Pam Visits the Gorge

Sorry for being MIA from blogland the past couple of weeks.  I just returned from a fabulous trip to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon and hike with some blogging friends in Sedona.  You know me, I took tons of photos which will provide fodder for many future blog posts.  Stay tuned, lots of good stuff to come!

A happy Pam at Latourell Falls

But before flying south, I met up with my blogging pal, Pam from Nomadic Newfies.  She was visiting Tacoma and drove down to Portland to see the Oregon coast and Columbia River Gorge.  Pam asked if I'd be available to take her hiking in the Gorge.  Of course I never pass up a chance to show off my beloved Gorge (even if a good portion of the Oregon side was still closed from last September's fire).

Historic Highway bridge

So one chilly Friday in early March, I picked Pam up from a park and ride lot in Vancouver, and headed back to the Oregon side.  Although sadly most of the stunning waterfalls and trails on the Oregon side were closed due to fire damage, lovely Latourell Falls was one of the few that had recently reopened to the public (you may have seen my post from last December.)

Looking upstream to the falls

Latourell Falls is indeed one of the Gorge's great cascades.  Plunging 249 feet over a high basalt cliff it's tall white curtain is sight to behold.  I also love the unique neon yellow-green lichen that covers the rock on either side.  A picture-perfect waterfall if there ever was one!

Yup, it's a tall one!

Of course, Pam thought so too, and we both proceeded to whip out our cameras for a copious photo session.

Pam was grinning from ear to ear

Then I directed Pam to the short trail that looped by the bottom of Latourell Falls.  Despite heavy spray that drenched our cameras, she was grinning from ear to ear.

Posing on the bridge below the falls

We continued past the falls, following a lovely trail winding through a mossy forest.  It passed underneath the Historic Columbia River Highway bridge before climbing up and crossing the highway itself.

Eagle-eye Pam spotted these tiny mushrooms

From my December visit, I remembered this trail then traversed steeply for a mile to Upper Latourell Falls.  We took it slow, giving eagle-eye Pam time to spot a group of tiny mushrooms sprouting from a fallen log.  She also found the season's first trillium bloom!

She also spotted the season's first trillium

This was the portion of the trail where my camera battery began dying on my last visit, so I took full advantage of fresh batteries to capture all the beautiful green forest scenes that I'd missed.

Love these mossy woods

The mossy woods lining upper Latourell creek were spectacular.

Admiring the trees

After coming upon Upper Latourell Falls, and admiring the churning two-tiered cascade, Pam and I returned to the parking area via a path on the creek's opposite banks. 

Upper Latourell Falls

Some of the best views of Latourell Falls can be found from this return trail, although you have to play peek-a-boo through the trees.  Good thing it was still winter, and the leaves were gone.

Latourell falls plays peek-a-boo through the forest

I've come to the conclusion that my new Fujifilm mirrorless camera doesn't like Latourell Falls.  From my last visit, you may recall I had a string of bad luck (dropping the camera, losing a lens caps, low battery....)  Well, as Pam and I were loading our gear into the car, I accidentally dropped my camera again.  Sadly, my camera bag wasn't enough protection.  I turned it on, tried to take a test photo, and got a "lens error" message.  Ugh!

Trying for that money shot

Luckily, I had another lens with me, and when I put it on the camera both worked.  So I knew only the lens had sustained damage, thankfully not the camera too.  But the damaged lens was my go-to 18-55 mm, the one I used for 99% of my landscape shots. 

On the bridge to Bridal Veil Falls

After a quick trip up to Crown Point to check out the Vista House, I took Pam down the short trail to Bridal Veil Falls.  I didn't take very many photos here, as my 55-200 mm lens wasn't good at capturing wide-angle scenes.  By this time it was also raining, and I didn't want to get my gear wet.

Lovely mossy forest below the falls

Of course no trip to the Gorge is complete without a visit to Multnomah Falls, the grand dame of all Columbia River Gorge waterfalls.  I hadn't visited here since the fire, and was disappointed to see that the lower viewing platform was still fenced off.  The only decent view of the falls was from the parking area across the freeway.  (I learned they just opened the lower viewing area last weekend.....sorry Pam, you were three weeks too early!)

