Collier Cone via Mathieu Lakes 26 July 2014

This is a stunning hike...one of my top five.  Either way you hike it - via Obsidian TH, Four in One Cone TH or Mathieu Lakes - it is gorgeous.  It doesn't matter which trail you take, all of them mean a 7 -8 mile hike just to get to Collier Cone's view of Collier Glacier.  My hike Saturday should have been about 15 ish miles but I added 2 to it by taking a wrong turn and getting too caught up in scenery to notice I was going away from my destination instead of closer!  Oh well, just more terrain explored.
17 + miles with 2000ft + alt gain

On the wrong trail...the PCT heading north instead of south - Mt Washington

Back on track...North Sister and South Mathieu Lake

heading through the lava fields with Yapoah Crater on the right (source of lava)

4 volcano view

rounding Yapoah

crossing over to the meadow at Scott's Pass TH junction with North, Middle Sister

Wildflowers were just getting going, but the bugs were out in full force

the final lava crossing to reach the lip of Collier Cone for the view

View of North, Middle Sister with Little Brother and Collier Glacier

view behind me

Collier Cone

one of my favorite areas to walk (see the trail to the left)

Afternoon light on South Mathieu Lake

South Mathieu Lake, Belknap Crater and Mt Washington from the Upper trail (PCT)

view of Collier Cone from Google Earth.  The view point is from the little pic icons.

Crescent Mtn 18 July 2014

Jean and I hiked early today - to avoid the heat and enjoy a nice crisp morning in the Old Cascades.  We were alone at the trailhead and only met one other couple.  The hike begins in a pretty woods with some nice woodland flowers.  The vegetation is very similar to nearby Iron Mountain.  The trail becomes steep as it climbs up the side of the slope.  Views open up to the Sisters, Broken Top and Washington.  The back side of Cone Peak and the familiar ridge of the Cone Peak trail are also in view. Lots of flowers, ferns, and bear grass decorate the entire side of the mountain.  Bear grass here was past its prime, but as we neared another forest, the trail was lined with it.  So pretty!  At the top, we had a view from Mt St Helens to Diamond Peak.  We could see the smoke from a forest fire near the Pamelia Lake area.
(9.3 mi 2200 ft gain, 5.5 hr with stops)

Maude Creek

Cone flower - this is all it does!

Scarlet Gilia

Cone Peak (meadowed peak to left)

the Sisters

lots and lots of Bear Grass

at the top

path lined with bear grass

Loowit Falls and Windy Ridge 12 July 2014

This hike starts off with a very long drive, most of it on a windy paved road.  It was a clear sunny day and the forecast included heat.  Plus the breeze was minimal.  We started out at 9:30a, but in short order it was quite hot.  Our plan was to do a loop out to Loowit Falls then over Windy Pass and back over Windy Ridge.  That didn't happen.  We should have nixed the falls and headed for the ridge.  Oh well!  We made it mostly to the falls, within sight, turned around, found shade and water and rested, took off our shirts and dunked them in the stream, pushed on.  It was pretty dicey, all of us feeling like we were having some heatstroke.  We passed all kinds of people on the way back who where heading to the falls, with little water, incorrect clothing, etc.  I was concerned for them for sure.  We returned to the ridge trail and hiked up the ridge for a mile or so and turned around when two of us ran out of water.  Back to the car - exhausted because of the heat!  Altogether I don't think the elevation gain was that much, but it was so hot - 90's?  And so exposed.  Total we hiked 9.3 miles.

blow down from 34 years ago

from the Windy Ridge viewpoint

flowers were blooming on the ridges

inside of the crater

there was occasional water

Loowit Falls

Windy Ridge

Sharing the trail with bikers.  We rounded this section to the backside and turned around.

Mt Adams

Sahalie and Koosah Falls 7 July 2014

Our last day together - we took a drive to the McKenzie River to hike the loop around Sahalie and Koosah Falls.  It is a short hike, but oh so pretty.  The day was very hot, but the woods and water provided a nice cooling breeze.

Sahalie Falls

McKenzie River

Koosah Falls

Koosah Falls, messing with HDR

a user trail to see Sahalie Falls

Boiler Bay, OR 5 July 2014

We headed out for a visit to the coast on a sunny day.  It was beautiful!  The light was crisp and all the colors of the Boiler Bay rocks were eye-popping.  First we headed to J's Fish and Chips then took lunch to Gleneden Beach to picnic in the sunshine.  Then on to Boiler Bay for the tide pools while the tide was out.  We sat on rocks and relaxed in the sun after our investigations of all the nooks and crannies revealed by the low tide.  :-)

shore pines

Boiler Bay

colorful rocks

the bay from the overlook