous this year with the extra rainfall….
There is no such thing as too many buffalo…but then I still get excited when I see cows!
This guy was scratching his head on the tree….
There wasn’t this much water at the falls last year!
OFF TO THE CRAZY MOUNTAINS!!!
This photo is not of the Crazy Mountains but a place I pulled over to refill my water bottle….its a lone photo that needs a home!
These are the Crazy Mountains. When I was in Columbus searching for my great-grandparents graves this very nice man Richard took me out to my Aunts old ranch and then when I inquired about places to hike in the area he took me to the Crazy Mountains…There are lots of trails but this one is to the waterfalls.
I found an excellent chapter on the folklore of the Crazy Mountains here.
it was close to five and while there was still a few hours of daylight at the time there was a storm blowing in hence the dark photos…also I’m not used to hiking with strangers so it was hard to get in the frame of mind to take good photographs. The mountains are truly amazing and I wish the photos were better…but these dark photos sort of reflect the name of the mountains.
This is Richard my tour guide!
OUSEL FALLS 3
Ousel Falls and beyond…..
I love the rock formations….
Back up to the trail head again …mountains as far as the eye can see…
Now there is a house that costs a lot of money! That is with my zoom!
This housing development has tipis as lawn ornaments!
Back east the developers build McMansions….in Big Sky they build McRanches!
I love this kind of fence though….If I recall correctly this is where they keep the Draft horses to pull sleighs in the winter. I couldn’t see the horses though.
OUSEL FALLS 2
More photos of Ousel Falls. There were quite a few people on the trail and I didn’t get to take all of the photos I wanted too. I have no patience waiting for people to pose
OUSEL FALLS 1
Like I said I would love to hike more trails in Big Sky…and yellow mules…that’s a painting!
this was a relatively short hike about a mile but mostly up and down so good exercise. A good light hike the day after my Canyon hike in Yellowstone.
Oops! my sleeve…
YELLOWSTONE 25
On the way back on the South Rim trail…I was so tired I only took a few photos…I almost asked a ranger to drive me back to my car…couldn’t be a SISSY though. The elevation difference wreaked havoc. It was only about 7 miles!!
When I got back to my car I got half frozen water out of the cooler….the water I had been carrying was about 90 degrees by this time!…then I shoved some crackers…nuts…fruit in my mouth before making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich (actually it was walnut butter..) Anyway I took off in my car and pulled over as soon as I saw this buffalo. I watched him while I ate my sandwich and drank lots of water. He was a little more nervous and gradually made his way to the forest. I was sitting in front of my car in case he decided he didn’t like me. Thought I could easily make it in before he could get to me. Yes I did use the zoom!
Dunraven Pass 8,875 feet…this is my worst fear in life…mountain roads with no guard rails….and worse these people all out…hands still sweating thinking about it. Managed to take a photo though! I was trying to look at it with a sense of humor. Those are just a few of the people that are alongside the road I had already passed quite a few before I decided to have a sense of humor about it! Yes I do know that my phobias are ridiculous!
After the Canyon I was so tired I almost went back to the campsite…but then thought about how often I get to Yellowstone….So I headed over Dunraven Pass to Tower Falls. On the way aside from all of the people standing in the road on a steep mountain!!…a womans car had overheated and was finally getting a tow…I thought to myself…God only knows how much a tow in Yellowstone is never mind the mechanic (they do have car repair places)! I only saw one Bighorn and it was long gone before I could have pulled over. Then I cam to these falls. I was exhausted by this time and knew I wasn’t going to hike to the bottom….and not to be a waterfall snob but Multnomah Falls are much better! I was just in a funk….
By this time I just wanted to get back to the campsite and vegetate…..and what happens going back over the dreaded mountain?? My engine light comes on….uphill with no place to pull over. But those things happen…the engine sounded fine…nothing seemed wrong. I finally get to a place where I can pull over and listen better….nothing. Now I would rather pay to have something looked at then pay a tow bill even with my free towing its going to be expensive because free means 75 dollars. But were talking about mechanics here…the most dishonest profession behind politicians,bankers and economists. But I feel fine driving back it may have just come on the way engine lights do….just a way to get you to pay money getting it turned off.
Driving back through the park was a bit of a head ache due to the fact that it was now Thursday afternoon and there were a lot more tourists AND there was lots of road construction….but I did get back to the campsite before dark!
