Well here we go again. Moved ahead to Lolo pass. It was a paved road most of the way to get up there and Lenora has a big day ahead of her to drive to her next destination which is Packwood Washington.
A restricted view of Mount Hood from Lolo pass.
Right off the bat on the trail are some wild flowers and a small stream. Looks to be an easier hike than the week before.
Come around a corner and was just struck by the beauty of the cliffs to the left and the trail emerging into the sun. Sometimes, most times, pictures just don’t do the scene justice.
The shale rock here is not the normal rock on the trail. The new boots are working nice. Not feeling any of the rocks.
Another cold stream. I really should stop at each of these and use the lifestraw to get a drink but I normally don’t.
View of a pretty lake that I would later find out is called “Lost Lake”. Pretty!
Sometimes you need to take the time to look behind you! Had I just kept looking forward I would have missed this really cook look at Mount Hood.
A lot of the time I am in what is called the “green tunnel” which is what the forests of Oregon and Washington are called. All you can see is forest. But sometimes you break out and can see the valley below.
I didn’t know I was in Bull Run Reserve and now I’m leaving it. What is Bull Run Reserve I wonder…..
In 1892 a proclamation by President Benjamin Harrison established the Bull Run Reserve.
Portland residents are blessed with some of the purest drinking water in the nation, but this clean water undergoes a lengthy journey before arriving at the tap. Rain, fog drip, and snowfall in the forested Bull Run watershed collect in Bull Run Lake and various tributaries of the Bull Run River, then flow then into the Bull River, which itself is a tributary of the larger Sandy River system. Since 1895, Bull Run has provided Portland families with safe, clean drinking water, and Bull Run has been closed to human entry for over 100 years. The fact that Bull Run continues to provide Portland families with clean drinking water over a century later is no accident – it is the result of decades of hard work by conservation groups like Oregon Wild and pro-environment elected officials. In the 1990s, when storm runoff and erosion from reckless logging projects on federal land threatened to foul Bull Run’s water, Oregon Wild pushed the city of Portland to take a stand and help Oregon Wild in stopping these destructive projects. Bull Run with Mount Hood backdropHaving the clout of a major city enabled even more efficient work with Congress to permanently protect the watershed, and in 1996 Oregon Wild won passage of the Oregon Resources Conservation Act in the U.S. Congress, which prohibits logging in the Bull Run watershed. A few years later, in 2001, Oregon Wild built upon its success with Bull Run by winning passage of the Little Sandy Protection Act, which expanded the size of the Bull Run Management Unit and further prohibits logging in the Little Sandy River watershed upstream from Aschoff Creek.
Now doesn’t that look like a nice trail. Soft with lots of plants on either side.
I get to Indian Springs Campground and decide to stop for the day. The campground is “abandoned” but there is a jeep road that comes up to it and there is a still one picnic table there. Also a very well hidden pool from a spring that provides some nice cold water. Figure I will be there alone as have not seen anyone all day but I end up with two other hikers spending the night as well. At this point there is an alternate trail to the PCT which is called the Eagle Creek Alternate which follows Eagle Creek from this point to the Columbia River. Described as the most popular alternate trail on the PCT. Unfortunately this trail is closed because of the fires last year. Too bad.
IPhone: 14.8 miles, 36047 steps
Lenora’s Story
I want to get a head start on my share this week. I had a long day today but a good day. I wanted to check out needlework in Portland, OR and so found two shops to visit not to far from my path. The first was closed and it looked permanent. Full of stitching stuff but scattered across floor and counters and very messy, like a clumsy burglar had decided to ransack the place. It was sad to see. I wonder what might have made a person who loved needlework and opened a shop lock the door and go away leaving precious stock in such sad disarray. I say a quick prayer for the person and ask our Lord to look over him or her.
In Stitches in Portland is a lovely shop and worth the detour and the narrow streets and the challenge to find parking. I have been wanting an extra curved arm for my System 4 and they had one in stock. I wanted a farm oriented ornament for Martha but could not find one that suited so off I went. 65 miles to go to Packwood and the day is wearing on.
Packwood and the Historic Hotel Packwood is all you could want in a Historic western hotel.
The room is, well cozy. It is also warm. Fan and window serve to cool the room but with temperature in triple digits it just isn’t all that cool today. The front porch of the hotel is warm but inviting and the hikers seem to hang out and talk about adventures on the trail. I hear that the pizza place nearby is a good bet for dinner. A walk around the corner takes me to the Library where I meet this fellow.
Heading past the library I see what looks like a very old version of today’s strip mall.
The wood is weathered, the shake roof is real shake and covered with moss. No idea how long ago is was abandoned but I hear this town took a real hit in the 1990’s with the close of the lumber mill and wonder if this is a leftover from that time.
End of a good day and as the air cools the room becomes comfortable enough to sleep.