Into the Redwoods...

While in Glacier National Park, we ran across a couple who told us we just couldn’t go home without seeing the Redwoods. We left Crater Lake and headed south and westward to the California coast to view the tallest members of the tree family. (Giant Sequoias are bigger around, but the Redwoods have the height.) We arrived to chilly, windy weather and a fog was rolling in off the water. The fog, we found out, helps provide additional moisture for these trees during the summer months, which probably aids in their growth. It’s so amazing to be in a heavily wooded forest and then to drive into a clearing and see the Pacific Ocean—talk about the best of both worlds! Because we had heard it was difficult to stay in Redwoods National Park, we opted to stay in the nearby national forest at Panther Flats Campground, along the beautiful Smith River. It was the busy Labor Day weekend and nearly every site was full. Unfortunately, we had some rather loud-mouthed neighbors, so it was noisier than we’d have liked and I did have to sleep in my trusty earplugs. The next day we got up and drove through the park, but it was still rainy and chilly, so we didn’t hike much. The absolute grandeur of these trees as they stand in their velvety green groves takes your breath the first time you see them. You almost can’t imagine that these trees were growing in this very place when man still believed the earth was flat. David and I were spellbound by the incredible beauty of this park. The gigantic ferns carpeted the forest floor and there were lovely foot bridges along the winding pathways—I wouldn’t have been a bit surprised to catch a glimpse of fairies playing nearby. Elk frequent the park and there were numerous signs posted to warn motorists. We were fortunate to see a grazing herd one day and later saw a lone elk helping himself to some green apples in someone’s front yard! We saw many RV’s especially clustered near the lagoons and rivers. We later found out they were fishing for salmon. We hoped to buy some fresh fish but couldn’t find any, so we opted to stop at a shop which sold smoked salmon and salmon jerky. The shop was run by a native American family and they smoked their fish in the traditional way over Alder wood with simple salt and pepper. It was delicious! Naturally, we wanted enjoy the ocean, so we hiked down to the beach one day. Our path was lined with ripening blackberries and several native wildflowers, including wild pink roses. The tide was in, so we didn’t get to stroll on the beach, but viewed the pulsating water from the safety of a high rock. Another day, we took a drive to Eureka, CA which was quite a drive out of the park, but we were so very glad we made the journey. Eureka is a charming Victorian town that was quite prosperous during the height of the timber industry. There were beautiful turn-of-the-century homes and shops downtown, including a lovely renovated theatre. In addition, there’s a pleasant waterfront with a public marina and you can watch the boats come and go. We thoroughly enjoyed our time there and as we were heading out, we happened across a Canadian couple we’d met at Crater Lake. They had stopped to take a photo of a glorious Victorian home and we recognized them. We waved them over and laughed at ‘how small the world actually is!’ Pierre and Micheline were pulling a lovely airstream trailer that we had admired when we were all touring Crater Lake. They told us they were heading to Joshua Tree National Park so we said our goodbyes and wished them a safe journey. Again, we were struck by the idea that you meet such interesting and charming people when you travel.

A Captivating Crater...

When you first come upon Crater Lake in southern Oregon, the intensity of the colors is what immediately pulls you in. Then, you marvel at the sheer size of this body of water formed when a volcano exploded and left nothing but a crater. Inside the lake lies a smaller cinder cone called Wizard’s Island because its shape was thought to resemble a wizard’s hat. The intense blue lake seems to magically appear, a welcome relief from traveling through dusty, hot badlands –type terrain. There are glorious yellow wildflowers lining the roadsides and numerous evergreen forests surrounding the lake, but there are also desolate pumice fields that are devoid of much vegetation. It is an interesting contrast. We were delighted to find that our campground had electricity—a first for us since staying in the national parks and our site was very spacious. As we generally do, we try and get a feel for the parks by driving through them first then deciding what points of interest to focus on during subsequent days. We did this with Crater Lake. We went to the park’s two visitor centers, talked to the staff and decided what hikes we wanted to do, etc. We also visited the lodge at Crater Lake. It was charming. Built in the early 1900’s, it had been paneled in crosscut timber and whole trees had been used for supporting beams. There was a lovely, but physically challenging hike from the lodge so we did that and climbed up to the rim of the caldera for a breathtaking view of the lake. I also got some great pictures of the little chipmunks which were everywhere. We also took a guided hike with park ranger Don Clark, a delightful man who taught us much about the area as we hiked up to an old fire lookout post for a spectacular view of the sunset. Of course, he and David laughed about their last names, and the photo we took that evening on the trail with “Lewis & Clark.” The next day we boarded one of the boats for a lake tour. It was a good way to get a different perspective on the formation of this lake and see the variety of volcanic creations. Unfortunately, the day was windy, the waves fairly large and several of the passengers got very wet! The hike down to the boat dock was not bad and took us maybe 15-20 minutes, coming back up was a different matter altogether. It probably took an hour and 15 minutes and it was straight up hill—it was not for the ‘faint of heart’ and I mean that literally! Happily, we had laundry facilities at the general store so I was able to catch up on laundry, since the volcanic dust seemed to cling to everything. While temperatures were warm in the upper 70’s during the day they fell at night and we definitely enjoyed our campfires. Mornings were quite chilly, but the day warmed quickly as the sun came up. Layering your clothing is very much the way to go when you are in higher elevations as I have now learned by experience. We stayed in Crater Lake for four days and David and I both felt this was one of our favorite parks (of course it seems like we’ve said this no matter where we go!) Crater Lake is a very different park experience, but I found it to have raw beauty that is absolutely captivating and makes me want to plan a return visit in the near future.

