Moments in Dirt and Ink

Malheur National Forest Click for map. DAY 1  |  eclipse  |  DAY 2 Around about noon and finally getting underway, it does not take long to tuck away everything into my pack back at camp and then keep on going down the mountain. One turn and we are dropping down into new areas. The map shows many springs in this area, but the first few are not visible to me. Just past an old cabin, there is a little water and it grows a bit as it pours downward through flower filled meadows. The old cabin on the way is a bit of a surprise and nothing seems to give any explanation about it. We found water where one spring is marked, but it is thin puddles. Looking back at Strawberry Mountain. The actual peak is slightly behind the trees. Heading down through the meadows. Plenty were camped down here last night, too. The land starts to drop away and we get a view of Strawberry Lake below. There is no view of Little Strawberry Lake that I notice. We will ...

Malheur National Forest Click for map. DAY 1  |  eclipse  |  DAY 2 Waking under a clear sky of stars with just the very first hint of light on the eastern horizon, there are already lights climbing past to get to the peak. Our neighbors said they would go up for the sunrise if they woke early enough. The air is still and feels warm enough to make getting up easy. Today is all about the sun, so I might as well join them. I stuff everything and tuck it away so it will not go blowing if the wind comes up again, then tuck away everything for breakfast and lunch in my pack. The neighbors clearly did wake up because they file out of their tent quietly and start up the mountain. As I head out myself, the light of the dimming stars and the brightening horizon is enough for night tuned eyes to climb the nude mountain. I step carefully through the few trees then start climbing having never turned on my light. It feels really good to not need the light. A little b...

Malheur National Forest Click for map. DAY 1  |  eclipse  |  DAY 2 The original plan for eclipse viewing was a campground in Portland and an hour long drive to get somewhere to see totality on the day. Trouble was, the expectation that traffic would move in that direction quickly enough seemed like a poor one. This was compounded with the worrisome prospect of fog near the coast. And then Jeff demanded an alpine lake. After an initial thought of Mount Jefferson (oh, look, it says "closed" under current status just because it is on fire), we found a lake that, while not quite alpine, was rather large and well located to be without obscuring smoke. It also has a nice peak nearby. I figured, we get in at least a day early and settle in by the lake, bag that peak and get a look around to decide where is the best viewpoint for eclipse watching in the morning. A perfect little trip. We stopped in the local ranger station for a map, of which they happily had a...