Photo: Arrowhead Lake last August. This jewel can be found in Obsidian Basin of the Three Sisters Wilderness. We made this lake our base camp for climbing Middle Sister.
"Well, I can see everything is going to be just fine!" (Watering Holes, 0102, 2011)
Photo: Here is another look at Arrowhead Lake from my hammock!
"Good sleep has everything to do your surroundings." (Ambiance, 0103, 2011)
Photo: Upper Twin Lake, viewed from the south. Frozen solid for a long winter nap.
Photo: Cast Lake as it looked just before the first snow.
"No worry!" answered Zig Zag. "I've stored-up plenty of sunshine for winter." (Anticipation, 1210, 2010)
Photo: Rainy Lake on the southwest side of Mt Defiance. We had a little bit of everything today: rain, snow, hail and even some sunshine.
"The forest is preparing for winter," warned Rainy. (The Big Sleep, 1108, 2010)
Photo: Burnt Lake reflecting a lenticular cloud stack on the east side of Mt Hood. Taken this morning on a snowshoe trip back to Zig Zag.
"I've got three reasons for having very Good News." (New Fallen Snow, 1111, 2010)
Photo: Greg and I headed out before SAR class last week to watch the sunrise from Mirror Lake. We arrived too early to see the sun, but the pre-dawn forest is its own reward.
"Have you ever wondered why there is a new start to each day?" (Symbols of Shadowland, 1023, 2010)
Photo: Here's another look at Lost Lake. The resort and campground are closed for the season, but there's still plenty to see and do.
"The lake only yields an image of the sky when it is calm." (Image-Bearers, 1027, 2010)
Photo: Early morning at Lost Lake.
"It's the dawning of a new day..." The words floated quietly over the lake, and I could tell Buck was mostly talking to himself. Clearly his mind was somewhere else. (Millenium, 1102, 2010)
Photo: Fall is a great season for lake reflections, so here's another look at Burnt Lake below Zig Zag Mt holding an image of Mt Hood. Of course, Hood is now clothed in a blanket of snow, but this is what it looked like three weeks ago.
"It's the reflection that makes me beautiful," said ZigZag, "and what's true for me can be true for you." (Mud Puddles, 1102,2010)
Photo: I zoomed in on Burnt Lake from the Zig Zag saddle to get this shot. The location is a bit south of Mt Hood.
"He said I could meet Him in the Garden," replied ZigZag, "Looks to me like this is the right place." (Refuge, 1011, 2010)
Photo: Lost Lake near the Bull Run Reservoir (Mt Hood National Forest). As you can see, the morning was calm and tranquil, but we walked straight into a storm front two hours into the hike. Loved every minute of it!
"Don't get too comfortable," warned Buck. "Storm clouds are gathering." (Preparing for War, 1021, 2010)
Photo: Plaza Lake, a little jewel of an oasis for those willing to make the 600 foot descent down 18 switchbacks (and back up).
"The trail is steep and narrow," said Huxley, "but ~ happily ~ that's not the part I remember!" (Destinations, 929, 2010)
Photo: Shining Lake in the Roaring River Wilderness.
"Broken shards, dead trees? Am I interested!!" replied the Shining One. "Funny you should ask." (Love, 915, 2010)
Photo: One of many circular tarns in Obsidian Basin (Middle Sister is in the distance). The obsidian is prevalent, like walking on a fractured black mirror. This is Indian country, and shard fragments are common from making beautiful glass tools (spear tips, arrowheads, hand axes, etc.).
"I spent a long time at one of the tarns today. I was alone, and there were no interruptions." (Journal, 919, 2010)
Photo: Arrowhead Lake (7,000 elev), sits on a high bluff overlooking Obsidian Basin. It was home-sweet-home for two days and two nights.
"They call her the Mountain of Hope," replied McKenzie. (Memories, 901, 2010)
Trillium Lake
Photo: Fishing dock at Trillium Lake. The ice is thawing...
"Not everyone can walk on water," Trillium confessed, dumping lake water from his boots. (Docks, 0415, 2010)
Goat Lake
Photo: Goat Lake from the trail leading to Goat Ridge. We spotted at least three mountain goats on the far side of the lake (in the snow fields).
"It takes a lot of sunshine to melt away a winter," said the Ole' Goat. (LeRoy's Legacy, 0116, 2010)
Spirit Lake
Photo: Spirit Lake in the "blast zone" of Mt St Helens. The log raft you see on the lake has been floating back and forth over the surface for 30 years!!! (since the erruption on May 18, 1980)!
"That's the problem with losing your temper," Margaret told Helen. "You can never undo the damage!" (Debris Floats, 1229, 2009)
Mt Whittier
Photo: View from Mt Whittier to Mt Rainier looking north.
"Stay on the trail," warned Whittier. "It will guide AND protect you." (Follow the Leader, 1225, 2009)
Waldo Lake
Photo: Waldo Lake in the Central Cascades is "ultraoligotrophic" (having extremely clear water with very little organic material), and as of 1990 the Forest Service stopped stocking the lake with trout to preserve this clearness. This year (2009) all motorboats were banned for the same reason.
"Fish poop and motor oil are like 'wrong thoughts'," said Waldo-the-Wise. "They accumulate over time, and cloudy thoughts mean cloudy decisions." (Cataracts, 1224, 2009)
Davis Lake Outlet
Photo: Davis Lake Outlet at the south end of the Cascades highway in Central Oregon.
"There's a real advantage to filtering your out-put through several millions tons of lava rock," explained Davis. "It really improves things!" (How Purification Works, 1223, 2009)
Davis Lake
Photo: Davis Lake at the South end of the Cascade Lakes Highway near Sun River.
"There's a lot going on overhead," Davis said, gazing out at the expanse. "I need to pay much more attention to what's going on up there!" (Destiny Is Watching, 1213, 2009)
Mirror Lake
Photo: Here's another look at Mt Hood during the short, but beautiful "Window of Opportunity." It will soon be very, very dark in the forest, the temp is dropping fast, and I'm several miles from the car (last night).
"Storms paint the mountain white, and then the snow is bathed in light." Trillium stopped, looked me in the eyes, and said, "It always happens in this order." (Clear Skies, 123, 2009)
Mirror Lake
Photo: The sun is setting and we're hanging out on the snow-covered fishing dock at Trillium Lake (now frozen over) watching Mt Hood fade into the night. (Sunday evening).
"Good evening!" Karis-the-Quick smiled, paused... and said, "Let the show begin!!" (Father of Lights, 112, 2009)
Mirror Lake
Photo: Mt Hood 20 minutes before sunset from Trillium Lake. I ventured out on the frozen waters, but not dangerously. The lake will soon fall asleep for the winter under a thick blanket of really beautiful white snow, and that's when I'll be back!
"Storms!" Trillium gazed for a long time without saying a word, and then... "None of this is possible without them." (Roots of Virtue, 1204, 2009)
Crescent Lake
Photo: Crescent Lake, just off Hwy 58 heading south down the Cascades. This is a nice place to bring the family, and if you have a boat... well, bring it along.
"You can thank your grandparents' generation for these high quality recreation areas," explained Odell. "They were thinking of you before you were even born!" (Foresight & Sacrifice, 1129, 2009)
Salish Pond
Photo: Salish Pond in Fairview (yesterday evening).
"It's been a busy day," Salish said with a sigh. "But you know... it's over now and I can rest." (Home, 1128, 2009)
