Tulipalooza!

Oh.....my......gosh.....

I've never seen so many tulips in my life!

Windmill and tulip field

It's a Portland tradition to visit the Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm near Woodburn, Oregon for their spring bloom.  Offering 40 acres of colorful tulips, it's a lovely kaleidoscope of colors. 

Sea of tulips...

BUT - in all the years I've lived in Oregon I'd yet to visit.  Last year, after seeing friend's photos and hearing great things about the tulip fest, I vowed to be there for spring 2015.

Mud puddle reflections

I love finding and following local Oregon bloggers.  This past year, I discovered Becky's blog, and became one of her blogging buddies.  We shared a mutual love of photography and discussed someday getting together for a photo session.

Becky lives near the tulip farm, and visits annually.  When I expressed a desire to to attend this year's fest, Becky generously offered to show me around.

Two-tone beauty

Early Good Friday morning found me heading south to the famous fields.  Although I didn't quite make sunrise, I did arrive before the day's crowds.  The fields were empty except for a few early bird photographers.

Looking up a row

While waiting for Becky, I wandered over to the main tent area.  It was decked out with several pots of different tulips.  A cute wooden windmill had been placed nearby.  Tulip fields spread out in all directions, as far as the eye could see.

Old tractor in the field

Holy cow, was there a lot of tulips!  Everywhere I looked, bands of brightly blooming flowers beckoned.  Where to begin?

Flowers up to the wheels

Lucky for me, about this time Becky arrived.  After initial hellos, I followed her lead, tagging along as she took shots of her favorite varieties.

Lovely red ones

There were so many things to photograph!  Along with the stunning rows of tulips, in every hue imaginable, the farm had also parked vintage tractors in random locations.  Brightly colored benches were located in strategic places.

Becky and I take a breather

Good for tired photographers to take a break!  (Don't you just love my muddy knees?)

Colorful stripes

Beings it was Good Friday, Becky had brought a cross she'd made from two sturdy twigs, wrapped with a red ribbon.  She took many shots of her cross amongst the tulips.

Becky with her cross

I captured a pic of Becky holding her cross above the flower fields.  A spur of the moment shot, when later reviewing the day's photos, this image stood out.  I think it's one of my favorites from the day. 

The fields go on and on...

This photo illustrates the vast size of the tulip fields.  Wide bands of color stretched out towards the horizon.  Amazing...incredible.....gorgeous....stunning....

Lacy pink tulip

I've never seen so many different colors or varieties of tulips.  Like these lacy, pink ones.

Out standing in the field!

Not only was Becky a great guide, she was also a good sport, posing for fun shots like this one. 
("The  hills are alive......with the colors of tulips...")

My fave picture

Probably my favorite was this patch of multicolored tulips.  Such pretty subjects, I wandered this field for a long time (and took a bazillion photos).

Rows of color

Some of the most interesting angles were achieved by getting down low and shooting towards the sky (now you know how I got the muddy knees!)

Reaching for the sky

By mid-morning, droves of people began flocking in.  It became hard to get a shot without someone in it.  And the wind began to kick up.  Although rain had been forecast, we'd lucked out with a dry morning.  But I could tell it wasn't gonna last.

Can't have tulips without wooden shoes

So Becky and I wandered over to the gift shop area.  Lots of people she knew were either working, or visiting the farm, and I met quite a few of her friends.  I even met Becky's daughter, who works at the tulip farm during bloom season.

Yellow wave

A large number of lovely bouquets were for sale, and Becky's daughter was nice enough to give me one.  I picked a bunch of gorgeous white and pink striped tulips.  So pretty, they'd make a nice centerpiece for my upcoming Easter dinner.

My own lovely bouquet

By one o'clock, rain droplets began spattering the ground.  But I was on my way home by then, a memory card full of wonderful shots from this extraordinary place.

Thanks Becky for showing me around!  We'll have to team up again.

(And please stop by Becky's blog to say hi! Tell her I sent ya.)


