STRAWBERRY LAKE(wildfire weekend): via Fossil/John Day/Strawberry Mountains

Some late photos of our trip to Strawberry Lake and the Strawberry Mountains last month. Click the Portland Hikers link for more information. Strawberry Mountain Loop. We had to delay this trip the first week because of several uncontrolled wildfires in the area, we passed several brand new fires on our drive out, and back home on this trip. (see pictures below). We are so grateful for all the selfless fire workers and volunteers, and can't imagine how hard they are all working to try and keep us, and all the animals in the area as safe as possible. Thank you!

Chloe the camo Basset.

Smoky Oregon.

Giant Bug friends. He kept trying to play Yahtzee with us. I approve.

This may have been the Murderer's Creek/Wilderness Fire, or the beginning of it.

Murderer's Creek Wildfire. Malhuer National Forest.

SPARKS LAKE: Cascade Lakes Highway; STEENS MOUNTAIN LOOP: Highway 205, Frenchglen

Click the link for a map of the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway, just a short jaunt outside of Bend, and worth the views alone. The first several photos are from our stop at Sparks Lake, it is one of my favorites off of the byway. There is a 2.8 mile hiking loop, very easy, with several gorgeous views of the lake. This would be a magical place to Stand Up Paddle Board (SUP) or kayak.  There several pull-in camping spots on the west side of the lake, and just a few down the boat ramp road, near the main body of the lake.

http://www.visitbend.com/cascade-lakes-byway-map.pdf

They call this spot the "viewpoint". So if you park in the main lot near the boat ramp (FYI , take the road on the left to head down a gravel road to the boat ramp and trail access). Park here, and when you hike the loop, keep an eye out for the "viewpoint" sign, so you don't miss your turn!

Here is another good link for the Sparks Lake hikes:

http://www.oregonhiking.com/oregon-adventures/100-hikes-in-the-central-oregon-cascades/hikes-in-the-three-sisters-area/sparks-lake





Not sure what this is right now, working on it.



Only 1.6 miles to Davis Canyon from the main lot.

One of the many ominous lava canyons along the short hike.

We headed east from Bend to spend a night at Crystal Crane Hot Springs. (My favorite place), http://cranehotsprings.com/

And Tim wanted to do the Steens Mountain Loop which we've been trying to see for years, but the loop is only open about 3 months out of the year (best time July-October), the road is shut down during most of the winter. The 59 mile loop took about 4 hours to do (that includes driving very slow and stopping at the viewpoints/campgrounds to walk around). It's a little over 7 hours back to Portland after you finish the loop. So maybe this would be a good time to spend 2 nights at Crystal Crane! Dog friendly cabins, affordable rates, beautiful wildlife, AMAZING STARS!!

The Bureau of Land Management has a great resource page for the Steens Mountains, here is the link: http://www.blm.gov/or/districts/burns/recreation/steens-mtn.php

Lizard friendship.



This is either part of the Little Blitzen, or Big Indian Gorge. There are four total, massive U-shaped gorges in the Steens mountain wilderness. Each carved by a glacier like a billion years ago.

There is a strong cow population on the loop. FYI, if you see a huge bull laying right next to the road, don't get out and try to pet it. (I can't help it they're so cute)

There are a few campgrounds on the loop. This is Fish Lake campground, it has bathrooms, campsites (no fires allowed right now as you can imagine). The lake is just lovely, plenty of fish, and a great trail that runs around the lake from the campsites. Above is a photo from the campsites, heading to the lake.

Tim spotted a nest in the sage brush. There were several different kinds of sage brush we saw, it was just everwhere!

This is a ....

My water dog Maggles Mae.

Miss Chloe looking very concerned about how she is going to exit the lake.

 They get more comfortable in the water every day!



Whitney's Locoweed (Astragalus whitneyi) A native to Sierra Nevada, found in Central and Eastern Oregon and Southern Washington



Big Indian Gorge.

 

Big Indian Gorge.

Trail down to Wildhorse Lake.



This is a view of Wildhorse Lake (and Wildhorse Lake Campground). This lies just past the East Rim viewpoint. You follow a road up a hill, towards the cell tower, there is a small parking pull off on the right, and a trail down to the main head of the Wildhorse lake trail. At the parking lot, it is about 9600 feet in elevation! 

You must see this for yourself someday, it might be the most beautiful landscape I've ever seen. Such an amazing perspective, and quite overwhelming to be so high above everything.

There were so many beds in the brush and grass. Perhaps an overnight spot for antelope, elk, deer, or cows!

The girls posing for the cover of the next "Adventure Dogs" calendar.

