August 18-21, 2016 Silverton, OR Part 2

McKENZIE PASS/BEND
Drove to McKenzie pass to meet the hikers and drive them to Bend to resupply. At McKenzie Pass there is the Dee Wright Observatory, a structure made out of the lava rock in the area... It has two main levels. The lower level has openings in the walls through which you can see the different peaks that surround the Observatory. The top level gives you a 360 view of the area. Really nice!

360 View from Dee Wright Observatory

  

Mount Washington

Mount Jefferson

North and Middle Sisters Mountains

All three Sisters

OREGON COAST
Drove to the coast... very nice but cold. On the way to the beach there are quite a few single lane bridges that you have to cross. Be very careful...log trucks and farm trucks drive through here all the time and these bridges are very tight!!

It is August and the temperature in the morning is 60! Never got above 70!!! Visited Kiwanda Beach. Lots of surfers and people even with cold temperatures... Had lunch at Pelican Pub & Brewery right on the beach.

Kiwanda Beach

    

Cape Meares is a nice recreation area with stunning views, a lighthouse, and the Octopus Tree. This tree is thought to be around 300 years old and it's not really known how it grew the way it did...

Cape Meares

Lighthouse at Cape Meares

Octopus Tree

Single Lane Bridge

Visited the Nestucca Bay Wildlife Refuge. This is a very small area with great views of the coast.

View from Nestucca Bay Wildlife Refuge

MOUNT HOOD
Nice drive through the countryside to Mt Hood. It is the highest peak in Oregon at 11,249'.  Mt. Hood was an active volcano that last erupted in 1866.

Got as high as we could driving to Timberline Lodge. The lodge was built in the 1930's and it is really a nice, cozy lodge. The center of the lobby features a huge stone fireplace with a magnificent wooden structure roof...

  

  

It is August and there is still enough snow for skiers to have some fun. It also gives you and perspective on scale. These pictures were taken from the lodge at elevation 8,540'.

From the lodge you can also see Mt. Jefferson in the distance...

August 07-18, 2016 Silverton, OR Part 1

Great change of scenery... Not only are we in the country side, but the temperature has dropped from the 90's to the 70's with a chance of rain. We have not had any rain now for 3 months... believe it or not, it's a nice change. The campsite, Silver Spur RV is very nice with good facilities, quiet and well maintained.

  

The area around Silverton is mostly farming... Chestnuts, Blueberries, Blackberries, Hazelnuts, Pumpkins, etc... AND miles and miles of Christmas Tree Farms!!!

SILVER FALLS STATE PARK
We hiked the "Trail of Ten Falls" in the park. This is simply an incredible trail with ten falls as the name implies. We could only get to eight of them because of time, but we may go back and see the last two... Here are the ones we saw:

North Falls
136'

Upper North Falls
65'

Middle North Falls
106'

Twin Falls
31'

Lower North Falls
30'

Drake Falls
27'

Double Falls
178'

Winter Falls
134'

South Falls
177'

Lower South Falls
93'

All the falls are low on water flow, but Winter Falls lives up to its name... It was almost non-existent... It is summer after all... One last look at Middle North Falls...




AINSWORTH STATE PARK
This park is just south of the Columbia River and the Washington border east of Portland. It has a series of waterfalls that are either right off the road or a short 1-2 mile hike to them. Very nice area but fairly crowded...

Columbia River

Elowah Falls
230'

Horsetail Falls
176'

Upper Horsetail (Ponytail) Falls
88'

Multnomah Falls
620'

Multnomah Falls
(From Cross Bridge)

Wahkeena Falls
242'

Bridal Veil Falls
140'

Latourell Falls
249'

Just like northern California was a lake heaven... Oregon has been a Falls Heaven!!!

In the same area we visited the Round Point Vista House. This is an observation area on top of a very tall rock that overlooks the Columbia River Gorge... The view is stunning!!

The Loose Gravel still enjoying...