Hiking volcanoes in Oregon

The following is a recount of my road trip to Northern California, parts of northwestern Nevada and Oregon, during the last week of June 2018.

As I am writing this, it has already been many months after the trip (because I am so lazy in updating my blog...), but hopefully I can still remember the details. In the meantime, I have moved back to Europe (!).

Day 1: Los Angeles to Sacramento
The first day was standard. After getting a rental car at 9 AM (same time, same rental place), I drove back home, finished packing and hit the road.

The way to Sacramento went for the most part uneventful, aside from stopping at rest areas. I made a break someplace near Stockton for dining at - guess where! -  McDonald's, and arrived at Sacramento in the afternoon.

I was exploring the historic district by the Sacramento river, turned into a pedestrian area. The area had a vibe similar to Old Town San Diego and I got to see some interesting Spanish-style architecture.

Old Sacramento.

Following the mini-sightseeing, I headed towards my motel. Then things started going the wrong way. Although I had my room booked a week in advance, I was told that the motel was overbooked and they had no rooms left. Then why even book in the first place? The guy I spoke to said the other motels nearby were overbooked too, but "you can contact booking-dot-com and they should find a solution"... After some hopeless driving around without navigation, I ended up in a Super 8 motel outside of town. The "8" was OK, but I lost some nerves, time and overpaid. Overall, I wouldn't recommend Extended Stay America for lodging...

Day 2: Lake Tahoe, Mount Tallac
Day two was already more interesting. After leaving the motel, I found myself on highway 50 going east. I recall asking at one gas station for a forest pass, but they did not have any, so I figured it was something no one cared to buy...

Shortly thereafter, I reached South Lake Tahoe, a big settlement at the lake. The hiking trail to Mount Tallac (the mountain I was climbing) starts in Spring Creek, which is a camping area not far from the main road. Finding a parking spot after 10 AM was not very easy...

Mount Tallac as in "Bonanza".

Finally, I was on the trail. Mount Tallac is a recognized peak in the Eldorado National Forest and is 9739 ft tall (2968 m). The mountain was portrayed in the opening sequence of "Bonanza", the old Wild West series better known by the older audience, for example my parents.

Lake Tahoe & Fallen Leaf Lake.

The weather was perfect for hiking, though the trail was somewhat busy. I liked the views as Lake Tahoe and its sibling Fallen Leaf Lake were visible at all times. The climb was quite tough (that filet-o-fish from the previous day was not overly nutritious), so I arrived at the summit drained. But the effort was 100% worth it.

As I was sitting on the summit enjoying snacks, I spotted several specimen of the yellow-bellied marmot lurking between the rocks. They had come out looking for food and were generally fearless. A contrast to European marmots that are hard to spot as they always run away from humans. I also saw several pikas and those were not afraid too. I thrown at them pieces of a croissant, hoping they wouldn't get sick (no one knows what's inside those croissants these days).

One of the marmots & Lake Tahoe.

Feeding a pika.

I descended from the mountain following the same trail. When I was packing back at the trailhead, now quite empty, one hiker offered me a beer (he and his company had many and were going to celebrate the hike). Unfortunately, I refused as I was probably too drained for beer and still had to drive one hour to my next accommodation.

It was dark when I pulled up at the Nugget Casino Resort in Reno, Nevada. I was about to spend the night in a multi-star hotel, a serious deviation from the usual roadside motels. I had a room booked for as low as 30 bucks, because Sunday nights are often very cheap. It was a bit funny, but before proceeding to the reception desk, I put my hoodie on to look more presentable after the whole day of intense hiking. The car had been taken care of by a valet. Again, something that I am totally not used to as a budget traveler.

Day 3: Reno, Pyramid Lake, Klamath Falls
The original plan for day three included a visit to Lassen National Park, but after Mount Tallac I was too tired for another hike and decided to see Reno and Pyramid Lake instead.

Reno seen from the hotel elevator.

After a 20 min wait for the valet, I got the car back and I headed towards downtown. Reno is practically the second largest city in Nevada after Las Vegas and is too a gambling spot (what isn't in Nevada? Every gas station has gambling machines...).

The famous arch.

I started my walk at the corner of West 2nd and Virginia streets, one block away from the famous Reno Arch. The memory of the California Gold Rush is still alive in Reno: I kept seeing the word "nugget" on many businesses and casinos... I went past the massive Eldorado Hotel & Casino, a tall statue of a clown (advertising circus shows) and continued the exploration of side streets.

A mural in Reno.

A business with a nugget-inspired name.

After reaching the clown, I turned around, went past the car and found myself on the Truckee River. This is an interesting one: it starts at Lake Tahoe, flows through Reno and empties into Pyramid Lake. The water that ends up there, fully evaporates, so the river never reaches the ocean. In Reno, there is a pedestrian area by the river (Truckee River Walk), connecting several small parks. As I was chilling in the shade in Barbara Bennett Park, some were taking a bath.

