Green, Greeen, Greeeeen!!! Three Island Crossing State Park, ID

A very happy kitty

This park has a ton of cool displays about the historic Oregon Trail

On Wednesday we arrived at Three Island Crossing State Park and saw GREEN GRASS!! Now, this may not seem like much of a thing for most of you, but since we’ve spent the last 4 months in semi-arid desert it was a total revelation. We parked the rig in the lush GREEN lawn, piled out of the RV and ALL 5 of us flopped down and rolled around with reckless abandon in the grass….GLORIOUS!!!

This green stop also marks the end of our desert travels, the end of our time in Utah and the bridge to our summer in the Northwest. Since the beginning of January we’ve been in desert mode and have spent the vast majority of our time either boondocking or dry-camping. In fact when we arrived at Antelope Island early this week it was the first time we’d dumped or re-loaded on water since Monument Valley! That’s almost 3 weeks “in the boonies” on our tanks, a pretty typical span for us these days with good water conservation. It’s also one of the things we love about the SW in winter -> tons of easy boondocking, low-cost camping and opportunity to get in the “wilds”.

Not a bad view for afternoon cocktails!

Afternoon walk on the trails

Now that’s a nice, green pad!

From here on out we’ll be spending more time in campgrounds and thus a little more $$ on camping, at least until we get to our summer jobs in Bandon, OR. This is not because there are no boondocking opportunities in the NW (there are, although you’ll get less and less of them as you approach the coast), but mostly because we really, really love the NW state parks. So we’ll be taking a rather cushy tour along the Columbia River Gorge and down the WA/OR coast with the luxury of hookups, at least part of the way..

As for Three Island Crossing State Park, it’s a spot we discovered on our dash to OR to get our big slide issues fixed a few years back. We found it and immediately fell in love. It’s a super-easy stop on 84 north with huge sites, TONS of green grass and a really neat visitor center. Apparently we’re not the only ones who think so. Yesterday afternoon we noticed a rather familiar rig enter the campground (Paul and I both swore we’d seen it in Antelope Island) and a short time later we got a visit from some blog readers. Indeed they’d been following the same route and ended up in the same spots! We spent a fabulous evening chatting with young fulltimers Brian and Sharon who are on their way to a workamping job in WA. We had so much fun I took zero pics, but can you can share the creative side of these fine folks through Brian’s self-published Amazon book Indian Paintbrush.

But first we’re making a stop in Boise. Paul is taking a quick trip home, I’m going to be getting into trouble tackling a few RV projects and we’ll be stocking up. So it’ll be back into “the maw” for a while before we get back into the wilds. All part of the journey

P.S. I also want to say thanks to blog reader Ward who braved the gnats at Antelope Island to come out and visit while we were there. Your company and bottle of wine was most appreciated!

Hiking at the park

Polly cools in the Snake River

Gorgeous sunset

And moody sunrise

Top O-The World At Flag Mountain – Desert Hot Springs, CA

A postcard from the mountain top

Apart from the fabulous sunsets one of the things I really love about the desert in the winter is hiking and when the conditions are right it’s one of the best solo adventures you can have. I do some of my best thinking while I hike (as does pooch, no doubt) so it always puts us at ease with the world….and gives me fodder for blog posts.

Well conditions finally got right. After almost 10 days of sizzling hot weather here in Desert Hot Springs the temps finally broke a couple of days ago. It was not an easy transition. The desert is a moody gal and made her summer exit in grand style by knocking us around in with a massive wind-storm before finally, begrudgingly, letting the winter climb in.

Flag Mountain summit

So yesterday morning the sunrise dawned to a brand new world. Cool valley temps (50 °F =10 °C), brilliant blue skies and not a gust of wind in sight. As soon as I opened that window Polly and I looked at each other and knew it was time to go hiking. There are actually a ton of really cool hikes to do around Desert Hot Springs. Unfortunately many of the better known spots, such as the Indian Canyons are barred to dogs which obviously makes them a no-go for us, but lots of the mountains are crisscrossed with hidden trails plus there are county preserves (Mission Creek & Whitewater Trail) which are pooch-friendly.

