Lava Butte

SunsetLava FieldsMt Batchelor from Lava ButteFire Lookout on top of Lava ButteChipmunk enjoying the view

We drove up to Lava Butte today which is north of La Pine and south of Bend. Lava Butte rises 500 feet above the visitor center. This cinder cone erupted 7,000 years ago and covered over nine square miles with lava. The butte offers a panoramic view of central Oregon, including a spectacular view of the Cascade Range.

Due to limited parking at the summit, there is "Controlled Access" on high use days. Each day is divided into 15 different 30-minute time slots. There are 14 tickets issued for each half hour time slot. Visitors can choose the next available slot or pick one later in the day. When their half hour time slot begins they can take their vehicle up. The chipmunks are numerous, fearless and friendly even though we didn't feed them. No thunderstorms tonight. It is sunny and 75.

The Three Sisters

The Three Sisters from our Camp

The Three Sisters are three volcanic peaks of the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the Cascade Range in Oregon, each of which exceeds 10,000 ft in elevation. They are the third, fourth, and fifth highest peaks in the state of Oregon and are located in the Three Sisters Wilderness,about 15 mi southwest from the nearest town of Sisters, Oregon.

We are in La Pine Or,about 30 miles south of Bend. We could see the Three Sisters from our campground when we arrived this afternoon around 1:30PM but they are currently clouded over and there is a hail storm overhead which cooled things down quickly from 80 to 60. We took a quick dip in the pool after we set up the 5th wheel. The black storm clouds were approaching so we dried off and headed into La Pine for a pizza. This park (Cascade Meadows) is  just off  Hwy 97 between Bend and Klamath Falls Oregon. It is mainly a grassy meadow,full hook ups,pool,laundry and nice deep pull through spaces.

Timberline Lodge

Timberline LodgeRode the ChairJack and Fellow Firefighter

We drove to Timberline Lodge today which is where The Shining ( with Jack Nicholson) was filmed. It stands at the 6000 foot elevation level. It was built in the 1930's and still retains some of the original woodwork and ironwork from those days.  We took the chairlift up to the 7000 foot elevation where there are still tons of snowboarders and skiers.  We could see Mt Adams from the top of the chair.Timberline is open year round for snow sports and I was really surprised at how many people, cars and buses were in the parking lot.Enormous Fireplace..it is 4 sided

In the picture I am wearing a sweatshirt that was not really necessary..just wore it to keep it from flying off the chairlift.  Back down in our camp it is slightly overcast but still a pleasant 65.

Mountains to Falls and Back

We drove back down to Sandy for some banking business and then continued along the Columbia River east on Hwy 84. We stopped at the spectacular Multnomah Falls.  Plummeting 620 feet from its origins on Larch Mountain, Multnomah Falls is the second highest year-round waterfall in the United States. Nearly two million visitors a year come to see this waterfall making it Oregon’s number one public destination. I think there were approximately 1 million Japanese student tourists there today.

Our next stop was at the Bonneville Dam and the fish ladders. This was the first dam built on the Columbia River. The grounds are beautiful with flowers and shaded walkways. There are several fish holding ponds as well as a hatchery. There was an enormous Sturgeon, at least 7 feet long, in one of the holding ponds. We stopped for lunch in windsurfers paradise,Hood River before continuing on Hwy 35 back up Mt Hood  through the orchards and past the fruit stands to our campground.

Mt Hood Village

We left Barrier Dam Campground (and Washington) this morning and made it to Mt Hood Village in Welches Oregon just off Hwy 26...(near Mt Hood) Although our route skirted Portland we ran into road construction in Sandy OR and Gresham.This is a huge park but not very many campers here. I'd say it is less than a quarter full.We set up in one spot and found out the water leaked like crazy so we moved a couple doors down. Our spot is nice and shady, it is probably close to 85 in the sun. There is a huge laundry room,indoor pool,big clubhouse and paved roads so I can ride my bike easily. Internet,cable TV,full hookups...

I haven't been in this area in years. Hopefully we can drive up to Timberline Lodge on Mt Hood which is within 40 miles from here.

Fishing

Gary's Fish!Creative parkingEleanor

Yes we did manage to cram two trucks,a van, a boat and a fifth wheel into the camping spot here at Barrier Dam. Barrier Dam is on  the Cowlitz River about 20 miles south of Chehalis on the way to Mt Saint Helens.(Hwy 12)

Gary,Justin and Jack went fishing the first day and Gary caught this beauty in the picture. We've been enjoying great weather and fantastic S'Mores ever night. The campground is nicer than I had expected it to be, Our spot is the nicest one here. It is shaded with a picnic table and firepit. Water and power only.. no sewer hookup and no wifi (I'm at the library in Salkum) and no cell reception  or satelite either. As you can see by the picture we managed to get everyones vehicle into the parking area. Behind the 5th wheel there is an enormous grassy area where the tents are set up.

Jack and I will be leaving here on Monday and headed to a campground near Mt Hood.

Still at Ocean Mist

Jack rockpicking at Kalaloch

Kalaloch

We will be leaving here tomorrow and going to Barrier Dam campground on the Cowlitz River. The weather is still cool,overcast and dreary. The internet connection is sporadic and slow. David I apologize for all the times we went to Mexico and you took your laptop and I laughed at you! I feel lost without the internet now!

Doing laundry today and general chores for moving. There is no laundry or sewer hookups at Barrier Dam. How did we ever manage camping as kids.... in a tent with no cell phones,laptops,bottled water,TV or showers? Hopefully the weather will improve and we'll catch a mess of Steelhead.