Soggy photographer

After a quick lunch in Cascade Locks, I drove Pam over the famed Bridge of the Gods into Washington state for our last waterfall destination - Rodney Falls.  This waterfall is within the first mile of the Hamilton Mountain trail, and since I was still bummed about my broken lens (plus I've hiked trail this dozens of times), I left the photo taking to Pam. 

Trying to capture the rainbow and Rodney falls

However, approaching the top of Rodney Falls, we got to see a cool rainbow arching out of the rocky cavern, known as the Pool of Winds.  The water drops off a cliff and swirls around in this cavern before shooting out in a churning spray of wind and water.  I couldn't resist a couple of cell phone photos of Pam sacrificing her camera for a shot of this amazing cascade.

Some nice guy offered to take our photo!

It was great to get together with Pam once again!  So glad she was able to get "out west" to see some of my favorite places.  Now I guess it's my turn to come visit her in Wisconsin.

If you want to see photos of all the places we visited, check out Pam's blog posts:

Latourell Falls
Upper Latourell Falls
From Vista House to Bridal Veil
Bridge of the Gods to Pool of Winds

Weekend at Schweitzer

When my son attended the University of Montana, we used to have an after-Christmas ritual of skiing at Idaho's Schweitzer Mountain on his way back to school.  I have many fond memories our trips to this scenic, off the beaten path resort.  The largest ski area in Washington and Idaho, Schweitzer is home to some of my all-time favorite black diamond ski runs.  On clear days, it's mountaintops boast stellar views of gorgeous Lake Pend Oreille. 

But then my son graduated and started seminary, and before I knew it, ten years had elapsed since I'd been back. 

So over Christmas, my son and I hatched a plan to meet up in early February and revive the tradition.  I was beyond excited.  I counted down the long, dark January days in anticipation of spending time with my son and revisiting a favorite resort.

Hello from Idaho!

Then the morning I was to leave, I got a call from my son.  He'd come down with the flu and wouldn't be able to make it.  Since it was too late to cancel my motel reservation and I'd already purchased lift tickets online, I was committed.  Disappointed, and worried about my son's health, I sadly loaded the car and headed east, fretting the entire 7-hour drive to Sandpoint.  Although I considered continuing on to Montana to be with my son, he encouraged me to go ski and have fun (he also didn't want me to catch his bug).

Appropriate song for my first day

The following morning, I woke to cloudy, rainy skies.  The forecast for Schweitzer was a warm borderline rain/snow mix.  Ugh - I wasn't a fan of skiing in the rain.  But I'd traveled  here to ski, and ski I would.  Driving to the parking shuttle area, the first song that came on my car radio was "Private Idaho" by the B-52s.  I laughed at the coincidence.  Maybe this was a sign - it was gonna be a good day after all.

Cute base area

Schweitzer Mountain is accessed by a scary winding, hairpin road from the outskirts of town.  But for those not wanting to endure a white-knuckle drive, the resort provides shuttle buses.  Judging by the amount of vehicles in the huge park and ride lot, it appeared the bus was a popular option.  A three dollar fee (or free for season pass holders) got me a round trip.  For the ride up, I was seated next to a friendly local man who was more than happy to share resort beta.

Super-foggy day

After taking a few quick laps on the lower elevation Basin Express lift, I was ready to whisk to the mountain's very top and find my favorite black diamond runs, White Lightening, Stiles, and Pend Oreille.  But as I rode higher up the mountain, the clouds became thicker.  Exiting the lift, I found visibility near zero.  Slowly I edged my way towards Pend Oreille, the closest trail to the lift.  Not only did the fog make visibility difficult, my glasses were fogging under my goggles.  Getting down this steep slope required a leap of faith (I joke about "skiing by Braille" but that's exactly what I did).  Luckily, about halfway down the skies became lighter and I could see once again.  But after a couple of scary trips from the top fighting foggy glasses, I went inside to clear my lenses.

Ice covered skier

Returning to the slopes after a quick break, I tried to find the mountain's backside, only to end up in a different area than I intended.  No big deal, I took advantage of a long cruising run to the Stella lift.  But the elevation was lower here, and instead of snow, I encountered rain.  Starting to get soaked, I decided to head back to the base area, where it was colder.

