Wednesday, August 4, 2010
The GIANT redwoods--Oh my!
3 August 2010
Tuesday
Today we could see our breath while eating breakfast! Time to move on. We backtrack our way to California. Saw a couple of black-tailed deer. Passed through the fruit and vegetable inspection with flying colors and only one potato and one onion. Guess those don't count.
The Redwoods at last. And they are so worth the wait. At the first Visitor Center we read signage and saw living examples of the three types of redwoods in the world: the Coastal Redwood, the Giant sequoia and the Dawn Redwood [this one is only found in China today].
We opted for a Scenic Drive: the Howland Hill Road. It was a very narrow one lane road with traffic going both directions. Did we mention that it was a DIRT road? The trees are immense -- well, as big as a redwood! It's hard to adequately describe them. Walking among them is one very humbling experience. So is trying to hug one.
The Redwoods National Park is actually a collection of State Parks and forest service lands.
We hiked a short portion in the area called the Stout Grove in order to get up close and personal. I tried to measure one by walking around it: 41 of my red Crocs is the circumference and it was by no means the biggest one.
After 10 miles of dust we found ourselves in Crescent City where we reconnect with the 101 and the sea fog. The next Scenic Drive is called the Coastal Drive and it was worse than the last scenic drive with zero viewing due to the brush and thick fog.
The next Scenic Drive is the Newton B. Drury Memorial Drive. It was a little more inland so it was sunny plus it was an actual two-lane paved road with shoulders. Next hike was a stop to see the BIG TREE. Yes, people, it is BIG.
Next stop: the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park: the Visitor Center is no longer functioning and a huge resident Roosevelt elk herd was posing for photographs.
Finally we land in a Humboldt County Park campground where we are dwarfed by giant trees and close to an off-shore lagoon. The crashing surf beyond the breaker is a great way to fall asleep.
Because we are seniors [62+] and veteran [Jim] we get a discount. The only discount we didn't qualify for is the handicapped one.
No comments.
Tuesday
Today we could see our breath while eating breakfast! Time to move on. We backtrack our way to California. Saw a couple of black-tailed deer. Passed through the fruit and vegetable inspection with flying colors and only one potato and one onion. Guess those don't count.
The Redwoods at last. And they are so worth the wait. At the first Visitor Center we read signage and saw living examples of the three types of redwoods in the world: the Coastal Redwood, the Giant sequoia and the Dawn Redwood [this one is only found in China today].
We opted for a Scenic Drive: the Howland Hill Road. It was a very narrow one lane road with traffic going both directions. Did we mention that it was a DIRT road? The trees are immense -- well, as big as a redwood! It's hard to adequately describe them. Walking among them is one very humbling experience. So is trying to hug one.
The Redwoods National Park is actually a collection of State Parks and forest service lands.
We hiked a short portion in the area called the Stout Grove in order to get up close and personal. I tried to measure one by walking around it: 41 of my red Crocs is the circumference and it was by no means the biggest one.
After 10 miles of dust we found ourselves in Crescent City where we reconnect with the 101 and the sea fog. The next Scenic Drive is called the Coastal Drive and it was worse than the last scenic drive with zero viewing due to the brush and thick fog.
The next Scenic Drive is the Newton B. Drury Memorial Drive. It was a little more inland so it was sunny plus it was an actual two-lane paved road with shoulders. Next hike was a stop to see the BIG TREE. Yes, people, it is BIG.
Next stop: the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park: the Visitor Center is no longer functioning and a huge resident Roosevelt elk herd was posing for photographs.
Finally we land in a Humboldt County Park campground where we are dwarfed by giant trees and close to an off-shore lagoon. The crashing surf beyond the breaker is a great way to fall asleep.
Because we are seniors [62+] and veteran [Jim] we get a discount. The only discount we didn't qualify for is the handicapped one.
No comments.
Crater Lake, Day Two
2 August 2010
Monday
Had to start a new notebook today!
We awoke to a blue sky punctuated by a few puffy clouds. Today we decided to hike.
Trail #1: The Pinnacles - We drove to the end of a park spur road and hiked a mile along the rim of a steep gorge carved by Wheeler Creek. From this dusty vantage point [even witnessed a huge dust devil forming] we could see the fossil fumaroles uncovered by eons of erosion. On the way out we encountered a rare rain storm--rare for this place this time of year. It was complete with thunder!
