Tag Archives: Broken Top

Jul31

Solstice at the Green Lakes

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Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday – 21-June-2023 through 23-June-2023


My pack is 40.5lbs.

I want to be clear – this isn’t a bad thing. A surprising thing, to be sure, but still a totally acceptable thing.

See, I bought my backpacking pack for a planned pack weight of 45lbs, so… it’s a bit under, and basically right where I expected it. It’s still interesting to think about, though, as I hear people talking about “base weight of 10lbs”, and carrying around 20lb multi-day packs…

Meh. I like my backpack, and I like what I bring.


What I brought was a beautiful setup for the 2023 Summer Solstice. I’ve wanted to go backpacking over the Solstice for years, but have never quite been able to make it happen… somehow I almost always miss it. Probably because it really feels like the Solstice should be sometime in July or August, not June… it just feels wrong that the longest day of the year is so far before the hot months, you know?

This year, though, I remembered. I planned, and I made sure that I had some good time off so that I could escape out to the woods. I kept a few options of where to go in mind, but they got whittled down as the dates got closer – the snowpack was pretty deep, so the question really became what would be melted out in time. In the end, Green Lakes was my best bet – great views, great sky, and the main parking lot was melted out enough that I could easily make my way there in the Mustang.

Bonus points – It was on the way down to Sacramento, so I could double-up on the trip and visit Mike and Michelle afterward! (Ed Note: See Ben’s next post, dear reader!)



I got going luxuriously late on a Wednesday, grabbing a relaxed breakfast in town before kicking off the drive down to the desert. I gorged on chicken fried steak, had some coffee, and cruised my way out of the humidity and into the dry air of Central Oregon.

I hefted my pack, ate a head of broccoli that I hadn’t finished before leaving (I mean… why let it go bad in the fridge when I could eat it like an apple instead?), and started into the woods.

I was lucky – more lucky than I could have anticipated.

There’s a bridge, maybe a tenth of a mile into the trail. At that bridge, I ran into a ranger – a maintenance guy, to be specific, who was about to dive into reworking that bridge. It’d be closed for the next day or so, he warned me, and that I’d have to use the horse crossing (a river fording) if I wanted to get back before then.

I didn’t plan on it, so I wasn’t worried… but what it meant was that I didn’t see anyone else (except one guy maybe 1/4 mile away) while I was out there!


Anyways, that’s in the future.

I hiked in. The trail went under the snow about 2 miles in, and never came out – I navigated mainly by memory, checking GPS once or twice as needed. There was a bit of a boot path, but… really, it didn’t look like more than a handful of people had come this way since the last snowfall. There were a few trail markers, but… yeah. I was exploring, and having a solid time.

I set up camp, I relaxed, and I did a bit of hiking around. I made dinner, made a little mini-fire (allowed, since I was camped on a snowfield), and enjoyed the Solstice and my own thoughts.

I admit – my thoughts were a bit rough on this trip. They evened out by the second day, but on that first day… it was tough, I’ll tell you what. I can’t quite cleanly explain why (there’s countless little things contributing, of course), but I felt this massive sense of loneliness on that first day out. An empty pit in my stomach, wishing that I wasn’t alone out here…


That’s the advantage of backpacking alone, right? It’s tough, but it’s healthy. To embrace the emotions felt, and let them run their course… letting them be felt and acknowledged, and healed from. Maybe this is what people mean about not bottling up their feelings?

I reflected, I read, and I headed to bed.



Thursday broke bright, warm, and beautiful.

I was feeling quite a bit better as I sipped coffee and ate breakfast… and by the time it was midday I was a few miles into my wanderings for the day.

I didn’t have a goal or summit in mind – just to wander North, and see where the “trail” led me. Not an actual trail of course, since I was basically an arctic explorer in the untouched wilderness at this point, but walking a few feet above where a trail would normally have been.

One neat thing was the red snow that I came across… some sort of algae or fungus, I assumed, though I can’t say I remember seeing it a ton in recent years… I looked it up when I got home, learning quite a bit of interesting things – worth checking out, I’d say!

(Ed Note: Here’s the link for red snow: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210729-why-snow-in-the-alps-is-turning-red)


I used GPS when needed, and even did a bit of orienteering using my map and compass. I took my time, embraced the emotions, and considered the background to them all.

In all, I hiked ~13 miles that day, probably with a thousand or three feet of elevation gain along for the ride. Nothing crazy… but nothing to scoff at either.

I explored, saw no one (not even mosquitoes, thankfully!), and reflected. I got back to camp, enjoyed the sunset and my dinner, and did a bit more reading.

I slept amazingly.


Friday was my day to hike out… and unfortunately I had a bit of a timeline to keep to. Since I picked Green Lakes, instead of a hike further to the South, there was a fair bit of driving to be done before I made it to Mike and Michelle’s house in Sacramento. A bit over 7 hours, in total, so… best to get a move on, yeah?

I packed up, and packed out. I saw no one until the clock hit 11:00… and then I immediately ran into a parade of Bend Natives – people day hiking, backpacking, everything.