Sharing with:  Weekly Top Shot and Scenic Weekends

Back up the Palmer

A foot healing from bunion surgery cut this year's ski season short.  And, yes, a low snowpack didn't help matters (Several people commented I picked the right time to get my foot fixed!)  Although I managed to hit the local resort by mid-January, and racked up a respectable 10 days on my season pass, there was one winter activity I thought I'd have to skip entirely - backcountry skiing.

Leave it to my good friends Young and John to make sure I didn't miss out.  One sunny Sunday in late March, they invited me on a trip up Mt. Hood along the Palmer ski lift.

Good morning, Mt Hood!

Blue skies greeted our arrival at Timberline Ski Area.  Mt. Hood, wearing a coat of winter white, contrasted beautifully with the cloudless morning.  A scraggly lenticular cloud hung over her very summit, which made for some excellent photo ops.

Our climb begins....

My friends and I quickly booted up, strapped on our skis, and began the slow uphill shuffle.  My day's destination was the top of the Palmer Lift, the highest chairlift at Timberline (and on Mt. Hood).  Sitting at an elevation of 8500 feet, it was a grueling 2500 feet climb from our starting point at Timberline Lodge.

Buddy selfie shot

John, who's uber-fit, decided to sprint ahead (he wanted to see how quickly he could reach the top of Palmer), leaving us ladies to creep along by ourselves.  No problem - it was a good chance for quality girlfriend time.  The first half mile, we chattered away, getting caught up on each other's lives.  I went for major dorkdom, wearing my GoPro camera on my head (and Young still agreed to ski with me!)  But it was a great way to capture footage of our journey.

We followed a rough track plowed by one of Timberline's snowcats, that paralleled the groomed ski runs (ski areas don't allow uphill travel on their designated trails).  We met a couple of mountain climbers, descending from an early morning summit attempt.  Chatting with the lady climber, she told us high winds forced them to turn around short of the top.  After leaving the climbers, Young and I were lapped by a couple of men also skiing up the mountain.  Neither Young nor I are speedy uphill skiers, so this was the first of many groups that passed us.

Hood wearing a dramatic cloud

But with scenery this spectacular, we didn't really mind.  As the morning wore on, Mt. Hood's wispy cloud evaporated, and we were treated to crystal-clear summit views.

Young poses for a mountain shot

For those who've recently begun reading my blog, traversing uphill on skis is accomplished by attaching climbing skins to ski's undersides.  These thick pieces of material stick to ski bottoms, and provide enough traction to enable a person to travel uphill, while preventing downhill slides.  They're amazing devices!  Once a skier has reached their desired destination, the skins are removed, and he/she is able to enjoy a trip downhill (called "earning your turns").  Backcountry skiers refer to uphill travel as "skinning."

It was great fun to have my GoPro.  Experimenting with a different point of view, I laid the camera in the snow and skied towards it.  I got right up to the camera, and it still captured my entire self.  Love that wide angle lens!

The Palmer and Magic Mile Lift houses below

Lovely scenery and good company made the distance slip by quickly, and before I knew it, Young and I were staring at the top of the Magic Mile and the bottom of the Palmer lift  houses.  We'd climbed 1000 feet in a mile - only 1500 vertical left to go!

Young attacks a big snowball

Of course, the final 1500 feet were way tougher than the slope we'd just climbed.  Past the lift houses, things got much steeper.  Muscles began to ache, breathing became heavier.  I felt like we were moving in slow motion.

Timberline's snowcat

Still, there were lots of things to distract us from our tired bodies.  A snowcat roared by providing great photo ops.  Skiers started flying downhill, transported by the now-running Palmer lift, and we jealously watched them speed by.

Snow farming, PNW style

Near the very top, Young and I spied vertical lines of snow plowed into the mountainside.  We later learned these ridges and valleys were created to capture and store the snow as it blew across the slopes.  Timberline Ski Area is open nearly year-round, catering to summer ski and snowboard camps.  The Palmer Glacier usually stays intact throughout most of the summer, enabling people to enjoy skiing well into August (and sometimes September).  But with this year's low snowpack, we assumed that management was trying to catch and preserve as much of the white stuff as possible.

