In The Shadow of Longs Peak
Thursday 28 July 2016
A relaxing day at the lake. We pack up and leave the next day.
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Wednesday 27 July 2016
Another multi-outing day.
The first is to Little Three Creeks Lake which is a mile or so from the campground. Then down to Bend and a hike along the Deschutes River with a stop at the Deschutes Brewery for Supper.
Tuesday 26 July 2016
Kari's Birthday.
We ended up doing 2 hikes today.
The first, Chush Falls Trail, is thru and old burn area and it was way too hot especially for Kari's dog. We turned back then headed back to 3 Creeks Lake and took the Whychus Creek Trail which winds up high around the lake. Seems like we lost the trail and ended up bushwacking a time or two. But it was a pleasant day.
Three Creeks Lake near Sisters Oregon
22 July 2016 thru 29 July 2016
Friday, 22 July 2016
This is the start of this year's big road trip to meet my daughter for our annual camping and hiking outing, this time to 3 Creeks Lake in the Deschutes National Forest in central Oregon, near Sisters.
The destination is about 24 hours from Longmont, so I decided to split it this way: Leave Friday early from work on Friday and camp on the way. Places of choice are Road 11 on the west side of Flaming Gorge or perhaps the Dugway along the North Platte River, east of Rawlins and North of Sinclair Wyoming.
It was going on 4 PM when I finally left town. But I was approaching Sinclair at 7, not the expected 8 PM. What to do? Turn off or go on?
I turn off, mostly because this area has been on my list of places to explore. The proper exit to get off is the 2nd Sinclair exit on the west side of town. Next is to find County Road 351, the Seminole Road, which also goes to Seminole Reservoir. The description for the Dugway is 7 miles from Sinclair and along the North Platte River. After a time, the road curved and I started downhill and the soon the river was in sight. I turn in and see a couple of RVs but there are 3 empty sites. I select a spot not so close to the river thinking it would be less buggy. For the record, it was still light at 9 PM.
I do setup the tent (no fly) (as opposed to a bivy) due to the chance of mosquitoes. Glad I did too, as a mouse crawled up and over my tent. Then there was something fairly large swimming in the river…a bear? a moose? Most likely a beaver. It was noisy but that does not equate to big.
Saturday 23 July 2016
Next stop is Rock Springs for gas and breakfast and then a quick stop at Little America for the required soft-service ice cream. Next stop is Twin Falls, the 2nd exit. I should have waited till the next exit which was Jerome where there is a Wendy’s.
Then on to Ontario, Oregon where I got a hotel room on the main drag, in an old motel called the Ontario Inn. $69.00 and it really was non-smoking.
Sunday 24 July 2016
I drove away from Ontario just after 8 am, after getting gas, checking oil, tires, etc. 260 miles to Bend. Maybe 5 hours or so. I take Hwy 20, the southern route. The drive from Ontario to Vale is similar to Eastern Washington. Long rows of crops in a patchwork of irrigated fields, very picturesque. After Vale, it seems like the land falls into a high desert with lots of outcroppings of a very dark rock that looks volcanic.
Halfway to Bend is Burns which hosted that conflict between the BLM and a local rancher.
Burns is a fair-sized small town with motels, restaurants, a McDonalds and gas stations. After Burns, the landscape continues to be high desert.
Then there is a snow covered peak in the distance as the Cascades come into sight.
I arrive in Bend at 12:30.
This was an uneventful road trip with lots of nice scenery. My favorite!
I went and got curry at a wonderful cafe on the west side of town. Then on to 3 Creeks Lake. After much driving around I realized I had to go to Sisters and drive in from there. I met Kari in Sisters then we drove to 3 Creeks Lake from there.