Snowshoeing at Lower Twin Lakes

One of my friends from my freshman year of college just moved back to Portland with her husband. We wanted to the opportunity to spend some time together and since he had to work on Friday, I asked if she would be interested in trying out snowshoeing. She'd never been but is eager to see more of Oregon's beauty, and truthfully it was a great way to spend a day together. 

Since it was during the busy long weekend between New Years and when everyone would be heading back to work, I decided to take her to one of my usual routes of Lower Twin Lake, which tends to be less crowded and easier with the dogs.

We stopped at my old standby rental store (Mountain Tracks in Government Camp) to pick up snowshoes, boots, & poles for Sarah to use. Still love that place, even if their prices have increased in the last two years. They also have a great map that is viewable in the bathroom (and available for purchase) that shows many of the snowshoeing paths around Mt Hood.

I remembered what it was like on my first snowshoeing excursion so I made sure to help Sarah with getting her snowshoes on and then we just went at a slow, even pace along the trail. The first time can be a bit of an adjustment, but she did great and I think she truly enjoyed it.

The temps were warmer on this particular day so while the wooded trail looked like it was out of a movie scene, we also had to dodge snow falling on our heads from dripping trees :) 

Standing on a corner of the frozen Lower Lake with Roxi:

Anna was running around so she makes two appearances in this pano of the lake :) 

At the lake, we ended up chatting with a group of retired couples that had hiked up to the lake for a quick outing. They were great to talk with and it sounds like they routinely set out on adventures ranging from wintering in Arizona, to once a year cabin adventures with old friends, to long hikes in the national parks.

On the way back to Government Camp to return the rentals, we hit some of the worst traffic I've ever been in when coming off the mountain. It took us an hour to make the five miles back to the rental store. Luckily Sarah had snacks and we just enjoyed the opportunity to continue to chit chat together. Also luckily by the time we made it out of the store (and attempted to get dinner at the packed local brewery--no go), some of the traffic had cleared and we were able to make it down to the towns at the base of the mountain without too much additional trouble.

We stopped at a restaurant in one of the small local communities that had great reviews online...and after Sarah and I were willing to move our table twice in order to accommodate an ever-growing group of friends that was dining in the middle of the restaurant...we ended up with a free dinner and an extra round of drinks! AWESOME! I'll give up my table any time for that :) The people were fun to chat with on our way out and truthfully the entire day of introducing Sarah to snowshoeing, catching up over dinner, and chatting with fun strangers was a pretty remarkable day!

The dogs had fun and the day presented the opportunity to work on goals 11 and 9 for the year. I introduced Sarah to a new outdoor activity AND I had the opportunity to EMBRACE the experience and ENJOY time with a wonderful friend, friendly strangers, and happy dog faces. :)

Tilly Jane Snowshoe Weekend

What do you say when one of your best buddies asks if you want to do a snowshoe weekend on the mountain with him and his girlfriend....and he offers to haul most the gear, cook all the meals, and supply the extras? You say yes in a very big way. Especially when one of the main reasons he's doing it is because you weren't able to join the original mid-December snowshoe week to a cabin in southern Oregon due to scheduling conflicts and other individuals on that particular trip.

Needless to say Regular D scored major major brownie points on the last weekend of the year and arranged a fun trip that was something I'd been wanting to do for a long time. The only drawback to this trip was that the dogs weren't allowed to come along due to cabin regulations.

Reg D hauling a pulk at the start of the 2.5 mile journey of a 2000ft elevation gain up to the cabin. His feat was epic since there were several downed trees on the trail that he had to navigate over/around & night fell upon our final bits of trekking.

A and I at sunset--it was so incredibly beautiful on the way up.

A continuing to head up, up, up trail with Mt Hood looming in the background.

