Burnt Lake 7/5

[pdxgene]

It was just too nice a day to stay home today or to make a marathon drive somewhere.
A couple semi-important notes.. the new Muddy Fork Bridge will probably open sometime later this week. It's pretty much done except some touch up stuff they are working on.
Lost Creek split and formed a new channel just above the falls. Thus making it pretty unsafe at the moment to cross to the best viewpoints. Only one log spans the creek and it has sharp spiky things in case you lose your balance. The best way is to just wade across but it's running too fast right now over a slippery rock surface. It's only a couple steps, you could probably jump it. I think I could have pretty easily and thought about it. But the penalty for thinking wrong , or landing wrong, could be pretty severe. I'll give it a month and let the creek flow mellow.
On to the lake 'bout 11ish..

Mt Hood..

Not only were the July 4th crowds long gone but the July 4th cupcakes were two for a buck!

Other than the constant fish jumping, it was very very calm and quiet..

This guy just looked hungry..

And one of the little fairy-slipper orchids that lighten up the forest floor every once in a while..

Bunches more from a nice warm, quiet, peaceful day in the Mt Hood Nat'l Forest at http://picasaweb.google.com/pdxgene/BurntLake66
And still almost no biting bugs!
Oh yeah, it looks like Paradise Park, or the spot where it would be, is under a ton of snow still.

[geographics]

,

[pdxgene]

I almost thought it was algae at first, it's that time of year. But I remembered sitting on the log and putting my feet in it previous years and nothing happened. The current carried it further away as the day went on.

[geographics]

.

[pdxgene]

No, I'm fairly sure you were right the first time that it's pollen. It seems to be coming off some of the plants lining the lakeshore. The water is still pretty cold.

[Guy]

I believe it's Doug Fir Pollen, it was falling in clouds on us when hiking in the trees on McNeil the day before.

I tried to get a photo of it but it was too fine to capture!



Still we were covered in it, I'm sure there are still several pounds of it in my lungs ...

[idratherbhiking]

Hi, thanks for the trail update. This hike is next on my " to hike list" of hikes not yet visited! I can hardly wait , it's just beautifully shown in your pictures, AWWMAZING!!! Great job on your trip report as well. You seem to give good advice, and entertainment in your reports! Overall very beautiful pics, you've got a fan! Thanks again, will be watch'in for your hikes! Gosh I can't wait til I can retire ,"many moons from now" I'll be out there on those trails most every day! Sometimes it's annoying being young and in the work force. LOL!!!

[pdxgene]

Hey, thanx. You'll enjoy a lot more solitude if you can go on a weekday. If it's breezy you'll have to get real low to the ground to grab the reflection of Mt Hood.

It's the driving to the trailhead that kills me (and wishing I was retired instead of just not working very often). if I could just magically appear at the trailhead I'd go most every day.

I plan on standing in that base pool right under Lost Creek Falls later this summer. I didn't cross this weekend but I could see my route down to the bottom is still there from across the creek along the regular trail.

[srwhite613]

This is a great hike. Did the trek to the Lake and E. Zigzag Saturday (7/9). Lots of melting snow past the lake, but the trail is still passable. The mosquitos do come out past the lake as well, but they seemed to be small and slow still. Streams were bigger than expected with the warm weather this weekend. Great hike and views!