Walk for Wildlands: 9/7/08

bring on the canucks!

greetings all,

here we are, after all of these days and months of walking we find ourselves on the verge of crossing the columbia river and moving into the final stretch of this wandering journey through the cascade mountains of western washington. gradually, thoughtfully we move through changing landscapes and seasons, the sunlight fading, nights colder, wind with a bite and golden clear fall air surrounding us.
we pushed through northern california, hundreds of wildfires throughout the region and breathing in smoke-haze sky. through dry arid lands and and coniferous stands, weaving around mt. shasta, appearing and disappearing behind smoke blankets in the distance. slowly, daily feeling the change to the more temperate climate of the pacific northwest, dropping into deep ravines and finding the familiar species, tall old incense cedar rising through the mist, thick cracked-bark douglas fir groves, yew trees, moss-draped big leaf maple, sword and maidenhair ferns tucked into the shadows beside cool clear creeks.
near the california/oregon border i pulled up with an ankle injury, a strained tendon that was enough that i wasn't able to put weight on it. we hobbled to the next road crossing to find a fire crew sitting in preparation for the next call. after an attempt at walking on we turned back to catch a ride with a story-filled helicopter repairman. two days later we tried walking again and realized that my foot was going to need some rest. just over a week later we found ourselves in ashland, or with a lighter pack (sans guitar), clad with a new ankle brace, and 140 miles north of where we had gotten off trail (saving ourselves some october hiking). we spent a day with some hiker friends and then set off into the dry afternoon to begin walking again. the time lapse was evident all around us, wildflowers spent and crumbling in the heat, ripe patches of thimble and huckleberries, the days noticeably shorter, even new aches and pains and a seeming loss of our trail legs. within a few days they were back as was the methodical pace of walking and the forest...a slower reality than our high flying days in town and at eugene's indian lunch buffet.
traveling through serena's home region of western oregon, we stepped through the grasslands and forests of the cascade-siskiyou monument. awaking in the dark waning moon night there to the piercing howl scream of a cougar close by. adrenaline rushing and listening intently as it called out many times through the darkness. we spent the majority of two days passing through this landscape where the great basin and cascade and siskiyou mountain ranges meet, a patchwork of private and public lands, not yet funded enough to form a complete monument. days later we watched and listened as the red rising sun climbed over the mountains above crater lake, mats of clouds sailing overhead, incredibly blue marine water interacting with gusting winds and shifting patterns unfolding across the surface. swimming in lakes, rivers, and cold rains, a front moving through and wind driving snow specks as we crossed under the three sisters volcanoes, looking up to the rounded red peak of south sister before she was enveloped by clouds. thick forests, lake basins, renegade survivalist mosquito bands somehow braving the cold, big-berried bear scat, and the massive volcanic cascade mountains. along with this another familiar mark of the northwest, tracts and tracts of clear-cuts, old and new, walking through some active logging operations even, shrill machinery grinding and great old cedars and firs with spray paint markings of doom. we've scratched through these patches of choked brush and even-aged young spindling stands scarring the mountainsides from the trinity region up into oregon national forest and bureau of land management lands.
and now sitting beside the rolling columbia river, as close to sea level as we'll be along this trail, preparing for the washington cascades. with the final push of our hike before us we also hope to close the walk for wildlands fundraiser with success. each of the three projects and organizations will greatly benefit from any contribution, and sponsoring our hike will help to promote the completion of the cascade siskiyou monument through the pacific forest trust, protect the pct trail corridor with the pcta, and work to guide sound policy with the cascadia ecosystem advocates. please consider sponsoring this project at www.walkforwild.org as no contribution is too small or large.
thank you to all who have read, responded, contributed, and helped us along the way! serena and i will update more photos and journals as we are able through the final days of this venture. happy falltime, peace, jeramy

Oregon Walking

Hello all,

I know it has been some time since I have written. There have been many beautiful sights seen and experiences to reflect on in these last few weeks. In late August, after almost four months of walking in California, we finally hit Oregon. Our entrance was a bit anti-climatic as Jeramy had a strained tendon and we had to take some time off for it to heal, thus we were unable to walk across the boarder into Oregon. Never the less it has been an incredible walk through my home state. I had been looking forward to it in anticipation, as there are so many places I had heard so much about and I would finally be able to experience them.