A and I made it to the Tilly Jane cabin about 530 pm and Reg D arrived just under an hour after us. The fun thing about Tilly Jane is that it's sort of like an outdoor hostel meaning that it holds mixed reservations for up to 20 people. Our first night in the cabin was spent with a couple about our age who had recently moved to Portland and two fun guys about our ages also. We all navigated well together restocking wood, boiling water, cooking various meals (Reg D made us hot sandwiches this night), and hanging out close to the fire (which was the only real spot with any warmth...the rest of the cabin stayed about 35 degrees or under... :)). We had a great time that first night sitting around the fire together, telling stories, talking about a variety of things, and sharing drinks.

On Day 2, we all crawled out of our various sleeping areas (the cabin has an open loft up top for sleeping) and Reg D cooked us an awesome egg/sausage/veggie scramble. Amanda and I heard a dog outside and when we went to investigate we met an older guy who was staying at a private cabin a bit farther up the mountain. Since they had a smaller group staying with him, he invited all of us to come up for a beer in the afternoon. About noon or 1pm-ish, my buddy J arrived for the afternoon and joined us on a bit of a day hike adventure and to visit the cabin up the way. It had started snowing the night before and the wind was also howling. Visibility to get up to the desired Cooper Spur Hut on the mountain was nil, but once we found our alternate route, we really enjoyed spending an hour or two chatting with the people in the Snowshoe Cabin (plus it was toasty and gorgeous in there). The gentleman we'd met in the morning knew the history of the area so it was great learning about the development and the cabins on that side of the mountain.

J with Reg D in the background

Reg D, A, & J heading to check out the historic Cloud Cap Inn

Late afternoon brought Reg D, A, a young guy we'd met at the other cabin, and I back to Tilly Jane, where we spent time just chatting and hanging out around the fire. In the evening we had fajitas (my fav!!) and I brought out Yahtzee cards so that our group could play together. (The young guys had left but a new couple had arrived during the day!)

A bit more sitting around the fire & chatting as the evening progressed...and then eventually we all wandered to bed.

In the morning, we woke up to more inches of snow and it was continuing to come down, so we decided to head out about noon after restocking the wood and boiling more water for the others at the cabin. 

The inside of the cabin.

Final photo op in front of the Tilly Jane Cabin.

We decided to take the 9 mile road back down to the parking area as it has a more gradual decline, but with the constant snowfall we also had the fun of breaking trail (sometimes in snow that went up to just below my knee). Nine miles later, we definitely were stoked to finally arrive at the car! :) (My phone stopped working due to the cold in the section which was too bad as there was some really beautiful scenery.)

Altogether it was such a great fun, relaxing weekend however...and in a lot of ways a perfect wrap up to the fun that the year had presented. We met some incredible individuals, ate some great food, enjoyed lots of conversation, and just had time to be....it was pretty wonderful. :)

I was also pretty glad that my Sorento was able to navigate so well on the snow and we didn't need chains to get out of the parking lot (which J had loaned me a set and gave me a lesson late the night before-ha!). We stopped in Hood River for a pizza dinner and beers, and then navigated back to Portland and to all of our individual homes. It felt pretty amazing to come in the door to happy dog kisses...and then to finally get in the shower after three days of sweat, cold, and body odor :)

Seriously though.... what a great weekend...and an amazing Christmas gift from my dear buddy!

An Epic 24 Hours

Seriously, somebody pinch me....because life is just...well, pretty darn incredible. 

I'm truly starting to believe that what you ask from your heart for the universe to provide...well, sometimes it really does show up...and even more incredibly than you could have imagined. 

Case in point: I've been wanting to go to a Blazer game and a Winterhawks game. Winterhawks game is in progress of being scheduled....but Monday afternoon I randomly got a spontaneous text from a friend asking if I wanted to go to Monday night's Blazer game...in club level seats...for free. Uh..yes, yes I do! :) Seats were better than any I've ever had nor could have imagined...and the game was a blast! I had so much fun and the Blazers even won :) 

Case in point: Tuesday morning I had another meeting regarding Africa and international health career contacts/options...and I'm STILL expecting to be told that I heard that whole conversation/informational interview wrong because what I heard sounded a lot like an offer of how to go to Africa this summer AND that the whole trip/opportunity could potentially lead into an actual job option...in my dream field...at one of my ideal institutions...and that it would also potentially make all my varied career paths come full circle and connect.... Yup, pinch me......because even if it doesn't pan out..I am so incredibly fortunate and grateful for the offer and this.very.moment that life is presenting...