The sign from the top of Flag Mountain

But one of my fav spots is a ~6-mile round-trip to Flag Mountain right here from the RV park. I discovered it last year from some Canadian RV neighbours and it’s become one of my absolute favorite hikes in the area. Not only is it well hidden, but it’s strenuous enough to give you a good workout and leads to a fabulous view of the entire valley from the top.

Taking in the view of San Jacinto Mountain from the trail

So Pooch and I headed out to conquer the trail with a spring in our step and the warm morning glow of the desert sun at our backs. We had the entire mountain to ourselves and took our fine time getting to the top. The valley of Desert Hot Springs and the surrounding cities stretch for miles providing a seemingly endless flat landscape dominated by the lovely 10,834 foot San Jacinto Mountain in the background. It’s a glorious feeling -> hiking in the still winter air, breathing in the dry scents and watching the horizon drop beneath us.

Panorama from the glorious summit

When we finally got to the top we were elated and spent. The summit flag had seen a year of unrelenting desert winds and was a mere ghost of her former glory, but it was still exciting to see her mark the top. And despite my hopeless sense of direction we made it the entire way (and back) with nary a miss-step on the trail (well, there was that ONE side-trail I accidentally took in a completely contrary direction on the way home, but these are but minor details).

A great morning, a fine hike and the beginning of my beloved desert winter. Life is good today!

P.S. For directions to Flag Mountain see my post from last year HERE. For those w/ a GPS the mountain part of the hike starts at approx. 33.935785,-116.434275 (you can walk thro’ the desert from Sam’s Spa right to the start of the hike).

Walking the ridgeline

Who knows the stories that are buried here?

Take the unknown path, says the trail

Just another gorgeous trail view

The beginning of the trail is marked with these small flags

Posing on the trail

Land Of A Thousand Alpine Lakes – John Muir Wilderness, CA

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.”
John Muir

Terry poses by Heart Lake on the hike

I’m a sucker for a good mountain hike and totally jive with that John Muir quote. A couple of weeks ago, when we discovered the Virginia Lakes hike in the northern section of 395 we were so ecstatic we ended up doing it twice. Those kind of walks are a balm for the soul and I remember thinking at the time that the only possible thing that could make it any better was a little snow on those mountains.

Well, guess what baby….it snowed!

Hiking by Long Lake

We’re too far away from Virginia Lakes to do it a third time (not that I wouldn’t mind you), but here in Bishop we are right next to the gorgeous John Muir Wilderness which holds its very own in eye-popping beauty and heart-stopping-lake-fabulousness. In fact in many ways, this wilderness area is even more intriguing.

High country and high rainbows -> an awesome moment!

The John Muir Wilderness is a massive 581,000 acres (2,350 km²) in size, stretches over 100 miles of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, boasts 57 peaks over 13,000 feet (4,000 m) in elevation (including the tallest peak in the lower 48 states Mt.Whitney), contains 589.5 miles (948.7 km) of hiking trails and encloses the largest contiguous area above 10,000 feet (3,000 m) in the continental United States. This is high country, very high country…with all the stunning peaks, alpine meadows and literally hundreds of lakes in between. Many would claim this is some of the prettiest mountain country around.

Long Lake in all its’ glory

I was sure we’d be able to find a good hike here…one hike to rule them all if you will, and I headed down to the ranger station to seek out the very best one. A quick chat with the local ranger revealed “nothing compares to Little Lakes” so that won the contest hands down and promised lake-after-fabulous-lake on an easy 7 mile trail with only ~650 feet of elevation gain (practically flat by Sierra standards).

Hiking back to the car along Long Lake

And a pose for the picture books

So with snow on the mountain-tops (could it be any more perfect?) and the promise of a pristine day “the pack” headed out to tackle the trail. Our chosen hike started at Mosquito Flats, not the most alluring-sounding spot, but actually a lovely trail-head at  a creek at 10,300 feet that winds leisurely up a canyon past no less than SIX gorgeous lakes to Gem Lake (you can go much further of course, but this was as far as us intrepid hikers had planned). Given its relative ease it’s a popular hike, but our early start meant we got to enjoy most of the trail to ourselves and it was, indeed, amazing! View after gorgeous view, dramatic snow-topped peaks, and crystal clear lakes with reflections ad infinitum.

