Saturday, July 23, 2005
UFO
This really is a UFO story, I have mentioned it before to others but it is interesting enough to make a comment about it here. The fellow I do master gardening program with is a UFO believer and I am a bit of a skeptic, although I don't entirely dismiss it. When I told him I was going hike the Northern Sisters Loop trip he proceeded to tell me that the area is a UFO hot spot. Okay if you want to believe this stuff, even bigfoot too, your welcome to it and I may even listen to your stories with out objections, but don't expect me to believe it. I did mention the USGS reporting that the west side of South Sister is bulging, he suggested it may be aliens setting up shop under there, I am giving him the benifit of the doubt on this one that he was being facetious.
We didn't see any UFO's on the trip, I don't think I even thought about the fact he told me about UFO's being in the area. I do remember alot of walking, some swimming and being really tired by the days end. When we got home and dowloaded our pictures we found one! A UFO, no kidding! Take a look for yourself.
Or go here for a larger photo; UFO
I tried to call my friend up and tell him about it, but he was out of town, little did I know, and for some very unfortionate reasons too. I decided to email him the photo since I couldn't get him at home, when he did get home, boy did I get a call. After telling me his unfortionate story, a story a parent shouldn't have to deal with, he proceed to get very excited about this photo and asked if there were any others, unfortionately for him, there wasn't. He told me that they can go so fast that the eye can't always see it, but a camera's fast shutter speed can. When my wife and I went through the photos to take in for printing, we threw in that picture for fun, no other reason applied. My wife took the prints to work and the first thing one of the other ladies said, with out prompting, was that we had UFO on that picture. She is another UFO believer, says my wife to me, and it seemed most of the focus was on that one print. So you see it has been verified by 2 UFO researchers. What do you think, should I become a believer?
We didn't see any UFO's on the trip, I don't think I even thought about the fact he told me about UFO's being in the area. I do remember alot of walking, some swimming and being really tired by the days end. When we got home and dowloaded our pictures we found one! A UFO, no kidding! Take a look for yourself.
Or go here for a larger photo; UFO
I tried to call my friend up and tell him about it, but he was out of town, little did I know, and for some very unfortionate reasons too. I decided to email him the photo since I couldn't get him at home, when he did get home, boy did I get a call. After telling me his unfortionate story, a story a parent shouldn't have to deal with, he proceed to get very excited about this photo and asked if there were any others, unfortionately for him, there wasn't. He told me that they can go so fast that the eye can't always see it, but a camera's fast shutter speed can. When my wife and I went through the photos to take in for printing, we threw in that picture for fun, no other reason applied. My wife took the prints to work and the first thing one of the other ladies said, with out prompting, was that we had UFO on that picture. She is another UFO believer, says my wife to me, and it seemed most of the focus was on that one print. So you see it has been verified by 2 UFO researchers. What do you think, should I become a believer?
Monday, July 18, 2005
This blog is under reconstruction:
"I have a persistent fantasy about being able to eloquently express exactly who I am with this page of mine. Until that comes to fruition, please view my lack of expressive power as merely a temporary phenomenon."
(see "end of the road and start of a new one." below for more info.)
"I have a persistent fantasy about being able to eloquently express exactly who I am with this page of mine. Until that comes to fruition, please view my lack of expressive power as merely a temporary phenomenon."
(see "end of the road and start of a new one." below for more info.)
Friday, July 15, 2005
Northern Three Sisters loop
Written by Mrs Trail Seeker
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NORTHERN THREE SISTERS LOOP
July 11, 2005- Monday
We've arrived and began the trip at Pole Creek Trailhead; it's 3:30 p.m. The weather is quite warm, the sky is clear blue! The trail is nice and steady, catching a glimpse of north and Middle sister. A few skeeters- they like me best I think.
Crossed a few small creeks along the way. Now at the North Fork Squaw Creek crossing- had to put on water shoes and shorts to get across the freezing cold, rapidly moving water- up to our knees but no problem crossing at 6:00 p.m. This is a nice rock to journal on- the sky is so clear blue- can see Middle Sister upstream with the bright sun just above starting to set.
Arrived at Camp Lake, 7:30 p.m., have hiked 7 miles, elevation 7,000 feet. Snow around the lake, which is at the base of South Sister. This spot is a windy area- very windy! Last part of the trail the breeze picked up, felt good, and less to no bugs now. Our camp spot has a nice pile of rocks to make a short wall to help protect us from the wind. Dinner was a cup a soup and crackers. It's 9:00 p.m. and we're settled into the tent, it's still very light outside.
July 12, 2005- Tuesday
It's 6:30 a.m.- starting to pack... it was a breezy night, sounded like being at the ocean and waves crashing. Woke up at 2:30 a.m. and awake quite a while; not quite so breezy this morning but still quite windy and cooler temperature out.
Hiked between Middle and South Sister- over snow patches, rock scree... sometimes on a trail, sometimes not- down a gully area, walked thru the snow down that, and got thru the pass- went pretty good, no bugs to speak of. It was an awesome adventure to go thru the pass. We've not seen any people since the very beginning of the trail yesterday. Elevation is 6,650 now at 10.4 miles. It's 10 a.m. and stopped along the creek for water fill and breakfast--- oatmeal and trail snacks. Small biting skeeters are here, but we're still in long sleeves from the cool breeze.
After going thru the pass we picked up on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and began to see other backpackers here and there. It's 12:45 p.m. and we're at Eileen Lake. We took a dip in the water, had a little snack and enjoyed the beautiful views of the Three Sisters Mountains.
Beautiful green meadow, but a steep hike back up to the PCT, arrived at 3:30 pm. Back to the junction of the PCT.