Case in point: After the Tuesday meeting, I had the dogs in tow so we could go explore the rain break/fresh powder that had arrived briefly on the mountain. We checked out some new trails....and for the first time in a long time, I didn't rush us or care about miles. Instead we just wandered down various new trail options, walked a bit on an old historic Oregon wagon road, and then went 2.5 miles on the PCT trail which included so much beautiful hazy fresh powder...that again, I just kept thinking about how this life...this is what I want to be living....this is what makes me feel alive...this.IS.it. I'm currently living that motto that hangs on my wall: "Living the Life I Love" and "Loving the Life I Live." On these trails, I look around at the beauty that surrounds me, I feel the peace in my soul, I hang out with God (and talk or don't talk)...and I just feel good..happy...settled...arrived. This.is.it.

Barlow Pass Highway

Barlow Pass Wagon Road

We discovered a little something special left on the PCT.

Epic, epic 24 hours :)

Ending November with Miles & Major Smiles!

Seriously, the end of this weekend has been A-Ma-Zing! 

Saturday's Training Run:

9 miler from Sellwood Park along the east side of the river, across Hawthorne Bridge, along the west side and through the waterfront development area, down Macadam, and across the Sellwood Bridge where these pictures were taken. It was hailing when I left lunch at my cousin's, but Amy and I had a chilly yet beautiful afternoon jog! Hoping to make a full 11-mile loop next weekend, but I felt good enough that I could have run the full half during this training run.

I spent the rest of yesterday evening getting the chickens settled for the cold weather, taking care of things around the house, reading through a few magazines for fun, and then finished my online grading.

This morning's Ugly Sweater 5k along the waterfront:

Seriously was a lot of fun albeit icy in spots and chilly. Brady and I kept the pace relaxed and the four of us pretty much jogged together for the whole thing. It was so good to see the other two in our group, catch up on their lives, and talk about other race options coming up. The volunteers they had cheering at the event were so fun, we all got new beanies, cocoa post-race, and beers/cider. For a $35 entrance, I really have to give it up to this event--so much fun and definitely got us ready for some holiday cheer! :)

Post-race I was supposed to meet up with one of my favorite gals for happy hour but her family and her weren't feeling well......and I'd heard there was good snow on the mountain yesterday....and the sun was shining.....so even though the weather report said C-O-L-D, I gobbled up some Thanksgiving leftovers, quickly showered from the run, and loaded the dogs and I up in our winter gear to head to one of our favorite mountain trails......

G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S! Absolutely amazing. The snow wasn't thick enough yet to need the snowshoes so eventually I just shoved them into my pack but the powder was so incredibly beautiful, the dogs and I were all smiles, and there were so many moments when I thought to myself "wow, this is my every day existence....it's pretty incredible all things considering....."

The beauty of arriving at the trailhead at 2pm on a Sunday? Afternoon sun peeking through...and not another soul on trail....just the way we like it :)

Look at the snow stuck to her muzzle! My new coat and pants were absolutely perfect...it was so cold that I even had multiple layers under both, two pairs of warm socks, my thickest winter gloves, and a beanie!

Roxi's attempt at her snow angel...she loves to roll around on her back in the snow :)

Pano of Lower Twin Lake. The sun was just about to set so we turned back here.

SO cold that my still damp hair froze also!

The sun set behind the trees on our way down trail.... the views were amazing and even the photos could never truly capture the beauty of it all...

Once we loaded back in, I drove over to another one of my favorite snowshoe spots to check out the depth there and to catch a few last moments of light on the mountain. 

SUCH an incredibly beautiful end to the long weekend...and truly made me realize how much these parts of my life bring such joy & happiness to who I am. THIS is the life I want and love to live.