Had a great night of sleep even had time to do a bit of drawing while I made my morning coffee. I decided that since it was Friday with even more tourists and not being sure about my car I declined another day in the park…I know I will be back so its no biggie! My check engine light was off which actually scared me more….but once I got back to civilization it came on again while going over Homestake Pass. I concluded that my car was not dealing with heat and high elevations. I started looking up stuff on the internet and was going to take my car in to make sure it was ok. When I read about a handy little gadget that can read the computer engine. If I wasn’t traveling I could have bought it for much cheaper than the 67 dollars I paid for it. But it did save me a ton of money in the long run…so I urge people to buy one of these BEFORE they have an emergency. Between this little device that can also turn off the engine light and further exploring on the internet about catalytic converter sensors…I determined that my car was just fine. The light hasn’t come on again but I’m sure it will if I am at that elevation on that hot of a day! Can you imagine taking a Toyota Echo to a mechanic in Montana?? The guy at the auto parts store just shook his head….Fords and Dode Ram trucks all the way!
Now an honest mechanic is hard to come by and I knew of one in Virginia. ALWAYS took my truck to him when it was ailing. A good mechanic is one less worry in life! I was talking to one of my friends in Virginia last week and she had just gotten her car back from him.
I may have found a good shop in Oregon or they may have just been good because they know my brother. But I brought them all goodies so maybe they will remember me next time I go in….mechanics either think I’m the Second Coming because I show my appreciation by bringing them goodies or they think I’m the Anti-Christ…when I think they are giving me a load of bull-shit! Oil change places….forgetaboutit…stand over while I watch them actually put in a new filter….and JUST SAY NO to all of the nonsense they try to sell you. Ok I haven’t had a rant in awhile…back to vacation….
As you can see it was a great start to a day
YELLOWSTONE 20
More of South Rim Trail…..further down is a photo of my foot in the picture…as close to the canyon as I would get….my hands sweat just thinking about it!
YELLOWSTONE 19
Oops this is actually South Rim Trail….Kicked my ass…I had been on a longer hike in the Redwoods weeks earlier but I guess the elevation makes a difference. The canyon is beautiful and there aren’t too many people hiking the whole thing. Most people and the tour buses drive from scenic point to scenic point….but hiking the whole thing is much better experience….
YELLOWSTONE 17
After my wonderful morning coffee watching the mist rise on the Madison River I slowly make my way to my destination….the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone but as I said….slowly….I didn’t want to miss anything…like this heron. While the bird is watching me it isn’t too nervous. If that was the wildlife refuge at Klamath…it would have been long gone. This heron stayed put the entire time which was about 10 minutes
This little fellow was a fun to watch!
This is the Gibbon River….
Here is Firehole Canyon Drive….unfortunately the sun wasn’t up enough so the photos aren’t that great…it must be awesome when the sun is lighting it up though…
These are the Firehole Falls….
And here we have Tuff Cliff….I wanted to hike all of these places but had to keep with my destination of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone!
I spotted some elk in this meadow while driving by…
with the zoom…not bad for a camera that fits in my pocket…and look at those racks!!!
NATIONAL CREEK FALLS
More from Saturday’s excursion….after the snow at Crater Lake I headed for National Creek Falls. I had been intending to go there for a year(last year when I tried to go it was snowed in)
It was only a half mile hike through the woods…down hill and of course…UP on the way back….well it burns more calories!
As you can see the spray from the falls soaked the lens….had to move back and use the zoom.
There is a great big log completely covered with graffiti carvings
After climbing back up I still had lots of energy and had my brother drive my car a few miles ahead while I went for a nice run…stopped to take some photos…that’s my car in the distance.
apparently not only are there heavy trucks but signs too heavy to hold their own weight.
FALL CREEK FALLS
This is a little hike and picnic place in Northern California….past the Iron Gate Reservoir and across the little old fish hatchery I wrote about yesterday….the gate is locked probably to keep out the destructive ATV…but there is an opening fit for a person.
the trail to the picnic area is about 1/32 of a mile!
water is diverted to yet another mini hatchery…
I had to use zoom to get this volcanic rock….it towers above the waterfall…like some ancient castle wall
this is me getting down on my butt to slide down the hill to the waterfall…oh when I was young I would have eagerly jumped!!
back at the picnic area I photographed this pipe it runs a long way…maybe to the other hatchery….