Truckee River in Reno.

Overall, my impression of Reno was nothing short of positive. Of course, there is much more to see, but my time was limited to one morning. Before returning to the car, I found a store with antiques and books, and bought two western novels by Louis L'Amour.

Approaching Lake Pyramid, Nevada.

My next stop was Pyramid Lake, a 45 min drive north from downtown Reno. I like how the landscape and climate rapidly change when traveling in the western USA. The day before I was hiking in a forest and even saw some snow, the next day I am in a desert and it is almost a 100 deg. Fahrenheit.

Pyramid Lake has no outlet to the ocean and water can only leave it by evaporation. Large tufa structures can be observed from the shore. I was, however, on the western side of the lake and could see those only from a distance.

Lake Pyramid.

The water was smelly, but otherwise clear.

Driving on highway 445 going north, the road at one point ends (becomes a gravel road). I pulled over to a parking area and descended on foot to the lake. The water was a bit smelly, but otherwise looked clear. Some people were camping nearby and I saw one boat on the lake.

The weather was super hot, so I was happy to be back in the air-conditioned Corolla. Leaving the lake, I stopped one more time to check on interesting rock formations and take photos.

Happily back in the vehicle.

The rest of the day consisted of a long drive to Oregon. After leaving Reno, I saw on the freeway several platforms carrying houses. Something that one does not see every day. Otherwise, the travel went smooth. The desert gave way to a forest, meadows and lakes as I entered Modoc National Forest. The landscape was exceptionally beautiful and I was constantly looking around.

In the evening, I eventually made it to Klamath Falls, Oregon. Another town, another Motel 6. After checking in, it got dark and I was tired from too much car, so I called it a day and prepared for sleep.

Day 4: Mount McLoughlin
It was a big day, because I was about to climb the first volcano in my hiking career.

I woke up to a perfectly weather and prepared to leave the motel (I was staying in Klamath Falls for two days). The first order of business was buying snacks at a gas station, then trying to find a forest pass. I went to one store with gardening accessories, but the staff had no idea about the pass. Again, I decided to do the hike without it, probably risking a fine.

Upper Klamath Lake.

After Klamath Falls, I stopped briefly at Howard Bay Park, a parking area with boat ramps on highway 140 going north. The Upper Klamath Lake that I was now looking at, I would continue seeing for the whole day from the hiking trail. A notice board drew my attention: it warned of non-native species now invading Oregon, because people do not clean their boats properly when moving them between lakes.

The hiking trail to Mount McLoughlin is somewhat tricky to access. About half a mile after the Lake of the Woods, starts a rough forest road. Because I did not want to break the Corolla, I only drove 3/4 of the road (and that was very slowly), and parked 20 min on foot from the actual trailhead. The forest here was dense and green, unlike forests normally seen in California's mountains.

Mount McLoughlin is a 9493 ft (2893 m) stratovolcano in the area of Oregon called Sky Lakes Wilderness. It is also the southernmost of the state's volcanoes. While it may not be especially tall, the volcano is quite steep and challenging to climb. It really looks like a volcano from afar: cannot be mistaken by some other type of mountain.

The trail to Mount McLoughlin begins gently...

The trail started gently in the forest. I met a few hikers at the parking area, but they quickly went out of sight. About an hour into the hike, the trail became steep and would continue like this until the end. Because I was walking slowly, it took me forever to climb above the forest line. Then I lost the trail, probably covered by debris of basaltic rocks and patches of snow. Losing the trail was demotivating, plus I was now totally drained and was zigzagging without a clear direction.

On the trail.

The summit is clearly visible.

When I had almost given up the hike, I magically found the trail and at 4:30 PM approached the summit.

The views from the top were fascinating. All Sky Lakes were visible, surrounded by the forest from all sides. Far away was the snow-capped cone of Mount Shasta, the second highest volcano in the entire range after Mount Rainier.

The snowy cone of Mount Shasta.

The summit was all rocky, some rocks arranged to create a shelter from the wind. I found old ammo boxes with the usual notepads, stickers, empty beer bottles and whatnot.

Ammo boxes on the mountain top.

After about half an hour, I began the descend. I cannot recall meeting anyone on the way down, and when I found myself on the parking lot all cars had already disappeared. Mosquitoes became suddenly a big problem. There were so many of them and so aggressive. I run the remaining section to the car chased by the mosquitoes, which was hilarious in a way.

Running from mosquitoes to the car.

After reaching the vehicle, I jumped inside and slammed the door. Usually after a hike I would unpack my gear, change my shoes to flip-flops, refresh, etc., but I was being eaten alive by insects and wanted to quickly get out of the forest. On the way back to Klamath Falls, I stopped again at the lake to unpack, rest and take photos of the sunset.

