We’ve written a bunch of posts lately including more than one destination or activity. A supremely magnificent National Park like Crater Lake deserves its own post!
We devoted two days to this amazing place but did little more than gawk and take photos. Six thousand feet is a bit much altitude for me to do our usual strenuous activity. We hiked for about an hour on the Discovery trail around the rim.
This cool graphic shows what the volcano , Mt Mazama, looked like before the big eruption.
Everyone who sees the beautiful water of the lake asks themselves the same question- why is the lake so blue?
The answer is what you might expect. The lake is extremely deep, over 2,000 feet. More depth to bring out the blue (or, technically, the other colors are absorbed by the pure water). The lake is extremely placid. The wind sometimes sends ripples across the surface but there are no inlets or outlets to roil the surface. No inlets means that no particulate matter, other than what’s produced by the volcanic walls, enters the water. No silt, no pollution.
We saw a bit of tree pollen floating around but the water is pure and clear. The lake is filled by rainwater and snow. Crater Lake gets an average of 41 feet of snow each winter.
We saw the lake at 2 different times of day, evening after 6pm and the next morning at approximately 10:00. None of these lake photos are edited nor are the colors enhanced in any way. Truly amazing place!
Highly recommend!
Jane
(Written in the Flying M Coffee Shop, Boise, ID)
Post script: I was here in 1982, hope I can find my slides and 35mm pics from then just to compare. It was at my insistence that we came here this time. I’d like to insist that you all make the trek also. (Maybe a bit later as the whole road will be open and more trails available)
After many beautiful vistas, many miles of epic hikes and bike rides through lush Pacific Northwest forests, and many delicious fresh picked cherries and strawberries, we are now turning back east.
When David and I first got married, I began to notice his normal states of being. He has two: busy and asleep. At first, I started to notice the disparity between he and I. I would be having a nice rest and see David zipping around and perceive the difference. He really doesn’t have much down time. No leisurely reads or long meals. I have managed to teach him the luxury of being at rest after dinner but the rest of the day, he’s accomplishing things. I quickly learned not to feel guilty. David is David and I am me.
We’ve done lots of fabulous activities on our trip so far and honestly I am more active now than when I’m at home. There is lots of driving of course, but we have been doing hours-long hikes and bike rides.
Waterfalls in the Columbia River Gorge
Multnomah FallsMultnomahForest fire remainders up topHorsetail FallsHorsetail
Summer Skiing
David and I like to ski. The degree of like is different. David would ski everyday, all year if such a thing were available. I love summer and so would not sacrifice a single day of it. There’s a beautiful mountain in Oregon that offers skiing all summer on a glacier. Mt Hood is famous for the quality of its summer skiing. David and I agreed that he should ski it!
Approach to Mt HoodHundreds of racers from all across the country come here to train on the excellent snow.David rented equipment since all of his was back in Baltimore
Too bad we didn’t bring any ski equipment but there wasn’t room in the van for bikes and bike stuff and hiking boots and ski equipment. David was really missing his customized boots, perfect skis and helmet and goggles.
Here’s his report on the day: “An indulgent and unexpected treat!This was not a ski trip, I owed Jane a warm trip that wasn’t centered on skiing. But knowing I’d be an hour from Mount Hood was too tempting. the tease started with an email from Liberty Weinbrecht race camps for $1,999 for a week of masters race camp at Mt Hood…
So a clear Monday would be an exceptional thing! Jane loves to ski, but “it’s a Winter sport”. So off I went without my favorite accomplice. The Summer skiing there is legendary and hundreds or thousands take advantage. It is a perfect, open snowfield, glacier that offers consistent and ideal snow lasting from 7:00 AM till 2:00. The shop sent me out on a pair of Volkl Deacons, 79mm underfoot. A decent compromise though the boots felt like trying to ski wearing a pair of helmets. After a tentative hour, wondering where the next turn began, I found aggressively tilting the skis and dipping my hip was the only answer. Hard driving fun. And of course I met someone who moved the same pace. Simon (Jin Mon) was taking a break from flight school in CA and visiting from South Korea. As usual his English is far better than my Korean, and we shared a great day!”
The Trail of Ten Falls
More waterfalls! There’s a beautiful trail in a canyon in Silver Falls State Park in Oregon that takes you up and down beautiful paths where you can view and, in a couple of cases, walk behind 10 stunning waterfalls.
There’s a walkway, built by the CCC, under this waterfall. You can feel the spray as you walk behind.Here I am. Feeling the spray. With a copycat stranger.
The trail to view all 10 falls is 7.2 miles but David and I took a wrong turn somewhere (in our defense, the signage is terrible) so our mileage for the hike was 10.8.
Slo-mo waterfallLush PNWSo many stunning little vignettes it’s hard to choose the best
Before the state park was established in 1937, some shenanigans used to take place here. A logger named “Daredevil Al” plunged from the top of one of the falls in a boat. Miraculously, he didn’t die. In the 1920’s, an ‘owner’ of the South Falls charged visitors to watch him push junk cars over the edge. It was a different time, when resources and beauty seemed endless and we would never run out. Thankfully, subsequent generations have learned to love and respect these treasures. As did the original inhabitants, the indigenous tribes of the area, the Kaliyah and Molalla.
Oxeye Daisy and friends
Jane
(Written at Juniper Cookhouse and Bakery in Hines, OR)
A dear “moved-away” friend, Morgan sent me Singletrack’s “Best trails of Oregon”. A bit of reading, map gazing and description perusing later I selected Oakridge and considered riding up gravel roads to do half of their signature trail. One stop in the bike shop and I was swayed to take the shuttle. That led to their flagship “Alpine” trail which gave us 15.6 miles, 5,846 ft of descent and 2,484 of climbing mixed in just to keep it a pedaling mountain bike adventure. 3 hours, 39 minutes later allowed time for wildflower pics, fearful scampers around a few over exposed outcroppings and an over-all great ride. Worth the drive to Oregon!
Our outfitter and shuttleCatching our breath at an overlookNot the bermi-est spot, but a sampler (I wouldn’t stop to miss the bermi-est moment!)Selfie of US in motion!A bit more exposed that suits comfort. Trust me, it was way worse in person (and we didn’t take pics at the scariest moments)Amazing what just a few feet of dirt downhill of the trail does for confidence. (Jane was amazing throughout!)Just an average glance downhill wondering how much further there is to go?
David (written at Juniper Cookhouse, Eastern plains of Oregon)
David and Jane set out from Baltimore on May 18, 2025 for another big travel. This time, our “big” rig, The Tramper, is in temporary repose in West Virginia. Instead we’re in a 2010 Honda Odyssey, fitted out with a bed and lots of camping supplies. The Odessey, named Helen, is more nimble, frugal and stealthy than The Tramper. All good for a shorter trip.
In September 2012, David and Jane quit their jobs and traveled the country in their 1957 Yellowstone trailer, mountain biking, hiking, paddling, skiing and learning along the way. We carved out a 6 month sabbatical! It was AWESOME! Now, we’re back home and still blogging about the impact of our fabulous trip. And random stuff…
The Voyage of the Tramper 