And I even still got my homework done...and a homecooked meal in! :)

Feb's Oregon Outdoor Beauty Weekend

This particular weekend is one of those perfect Oregon outdoor advertisements. The opportunity to easily access so many outdoor options within hours of each other is one of Oregon's greatest marketing features.

16 mile Storey Burn & University Falls Loops:

Dogs exploring a random waterfall/creek run-off crossing the trail

Sunbeams through the woods on a beautiful section of trail

An open view of the forest & hills in the distance

Crossing under the highway overpass

A change in the terrain and creek run-off

Crossing the Tillamook River

The dogs & I at University Falls

Pictures of the maps to help guide me

The Storey Burn Loop was a trail outing I had been wanting to cover for a month or two and finally was able to arrange time to conquer toward the end of February. I felt good toward the end of the loop, so I decided to cover more mileage and tack on the University Falls Loop I had done before. I hadn't been able to sleep much the last few days prior to this so I felt like pushing myself to exertion would encourage my body to sleep (plus I also wanted to see if I would feasibly be able to make the 30 mile hike the next weekend). The Storey Burn Trail was absolutely gorgeous this time of year and University Falls was even more swollen than usual. Although not as picturesque as the Gorge, the Storey Burn trail would be a great one to take out of town visitors on.

After the hike, I decided to change clothes and since we were 35 minutes from the beach and my heart had been craving my home environment for weeks, I decided to drive the dogs and I over for sunset and a bit of a beach stroll. Sometimes I just crave an extra dose of spontaneity and its nice to indulge it as well. Luckily I was able to raise my body core back up (which tends to be a problem post work-out and leaves my extremities white and numb thanks to Raynaud's! :)), I looked up the closest beach access, found a tiny market deli where I could purchase some calories (chicken salad sandwich and a PBR!), and navigated the dogs and I onto the sand. My legs were still in tact to manage a bit of a stroll down the beach, so I scarfed down the sandwich and let the dogs roam as we strolled, before settling in on a log to take it the amazing views before me:

Seriously an amazingly fulfilling day!

Twin Lakes Snowshoe Loop

Not to be outdone by the day before, I decided to head up to the mountain on Sunday to get some snowshoe mileage in. I still hadn't slept well but after stretching out my calves, my legs felt good enough to get in another outing. We'd finally been having some good snow and the day was to be sunny as well. This trail is one I have done many times before but the other trail heads I tried were incredibly full and always make me nervous as to how many dogs I'm going to have to navigate Roxi by :)

The day was seriously beautiful, the dogs couldn't believe their good fortune at trail, sand, and snow all in one weekend, and the snow was set enough that I actually only put my snowshoes on once I hit the powder on the backside of upper Twin Lake (about 3-4 miles in).

Lower Twin Lake

Upper Twin Lake w Mt Hood peaking

Drenched from the snow melt crashing from the trees above trail and knee deep in snow in stretches of the back side :)

Seriously an amazing weekend full of Oregon outdoor beauty and adventure, happy outdoor smiles, and  finally sleeping like a baby on Sunday!

December 2013 Hiking Outings

So there have been some really great excursions in the last few months that I haven't posted. I know I mentioned some of the hikes that were taken over the Christmas break but I didn't upload any pictures from them and since I also like to use this blog as a record of great outings and a way to help remember fun excursions, I want to take the time to do a couple posts from great outdoor adventures.

There were two snow shoe outings/attempts in early to mid December:

White River with the first snowfall and getting to try out the new snowshoes:

Roxi's fist pumping she's so excited! :)

  

Twin Lakes snowshoe attempt (snowshoes left in car, but slippery 3 mile hike):

Hmm....where's the solid snow?!

Old Salmon River Trail thru old growth forest (a wonderful day hike selection by regular D over Christmas break): 

(Mile 800 for the year!)

At 50, I'll probably still be crawling into hobbit holes in trees....

(And this is one of my favorite pictures of the year...)

Finishing off Salmon River Trail with prior housemate Angie:

Heading around the final corner at the end.

At the viewpoint and the final hike/mileage of 2013.

We didn't have as much overall snow this year and it was late coming, but what we did have was an awesome year-round hiking season! :)