En route back to Klamath Falls.

And that was it for day four. Back in my motel, it was only a shower, TV and sleep.

Day 5: Crater Lake National Park, Mount Scott
The volcanic theme would continue throughout days five and six. After checking out from the Motel 6, I left Klamath Falls on highway 97 going north, followed by highway 62. The distant snowy slopes of Mount McLoughling caught my eye as I was passing by the Klamath Lake.

Mount McLoughlin from the highway.

My next target was Crater Lake National Park, Oregon's only national park, and the fifth oldest in the country.

At the entrance there was the usual wait, payment and picking up free maps. I started from checking on the visitor information and store, then proceeded to the visitor center, which is just beside the lake. The park was very busy with tourists and finding parking required a little trickery.

Crater Lake (Wizard Island visible on the left).

There is an overlook behind the visitor center. As I got there, a guided tour was taking place, but I managed to sneak in and get a glimpse of the Crater Lake. The lake is a flooded caldera, which is a remnant after the collapsed volcano Mount Mazama. Interestingly, the caldera is nearly 600 m deep, making it the deepest lake in the United States.

Another curiosity is an island on the lake, called Wizard Island, accessible only by boat and on a limited basis. Taking a boat tour, apparently one may see a submerged tree stump that has been bobbing in the lake's water for over 120 years.

Crater Lake from the rim drive.

The panorama from the caldera's rim was remarkable. What made my jaw really drop was the unreal blue color of the water. The surface of the lake looked like anything but water.

Following the rim drive, a road circumventing the park around the caldera, I approached the trailhead for Mount Scott, the highest point around at 8938 ft (2724 m).

The hike was not particularly tough this time. The trail to the summit was 2,5 miles long (according to a signpost) and not very steep, but a little busy compared to the previous hike. When I stopped half way through for snacking, I saw again some pikas and gave them my food. I went past a false summit, crossed a shallow saddle and ended the climb at a fire lookout tower.

Approaching the summit of Mount Scott.

From in front of the tower, the whole park was visible, with the caldera in the middle, as well as the snowy cones of distant volcanoes (Mount McLoughlin, Mount Thielsen, Diamond Peak). I could only wish I had more vacation days to climb them all, but maybe one day... On the opposite site was Oregon's inland and Winema National Forest until the horizon. Meanwhile on the summit, it was very windy and cold, but luckily I wrapped myself in my jacket.

Crater Lake seen from Mount Scott.

After descending from Mount Scott, I wanted to drive around the park, but there was only enough time for visiting the Watchman overlook, probably the best spot to see the Wizard Island. After repacking, I left the park on highway 138 heading towards my next destination: Bend. I recall stopping once at a rest area, and again at a McDonald's in the outskirts of town.

The motel (called Motel West) was a bummer. I got a practically windowless room with outdated furniture. The ceiling in the bathroom was leaking when someone was showering upstairs. But for two nights it was bearable. And the Indian family operating it was friendly.

Day 6: Newberry Caldera, Paulina Peak, Deschutes National Forest
It was a 45 min drive from Bend to the Newberry Volcano, my next point of interest. I branched off highway 97 at Finley Butte Park, paid $5 to enter the state park and pulled over at Paulina Lake Campground.

My plan included climbing Paulina Peak, a mountain overlooking the Newberry Caldera at 7984 ft (2434 m) and the highest point in the park.

Orientation plan for the Newberry Caldera.

Since I wanted to avoid stressing the rental car on a gravel road, I walked the first mile to a small parking lot at the trailhead. Theoretically, one can drive all the way to the top, but I was hiking.

The two mile long hike was done in tranquility. I recall meeting only one elderly woman and a couple. The trail (called Crater Rim Trail) led through a forest of whitebark pines. These trees are now endangered by white pine blister rust, a disease to which only some of them are resistant. Efforts are underway to restore their population.

The summit of Paulina can be a disappointment as one walks out from the forest into a parking lot with a restroom. The lot was filled with loud tourists. Otherwise, the views were pretty spectacular.

A field of frozen lava (background: East Lake).

At the time of this writing, the Newberry Volcano was listed the 13th most dangerous volcano in the USA. The caldera is so big that it contains two separate lakes, Paulina and East Lake. Of special interest is the Big Obsidian Flow, a huge field of frozen lava. It cannot be mistaken by anything else: there are wrinkles on the lava that make it look as if the rock was still fluid. Amazing stuff!

Paulina Lake & distant volcanoes.

On the opposite side of the caldera, giant volcanoes covered in snow were visible, Mount Bachelor and Three Sisters.

