Lovely Oregon 8/10

Sunrise at Bobby Lake where we camped. 

Huckleberries!  Yum!

FC picking the berries. 

And eating them. 

Oregon hiking for the most part is soft and easy. It's like getting a loving embrace from Mother Nature. The forests are still and tranquil. For those living in Santa Cruz it's like walking in Pogonip or Nicene Marks or Big Basin all day for weeks. The path is covered with soft duff and pine needles. The switchbacks are long and winding, easier on the heart. From Lake Odell onward there have been numerous lakes that are deeper and less muddy than the initial lakes we encountered before Crescent L. They are warm and  invite all who wish to swim, play, or just cool down. They are also people-less. Maybe one person or one group of people camped at a lake.No motors, no buildings, just quiet people in quiet rafts and innocuous tents.Even fishermen are absent. Oregon parks are not over crowded. They have the word "Welcome" printed over the doors in their wilderness ski huts. California wilderness huts have more prohibitive signs and are usually locked or ramshackled run down run out of money places. I'm liking Oregon and would highly recommend this place for people just starting out backpacking; people wondering whether or not they want to backpack. Oregon is less difficult than the California Sierra. Oregon's paths  are like plush carpet. California's are tough rocks. The grandeur and magnificence of California's mountains is unsurpassable but Oregon's lush hushed forests are soothing and nourishing. I would come here again to swim, camp and do some peak bagging. 

FC. Mighty volcano climber. 

There are lots of volcanoes to be climbed and peered into. Along with volcanos comes areas of lava rock; sharp, uneven and totally unforgiving on the feet. These areas feel prehistoric,they came first then everything else followed. They are the bowels of the planet spread over its surface. Amongst these red, grey,and black often feather-light rocks flowers and trees sprout up. FC saw 2 picas running into a clump of rocks as she walked by. There is life here in this stark landscape.

White flowers growing in burn area. 

We haven't seen this in CA. 

Cool looking lichen. Who says "Cheetos" aren't naturally colored. 

       If you decide to come to Oregon, mid-August or later is a good time. The mosquitoes are manageable and the lakes are warm. You may get some thunder and lightning storms which is what happened to is as we hiked out of Shelter Cove. Firecracker was talking on the phone, wishing Judy Hilton Spears a happy birthday a day early. We were on a pass and

the thunder heads were collecting. FC cut the congratulations short as drops of rain began to fall. We had about 4 miles to get to water so out came the rain gear. The rain was light but we heard thunder behind us. We found out later that back at Shelter Cove the rains were torrential. Hopscotch told us that all the PCT hikers who had elected to camp there were huddled under the general store wrap around porch watching lightning strikes start fires across Odell Lake. He said he got to see a helicopter dip it's bucket into the lake and douse out the fires. Meanwhile his tent was drowning in the ditch he pitched it in. He thought it looked like a comfortable spot. Did he not see the rain clouds above him? The owners of Shelter Cove let the hikers stay under the porch roof until 10:00 pm then they were booted out into the wetness. Poor hikers in their nylon shelters looking out wistfully at the big RVs and people in their recliners watching TV sipping glasses of wine, and making idle comments about the weather.

       We were camped at Bobby L. sleeping soundly in our dry tent. The weather was elsewhere.

Bubbies at trail to Elk Lake Resort.