Over on the front side a full-on snowstorm was in progress.  Winds howled, and snow whirled through the air.  But, oh was the snow nice!  Although visibility was still a challenge, I could see just enough to make my way down from the very top.  I kept making run after run, every trip fresh tracks in the new-fallen snow.  So much fun!  The wet snow began collecting on my outerwear, freezing into an icy coating.  I skied through the lunch hour, knowing that once I went inside melting ice would soak my gear, and I wouldn't go back out.

They get lots of snow here!

Finally around 1:30 hunger got the best of me, and I surrendered to the nearest cafeteria.  After downing a bowl of chili, I just couldn't bring myself to put my wet gear back on and return to the cold, stormy slopes.  So I decided to head back into town.  Waiting outside for the shuttle bus, I realized the mushy falling snow had turned into full-fledged raindrops.  Good thing I quit when I did!  

Sandpoint had a cute downtown

Sandpoint, Idaho has a cute downtown area.  I purposely chose a motel close by so I could walk to nearby restaurants and shops.  That evening I enjoyed a leisurely stroll through downtown, window shopping at the cute boutiques before locating an excellent brewpub.

Loved the Christmas lights in February

Sandpoint even kept their Christmas lights up into February.  Really made for a festive atmosphere.  These lights made some fantastic reflections on the wet pavement, but only having my cell phone with me at the time, my photos weren't the best.

Stella lift house

Drier weather was forecast for the following day.  I was happy to wake up to clearing, moisture-free skies.  Hustling to make the 8:00 shuttle bus, I took a wrong turn and ended up driving through downtown a second time.  Thinking I'd surely be late, a Starbucks conveniently located next to the resort's main road enticed me in.  Despite the detours, I pulled into the park and ride and the bus was still there!  I hopped out and began unloading my skis but at that moment the bus closed it's doors and rumbled away.  Oh well, the next bus was only a half hour away, and now I had time to enjoy my latte.

Scenic trail junction

Morning sunlight streamed down from blue skies as the next bus delivered me into Schweitzer's base area.  Eager for a dry, better visibility day, I boarded the Great Escape Quad lift bound for the resort's very top.  About halfway up, my chair was swallowed by a dense, white cloud.  So much for my clear, sunny day.....

Still murky fog on top (someone laughed at me for taking this photo)

The entire top half of the mountain was enveloped by a huge fog bank.  Visibility wasn't any better than the previous day.  Oh well, I'd skied in these conditions yesterday and survived.  So I began making laps up and down.  The fog clung to the upper reaches and I gingerly made slow turns until I could see again.

Lake Pend Oreille emerges

Riding single, I got paired up with lots of interesting people on the chairlift.  All mentioned that fog was a common problem here.  One guy jokingly commented that Schweitzer was French for "fog." 

Top of Lakeview lift

After the first hour, tired of not being able to see, I traveled to the resort's back side in search of better conditions.  Although visibility was much improved, yesterday's warm rain had frozen overnight, turning the slopes here into a sheet of ice.  A high school ski race was underway on one of the runs, and although the racers may have liked the icy slopes, I did not.

Amazing scenery!

Back to the front side once again!  A long, winding cat track took skiers around the mountain.  As I descended, the skies cleared once again, and Lake Pend Oreille emerged front and center.  Wow, what an excellent view!  Many photo stops ensued.  (By the way, the lake's name is pronounced "ponderay")

Snow ghosts

After lunch, I traveled around the mountain once again, seeking good snow and clear skies.  Unfortunately, thick clouds clung stubbornly to the mountaintop all day and the back side slopes never did thaw out.  Around 2:30, I was ready to call it quits and head in for a beer, when I noticed sun illuminating slopes by the Lakeview chairlift.  I hadn't skied there yet, and decided to check it out.

Ridge run

Turned out to be the best conditions of the day.  Not only was the snow here soft and fluffy, on top of the chair, I was awed by the interesting shapes created by ice encasing every surface.  The lifts, trail signs, and radio towers had been transformed into white works of art.  But the best scenery was the ice-crusted trees, nicknamed "snow ghosts," lining nearby slopes.  Oh were they lovely! 

There was a reason the resort named this chairlift Lakeview.  The best panoramas of huge Lake Pend Oreille were from the top of this ridge.  It was so lovely, I ended up taking three more runs, just to enjoy the snow and fantastic scenery.  Glad I saved the best for last.