It's 4:00 pm. And break time... a view of Scott Mountain down into a pretty meadow, 20.2 miles.
It's 5:45 p.m. and break time... hiked by Obsidian Falls; the trail has some logs to go over and under, walking along lava now. No views of the mountains in this area. Decide to go on a few more miles before camping for the night.
Went thru Oppie Dilldock Pass- a lot of uphill thru lava!! Then finally reach Minnie Scott Spring at 24.8 miles. Skeeters are bad, got some water and set up the tent and got in quick! I boiled water with netting over my face- that really worked well! Had hot cocoa and a few crackers at 8:00 p.m we're too tired to think about dinner. Finished the day with 17.8 miles on hiking…no wonder we're tired tonight. There are a few other people camping in this area on the other side of the spring.
July 13, 2005 - Wednesday
It's 6:45 a.m.- packing up; it's 39 degrees out. It got cold last night, there is ice on the backpacks. Got some water from the spring and headed out on the trail. There's been a few backpackers already out on the trail this a.m.
Hike thru Yapoah Crater area- uphill mostly. Continued uphill to the South Matthieu Lake junction then a couple miles of downhill. The skeeters were out and biting but the net worked good, I'm happy with that. Took a break at Alder Creek at 11:30 a.m. Nice area to rest. Then a hike up and down and then steadily down hill. We haven't seen any other hikers since the last junction. We realize the loop is a little longer than the book says.
Finished the loop at 3:00 p.m. and 38.7 miles. Amazing, the whole trip was done in 48 hours! -Mrs Trail Seeker
(edited to add this link to show a view of the Three Sisters taken last year from Scott Mountain and McKenzie Pass; The link )
--------------------------------------
NORTHERN THREE SISTERS LOOP
July 11, 2005- Monday
We've arrived and began the trip at Pole Creek Trailhead; it's 3:30 p.m. The weather is quite warm, the sky is clear blue! The trail is nice and steady, catching a glimpse of north and Middle sister. A few skeeters- they like me best I think.
Crossed a few small creeks along the way. Now at the North Fork Squaw Creek crossing- had to put on water shoes and shorts to get across the freezing cold, rapidly moving water- up to our knees but no problem crossing at 6:00 p.m. This is a nice rock to journal on- the sky is so clear blue- can see Middle Sister upstream with the bright sun just above starting to set.
Arrived at Camp Lake, 7:30 p.m., have hiked 7 miles, elevation 7,000 feet. Snow around the lake, which is at the base of South Sister. This spot is a windy area- very windy! Last part of the trail the breeze picked up, felt good, and less to no bugs now. Our camp spot has a nice pile of rocks to make a short wall to help protect us from the wind. Dinner was a cup a soup and crackers. It's 9:00 p.m. and we're settled into the tent, it's still very light outside.
July 12, 2005- Tuesday
It's 6:30 a.m.- starting to pack... it was a breezy night, sounded like being at the ocean and waves crashing. Woke up at 2:30 a.m. and awake quite a while; not quite so breezy this morning but still quite windy and cooler temperature out.
Hiked between Middle and South Sister- over snow patches, rock scree... sometimes on a trail, sometimes not- down a gully area, walked thru the snow down that, and got thru the pass- went pretty good, no bugs to speak of. It was an awesome adventure to go thru the pass. We've not seen any people since the very beginning of the trail yesterday. Elevation is 6,650 now at 10.4 miles. It's 10 a.m. and stopped along the creek for water fill and breakfast--- oatmeal and trail snacks. Small biting skeeters are here, but we're still in long sleeves from the cool breeze.
After going thru the pass we picked up on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and began to see other backpackers here and there. It's 12:45 p.m. and we're at Eileen Lake. We took a dip in the water, had a little snack and enjoyed the beautiful views of the Three Sisters Mountains.
Beautiful green meadow, but a steep hike back up to the PCT, arrived at 3:30 pm. Back to the junction of the PCT.
It's 4:00 pm. And break time... a view of Scott Mountain down into a pretty meadow, 20.2 miles.
It's 5:45 p.m. and break time... hiked by Obsidian Falls; the trail has some logs to go over and under, walking along lava now. No views of the mountains in this area. Decide to go on a few more miles before camping for the night.
Went thru Oppie Dilldock Pass- a lot of uphill thru lava!! Then finally reach Minnie Scott Spring at 24.8 miles. Skeeters are bad, got some water and set up the tent and got in quick! I boiled water with netting over my face- that really worked well! Had hot cocoa and a few crackers at 8:00 p.m we're too tired to think about dinner. Finished the day with 17.8 miles on hiking…no wonder we're tired tonight. There are a few other people camping in this area on the other side of the spring.
July 13, 2005 - Wednesday
It's 6:45 a.m.- packing up; it's 39 degrees out. It got cold last night, there is ice on the backpacks. Got some water from the spring and headed out on the trail. There's been a few backpackers already out on the trail this a.m.
Hike thru Yapoah Crater area- uphill mostly. Continued uphill to the South Matthieu Lake junction then a couple miles of downhill. The skeeters were out and biting but the net worked good, I'm happy with that. Took a break at Alder Creek at 11:30 a.m. Nice area to rest. Then a hike up and down and then steadily down hill. We haven't seen any other hikers since the last junction. We realize the loop is a little longer than the book says.
Finished the loop at 3:00 p.m. and 38.7 miles. Amazing, the whole trip was done in 48 hours! -Mrs Trail Seeker
(edited to add this link to show a view of the Three Sisters taken last year from Scott Mountain and McKenzie Pass; The link )
