More Early Flowers
A grey, cloudy but warm Sunday … perfect for flowers All photos within blocks of my front door … Spring is surely coming!
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Blooms, Mist and a Hawk
An after breakfast local hike at Mt Pisgah with grey and threatening skies, but the weather peeps promised ‘showers maybe’ … I met hiking buddy at North TH at Pisgah around 10:30 to start. I never put on rain jacket nor pulled out umbrella – just mist periodically. Spring is further along than last week…
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Three-layered Water Cake
Three hikes were considered within 1 hour drive, Alpine, Hardesty and King-Castle. Weather being same, key choice lever was Alpine’s south-facing hill – drier. A good choice as Alpine Trail was a 3-layer water cake. Lower elevations were muddy, middle elevations between TH #2 and #3 dry, and above TH #3 very muddy from last…
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Spring & Silly Humans at Pisgah
After Tuesday’s rain and yesterday’s sunshine, I anticipated better conditions at Pisgah but not so – most of the trails were wet, muddy and sloppy – though shoe uppers were not dirty when finished. An after breakfast start from the North TH parking lot that was not as full as typical and the fog was…
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All Day Rain on Ridgeline
After two days of serious Willamette Valley rain, the weather peeps suggested a break Tuesday with only cloudy, foggy morning and maybe showers early afternoon. I rechecked right before leaving, and was same … how wrong they were. It rained all day from the moment I left Spring Blvd Trailhead at 7:30 until I returned…
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Just Birds
I went back along the Mill Race today to check on the Great Blue Heron nest building. The trees, creeks, and odd things all had herons. Maybe 20 during the 3 hours. Progress on the new nests was null – nothing. I did check the old ones again too – empty. This one heron on…
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Snow, Mud and Sun
Yesterday it snowed at higher elevations the weather peeps had everybody expecting more this morning. I waited for better conditions leaving home around 7:45 and headed for North TH at Pisgah. Uncharacteristically empty parking lot due to conditions … The hills early held last night’s new snow Across the valley, Spencer Butte received the same…
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Early Hints of Spring
Walking around town on a sunny war mid-50s February day early hints of spring were everywhere. Oregon snowpack is ~30% of average and thankfully a big rain storm is heading this way next week, but things still seem early this year. (Remember opening an image shows better resolution – the flowers especially) Near home flowers…
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Quiet Alpine Trail
The valley was to have late morning fog, but the foothills warmer and fog-free earlier. Logical good hike -> Alpine Trail from the best Willmatte National Forest TH @ Westfir Covered Bridge park. Driving from Hwy 58 to Westfir, frost was everywhere in the hill’s shadow sparkling in headlamps, and on the park lawn too….
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Turkeys and Bad Air
Weather in the 60s with blue sky and sun in February. Close-in short hike at Mt Pisgah was the call. Left the North TH about 10:30 and headed to the north and east side of the hill. From the first time atop Pisgah, it was clear that bad air (stagnant) remains in Willamette Valley. Coyote…