Breathtaking lake views!

Despite the wet, foggy weather and my son's last-minute illness, I ended up having a great trip.  It was fun to reacquaint myself with an old favorite resort after so many years.  The town of Sandpoint and the friendly locals on the slopes totally charmed me.  I'd love to spend more time here again someday.

Bluebird

Some days you just have to take a chance. 

Last Thursday, when snow in the city cancelled our ski bus (oh the irony, a ski bus cancelled because of snow!) my friend Glen and I decided to brave the icy roads and drive up anyway.

Mt Hood reflected in the lodge window

This was our reward.  Blue skies and a huge dump of light, fluffy powder snow.  The best day of the season so far.  So glad I decided to gamble with the white knuckle drive. 

Of course, the following weekend I wasn't so lucky.  My friends and I drove all the way to Mt Bachelor for the weekend, only to be greeted with a howling blizzard Saturday morning.  Nothing was running but the beginner lifts, and visibility was nil.  No skiing for us.

But of course, you don't know if you don't go.  All you can do is roll the dice.  Sometimes you lose, but once and awhile you get lucky and hit a bluebird day.

Quick Trip up Kings Mtn

You're about to see moss.  Lots of it.

Obligatory trailhead sign

After patiently waiting the entire month of January for an expected huge dump of mountain snow, the weather gods decided to bring rain instead (they have a twisted sense of humor).  Not a fan of skiing in liquid sunshine, I opted to stay home and mope around the house all morning.  Then, becoming desperate for an outdoor exercise fix, I decided to take a quick hike up nearby Kings Mountain. 

Entering the forest

While searching for a hike closer to home, I'd discovered this lovely trail in the Oregon Coast Range last June.  A mere 45 minute drive had me pulling into its parking area.  Although challenging, this steep, thigh-burning ascent of 2800 vertical feet in 2.7 miles was short enough to fit into an afternoon.

Photogenic mossy trees

So instead of skiing, that's how I found myself trekking through a damp, mossy winter forest.  But from my first step onto Kings Mountain's spongy tread, I was captivated by it's magical green woods.

Loved these fuzzy branches

Devoid of leaves, the mossy tree trunks and branches stood out.  Huge clumps of ferns covered the forest floor.  Everything glowed in bright hues of green.  Absolutely magical!  (I half expected a hobbit to amble out)

Yup, more moss

Of course, I had to capture these wonderful fairy-tale woods.  And I spent the next half hour doing just that.

Mossy old tree stump

Of course my frantic photo session killed any forward progress.  After many dozen shutter clicks, I realized time had got away from me once again.  If I didn't get a move on soon, I'd be hiking back in the dark.

Summit register

So, I put my head down and began the slow uphill trudge.  Kings Mountain trail is a steep one, and it didn't take long before my heart started hammering and breath began huffing and puffing.  Soon, the day's fine cloudy mist transformed into raindrops, necessitating a stop to don pack cover and stash the camera.

Nothing to see here

The remainder of my climb was uneventful, save for the fact that the top of Kings Mountain took forever to reach.  The last couple hundred feet of climbing necessitated wading through icy snowbanks.  No rewarding views for my effort today - I found the summit cloaked in thick, foggy clouds.  A cold wind blew chilly raindrops into my face.  I stayed long enough to eat a quick snack while huddling under dripping branches.

Dense forest

Then I gladly retraced my steps off the summit into the shelter of the forest.  Luckily I hadn't traveled very far when the rain finally let up. 

More forest shots

This break in precip gave me a chance to retrieve my camera and capture some images of the diverse forest zones encountered as I descended Kings Mountain.

Last of the fall leaves

This trail is well-maintained by the Mazamas, a Portland mountain climbing club.  They even provide elevation signs every 500 feet so you can judge your downward progress.

Nearing the bottom

Below about 1000 feet, thick moss reappeared on trees and my camera was once again occupied.  Although this significantly delayed my return trip, I did still arrive back at my car well before dark.  And I'd managed to capture quite a few nice images, albeit mostly of the lovely mossy trees (a happy photographer is one with a full memory card!)

Moss macro

 

 

 

 

Although skiing was foiled by weather, I still ended up having a great outdoor adventure.  Not only that, I discovered another local trail that's just as beautiful in the winter.

