Smith Rock State Park 30 Aug 2014

The plan was to go to Broken Top and hike to the no name lake but... the weather wasn't great - all the Cascade mountains were socked in with clouds.  Broken Top is a view hike and  so we scrapped the plan and headed to Smith Rock as NOAA said we should have sunny skies there. But the clouds and rain even made it that far.  We had a little rain at the end of the hike and a lot more as we got in the car to leave.  But it was still a beautiful day (though crowed on the River Trail) and not at all hot.  We hiked almost the entire loop by going up Misery Ridge and over to Mesa Verde connecting to the Summit Trail, then Burma Road, down to the Wolf Trail and back to the River Trail.  On the River Trail we kept going around Smith Rock to the other side of Monkey Face.  I saw the river otter on the final leg of the River trail.
Our hike was about 9.5 ish mi (we lost gps twice) and about 1600 ft over all gain (twice up and twice down)

Cloud filtered light on the Crooked River and rocks

heading up Misery Ridge

Smith Rock looking south

Monkey Face

monkey face from below

from the river trail

a little snake

see Misery Ridge in the distance

lunch spot

walking on a cable

from River trail

check out the guy hanging from Monkey face

I watched a family of River Otter from the River trail

cool rocks

see the people at the top by the cliff?

Green Lakes 22 Aug 2014

This is an extremely popular destination.  It is located only 30 min from Bend so it is less of a wilderness experience compared to hiking around Mt Jefferson or on the west side of the Sisters. But, the hike is so pretty, I wanted to see it.  I went on a Friday but the large parking lot and the overflow lot already had many parked cars and large groups of over 15 people were preparing to hit the trail.  So, even though I was hiking alone, I was far from alone.  There were all kinds of people - people running the entire 8 miles, people walking without a backpack, backpackers, and typical day hikers.  I saw kids with fishing poles, in flip flops, families, and the random lone hiker, men and women.
It was a beautiful day, clouds breaking up the blue sky, cool crisp air.  I arrived at the trailhead later than I had wanted to because I got lost in Bend, having never been there before.  Very confusing - and I still don't know how I got out of there.  So I hustled up to the lakes so that I could have more time to explore.  It was a bit confusing when I got to the lakes as well...eventually I found out where I was supposed to be (turn right at the Park Meadow sign) but I used up my extra time wandering around.  Not that I minded, it was so pretty.  But it meant I didn't get up to the viewpoint on the saddle as I had hoped.  I turned around at the final Green Lake and headed back.  The entire hike was around 12 miles with about 1200 ft gain.  It was never very steep.

Falls Creek follows the path for about 4 miles

South Sister peaks over a huge wall of obsidian

the trail follows this wall of obsidian and the creek

South Sister and the largest Green Lake

Lunch spot

Broken Top and the smallest Green Lake

On the right track now to go around to the third Green Lake

the third Green Lake

From here you can see the knife edge of South Sister's summit

reflection

afternoon light

afternoon light

Canyon Creek Meadows 9 Aug 2014

We hit the road early on Saturday morning to enjoy cooler temperatures in the Cascades.  After a 2.5 hr drive and a 6 mile washboard road we made it to the Jack Lake trailhead.  It was pretty full - mostly backpackers heading off in all directions.
The lower meadow flowers were past their prime but the hike is still interesting because of the varied terrain - burned forests with fresh undergrowth, flowers near creeks, ponds and lakes...
We passed the maintained section of the trail because the goal was the saddle viewpoint on Three Fingered Jack.  The trail becomes steep at this point.  Soon you are out on the rocks picking your way up mini switchbacks.  Poles are helpful.  We hiked up to the dip in the glacial moraine at the base of Jack and we could see down to Cirque Lake while Jack loomed in front of us.  We continued on along the ridge of the moraine up to the saddle on user trails that crisscrossed everywhere.  We took the most gradual ascent.  :-)  Reaching the saddle views opened up to the south and north - so beautiful.  We explored all around up on the saddle and near by rocks before descending and taking a user trail to see a meadow absolutely filled with lupine.  It was the biggest, densest lupine field ever.  We continued on this trail until it connected with the mail trail, then continued back to the car on the main loop trail.  Beautiful day enjoying God's creation!
About 8.5 mi and 2000 ft gain.  map of Canyon Creek Meadows hike

Jack Lake

entering the upper meadow

on the glacial Moraine

Cirque Lake

heading towards the saddle

looking back along the saddle

Jefferson

pano

next destination was that rocky point right below Jack

looking down at the lake

next we wanted to check out the meadow

full of flowers!

ghost trees

McNeil Point 4 Aug 2014

I headed out very early to get this hike accomplished before it got really hot.  People going up as I was descending were sweating bullets.  The skies were filled with smoke from the WA and OR wildfires, and the mountain itself was a little hazy.  But the flowers were showing off their colors!
10 miles, 2500 ft gain -ish

Bear grass in bloom

the first tarn

the second one had some water

heather and lupine

avalanche lilies

mt Hood

smokey skies

lunch spot

looking down on the shelter and Bald Mtn

Pasque flower

lupine

paintbrush and heather

more paintbrush

the heather was sure beautiful

false hellebore, lupine and turkey pea

Spirea

gentian?

afternoon light

gnarly trees