About midway up the Palmer Lift, my foot began to ache.  I adjusted my binding to try and take pressure off the big toe joint.  It helped a bit, but my foot still wasn't happy.  I considered stopping short of my goal, but the lift terminus looked so close.  I really didn't want to bail yet.  So I ignored my toe's protests and soldiered on.

Relaxing on top of the Palmer

Nearing the very top, the snow's surface, chopped up by multiple snowcat visits, became very uneven.  The last little pitch was extremely steep, causing Young and I to sidestep the final few feet.  It was very exhausting.  I've never been so happy to reach the top of a ski slope!  I captured our efforts on my GoPro and posted the video above.

Our view downhill

John greeted us as we reached our destination.  The wind was roaring, and he had bundled up against the cold.  It had taken him a speedy hour and twenty minutes to skin to the top.  It took Young and I three hours.  John had been waiting in the freezing wind for nearly one hour and 40 minutes!  Needless to say, he was very happy to finally see us ladies.

The Magic Mile and Palmer lifthouses

Young and I found a spot to sit and enjoyed a well-earned snack.  We admired the grand view spread out before us.  The Cascade foothills stretched out to the horizon, anchored by Mt. Jefferson far in the distance.  We bundled up against the frigid wind, and Young was nice enough to share some hot tea with her shivering friend.

Timberline Lodge sporting a very bare parking lot

Although I was ready to head downhill, Young and John weren't finished yet.  They planned to continue uphill and try to reach Illumination Rock.  But I was quite done, and told my friends I'd wait for them in the lodge.

I took advantage of the resort's groomed runs for my return trip.  It was wonderful to let gravity do most of the work.  But my body was tired from the uphill trek, and I made many stops on the way down.  The day's warm temps had softened the snow, and by the time I'd descended below the Magic Mile, it was extremely sticky.  Not fun to ski in at all!

Gorgeous Mt Hood view from the brewpub

But I made it down in one piece.  Happily, I stowed my gear in John's truck and went to fetch a hot drink.  As it turned out, my wait was short.  It wasn't long before Young and John appeared at their vehicle.  They said the snow above the Palmer was extremely icy, so they'd decided to turn around.  After taking off our boots, and packing up the gear, there was only one thing left to do......

Cheers!

Head to John's favorite brewpub in the tiny town of Parkdale and enjoy some liquid refreshment while taking in more spectacular Hood views.  Here's to a successful ski tour with good friends.  Cheers!


Sharing with:  Our World Tuesday and Wednesday Around the World

A Hike Without the "Big Girl" Camera

Another dismal weekend weather forecast.  Rain....rain....and yet more rain.  And not only was it wet, temps were also very warm (which meant no skiing on the mountain).  What's an outdoor-loving girl to do?

Go hiking, of course!

Wahkeena Falls

Hey, I live in Oregon.  Newsflash - it rains here.  I wasn't about to let a little precip keep me indoors.  Wanting to test my newly-healed foot, I decided to try a hike with some moderate elevation gain.  And....if it also included waterfalls, so much the better!

The Wahkeena Trail to Multnomah Falls is one of my favorite Gorge hikes.  A 5.5 mile loop with 1600 feet of elevation gain, it fit nicely into my "get the foot back in hiking shape" plan.

Fairy Falls wide-angle view

It poured all day Saturday, and throughout Sunday morning.  Although the wet stuff appeared to be tapering off in time for my planned Sunday afternoon hike, I didn't want to take chances with my expensive DSLR (aka "Big Girl") camera.  A trek in the rain?  This looked like a job for my weather-sealed GoPro camera!

Columbia River peeps through the trees

Yep, I set out on a hike without my trusty "Big Girl" camera.  Something I hardly ever do, it felt as though a vital piece of gear was missing as I suited up at the trailhead.

First trillium!

But I had my GoPro.  Not only did it take amazing videos, it was also capable of super wide-angle photographs.  I looked forward to capturing entire waterfalls in one frame.  But as I climbed the trail to its first waterfall, a fat, gushing Wahkeena Falls, my battery indicator flashed red.  I'd forgotten to charge it the night before.  D'oh!

