2009 Oregon Road Trip

[billr]

So at least once a year I make my way up to Oregon to drop in on my Dad. He is living just North of Salem on I5 in Wodburn. Each time up ther we try t o take a different route.

On the way to Oregon, we stop at our cabin at Eagle Lake. On the way in I got the photo of the Snow Plants on the summit of A1.

With the June rains, we had knee high grass to cut and spent the day there. The next day we were off to Shasta to visit some fiends. Taking hwy 139 north of Eagle:

Mt. Shasta on the way...

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip

We spent a few hours and had a nice lunch with our friends, but wanted to get on the road looking forward to our first night of camp. From Shasta, we went on up I5 to Ashland. We took Dead Indian road to Lake of the Woods.

I had spent 4 years in K. Falls at school back in the '70s. I had been past Lake of the Woods to backpacking in the Mountain Lakes area, but never spent much time there. Nice, but too crowded.

We did find one nice spot...

Inspired by some of DD's photos...

Next morning we walked down to the lake with our coffee. Sure wish I had my boat with me. I can see why th crowds.

Anyone know which peak this is?

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip

From Lake of the Woods we made our way up the west side of Klamath Lake and on up to Crater Lake. We stopped to check out the Lodge. I have not been here since it reopened. Very nice.

My wife said lets keep walking, so walking we did on up Garfield Peak...

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip

More from the Garfield Peak Trail...I had never been up this trail before. This was a very nice hike and I would do it again...

From here we went on north and left Crater Lake.

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip

From Crater Lake we went past Diamond Lake and on down highway 138 and found a nice camp site at Whitehorse Falls in the Umpqua National Forest.

This was a nice and small camp ground with only 5 sites.

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip

Next morning we continued down hwy 138 and then made a turn north on forest service road along Steamboat Steam.

We came across some falls that were very nice.

There was a nice camp ground here, but we continued on, hopping to make Woodburn later that evening.

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip

We did hope to continue on this road to hwy 58, but came accross a sign that said road closed 4 miles ahead. So to the right was Windy Road. This showed up on my AAA sate map, so on we went.

This was the only gravel road we covered on the whole trip, and one of the nicest. The road was steep and very narrow in spots, but is was over grown with some of the most wild flowers we had seen on the trip.

We made our way on to Cottage Grove where we hit I5 on up to Woodburn and 4 days with my Dad.

 

[DirtyDog]

My backyard. Those are some very nice photos thanks for posting! Next time you are in the area I'll trade a place to stay and some fine Oregon brews for some photo lessons

 

[DLN]

Great pics and write, thanks for sharing and keep 'em coming.

 

[craig333]

Great report. Makes me wish I was there.

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip - Part 2 - The return

So after 4 days with My Dad, we were ready to move on. Don't get me wrong, I love him dearly.

On the 4th from Woodburn we headed out on hwy 22 and over the Santiam Pass headed to Redmond for the night. We did want to take the old McKenzie Pass but found out it was closed for repaving. I love that road.

The drive from Salem to Detroit Lake was bumper to bumper at about 40 mph. I have never seen so many boats on a lake. Don't think I could have even found space for my small little 14 footer...

We arrived in Redmond for the night, visiting some good fiends that have been in the area for the last 4 years. He is an excellent cook. Too much good food and too much good beer. We enjoyed. They wanted us to stay a second night but again we were wanting find a spot to pop the top for another night of camping.

South we head down 97 through Bend (DirtyDog, I may take you up on your offer sometime!) and on to La Pine.

One side note, I spent a lot of time as a teen in the area back in the '60 as my grandparents has a farm on the Little Agency Plains outside of Madras. So much has change, it is almost depressing with all the development in the area.

From La Pine we turn South East on hwy 31 toward Lakeview. There is a road on the map I have always wanted to travel - Forest Service road 28 out of Silver Lake through the Fremont National Forest. Sure glad we did. 80 miles of paved road, but single lane for over half of it. Only saw about 4 other vehicles on it.

We stayed the night at the Eastbay Campground on the Thompson Reservoir. This was one of the nicest spot we have stayed yet, a real gem.

I will be back, but next time with my boat...

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip - Part 2 - The return

The next morning we continue on down FS 28. There is sure a lot of area to explore here, but we still had other plans for Blue Lake.

