It seems that some of the best places moments are found when the are unplanned. This last week was much like this old saying. After spending a night with many hikers that we had not seen in a long while at Mazama Camp in Crater Lake, Line and I headed out to the Rim Trail.
Lingering later the we thought we ended up camping right on the Edge of the Caldera in a crop of mountain hemlock. We could tell that we were not the first to camp there, but the site was pretty hidden. As the day faded, the sun played out its magic in slow motion across the layers of smoke from the California fires still to the south. It was one of those moments that passes by as you look around at the Caldera Rim aglow with that light from above. I have been reading "Cosmos" by Sagan lately. He talks about the beauty of nature and the sky above. That taking the time to understand the larger realm helps us appreciate how wondrous it really is.
The next day we finished the rim walk and began the hot dry segment through the northern end of the park. They call it an Oregon Desert, a place were pumice or lava beds hide the creeks and only stands of small Lodgepole pines remain.
By Theilson we were almost burnt out. So a sudden detour found us at Umpqua Hotsprings a few hours latter. The change in ecology was like night and day. We sat back relaxing above the rushing waters of the Umpqua River below. Layers of green surounded us with every shade
playing out in the baughs and lichen hanging over the hotsprings pools. Sometimes you need a break from walking, and this was a great one. At the evenings end with a few fruits to eat and some beers to drink from a friendly local, we were rejuvinated.
Now we could hitch back to where we left the trail, that would leave us a day behind. Then we saw a trail sign that showed a whole network of segments leading back to the headwaters of the Umpqua and junction with the Pacific Crest. The first segment was 13 miles and titled "Dread and Terror". Who names a trail that? Our minds had been made up we would walk the trail back.
The Dread and Terror Segment was far from that. Instead it was one of the richest waterfall trail I have seen since Eagle Creek. Water sprang out of the basaltic rocks flowing down between moss and tilted columns. It seemed every corner was ablaze with white from rapids amount the light green of firs new growth. It colminated with a high cascade of Lemolo Falls over a Basalt flow. All of this as if descending an Olympic old growth grove. Far from Dread and Terror!
The next day we found the trail again. Following the meanderings of a river through large meadows, we were meet by the mists of new rain, that would later give way to ground trembling thunderstorms that have persisted since.
The North Umpqua River Trail is 80 miles total, we hiked 25 of those miles. Some fall it would be worth it to hike the full length. But for now Canada calls. And many more miles yet to go before we rest again. So it will go on that ever growing list of hikes for someday.
From the backcountry mile
Ridgewalker
山武士
Http://ridgewalkernw.blogspot.com
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