Shamrock-shaped leaves

A hike without photos?  Nooooo!!  Then, I remembered my cell phone.  I'd recently upgraded, and my new phone was supposed to have a pretty good camera.  Because I preferred to use my "real" cameras, I hadn't ever bothered trying the one on my phone.  Well....today it would be called into service.

Mossy branches overhang the trail

Switching off the GoPro's screen, I dug through my backpack and fished out my phone.  I was delighted to discover, not only did the phone take decent shots, it also recorded video.  I captured a quick clip of Wahkeena Falls just to try it out.

Of course a trail sign photo!

Happy I'd be able to document my hike after all, I started my climb, switchbacking through the thick, mossy forest.  Although the weekend's heavy rain had swollen nearby creeks and waterfalls, no water fell from the sky. 

Multnomah Creek

I continued uphill, and took a short photo break at Fairy Falls, a delicate fan-shaped cascade.  Discovering a tiny bit of juice in the GoPro, I shot a quick couple wide-angle images of Fairy Falls in its mossy amphitheater.

Raging waters

From Fairy Falls, my climb continued.  The forest thinned out and briefly gave a few glimpses of the Columbia River far below.  Then it dived back into the woods, where I discovered some lovely white trilliums blooming.  First ones of the spring!

Finally, I topped out on a ridge, and followed it away from the Wahkeena Falls basin towards Multnomah Creek.  After a half mile, the trail began to wind down to Multnomah Creek.  One of my favorite parts of this hike, I love the thick mossy trees here, and the views of white rushing waters as the trail descends.  It intersected with the Larch Mountain trail, which then followed Multnomah Creek.

Mossy branches everywhere

Walking along Multnomah Creek was a delight.  Swollen by the weekend rainfall, it churned mightily.  I passed by two waterfalls, the first unnamed (at least to me).  The narrow trail came very close to the top of the first cascade - so near I hugged the opposite bank to avoid slipping into it's raging waters.  But I did whip out my phone and capture a video of this incredible sight.  It's not every day you hike next to the top of a waterfall!

Wiesendanger Falls

The trail gave hikers a little bit more space between the second waterfall.  This one, named Wiesendanger Falls, was churning mightily as I traveled by.  Downriver, the forest opened up, giving visitors better photographic opportunities.

Whitewater

The creek was really ripping through here.  It dashed over boulders and fallen trees, creating huge pockets of whitewater.  I tried to take more video but it didn't come close to capturing the experience of seeing it in person.

My trail passed by a rocky overhang

I passed by a rocky cliff overhanging the trail, where I discovered a plaque commemorating Wiesendanger Falls' namesake.  Past this rock face, was a cute mossy grotto, where the creek roared under a rock arch bridge.  Then, reaching the top of the Multnomah Falls, there was no place to go but down.

Plaque on the rock wall

And down I went!  Eleven switchbacks descend from Multnomah Falls' top to its base.  As I trekked down this steep path, I began to encounter hordes of people.

Multnomah Falls is the grand dame of the Columbia River Gorge waterfalls.  Tumbling down 542 feet in two tiers, this gorgeous cascade attracts visitors by the thousands.  By the time I'd reached the Benson Bridge, suspended between the upper and lower falls, I was caught in a swarm of humanity.  Even crummy weather doesn't stop people from visiting.

Misty Benson Bridge

The sheer volume of water tumbling over Multnomah Falls created some impressive spray.  It felt as if it was raining.  Hoping to milk the last of its battery juice, I turned on my GoPro for one final video.  It's waterproof case was tailor made for the occasion.  Although I had to keep wiping droplets from the lens, I was able to get some decent footage.

Multnomah Falls

So that's the story of how I survived a hike armed with only a low-battery GoPro and my cell phone camera.  Although not up to my usual standards, I was able to get enough decent shots to complete a blog post (and hopefully entertain my readers!).  As the saying goes, the best camera is the one you have with you.

And my foot?  It did fantastic!  I'm so happy to be back hiking again.


Sharing with:  Scenic Weekends and Weekly Top Shot.