Mighty Columbia....

We had hoped to visit Cascades and Olympia National Parks but had heard weather reports that it might not be the best and with time starting to be a factor (I had to be in Kansas City by Sept. 24 for a college reunion) we decided to head south. David had done some work for projects associated with the electricity produced by dams on the Columbia River, so he was interested in traveling through the gorge. It was quite spectacular to see this powerful river, the same one that Lewis and Clark traveled on their way to the Pacific. We came across the Bonneville Dam with its huge turbines generating thousands of gallons of water per minute. We found a campground near Beacon Rock, a massive boulder that sits in the river and is a local landmark. The campground was quite small, but very pretty and it had a lovely hiking trail that wound around to a good view of Beacon Rock. That evening, we caught our first glimpse of a pika, a relative of the rabbit which lives in rocky areas. They are small and reminded me of a guinea pig, but they have a funny little squeak like a prairie dog. There were several pikas living in the rocks that our camp site backed up against. We were up early the next morning as we had a long drive, but we did take the time to stop and pick up some beautiful peaches and red pears at a local fruit market in one of the valleys. In fact, the valley was lined with similar markets. We found out from a girl who worked in her family’s market, that about 80-percent of the crops grown in the valley were pears. She recommended the Star Crimson Pears and were they ever good—the sweetest we’d ever eaten! We also picked up some white peaches and wonder of wonders….huckleberries… at a much better price than we had paid in Glacier. To me, there’s just nothing better than tree-ripened fruit that’s fresh picked---it’s nature’s bounty at its best. When you’re on a journey like this, you just never know what treats await you ‘just around the bend.’

Take a Hike...

Your first views of Mount Rainier are awe-inspiring, to say the least. You can see it from the forest-lined road towering on the horizon. David and I thought the drive was one of the prettiest we’d been on thus far. We came in to the park on the east side, like we did at Glacier National Park, and had picked out a campground at White River. It was already pretty filled on a Thursday, but we found a site next to the community campfire ring. The only downside to that is you’re asked to attend the nightly lectures given by the park rangers, because you’re in close proximity. (We did do this the first night and found it quite interesting…)We had terrific “neighbors” at the site next door—two sisters who try and get together for an annual campout. Barbara and Betty Lou were charming and very helpful in providing good advice on the parks we were planning to visit. This “insider information” is like mining for gold. We have found the camaraderie that exists among fellow campers can impart wisdom on so many levels, David and I strike up conversations with strangers as frequently as we can. Hiking is the premier activity and we jumped right in on our first morning there. David was what I call affectionately the “trail boss,” so he chose the trail. What a mistake (And I might add it was a short-lived title) after I found myself huffing and puffing up a steep mountainside. I lamented the fact that it seemed the trail should have been labeled strenuous not moderate and David turned to me and said “Oh, didn’t I tell you? It is!” Of course when you’re 6,000-plus feet up, it’s difficult to throw too much of a tantrum…However, it was a breathtaking view and well worth it, so I didn’t stay mad for long. We climbed all the way to a ranger fire lookout built sometime in the 1920’s. On our way down we came across an amazing sight. A herd of mountain goats were frolicking in a valley just below us. I laughed and told David “that there was something wrong with this picture—usually WE are looking up at the goats, not the other way around!” The next day was rainy and we were pretty tired from our climb so we opted to drive around the park and do sightseeing. Many of the buildings are very well-maintained and a few were part of the original settlement before the land became a park. We did get a chance to do a short hike through an old growth forest that was spectacular. I found it very spiritual; as I walked into this grove of tall majestic trees, it seemed as though they were transformed into the pillars of an outdoor temple, pillars that prompted you to look heavenward. Pictures just don’t seem to do this park justice, unfortunately. After seeing various sights, hiking and getting much-needed gas, we returned to the campground and socialized with “the girls” as David called them. Barbara and Betty Lou were just delightful and continued to add to our growing conviction that you do indeed meet the nicest people when you’re camping in the national park system.
David's Perspective:
Mt. Rainier was far more majestic than I had expected. After having been at Glacier I was surprised that the largest glaciers are in fact on Mt. Rainier . At 14,000 + feet it’s one of the three largest in the lower 48 with the others being Shasta in Northern California and Whitney in Southern California, both also somewhat over 14,000 feet. The forests around the mountain were absolutely beautiful. Again, every time we go to a new park, the experience is quite amazing as each one seems to somehow top the last. I could have stayed at Rainier for several weeks and never been bored with the beauty and grandeur of this place. I think one could live going from one park to the next and spending the 14 days allowed and then moving on. My cost as a senior is half-price, so Mt Rainier was $8 a day to park in one of the most unique and beautiful spots on earth. I would say not a bad deal!