We drove again to Phantom Ship overlook to look at the lake under different lighting but a downpour kept us inside for almost an hour. We took advantage of the delay to have lunch and take a nap.
Trail #2: Castle Crest Wildflower Trail - Turned out to be a half mile of mosquito torture. Lucky we had some eucalyptus mosquito repellant. This hike was accompanied by the thunder for sound effects. No hair rising on back of our necks so we kept going. Hiking through a dense forest of mountain hemlock and red fir we soon entered a lush, damp meadow that was laced with tiny streams and carpeted with tons of beautiful flowers. I made Jim take a picture of every variety. We soon meandered onto a drier slope where different flowers were everywhere. Yes, I made JIm take pictures of each one.
Trail #3: Lady of the Woods - This one was located behind one of the Visitor Centers and took us around the Park headquarters and described how the early park planners integrated their designs to blend in with Mother Nature. From the road you could barely see all the infrastructure here.
Back to Rim Village for more pictures of the Lake and another hike. This time we went east and toured the Lodge and learned about its history. A little further along we discovered some rustic rocking chairs where we enjoyed the lake and the sun for a while.
We decided against the last two hikes on the list and headed back to camp. Another cool evening is in store.
And how is Minnesota doing?
Monday
Had to start a new notebook today!
We awoke to a blue sky punctuated by a few puffy clouds. Today we decided to hike.
Trail #1: The Pinnacles - We drove to the end of a park spur road and hiked a mile along the rim of a steep gorge carved by Wheeler Creek. From this dusty vantage point [even witnessed a huge dust devil forming] we could see the fossil fumaroles uncovered by eons of erosion. On the way out we encountered a rare rain storm--rare for this place this time of year. It was complete with thunder!
We drove again to Phantom Ship overlook to look at the lake under different lighting but a downpour kept us inside for almost an hour. We took advantage of the delay to have lunch and take a nap.
Trail #2: Castle Crest Wildflower Trail - Turned out to be a half mile of mosquito torture. Lucky we had some eucalyptus mosquito repellant. This hike was accompanied by the thunder for sound effects. No hair rising on back of our necks so we kept going. Hiking through a dense forest of mountain hemlock and red fir we soon entered a lush, damp meadow that was laced with tiny streams and carpeted with tons of beautiful flowers. I made Jim take a picture of every variety. We soon meandered onto a drier slope where different flowers were everywhere. Yes, I made JIm take pictures of each one.
Trail #3: Lady of the Woods - This one was located behind one of the Visitor Centers and took us around the Park headquarters and described how the early park planners integrated their designs to blend in with Mother Nature. From the road you could barely see all the infrastructure here.
Back to Rim Village for more pictures of the Lake and another hike. This time we went east and toured the Lodge and learned about its history. A little further along we discovered some rustic rocking chairs where we enjoyed the lake and the sun for a while.
We decided against the last two hikes on the list and headed back to camp. Another cool evening is in store.
And how is Minnesota doing?
Crater Lake Day One
1 August 2010
Sunday
The burbling river kept us in dream mode for a long time. Such a tranquil place. After breakfast we hiked to the other end of the campground and discovered a trail that went along the Rogue River. Our curiosity got the better of us and we followed it. It led us on a great hike along the river to a variety of thrilling sights including waterfalls, chasms and gorges. Every stop was another great picture.
Then it was time to head back into the Park to find our campsite for the next two nights. We have an isolated spot close to amenities like the washroom and water and trash. Once we got oriented we decided to do the Rim Drive. We bought the Road Guide to Crater Lake National Park [like a local version of the Milepost] and started out.
The first stop was Rim Village where we got our very first view of the Lake. Hard to describe the BLUE of it. An amazing feat of Nature, to be sure. Discovery Point showed us the view as its discoverer first saw it. If he was as impressed as we were, it must have taken him days to recover. We got a good look at Wizard Island, a volcano within the volcano and so named because it looks like a sorcerer's hat. With binoculars we could see people hiking to the crater on the island.
Along the way we discovered other volcanoes in the line that forms the Cascades, from Mount Shasta in California to Mt. St. Helens in Washington. Almost too much to absorb at one time. Up and down and in and out we go getting close to the rim of the crater and then further away. There are areas where little to nothing is growing due to the deep layer of volcanic ash left when Mazama Mountain erupted over 7700 years ago. It blew harder than Mt. St. Helens and then collapsed in on itself to form the Lake.