The Bus is Back!

One of my favorite winter activities is riding the midweek ski bus.  Not only do I love the empty slopes, I've met and skied with some fantastic people.  When the bus program resumed for the season in mid-January, I happily reunited with my "men in red" ski posse.

To another great ski season!

Per tradition, Glen brought out his flask of cinnamon whiskey and we all had a toast before hitting the lifts.

Glen passes pat the flask to Pat

Pat, our power-skier eager to rack up the runs, was already on the slopes and missed our toast.  So when we finally caught up, Glen made sure he was included.

Chairlift selfie attempt

The running joke is you have to wear a red jacket if you want to ski with me.  (I really gotta work on my chairlift selfies.....)

What a motley crew!

And what's this?  Rounding a corner I discovered our ski area's legendary bra tree is back!  Not only was it adorned with new female undergarments, someone had added a pair of men's tighty whiteys. (Equal gender representation, right?)  My group may or may not have possessed knowledge of recent sacrifices made to said hallowed tree......(what happens on the bus, stays on the bus!)

The bra tree is back!

I've sure missed my midweek ski buddies.  We laugh, joke, share nips of adult beverages, and rip down snowy slopes.  I'm so glad ski bus Thursdays are back for the season.

Might As Well Ski Anyway....

So far this winter has been a huge disappointment.  Snow has been scarce in the Cascades.  For a die-hard skier like me, the drier-than-usual months of December and January have been nothing but bad news.

Blue sky and white snow

By mid-January, Mt Hood Meadows, my local ski hill, was reporting a scant 36" base.  Usually logging at least 8-10 ski days by then, my season pass had only been used twice.  It's hard to get pumped for skiing when you know it's gonna be an icy, rock-dodging experience.

Sunglasses weather!

However my friends Kim and Hollie wanted to check things out one mid-January Sunday, so I decided to join them.  The weather was supposed to be a sunny and warm, so at least we wouldn't be freezing our butts off.  What the heck, I thought, might as well go skiing.

The mountain is busy

I spent the first part of the day on the bunny slope, getting Hollie's confidence back.  Hollie only started skiing two years ago, and although she's doing great, it's hard for her to leave the security of the beginner area.  But today Kim and I decided it was time to try a more difficult run.  Sometimes folks just need a little push. 

Distant Cascade peaks

So we took Hollie up to the top of the Vista chairlift.  Although the trails here are also green (beginner) runs, they're all much longer than anything on the bunny hill. 

Kim giving Hollie instruction

Thus began a long, slow descent back to the lodge.  We made frequent stops so Hollie could rest.  Since Hollie is still a slow skier, Kim and I followed close behind, trying to thwart any fast snow-rider that might get too close (kind of like bodyguards!).  While resting on the side of a slope, we did witness one collision between a man and woman.  Although scary, luckily neither person was hurt.

Hollie is a trooper!

Hollie was a trooper!  Even when she fell (which wasn't often) she calmly picked herself up - no tears or swearing.  She was making some great turns, and staying in control.  The final slope to the lodge was a slightly steeper pitch.  Kim and I were worried about Hollie making it in one piece, but she pointed her skis straight downhill and went for it!  And didn't fall once.  Yahoo!

Traverse to Outer Limits (see all the rocks?)

After the long trip down from Vista, Hollie was tuckered out.  She and Kim went inside for lunch.  But I wasn't ready for a break yet.  Bright morning sunlight had softened the snow to a wonderful consistency.  Time to rip it up!

Smilin' ski buddies

And that's exactly what I did.  Cascade, the highest lift on the mountain, was turning and I made endless laps down it's wide-open slopes.  When finished with her lunch, Kim joined me in the fun.

Kim in action

We traveled all over the resort - finding lots of lovely soft snow stashes.  Even the moguls were fun to slide over.  I had such a good time, I nearly forgot about the skimpy snowpack (that is, until I accidentally slid over a few hidden rocks.....good thing I had my "rock skis")

Cool cloud over Mt Hood

It turned out to be a great day of skiing after all.  I'd lowered my expectations so much that it was a happy surprise to encounter sunny, blue skies and totally carveable snow.

The moral of my story?  Even if the snow is less than stellar, you might as well ski anyway.  After all, a bad day skiing is still better than the best day at work!  :)