LUMBERING WATER BUFFALO TRIES TO NAVIGATE LOST CREEK RESERVOIR
This week as incredibly busy with work…had a hard time working in any running but on Friday I did manage another 3.2 miles but instead of seeing how far I could run lumber -I ran as fast as I could and then walked…ran then walked. Discovered the brain likes the running faster as far as producing the runners high….oodles of good chemicals hit my being…same place on the Bear Creek Greenway so I didn’t bother with photos.
Saturday morning almost noon I took off towards the Upper Rogue thinking I would try my luck on the trails around the Upper Rogue Gorge…then I remembered that I had been meaning to try the Peyton Bridge Trail Head to the headwaters of the Lost Creek Reservoir….not big on reservoirs but its better than running in Medford! I have two different books on trails in Southern Oregon which usually give detailed descriptions of hikes….but in the case of this trail there is very little so I assumed it was going to be a bit on the boring monotonous side walking through trees around a reservoir for 5 miles. I was pleasantly surprised by the variety in landscape!!
I had hiked about a mile up this trail previously about two years ago….had a little picnic and took photos…
This is Peyton Bridge…spanning Lost Creek Reservoir…
Not sure if the water is blue from algae….but most of this water comes from Crater Lake via the Rogue River and lots of little creeks that feed into it….
The thing I don’t like is that like most reservoirs there is a marina and you can hear power boats and even in the middle of the lake where people are just fishing with the engine turned off you can hear them talking….but as I discovered the further you go the less boats!!
Madrone leaves lit by sunshine..
The trail is in good shape most of the way….there were a few points where some brambles are growing over the trail and other parts where the ground is a bit soggy!
Bad people have no place else to put their used tires except to roll them down the hill!!!!
The trail goes up and down and around constantly so my running was limited to the places that were flat….or just a slight incline. But to my shame I met a man who was in his sixties on another trail in California who was recovering from prostate cancer who ran on a trail much worse and more hilly than this one….he also ran ultra marathons….50 miles and up….none of that pussy 20 mile running for him!!! (my head is hanging with shame!!!)
looking up
There are a few waterfalls along the trail not sure if they are seasonal….
Lots of bridges along this trail!!! I love bridges
Place to rest…..but didn’t. There are no mile markers along this trail….that I could see anyway
The trail leaves the forest for a time and ahead are some wonderful cliffs above!!
the reservoir stretches on….
another place to rest….but didn’t. I got such a late start and took quite a few photos…most not included in this post.
looking back at a bridge
I found this curious….closest part of the trail to a boating accident??…eaten by cougars or bears??….tree fell on them???
lots of bridges!!
hard to see through the trees and shrubs but this is a fairly big falls….they ramble over a fairly wide distance
about this time I wondered if I should turn back my feet were getting a bit tired but there is always another bend to see around….
This looks like its getting close….
finally I came to this drift wood clearing
lovely family of geese in the distance…I only brought my little digital because I wanted to run next time I will bring my back pack to take one of my “real” cameras….
There are thousands of these little burrs….stick right to you even after picking them off I kept finding them on the way back ….even found one stuck on my butt when I got back to the car!!
Cool flotsam and jetsam….lots of pumice rocks floating among the wood…
a little further is another bridge…and waterfall of course. The trail doesn’t stop here but its my turning point….hate to be a pussy but my feet were really getting tired by this time…and still there were no trail markers.
Finally….leaning over the bridge I realize that I now have the the conservative estimate of five miles back!!!
And I could swear that the hills grew bigger and there were more of them on the way back!!! Resting on one of those benches on the way back….actually did a lot more running too. Then my knee started bothering me towards the end so I walked….NO INJURIES!!! No problems today but still debating whether I will lace up my shoes and at least walk….
Since there weren’t any markers like I said I am calling it a 10 mile excursion…although I think it was a bit more after looking at maps when I got home…can’t find any decent maps either…even the one by the Army Corps of Engineers….Norton says is dangerous….
Anyway I got my appetite back and while I mostly stayed away from anything bad….I did break down and buy ice cream….to celebrate finally doing my taxes!!!!….the shame of it all!!
