Plan: camp at Timpanogas Lake with exploration of neighboring lakes, then zip up to climb Diamond Peak the next day.
Life: mosquito refugees make an interesting discovery and triumph in the end
Timpanogas Lake is beautiful, but currently teeming with very hungry mosquitoes. We did spray up and venture up and away from the lake to explore neighboring Indigo and Marie Lakes - well worth the bites and mis-aimed slaps. Each is a ~4 mile lollipop loop from Timpanogas campground. If you only have time for one, Indigo Lake has more scenery on the way and is quite picturesquely nestled at the base of Sawtooth Mountain. Both lovely and home to fewer mosquitoes than their larger downstream neighbor.
2016-08-02 Indigo Lake by walrus walrus, on Flickr
2016-08-02 June Lake by walrus walrus, on Flickr
On the internets, Timpanogas is cited as the headwaters of the Willamette, but I would imagine that Indigo Lake feeds it most of the year. We refilled our (delightfully cold) water and headed for the hills.
2016-08-02 Timpanogas pump by walrus walrus, on Flickr
We camped instead at the Rockpile trailhead, which is quite near where the Free Emigrant Road crosses FR 2160/Rockpile Road. This we stumbled upon quite by accident, and followed white blazes through the woods for a while before we found a second, slightly more explanatory blaze.
2016-08-02 FER blaze by walrus walrus, on Flickr
We guessed (and later googled to confirm) that this must have been a piece of the Oregon Trail. The Forest Service and the Oakridge Historical society (plus some other fine folks) have researched and reblazed the whole route. Some of it is in more public areas with explanatory plaques, but it also seems that one could retrace the entire route from Bend to Springfield. What an interesting piece of history!
Morning sent us (briskly to avoid mosquitoes) up the Rockpile trail on the way to Diamond Peak. There were lots of interesting saprophytes in the woods, including some spectacular pine drops. Saprophytes are cool any time you find them, but I'd just listened the most recent Radiolab, all about trees and fungus and their incredible relationships, and was more delighted and geeked out than usual.
2016-08-03 Rockpile saprophyte by walrus walrus, on Flickr
Rockpile Lake and Marie Lake were lovely fly-bys. I'd love to come back without mosquitoes for a more thorough exploration.
2016-08-03 Rockpile Marsh by walrus walrus, on Flickr
2016-08-03 Marie Lake by walrus walrus, on Flickr
From Marie Lake, we followed Sullivan's Scrambles directions. The route is well flagged to timberline and cairns and fairly well trodden user trails lead you the rest of the way up. (coming down, keep your eyes open and your compass handy, there are several routes and not all of them are well-marked) Spectacular views all the way up and the mosquitoes petered out after timberline. Very steep slog up to the false summit, final ascent was much more pleasant. It was a bit hazy, but we could see from Hood to Shasta and so many interesting things inbetween - like standing in a map!
2016-08-03 Heading down DP by walrus walrus, on Flickr
2016-08-03 DP final ascent by walrus walrus, on Flickr
padre e hija by walrus walrus, on Flickr
Well worth the mosquitoes.
Timpanogas Lake(s) + Diamond Peak 8/2-3/16
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Re: Timpanogas Lake(s) + Diamond Peak 8/2-3/16
Thanks, Walrus - great photos and report! That's an area that has been on my list for a long time. Interesting info on the wagon road, too!
Thanks for posting!
Tom
Thanks for posting!
Tom