Fort Clatsop

Oregon, the Columbia River, Montana, the Missouri River are all in the Lewis and Clark area. The first time we were in this area, we learned a lot about the Corps of Discovery and their harrowing trip across the newly acquired lands of the Louisiana Purchase. President Thomas Jefferson sent them out to learn about this huge addition to the United States. They spent 3 months of the winter of 1805-06 just south of what is now Astoria. They built Fort Clatsop which is now located in the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park.

One day we visited the park and hiked maybe 3 miles on the Fort to Sea Trail through the forest.

You can get an idea of how massive the trees are today by comparing John to the tree to the right.  I wonder what the trees looked like 2,014 years ago.

We did stop in the National Park visitor center there to look briefly at the exhibits about Lewis and Clark. But our main purpose was to get in a good walk. I have read a lot about their journey and have read their journals. On our last visit we visited 2 or 3 museums with lots of information about the trip here in 1805.

We Made It!

This was our view across Crooked River looking at the stone mountain on the other side.  One day we decided it would be a good place for a hike.

As we hike up the mountain, we had a different view looking back at where we had come.

This is Smith Rock.  Smith Rock State Park is a favorite place for rock climbers and we could watch them as we hiked.  If you look closely, just below the dark colored rock at the top of the pinnacle, you can see a solitary climber making his way slowly upwards.  You probably can't make out the rope he was using to keep him from falling.

As we began our hike earlier, we heard a woman climber had fallen,  She also had been solo.  When we came back down, we learned she had fallen on her back, but was lucid and able to move everything.

Look at the very top near the center and you will see a climber getting ready to begin repelling down the pinnacle on a different side than above.  Before he began, he dropped a heavy green rope down the side, yelling "rope" to warm anyone below that it was coming down. We watched him come all the way down.  The second climber remained at the top followed him down. They then slowly pulled that rope through whatever anchored it at the top, then carried their ropes and equipment back to the parking lot.  We passed them on the trail later.

In the center of this photo you can see the riverfront trail we would use to return to out campground after we went down the trail you see closer to the lower right corner of the picture.  I find going up a steep trail easier then going down.  All the way up, I kept thinking--if I go up, I have to come down.  It will be hard!

The trail across the top from where we came up to the beginning of the trail that goes back down to the river is called misery ridge.  It was just about the easiest part of the trail.

The scenery from the top of the mountain was beautiful.

There were very old cedar trees with fascinating twisted  trunks and branches.

John took this photo of me as we approached the top of the mountain.  That location reminds me of the trail to the top of Fremont Saddle in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona.

Here I am waiting for John to follow me up the trail.

A great view.

You can see why the river is named Crooked.

We Were Tired!

Wednesday, we did our almost-annual hike to Fremont Saddle in the Superstition Mountains.  This is the fifth time we have done this hike.  Although the hike is only 4.4 miles, round trip,it has a total round trip elevation gain of 1,396 ft. Whew, we were tired when we returned to our truck. Every year, the hike is tough. I wasn't quite as sore the days following the hike as I have been some years, so I guess that was good news.

The scenery on the hike is beautiful and this year we had more green vegetation that in the past. This has been a fairly wet winter.

The reward when we reach the top of the saddle is the view of Weaver's Needle. There were a number of other people there when we came to the top. One young family had their 8-month-old baby in a backpack. Another hiker was taking their picture with Weaver's Need in the background.

John posed in front of the landmark, as well.

Wildflowers are starting to bloom. We enjoyed the fairy duster and some plant from the pea family. I'm not sure what it is called.

I don't usually like the globe mallow flowers, but Wednesday the provided a bright orange spot of beauty.

More Desert and Sunshine

Thursday, we took another hike in the desert. This time is was the Pass Mountain Trail at Usery Mountain Park. The desert there is incredibly green and lush.



There was bright green lichen on the rocks.



We had lots more sunshine, both from above, as you can see from John's shadow here



and on the Pass Mountain hillsides, which had lots of poppies.





Of course, John had to take a picture of me taking pictures of all those flowers.



It was a great hike, but we were really, really tired by the end. We are delighted that we can, at this age, still complete a 7-mile hike. But we sure don't want to do it very often.

Drops of Sunshine

Tuesday we returned to the Peralta Trailhead and hiked the Dutchman trail toward Coffee Flats with our friends, Ron and Barbara. As the day warmed, we found drops of sunshine on the ground, encouraged by the bright sun in the sky.



These are the first poppies we have seen this season. As the day warmed up, we found more and more small patches of the bright flowers.



John just couldn't resist taking a picture of Barbara and me taking pictures of the poppies.



We had a couple of water crossings on the trail. Nothing deep, however.



After about 2 1/2 miles, we stopped for lunch, then started back to the parking lot.



The hillsides were covered with saguaros. A few had died and were reduced to the bare ribs. They have as much character as the living cacti.



When we returned to the trailhead, a younger woman asked where we had hiked. We pointed out the trail we had been on.



It was a good day.