So far I have been weighing myself on Friday but because of an exhausting work week I completely forgot on Friday (had to watch my latest installment of MAD MEN)….anyway with an extra day I logged in 20.79 miles. Good thing I gave myself an extra day…10 of it was on Saturday…
MULTNOMAH FALLS
While I was away last week I did a bit of lite hiking along the Columbia Gorge so I thought I would make a separate post of it. I need to spend a few days there preferably soon before the tourist season starts. Because it is so close to Portland even on days that the weather isn’t great there are tourists. Yeah I’m a hypocrite I complain that people don’t go the the national and state parks enough then I complain when they do go!
COLUMBIA GORGE PANORAMA LOOK OUT
I thought that I would head for the scenic panorama look out but I forgot I have developed a deathly fear of heights and since the road was so close to the edge and my palms were sweating and my heart pounding I had to pull in here and turn around. Why am I like this??? I used to jump off of the top of the barn. Anyway I am laughing at myself this morning as I look at the picture and regret not challenging my fears.
MULTNOMAH FALLS
MULTNOMAH FALLS
MULTNOMAH FALLS
MULTNOMAH FALLS INFO
MULTNOMAH FALLS INFO
LITTLE CREEK AS YOU GO UP THE TRAIL
ON THE TRAIL
FROM THE TRAIL
I GUESS THIS FENCE IS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT ME FROM THE BIG ROCKS THAT TUMBLE DOWN
FROM THE BRIDGE
HARD TO GET THE UPPER FALLS ALL IN ONE PICTURE FROM THE BRIDGE
HERE IS THE BRIDGE FROM THE TRAIL
THE BRIDGE
FROM THE BRIDGE
I have even more pictures that I will try to pick up today! I also went to Pony Tail Falls but I used film there. I hope they turn out because I don’t have a hood for the lens so rain gets on the lens.
HIKING IN THE SIERRAS V
These are more photos of what is above the waterfalls. I had imagined a great big lake surrounded by a meadow with elk and deer grazing
Yep that’s a damn dam.
The reservoir.
When my skateboarding guitar and drum loving nephew who had declared he hates nature came out west he was in awe of how much bigger everything is out here. The mountains the skies the valleys…it humbles you while filling you with possibilities and a sense of something that you can’t quite grasp..something within us that we have not recognized previously, something that might make us be able to take in and expand that we just might be a part of such greatness. I never really felt that way on the east coast.
just look at that
these flowers are so precious
yes that is yet another reservoir
HIKING IN THE SIERRAS III
I have to make my way back to the tracks in order to get up the mountain to see where those falls come from
Exhausted and resting…..
Even the in shape hikers struggle with this….but they left me in the dust!!
Can you believe there was a trail going up here the whole time??? That’s what I get for not stopping at the visitors center!
There is fairly new horse shit on this trail apparently very brave people actually go trail riding on this?? I have heart failure just thinking about it! What if the horse spooks or steps in the wrong place…They aren’t like humans they can’t see where they are putting their feet…
WINTER PHOTOS
This is something I posted earlier this year…I’m putting it up just in case any of you miss winter!!!
Got back photos from Costco. Not sure if some of the flaws are my fault or Costco’s…
SEASONAL WATERFALL ALONG THE SMITH RIVER
SEASONAL WATERFALL ALONG THE SMITH RIVER
MISTY MORNING OUTSIDE OF GRANTS PASS OREGON
KLAMATH LAKE ON THE MODOC RIM SIDE
KLAMATH LAKE AT THE HOWARD BAY BOAT RAMP
KLAMATH LAKE AT THE HOWARD BAY BOAT RAMP
KLAMATH LAKE AT THE HOWARD BAY BOAT RAMP
DOAKS MOUNTAIN ABOVE KLAMATH LAKE
DOAKS MOUNTAINS ABOVE KLAMATH LAKE
GREAT MEADOW RECREATIONAL SITE NEAR LAKE OF THE WOODS, OREGON
GREAT MEADOW
GREAT MEADOW
GREAT MEADOW
CLOUDS ABOVE GRANTS PASS
CLOUDS ABOVE GRANTS PASS
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CLOUDS ABOVE GRANTS PASS
Look at that fiber in the middle of the photo!!! I need to buy Photoshop!
CLOUDS ABOVE GRANTS PASS
CLOUDS ABOVE GRANTS PASS
SNOWY TREES IN CALIFORNIA
SNOWY TREES IN CALIFORNIA
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