On a whim Bobbe and I did 4 days camping at Big Lake CG near Santiam Pass. Mike and Teresa Norris also came along. It was on short notice and we did not have reservations at the camp ground and I assumed we could find a couple of sites because it was mid week. Well we did find two sites not too far apart. The camp ground was full otherwise.
We were lucky to find a site long enough and wide enough for our rig. No campfires because trailer had to over hang fire pit to be off road.
Nice view a short distance from camp site. Big Lake is a medium size lake for the cascades. there was some power boats and jet ski boats on the water but more canoes, kayaks and sup. Crowds quickly diminished a few hundred yards from the boat ramp.
We also were lucky, there were still quite a few wildflowers in bloom.
Mountain Ash berries not quite ripe yet.
Wild huckleberries were fully ripe. I had a hard time making progress on the trail along the south end of the lake. It was a blue tounge day for me :) I returned later and took some cuttings and hope to root some plants for my own garden at Snowshoe Inn. I think the wild huckleberries will be a good addition to my landscape garden.
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| Fire weed |
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| Fish Lake Guard Station |
We did a road trip and stopped at Fish Lake Guard Station. We have driven past for 30 years but never stopped. It was worth the time. The guard station is on the old Santiam Wagon road. At one time there was a hotel and corals to change horses for the early teamsters that traveled the toll road. My great grandfather Levi Crain was a teamster out of Prineville, Oregon and I would assume that he might have traveled this road at one time or another. It was also a remount station for the USFS for there work in the area. A little before my time foresters were trained on how to pack a mule so they could work in the woods away from home. My how times have changed.
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| Photo through window of old cabin. |
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| sign says " no cauked boots" |
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| Logo on old post |
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| The one trail marker the USFS missed |
Another road trip was to find and explore the Sawyer Caves. Years ago there was a sign and trail to the caves. The caves were lava tubes so common in Central Oregon. Several years ago I noticed the sign was missing and the parking area blocked. One of the things that has to be done to protect the resource I guess. With the help of my old maps and gps I was able to find the trail head and ultimately reach the caves. The first cave was very cold but did not go far. It looks like the entrance had fallen in but could feel a lot of cold air coming out anyway. The second cave was much larger and not quite as cool.
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| Mike Norris above 1st cave |
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| Second cave with metal grate to keep people out |
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| Mike and Teresa loading there kayak |
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| Bobbe leading the way in our kayak |
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| Young pine seedling in old B & B wild fire area |
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