At Cloudcap Overlook we met a family from Caledonia, MN, here for a wedding. What a small world.
A few more sites and stops and we are worn out. Things like the Pumice Castle, the Phantom Ship, Vidae Falls and Mount Scott kept us enthralled. By the time we returned to camp we were ready for supper and sleep. We were even too tired for the RangerTalk.
Sunday
The burbling river kept us in dream mode for a long time. Such a tranquil place. After breakfast we hiked to the other end of the campground and discovered a trail that went along the Rogue River. Our curiosity got the better of us and we followed it. It led us on a great hike along the river to a variety of thrilling sights including waterfalls, chasms and gorges. Every stop was another great picture.
Then it was time to head back into the Park to find our campsite for the next two nights. We have an isolated spot close to amenities like the washroom and water and trash. Once we got oriented we decided to do the Rim Drive. We bought the Road Guide to Crater Lake National Park [like a local version of the Milepost] and started out.
The first stop was Rim Village where we got our very first view of the Lake. Hard to describe the BLUE of it. An amazing feat of Nature, to be sure. Discovery Point showed us the view as its discoverer first saw it. If he was as impressed as we were, it must have taken him days to recover. We got a good look at Wizard Island, a volcano within the volcano and so named because it looks like a sorcerer's hat. With binoculars we could see people hiking to the crater on the island.
Along the way we discovered other volcanoes in the line that forms the Cascades, from Mount Shasta in California to Mt. St. Helens in Washington. Almost too much to absorb at one time. Up and down and in and out we go getting close to the rim of the crater and then further away. There are areas where little to nothing is growing due to the deep layer of volcanic ash left when Mazama Mountain erupted over 7700 years ago. It blew harder than Mt. St. Helens and then collapsed in on itself to form the Lake.
At Cloudcap Overlook we met a family from Caledonia, MN, here for a wedding. What a small world.
A few more sites and stops and we are worn out. Things like the Pumice Castle, the Phantom Ship, Vidae Falls and Mount Scott kept us enthralled. By the time we returned to camp we were ready for supper and sleep. We were even too tired for the RangerTalk.
Work Day
31 July 2010
Saturday
Awoke to a BLUE sky. The only haze in the air today came from about 800 campfires in the park. Last night the ranger asked us if we wanted any firewood. We declined saying that we didn't want to smell like smoke. "Good luck," he replied. "Everyone else will have one going." And then we watched as pick-ups arrived ready to camp with at least 1/2 load of firewood.
We got a late start today: It's Saturday so we slept in. After a leisurely breakfast we left but decided to take a detour into the day-use area because we noticed how very calm the ocean was. It must have been a day like this when Balboa named it PACIFICO back in the day.
As a bonus we met a very nice former combat medic who solved our timing problem by recommending a side trip to Crater Lake National Park via the Redwood National Forest. Since we had entertained the thought of each of these destinations, it was easy to rework the itinerary.
Next chore: laundry.
Then it was off to see the giant redwoods. What an impressive and impossible-to-put-into-words view. From here we ventured back into Oregon and arrived at Crater Lake National Park. The campground was full so we made reservations and then went into the Rogue River National Forest and found a great Forest Service campground called Final Bend right on the Rogue River where it is a cute little stream. We almost decided to stay here for the duration.
Talk about a dark night!
Saturday
Awoke to a BLUE sky. The only haze in the air today came from about 800 campfires in the park. Last night the ranger asked us if we wanted any firewood. We declined saying that we didn't want to smell like smoke. "Good luck," he replied. "Everyone else will have one going." And then we watched as pick-ups arrived ready to camp with at least 1/2 load of firewood.
We got a late start today: It's Saturday so we slept in. After a leisurely breakfast we left but decided to take a detour into the day-use area because we noticed how very calm the ocean was. It must have been a day like this when Balboa named it PACIFICO back in the day.
As a bonus we met a very nice former combat medic who solved our timing problem by recommending a side trip to Crater Lake National Park via the Redwood National Forest. Since we had entertained the thought of each of these destinations, it was easy to rework the itinerary.
Next chore: laundry.
Then it was off to see the giant redwoods. What an impressive and impossible-to-put-into-words view. From here we ventured back into Oregon and arrived at Crater Lake National Park. The campground was full so we made reservations and then went into the Rogue River National Forest and found a great Forest Service campground called Final Bend right on the Rogue River where it is a cute little stream. We almost decided to stay here for the duration.
Talk about a dark night!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)