Checking out an old homestead along the road...

We came out at Lakeview, then south to Alturas were we stoped for supplies be for heading on to Eagle lake for the night.

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip - Part 2 - The return

We head on to Blue Lake in the Warner Mts. for two nights of fishing. Yes, I know, I'm at a hot spot in California and wanting to move on. Guess all I can say is that Eagle Lake is too much work in the Summer, wind is too much by 10:00 am for my small boat. Love it in the Fall. Guess I'm a lazy fisherman...

Blue Lake is a small little lake were we can tie to boat to a tree with in a 100 feet from the campsite. Never any more than a ripple in the wind, unlike the 3 root waves at Eagle.

I didn't take any shots of the lake, but did take some on a hike up the feeder creek.

 

[the fisherman]

We spent a few hours and had a nice lunch with our friends, but wanted to get on the road looking forward to our first night of camp. From Shasta, we went on up I5 to Ashland. We took Dead Indian road to Lake of the Woods.

I had spent 4 years in K. Falls at school back in the '70s. I had been past Lake of the Woods to backpacking in the Mountain Lakes area, but never spent much time there. Nice, but too crowded.

We did find one nice spot...

Inspired by some of DD's photos...

Next morning we walked down to the lake with our coffee. Sure wish I had my boat with me. I can see why th crowds.

Anyone know which peak this is?

Well, the Eagle Lake pic. has me confused, I think that pic. was taken in rthe south basin, the only cabins I know about are at the north end of the lake. I'm gussin' the picture was taken from the west side of the lake, so Mahogany Peak maybe, I know one thing for sure, I can't see it from my lot, but I'm in with the rest of the "trailer trash" we're not the lake front type.

 

[billr]

Oregon Road Trip - Part 2 - The return

After we left Blue Lake, we headed back to Eage Lake for our last day and then back to reality in the Bay Area.

Coming down Heartbreak Hill on A1 we saw this cloud with rainbow colors...The photos did not do it justest.

 

[billr]

Well, the Eagle Lake pic. has me confused, I think that pic. was taken in rthe south basin, the only cabins I know about are at the north end of the lake. I'm gussin' the picture was taken from the west side of the lake, so Mahogany Peak maybe, I know one thing for sure, I can't see it from my lot, but I'm in with the rest of the "trailer trash" we're not the lake front type.

Fisherman, Sorry for the confusion. The photo was taken at Lake of the Woods, between Medford Oregon and Klamath Falls just off hwy 140. Not Eagle Lake. Also not to be confused with Lake of the Woods in Osprey Management area south of Spalding at Eagle Lake.

After further review of my maps, I have decided this is Mt. McLoughlin.

Bill

 

[davinski]

Bill,

Nice photos. A few questions...

What lens did you use up at crater lake? Wide is wide. Very nice. Polarizer or any other filters? Do like the nice colors.

Also, don't see any antennas on the rig.....work much radio on the road?

73 de N0XLW
Dave in Seattle

 

[billr]

Bill,

Nice photos. A few questions...

What lens did you use up at crater lake? Wide is wide. Very nice. Polarizer or any other filters? Do like the nice colors.

Also, don't see any antennas on the rig.....work much radio on the road?

73 de N0XLW
Dave in Seattle

Dave,

I was using a Tokina 12-24 on the hike up Garfield Peak. No filters. I do have circular polarizer but with the clear sky I will tend to get some strange colors when shooting with this lens wide open. Otherwise the colors are just natural of the lake and sky at that elevation. Really no help was required. I did use the filter on some of the cloud shots as it sure helps to pop them out.

Now there were two photos in the group that were panoramas that I created by stitching together 4 photos in Photoshop. A fun effect that is easy to do with Photoshop CS3.

The last photo of Crater Lake was taken with my normal walk around lens - Nikon 18-200. Not the sharpest, but sure is versatile.

I have a dual band UHF/VHF in the truck. No HF as some day I need to work on getting my General...so many things to do. Don't talk on the radios much when traveling wiht my wife.

Bill

 

[Marc]

Bill

Fantastic pics and write up. You covered some of my favorite areas, thanks for posting.

marc

 

[ScottBailey]

Beautiful pics!