Mt Hood and Timberline Lodge

We took a scenic forest road out of Hood River and wound our way through fruit and berry farms. We drove up and up towards Mt Hood and the old Timberline Lodge that has been around since Roosevelt was president. They filmed "The Shining" up here. I looked around a bit but Jack was no where to be seen.

Approaching Mt Hood

Entrance

Timberline Lodge

Old way to get up to the lodge

They are still skiing up here and the lift is running.

On the way back down you could view Mt Adams as you were approaching Hood River.

While staying at the park we also walked around Hood River. It is a great little town with lots of emphasis on outdoor recreation and the big sport around here is wind sailing out on the river. They hold international races here. We also checked out The Dalles and went through their Discovery Center which had lots of information about the geology of thick basalt flows and then mud flows. The basalt walls along the river are very high and appear to be one lava flow after another for thousands of years.

To the River

We have left Bend and are heading north through Redmond and Madras. We got up to Moro to spend a couple of days at the Sherman County Park. We are in the center of windmill power here. They are all over up and down both sides of the Columbia River. Apparently wind power production has surpassed the hydroelectric production along the length of the river. This is also a big wheat growing area.

 

Windmills all along the river

We drove down to the river and crossed into WA. We were looking for some travel information but lucked out and only found wine tasting. The wines from this area are really good.

Approaching the river

Bridge over the Columbia

Winery

A little farther up the road there was a Stonehenge replica. This is the third one I have found out west. I'm not sure I understand the attraction but I love them.

Completed replica of Stonehenge

On a bluff overlooking the Columbia

Up at this end of the river it is a desert - very dry and little vegetation. I can only imagine what Lewis and Clark thought as they floated down the river.

 

Barge Traffic

We left Moro and headed downriver to a lovely state park, Memaloose. It is between The Dalles and Hood River. It is named after an island in the river where L&C observed the local Indians burying their dead. We haven't seen any ghosts, just beautiful scenery. Notice the change in plant growth once you get past The Dalles.

The Dalles Dam

Memaloose Island

Back at LaPine SP

After my sister left to fly home, we moved back down to LaPine State Park for a few days. Bailey went back into Bend and got a haircut. Now he is too cute for his own good again. Emily just enjoyed the time alone. Later on we met back up with my niece and drove up to the eclectic little town of Sisters. We wandered the town and had lunch at the local Mexican restaurant. I really miss good Mexican food up here in the north country.

The next day we decided to check out the other area of the Newberry Crater Natl Volcanic Monument. Just south of us is Paulina Lake and Obsidian Mountain. This mountain is the largest obsidian lava flow in the world. It is literally a mountain of glass.  It was the result of an explosion of 73% silica containing metal oxides. The heat turned it to glass and the metal turned it black and into obsidian. It was an amazing hike to the top.

Obsidian

Mountain of glass

Show-off

View of Paulina Lake from top of Obsidian Mtn.

Around the Bend

We moved up closer to Bend, outside Sunriver. My sister and husband arrived from Virginia. We all went up to my niece's house and went out to dinner.

We all met up on Saturday morning and headed up north of Bend to Tumelo Falls. It was a pretty steep hike up to the falls and then about a mile up to the second falls. The day was beautiful and there were a lot of people hiking and biking. The falls were beautiful. Emily and Bailey had a grand time.

Nick, Lisa and Moira at Tumelo Falls

Tumelo Falls

Upper Falls

The Family is all here

Emily and Bailey at Tumelo Falls

Later there was a BBQ with friends and family back in Bend.

My niece borrowed an extra canoe and we strapped all of them onto our trucks and away we went to a large lake at the base of Mt Bachelor. We paddled around for a while and had a picnic on the beach. This was the first time I had ever been in a canoe. After we loaded up the canoes, we went up to take the ski lift up to the top of Mt Bachelor. It was a grand view all the way up. There was a restaurant up top and we had a little happy hour. It was just a great day.

Truck looks good with canoe on top

Mt Bachelor

Ski Lift up Mt Bachelor

Peak of Mt Bachelor

Trip back down

View from the top

On Sunday we all met at the High Desert Museum. It has a very nice collection of the local flora and fauna. There was also a very good display and interpretation of the local Indian population. There was a small village with an operating saw mill. After that later in the afternoon we did a little pub crawling among the many micro-breweries in Bend.

My sister and husband drove back to Portland the next day to catch a plane back to VA on Tuesday.

What a great visit.

Over the river and through the woods

Collier Memorial State Park is home to the largest collection of manual logging equipment from the late 1800's up through WWII. We could hike from our campsite along the river and over onto the museum grounds. John had a wonderful time wandering among all that equipment. Some of it represents the last pieces that survived being scrapped for WWII.

Arched Bridge of many Plies

Emily & Bailey checking the view

 

 

Maybe I can fix this...........