Cool, Cool Coulee...

Dry Falls, sounds like a contradiction, doesn’t it? So of course you’re driving along the road, see the sign and ‘take the bait.’ David wanted to see the Grand Coulee Dam which was on our way from Idaho to Washington. However, when we got to the road to the dam, we found a major traffic back-up for construction so we decided to drive on until we saw the sign. We pulled into the traffic overlook and got out. What an amazing sight to see the actual coulee for which the dam is named. (A coulee is a French word to describe a section of land that has been carved out by a natural force and then becomes a receptacle for water.) The Grand Coulee is the largest of these, hence, its name. Geologists say that at one time there were massive waterfalls that carved out this coulee amid catastrophic flooding and glaciations. Obviously the climate was greatly different in those prehistoric times. Today, the terrain is very much like the badlands and it was hot, dry and windy. The sheer size of the coulee was certainly worth the stop and a quick visit to the nearby visitor’s center was very helpful in better explaining this amazing landmark.

Panhandle Paradise

After two weeks in Glacier National Park, we decided to pick up and continue our westward trek, but staying on a northern route. David had always heard about beautiful Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, but had never been there, so we decided to make that our next destination. We were determined to stay in national forest campgrounds because to us they seem more scenic. We found a lovely spot near Beauty Bay on Lake Coeur d’Alene-- a location that definitely lived up to its name! The lake is much larger than you might expect and on the day we arrived was quite busy with water skiers, knee-boarders and tubers. Where there were quiet coves, the deep blue water reflected the images of the pine and fir forests encircling the lake. The city exuded the charm of an old tourist ‘hot spot’ blended with a more progressive and upscale feel to the lakefront locations downtown. The city park is one of the neatest I’ve seen with a fountain and steps leading to the lake, public beach and a large green space which includes a fantastic wood-constructed play area. Of course our visit wasn’t complete, without a scenic tour of the 25-mile long lake and we had a pleasant late afternoon cruise on the top deck of one of the “Fun Fleet’s” best. We learned the name Coeur d’Alene is French and it means “heart of the awl. It was given to the Indians by early French traders because of their sharp trading practices. We finished our day with a visit to the local farmer’s market and bought some fresh picked green beans and tomatoes. Unfortunately, the tomatoes didn’t have much flavor. We did pick up a bottle of huckleberry syrup, so we’ll just turn our palates toward sweeter rewards. Another delight for us was finding a great hiking trail near our camp site which took us through the forest and up along a ridge which overlooked the lake. This hike was not for the ‘faint of heart’ as we climbed a quick 600 feet in little over a mile! The views were worth the climb as most are out here and were very glad we did it. We thought we might be in Coeur d’ Alene for just a couple of days, but we ended up staying twice as long. I guess that says something about this picturesque city of the Idaho Panhandle.

Berry Delicious...

Glacier Park was a favorite spot for numerous reasons, one of which was our introduction to the huckleberry. This highly sought-after northwestern fruit is a cousin to the blueberry, but it is smaller and more purple in color with a taste that is a little more tart (I likened it to a black raspberry). They only grow in higher elevations, so are found in abundance in the Rockies. Indeed, along most of our hikes we spotted huckleberries, a few remaining red raspberries and an abundance of serviceberries. The native Americans used serviceberries mixed with dried meat to form pemmican. Because our campsite was in a grove of serviceberry bushes, I couldn't resist the chance to try them. So one morning I picked a pint and made Serviceberry smoothies. They were pretty in color, but the taste is a little "greener" than a blueberry and definitely seedier. I decided to leave the rest of the berrries to the bears and that was definitely the case as we saw evidence one morning that one had visited our bushes! Bears also favor huckleberries and it may be because of this or the fact that you have to climb mountains to get them...whatever the reason, they are expensive--About $11 a quart. After sampling the delicious huckleberry struedel and ice cream at one of the lodges, we decided we wanted our own berries. We found some fresh picked in a small town near the park and I made fresh huckleberry pancakes. (I think David thought he had 'died and gone to heaven')We have since found berries here and there and I'm keeping a stash in my freezer when we have a craving for this northwestern delicacy.