After the hike, there was still plenty of time for discovering the lakes. I drove further to East Lake and strolled along the shore. Boats were being unloaded from trailers. One information board caught my eye that mentioned hot springs in the area. Little pools with hot water were supposed to be on the beach. Unfortunately, I could not find them, but maybe I was not trying too hard.

Tuna :)

Tired after a week of hiking, I now only wanted to chill, so I was sitting for an hour in the car eating a tuna sandwich.

Instead of returning to Bend directly, I did a small detour in Deschutes National Forest, passing by the ski station at the bottom of Mount Bachelor (closed for the summer). I also stopped at Elk Lake, one of the several lakes in the area, to explore and photo hunt.

Elk Lake & Mount Bachelor.

Day 7: Bend, Portland
For the last full day of my trip, I had planned sight-seeing in Bend and Portland. I was rather happily leaving the not-so-great motel.

Although it only has a population of about 75,000, Bend is the largest city in Central Oregon. It sits between the Cascade Mountains and the Oregon's high desert. The best option would have been climbing Pilot Butte, a small extinct volcano within the city limits. Sadly, the time only permitted for a short visit to Drake Park and downtown Bend, which I both liked.

Back on the road, I was progressing north on highway 97, followed by highway 26. In Madras, I stopped to buy gas and snacks. Suddenly, I realized that there is no self-service at gas stations in Oregon. Instead, stations use attendants. Interesting! Later I learned that until not-long-ago filling your own gas in Oregon was actually illegal.

Highway 26 in Oregon & Mount Hood.

After leaving Madras, I left behind the desert-looking landscape and entered the forested mountains. Because of a road closure, it was not possible to drive directly to Portland. I took a detour via Hood River, passing at the bottom of the snowy Mount Hood. The last section of the road led on Interstate 84 along the Columbia River. Unfortunately, it very busy with traffic.

In downtown Portland, I luckily found a parking structure at the corner of Broadway and Main streets. Walking past Chapman park, I approached a pedestrian zone by the Willamette River. Giant metal structures caught my eye: Hawthorne and Steel Bridges. These are the oldest vertical-lift bridges in America. The latter is especially interesting, with its double-deck structure (the lower deck is used by trains, the upper one by cars).

Steel Bridge in Portland, Oregon.

The pedestrian area was very busy with bicycles, joggers, tourists and, unfortunately, homeless. Otherwise, it was a very relaxing place.

My next stop was at the Lan Su Chinese Garden. With some prior experience with Japanese gardens, I was curious to see one from China. The Lan Su is relatively young, because the construction began only in 1999. It encloses a full city block.

Lan Su Chinese Garden.

Traditional Chinese clothing.

A 10 min walk from the Chinese garden is Portland's Union Station. Opened in 1896, it is one of the oldest continuously-operated stations in the US. What a great chance to photo hunt for my friends, railway enthusiasts.

The building's historical architecture surprised me, especially the clock tower with the signs "Union Station" and "Go by train". On the inside, it was very stylish as well. I liked most the neon lights for baggage storage and telephones. On the down side, I could not get to the platforms without a ticket. What I did not know by the time of visiting, Portland is the only US city that occasionally operates steam locomotives.

Union Station in Portland.

The station's interior.

En route back to the vehicle, I visited a nearby McDonald's for the usual filet-o-fish and milkshake. No surprises in the nutrition department.

The rest of the day was standard. My motel was in a town called Vancouver (not the one in Canada), across the Columbia river. I was already in the state of Washington, but only realized that after getting out at a gas station: there was no gas attendant... I slept in another Motel 6, a very pleasant one. I got a room far in the back, overlooking pine trees. Very quiet, indeed, so I could get some proper sleep before my flight back to LA.

When I was leaving the motel on Saturday morning, it was cloudy and cool. As if the weather was trying to remind me that I was in the Pacific Northwest... Returning the car at PDX, Portland's airport, was a no-brainer. The airport itself was not overly exciting this time. During the flight, the plane was passing by the Cascade volcanoes. Once again I could see the snowy cones of Mount Bachelor, Mount McLoughlin and the mighty Mount Shasta. I immediately became nostalgic. The views were arguably some of the best I have seen from the air!

Mount Shasta from the plane.

Reflecting on that trip many months later, I think it was my second best, after New Mexico. There was less driving and most of it was hiking. For the first time, I was climbing volcanoes, and already three of them: McLoughlin, Scott and Paulina. Plus, I finally got to see Lake Tahoe and climbed Mount Tallac. The variety of landscape and climate was beyond belief. I visited (in chronological order): deserts, forests, mountains, mountain lakes, deserts again, desert lakes, forests, mountains (volcanoes) again, calderas, and so on. I also saw several cities, with Reno and Portland standing out. And lastly, while not fully realizing it, I spent one night in Washington state.