June 2014: ALBERTA, BC, ROBSON PARK, JASPER and BANFF NATIONAL PARK: On the Road Again

We recently returned from a 6 day whirlwind trip spanning Portland, Seattle, Valemount BC, Edmondon Alberta, Idaho, Eastern Washington, Eastern Oregon, and back home. Tim wanted to visit some old friends in Edmonton, and we decided to make a road trip out of it, it was the most beautiful drive I have ever been on. The Rocky Mountains are so breathtaking up North, they seem to reach forever in to the sky, and the wildlife is quite a treat as well. We got to see a grizzly bear and her two babies! I'll see a moose next time, that was on the "never have" list.  If you ever happen to be making a similar trip north, or are headed to Jasper National Park, I highly recommend staying at Robson Shadows Campground (http://www.mountrobsonlodge.com/), the pull in spots are right on the river and very quiet and private considering how close you are to the next campsite. There is one liquor and beer store in Valemount BC, the last town before camp, so make sure and pull over here to grab provisions and maybe gas up. It's a special place with special people, where a 6 pack of corona costs $25 Canadian Dollars. Yikes! 

We had an excellent time in Edmonton visiting Tim's old friend Ollie and his lovely girlfriend Michelle. We walked around the city, went to the "Leg", visited the largest mall in North America (after business hours which was pretty cool), and ate some amazing veggie meals. Hopefully they will be coming to visit us soon so we can take them on a tour of Portland!

We headed south and cut west just before Calgary on the "1",  through Banff National Park, and stopped by Lake Louise or "Lake of the Little Fishes", an awesome glacial lake just before crossing back in to British Columbia and seeing tons of bears and traveling the hot springs highway.

We used Tim's campground finder app to help us find a place in Idaho, somwhere north of Sandpoint so we could be "outside the city". We ended up in Smith Lake Campground in Bonners Ferry, ID.  It is free to camp, great fire pits and clean restrooms, plus we met a magical owl. He is my favorite. And he kept an eye on us all night long (we slept in the Kia for the first time, it was so cozy and warm) tent schment!!!

We finished off the trip by driving through Enterprise, Joseph, Wallowa, and staying in Union, Oregon at the http://thehistoricunionhotel.com/, dog friendly, very neat old hotel, its not the fanciest, but if you like the laid back, rusty nail kind of place, this is your spot.  Tim's favorite golf course (http://www.buffalopeakgolf.com/) and favorite bagel shop in Oregon are here, plus my new favorite rummage sale out of the old local church!

 Mt. Robson, view from the Robson Shadows Campground in Valemount, BC

There were about 700 hummingbirds outside the main office, they each were different shades of bright pastels.

The fur pigs settling in to camp. It was their first drive in camping trip, and our first one in a very long time! So much easier than the backback route :) Plus I could pack way more clothes!

Furmily.

We finally got to try out our new tent that I ordered from Sierra Trading Post. The 3-person, all season, Alps Mountaineering, Zenith tent. We love it, soooo much more room than the last one! Lots of head room. http://www.sierratradingpost.com/alps-mountaineering-zenith-3-al-tent-3-person-3-season~p~1480c/?filterString=s~alps-tent%2F&colorFamily=03

The double doors and vestibules work great for 2 dogs and wet gear, easy to move in/out of the tent w/out stepping on everything and everyone!

Good Morning British Columbia!



Horny Moose, sounds like an adult beverage. For the record, I didn't see a moose. With or without horns. 

One of the first little friends we made.

Big horned sheep in Jasper National Park.

Black Bear makes a go for it.

Lake Louise, Alberta

Lake Louise, Alberta, still mostly frozen.

One of several black bear families we saw near the road in Banff National Park.

 Mama and Baby Grizzlies in Banff, so amazing to see these gorgeous creatures up close. (Disclaimer: it is not a good idea to pull over and take pictures of grizzlies. It is not a good idea to get anywhere near grizzlies, especilly a Mother with babies, Tim and I are setting a horrible example here, if we had stayed a second longer, Mom probably would have charged our vehicle to protect her cubs.  But aren't they sooooo beautiful!!!!?)

so much of our drive was through this kind of country. It was quite a breathtaking trip.

Wallowa Lake

Trout in Wallowa Lake, this water is so clear!

Tim saw some kind of large bird land a few hundred feet from our campsite at Smith Lake, in Idaho. And we walked out to find this handsom devil, I believe he or she is a great horned owl. But his "great horns" are hiding somewhere!

A lovely spot by the little creek outside of Terminal Gravity Brewing in Enterprise, Oregon. http://www.terminalgravitybrewing.com/

Lunch Snuggles.

The road warriors. Maggie Mae and Chloe Breaulty

Happy Campers