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006/07/09 - Week 129 Spring In The Cascades During the winter I sit around looking at the Forest Service map plotting out new places to explore in the mountains later in the year when the snow gets out of the way. Depending on where you are trying to go this can mean in June or July. I have been trying to find a high point with a good 360 degree view that is high enough to shoot sunrises, sunsets and days with low clouds filling the valley. Between my map and Google Earth I think I found the spot. It sits on top of a 5500 foot ridge and has a great view and the big advantage is there is actually a road going up there as it is a fire lookout up there. I’d been watching the Snotel reports and thought that on Friday we may have a chance so we filled #2 up with gas, packed a lunch and headed up that way. It’s easy to get there. Just take 126 East out of Springfield. Grab 19 and head South to 1980 and head up the hill. You can take a short detour on 230 to 231 and swing by Hidden Lake. It is a great place to go to view mosquitoes the size of Kenworths. After getting a few shots there and almost getting eaten alive you can back track to 1980 and head back up the hill. There was one slight snag in the plan. At the 4079 foot level, according to my trusty GPS, there is a place in the road that never gets any sun. No sun means that snow doesn’t melt and even in the beginning of June you aren’t getting on up that road. We were stopped 1500 feet in elevation from our goal. Such is life in the Oregon Cascades in the Spring. We will give it another try over 4th of July when we are up that way camping to escape the sound of people screaming as fireworks blow off parts of their bodies. In the mean time you can enjoy the view of Hidden Lake in the spring with all of the different shades of green. There are a few more shots from the day on my photo blog here that include a waterfall and a wild rhodie blooming. Hope you enjoy the photo, |
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