Kalama Horse Camp, Toutle Trail, Mt. Hood; February 2015

Well, we originally intended to do this trail, but it turns out the forest road is closed in the winter, although none of the research I did beforehand suggested that. Oh well, that will happen in the winter sometimes. Luckily, the road was closed right at Kalama Horse Camp, which just so happened to be a trailhead for the Toutle Trail. How great in the Pacific Northwest?!

Lots of washout on the trail

 Most-of-family photo

This trail had a very cool look to it. Lots of flat spots, lots of moss, lots of green. Very unique looking in some areas. 

Fungus

Maggie and mom

Maggie living on the edge

Fully stocked: Dog leashes, binoculars, pocket knife, bear spray.

It's real touch to tell in this photo, but you'll have to take our word for it...that indentation in the mud is a sizeable fresh bear print. While we had the bear spray, we decided to turn around. Better safe than sorry, especially with the dogs.

Chloe the wood nymph

After our aborted mission on the Toutle trail, we pushed on towards to Ape Caves. We had no intention of going in (dogs don't like dark caves), so we did the .25 mile Tale of Two Forests Interpretive Trail, which is a cool little trail explaining the history of Mt. St. Helens and how it changed the landscape of the forest. There are cool lava tubes that you can spelunk through as well. Very cool.

Trillium Lake, Mt. Hood; Snowless February 2015

Trillium Lake is generally a snowshoeing trail this time of year, but it has been a crazy warm/dry year in the PNW, so although it was a bit soggy out today, the road to Trillium, although closed to vehicular traffic, was almost comletely snow-free. It's a quick 2 miles (or so) from the gate to the lake. There is also a 1.9 mile loop around the lake which we have done before, but didn't have the daylight to do it this time.

Maggie and Virginia in the usual pose



Maggie testing out the ice

This ice patch looks just like an upside down salmon

Ecola State Park, Cannon Beach, OR; January 2015

We have been on something of a hiking hiatus lately due to the holidays and related travel, but were glad to return to the foggy PNW to check out some trails we haven't been on in a while. A family favorite in the hike from Ecola State Park down to Crescent Beach.There are two trailheads from the parking lot of the park, one which goes towards Indian Beach, and one that goes toward Crescent Beach. The Crescent Beach trail is 2.4 miles (round trip) of muddy, foggy, awesome Old Growth (this time of year anyway.) The beach is generally deserted, and is a great place to let the dogs lose their minds!

A typical view mid-trail

Trail hounds happy to be back in the woods!

Best friends

The girls

Maggie is getting braver in her old age!

Taking a break on Indian Beach

Alone on Crescent Beach

Umpqua River and hot springs, Tokatee Falls (North Umpqua River)

We headed south to take get some stamps on our Mcmenamins passports. Tim took us on a detour while I was napping and we ended up outside of Roseburg at one of the Umpqua River trailheads. Here you can walk .3 miles to the hot springs, it was perfect weather for a soak. We had been told by several people that this is a "must see" hot spring. I would compare it in cleanliness to Bagby Hot Springs, with less privacy, it is still lovely, Terwilliger hot springs are far nicer if you are trying to decide on the two!



Maggie looking quite elderly!

Hello Magglees.

Tokatee Falls, so very pretty.

North Umpqua River Hydro Project:

http://www.pacificorp.com/es/hydro/hl/nur.html

These flumes are pretty cool, you see them everywhere, there are a total of 8 dams in the hydro system, these flumes were built in the 1940-50s, its amazing how well they have held up, especially being made out of wood boards!

View from just above the falls.

Mag

Trail up to the Hot Springs from parking lot.

One soaking pool inside the shelter, and 3 or 4 others just outside of it that increase in heat as you go down.

In one of the top, outside pools, life is good!

 

You can see as the pools go further down, they get a bit more sulfur, and most people don't go in those closest to the river. This is a view from the river side of the lean-to.

We spent some time in this pool, I have to say, this is one of the dirtier (in regards to graffiti, and people littering) of the hot springs I've seen. It's too bad people don't take better care and pack out, or clean up after themselves.