Five hours and four hundred photos later we made it back to the car, totally exhausted but completely visually satiated. A great hike in an awesome spot on a perfect lovely day. Mr. John Muir, I think you were onto something….

P.S. To get to Little Lake Hike, take Hwy 395 25 miles north from Bishop, turn left at Tom’s Place and follow Rock Creek Canyon 10 miles to the parking lot. The hike to Gem Lakes is 7-miles round-trip and is 100% paw-friendly.

Snow-covered vista

Paul poses at a stream crossing

Polly checks out the trail

More gorgeous lake reflections

Yet another grand view

And one more….need I say more?

Into The Deep Blue – Crater Lake, OR

Welcome to the deep blue! Ellen soaks in the panorama at Watchman Tower

If you’re a geek like me you’ll remember the iconic IBM machine Deep Blue that beat the world champion of chess in 1997. It was a deep moment (geekwise) and for some reason that very image popped into my mind the first time I viewed Crater Lake. What I was seeing was almost inconceivable -> an all-encompassing panorama of the most unnatural rich shade of blue. It almost seemed staged, man-made and yet it’s 100% mother earth and inevitably a deeply moving moment. How do you wrap your head around something like that? And even more how do you write about it?

A rare shot of moi, thanks to Ellen

Crater Lake is unique and sometimes spots like these are the hardest blog posts to write, for the very reason that they’ve been written about millions of times over. Nothing I can tell you has not already been said, and everything I tell you will be moot until you come here for yourself. Alex, Ellen and the two of us spent an afternoon soaking in the atmosphere and my impressions came in waves, reflecting, echoing and multiplying off the oh-so-glassy surface and rocky sides of the lake. My thoughts built to a crescendo so perhaps that’s the best way to describe them. In any case, here goes my feeble attempt to capture the gloriousness of it all:

Crater Lake is Oh-So Deep

Oh, come ye to the deep….

The lake, or rather caldera that is Crater Lake reaches down 1,932 feet (589 m). It is the deepest lake in the US and the 6th deepest in the world. The water is so clear that you can almost imagine reaching the bottom and yet it goes on beyond what you can possibly imagine. There are folks who scuba dive here, which must surely be a fabulously surreal experience (= the natural version of a sensory deprivation immersion chamber?).

Crater Lake is Oh-So-Blue

Late afternoon is oh-so-blue

You can’t help but wonder at the blueness of it all. Deep as the ocean, bright as the sky, varied as a summer day. The intense richness of the color is direct thanks to the depth and clarity of the waters. Of all the colors of the rainbow violet and blue are the shortest wavelengths, and being so very deep Crater Lake absorbs the rest and reflects back a rich blend of the two. The blueness moves with the time of day ranging from a light fluffiness to a deep baritone, reflecting the sky in almost perfect symmetry. At the shallow edges of the lake the color shifts to aqua and even shades of orange. Quite the panorama.

Crater Lake is Oh-So-Steep

Last portion of the lovely hike to Watchman Tower

You can’t go wrong with ANY of the hikes on the rim

This unearthly depression with unthinkably steep sides is actually a massive caldera the remanent of an enormous volcanic explosion 7,700 years ago. Mount Mazama grew, blew and collapsed creating the base for this enduring lake. The rim drive that circles the crater (33 miles) stops at multiple scenic views and affords over 90 miles of hikes up steep and panoramic paths (For a short, easy hike do the stunning 1.6 mile roundtrip to Watchman Tower, for a longer and steeper one indulge in the 3.4 mile Garfield Peak). The steepness and vastness of the view will draw you into another world.