Our first stop out of Ashland was one of the most incredible places in the world, I believe. Crater Lake. Massive, peaceful and breath-taking. We were able to spend a day walking along part of the rim of the lake and spent the night on a bluff overlooking it. In the morning we woke as the sun was rising. One of the most beautiful sunrises I have ever seen. The clouds quickly moved in though and the rest of the day was spent getting glimpses of the lake through the clouds as we stood in the frigid wind. The wind rippling across the water combined with the clouds and sunlight trickling through created a surreal picture. I was hard to leave that place but the cold wind kept us moving. We hiked on towards. Mt. Thielsen, tall, rocky and pointed. We decided against climbing it as it was covered in clouds and probably about 30 degrees on top.

As we approached central Oregon I began to think back to my childhood spent at Waldo Lake in the summers and Odell Lake in the winters. The PCT hits the south shore of Odell lake and we spent and evening at Shelter Cove Resort. The next day we hiked up to Willamette Pass were Jeramy had been hoping to get some pizza for lunch at the ski lodge. Unfortunately they weren't serving food that day and we had to resign ourselves to eating the same old tortilla and cheese wraps for lunch.

The PCT does not pass directly by Waldo lake so I was unable to go swimming at one of most beautiful lakes in Oregon. However it does pass by a myriad of smaller lakes just east of Waldo that I had never seen before, the three Rosary lakes, Bobby lake and others that I can't remember the names of. Our hike between Odell lake and Santiam Pass (Highway 20) also took us past the Three Sisters. WOW! I had never hiked near those mountains before, only seen them from a distance. What gorges mountains. South sister with its red rocks we were able to catch the best views of. It turned out to be quite cold and stormy as we hiked passed the Sisters, but still absolutely amazing. We saw a rather large coyote carrying what appeared to be a rabbit in it's mouth, a huge buck running across a meadow and a grey horned owl.

Luckily we made it down off the Sisters before the worst of the storm hit. As we descended toward McKenzie Pass sleet and small snow flakes began to come down. We stopped by the Dee Wright Observatory and checked out the few mountains that weren't immersed in clouds than pressed on through the lava fields and passed Mt. Washington. We were on a mission to meet my mom at Santiam Pass that evening. The cold aided us in getting there, as it was too chilly to stop for long. Just long enough to stop at the 2000 mile marker and celebrate! I told her we would be there at 7pm and we rolled in at 7:06 pm. It was such a blessing to see her there walking out on the trail to meet us. We went into Bend for the night, got warm, ate some good food and got cleaned up. As seems to happen often in town we ended up staying longer than expected. We visited with some friends who lived there and Tuesday evening (Sept. 2nd.) got back on the trail.

This last stretch in Oregon we hiked passed Three Fingered Jack, Mt. Jefferson and Mt. Hood. All three mountains that I have also seen from a distance but never up close. Jefferson still had quite a bit of snow on it and we hiked over snow banks for the first times since we left the Sierra's way down in California. I imagine there will be more of that to come in Washington as it was such a big snow year. Unfortunately when the snow sticks around so too do the mosquito's. And there were a surprising amount of them for the Cascades in late August.

Our hike between Jefferson and Hood was relaxing and warm. The sun had decided to show her face again and we're hoping to have a few more of these days as we finish this amazing journey though Washington. We stopped at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. You may remember the outside of the lodge from the movie "The Shining". The inside is even more incredible, built some time in the thirties and still looking very much the same. Our good friends Jody and Eli met us up there, brought our food box (thank you to those of you who have been so kind to send us our much needed sustenance) and hiked out with us for a night, we had a huge feast. It's always wonderful to have friends join us out here.

From there we hiked around Mt. Hood than began our decent to the Columbia River gorge. Down we went walking along the ridge with the wind whipping by as the sun set. It was a warmish wind but it was strong and camping was minimal and not too appealing with tall trees swaying above us. So we walked later than usual until we found a semi flat spot out of the wind to sleep.

The next morning we hiked into the gorge and took a detour from the PCT, down the Eagle Creek Trail. One of the most astounding trail in the gorge. Countless enormous water falls, some over 100 ft. tall splashing down into huge clear blue pools below. The trail itself in unbelievable. It was literally blasted into the side of a vertical cliff so at times you are walking next to a ledge that drops off 100 or more feet into the water. They have installed a cable to hold onto as you walk the most dangerous part. And the tunnel blasted through the rock behind a waterfall! Amazing. If you ever have the chance, check it out. And with that to finish up Oregon we hiked into the small town of Cascade Locks, where the Bridge of the Gods spans the Columbia River. Soon we will walk over that bridge and begin the home stretch of our hike. Washington. Only 508 miles to go.

I hope to have to chance to write again before we finish but we may have limited access to technology through Washington.

Remember to check out the website for more photographs and entries as well as to support the fundraising efforts.
You now have the ability to pledge per mile hiked. Check out the new link on the website at www.walkforwild.org
and please pass it along to others.

With love,
Serena