Crater Lake is Oh-So Crazy

You can lounge and sip at the Rim Village Lodge with a view

This little slice of nature’s story sits at ~6,200 feet of elevation and enjoys all the craziness of mother nature’s whims. In winter it lies dormant in deep snow (~533 inches per year!), vast and seemingly dead, although rarely freezing due to its depth (the last recorded freeze was 1949). The park is hard to access during this time, but is free with rangers offering free winter snowshoe hikes too. In summer it resists the sun for many, many months finally coming out of hibernation for a short few late summer days for full access. Summertime the whole lake opens up and offers boat rides to the central island too (we just missed the season for these).

Crater Lake is Oh-So Incredible

It’s quite a unique kinda place

All the facts about this spot make it interesting, but cannot possibly describe the scene. Whether you’re stopping at a viewpoint, or hiking a trail or perhaps even sipping a long drink at the lodge the lake absorbs you completely. Deep blue drawing you in and keeping you captive in a game of mother nature’s chess. No, I couldn’t possibly describe what it’s like. It’s a moment, it’s a thought, it’s a spot unlike any other….and you’ll just have to come here to soak it in yourself!

P.S. Sadly no dogs are allowed on the trails at Crater Lake. You can bring pooch on roads, parking lots and picnic areas but not on your hike. Polly stayed home for our outing.

Another great view from the rim

And yet another….

Our New Blue Back Yard (And a Little Doggie Drama) – Diamond Lake, OR

Our new blue back yard

We’ve landed in our new back yard and I’ve gotta admit it ain’t bad. We left Eugene on Thursday and drove a pretty ~140 miles on 2-lane highway into the “dry side” of Oregon welcoming deep pine, dusty trails and volcanic mountains. Our destination was Diamond Lake, a lovely 3,000 acre blue oasis at ~5,000 ft just next to Crater Lake in south-central Oregon. Lots of blue, lots of space and relaxing camping….oh yeah, not bad at all.

Paul and Alex pose for a nice silhouette on the lake bike trail at Diamond Lake

This little adventure comes with cohorts too. By pre-arranged plan our good pals Alex and Ellen (our caravan buddies from last year) joined us on the drive and are staying the week here with us. Not only does this mean lots of fun communal hiking and biking, but also allows plenty of late-night chin wags and unlimited guiltless exchange of rum and cokes.

Alex just recently got a sweeeeet 1000 watts of solar installed on his rig too, so we get to drool over the panels and gawk at his stupendous amp generation (Paul already has watt-envy).

Panoramic view of Diamond Lake and Mount Thielsen from the Mount Bailey trail

Now obviously we’re here to see Crater Lake and that story will come, but for the last few days we’ve been lazing around and enjoying our own blue right here at the campground. Diamond Lake is flanked by two volcanic beauties, ~8,400 foot Mount Bailey to the west and the dangerous-looking ~9,200 foot Mount Thielsen to the east. There’s a paved and scenic 11-mile bike ride around the lake, a small lodge, masses of hiking trails (including to both mountains), several forest service campgrounds and 5 boat ramps. You won’t come here for shopping or food, but it’s a great spot to enjoy endless trails, deep pine, sweeping views and secluded creeks. Oh, and some not-to-shabby sunsets too.

Our first afternoon dip in the lake…made for a pretty pic, but not recommended

Our idyllic stay has only been (temporarily) interrupted by a little doggie-drama. We’re staying at the national forest campground which would actually be the perfect spot if not for the bummer of toxic algae bloom in the water. This was a minor point that we totally failed to notice on our first day here.

Polly is hopping again

So we arrived at our site, dashed out for a refreshing afternoon swim and were duly rewarded with yesterday’s pooch dinner re-delivered in its’ full glory into the RV today. Polly is fine (thanks to her quick thinking in getting it all out), but sadly no more dips in the lake for her. Thankfully there are many other doggie-treats in the area including unlimited trails, oceans of chipmunks (natural doggie TV!) and bouncing fresh fresh mountain air.

And that, folks, is pretty much exactly what we’ve been doing. Soaking up nature, enjoying our RV buddies and hangin’ in the kind of back yard that RVing is all about…not too shabby at all!

A lovely afternoon at the lake

Pretty evening through the pine

Paul and Alex pose by Silent Creek

Just another great lake view from the round-the-lake bike trail

View of the striking Mt Thielsen

“The pack” on the hike up Mount Bailey