There was a team of two, in the fanciest / newest / most expensive gear, who I’m confident ended up turning around… they asked tons of questions about the snow, obviously feeling ill prepared for a hike on the snow followed by setting up camp… even with their massive packs full of enough gear to lay siege to Antarctica. Smart – just because you have it, doesn’t mean you know how to use it.

There were a dozen or so day hikers, who I expect also turned around before Green Lakes… mainly since they were all wearing trail runner shoes. Which would have been perfect for the 100+ degree weather in Bend, but… maybe not for the 50s that we were experiencing in the mountains.

There was a bachelor party, who asked me for shrooms as they hiked in with their tennis shoes.

There was a whole team of college looking kids, eager with questions and cobbled together gear, who I’m absolutely confident made it all the way up, and probably had an absolute blast while doing so.

A lady and her dog, about my age (the lady, not the dog) who seemed a bit nervous being out alone… but also had all the right gear to make sure she’d be safe. We chatted for a bit longer than I did with the others, as she asked a few detailed questions about the camping situation… I was most jealous of her, versus any of the other teams, as I’m sure she had an amazing time being up in the quiet with her dog.

I got out, back to the car, and the into the river to rinse off the sweat and dust of the trail.

I took a few last photos, had a light snack, and braced myself for the long drive ahead.



A mini treat to those who made it all the way to the end – I brought the drone with me! I just did short flights, when no one was around (which was easy, since no one was ever around), but still got some amazing views before sunset!

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Nov23

An annual(ish) trip up to Green Lakes!

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Saturday and Sunday, 29-Oct-2022 and 30-Oct-2022


It’s Halloween already, isn’t it? How did I miss that it’s already Halloween?



It had been a year. A busy, adventure-filled, amazing, challenging, ridiculous year. Full of evolution, change, growth, and movement forward toward the future.

But October found me back somewhere I’ve been quite a few times before… reflecting on how much has changed since the last time I was there. To an extent… but, frankly, also appreciating the calm moment to just not think about everything. To relax, to unwind, and to appreciate the cold wind and clear skies.


I’ve been to Green lakes… Ohh, probably at least seven times. Once a year, give or take, and probably a few more times that I’m not quite remembering. It’s calm, beautiful, and I’ve gotten to know the area pretty well at this point. It’s comforting, and I’m always thankful for the weekends that I can make it up.



This year, I went out a bit later than normal – Or so I thought. In retrospect, looking back at previous photos and such, it seems that mid to late October is pretty normal of a time for me to go out… interesting. I don’t quite recall there being this much so any other time, so… Hmm. interesting, in any respect.


I got out fairly early in the day, with the goal of getting to camp before sunset – Shorter days, less hiking time, the usual. I was aiming to arrive and make camp with maybe half an hour of daylight left… and instead, I got there with nearly two hours of daylight to enjoy! I was happily surprised – I’ve been hiking and working out a lot more these last few years, but haven’t been seeing too much progress, and I freely admit that it’s been a bit draining on my psyche. After absolutely crushing this, and my last, hike… I’m starting to see why I haven’t seen much progress.

I’ve been continually moving forward, and doing harder and harder hikes. Middle Sister was exceptionally challenging… but that’s because it’s a challenging hike. It’s not even really a hike – it’s a technical ascent! Of course it should be hard!

Anyways, I made it with tons of time to explore, relax, and enjoy myself… and then, to sleep. Like, so early. I legitimately was tucked into my sleeping bag drifting off by 8:00, I think.



The next morning I woke up late.

That’s right. Asleep by 8:00, and still asleep at 10:30. Awwww yeah, be amazed at that sleep debt I carry. Or… just at how much I enjoy being curled up in a sleeping bag in the freezing woods? It was exceptionally windy that night… Windy enough that I had woken up and actually got out of the tent to better secure my cooking gear and hiking poles!



Regardless of how long I slept, I got up. I broke fast, I supped upon coffee, and I enjoyed the cold. I took some time to boil off water for myself to bring home. I thought… a bit. But mostly, I simply let myself enjoy the cold world around me, either through my own eyes or through the lens of a camera.

It.

Was.

Excellent.



The drive home found me a bit hungry… and the random pizza place that I’d spotted along the drive in was closed by the time I made it by. A quick stop for gas gave me time to do a quick websearch, and soon enough I had found a small neighborhood bar and grill to slack my need for a huge bacon burger… and a chance to read some interesting roadside signs!

A fitting end, if I do say to myself.

Nov18

Backpacking to Green Lakes – Visiting the Sisters!

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Friday and Saturday, 22-Oct-2021 and 23-Oct-2021



Friday, 22-Oct-2021


It all started with an epic odyssey in search of coffee and breakfast.

I swear, that wasn’t the plan.


The plan was simple – get going early, pick up coffee and a breakfast sandwich, and stuff some coffee packets into my backpack before getting to the trailhead before 11.

But as we all know, simple isn’t always viable, and sometimes the world wants me to take an epic odyssey all over Bend, searching for a Starbucks that’s actually freaking open.



Yeah, so everyone’s heard of the whole “labor shortage” thing, right? And, I hope, the counter stories about workers applying to dozens of “desperately needed” jobs, only to get a single half-hearted interview?

Well, without passing judgement on which new story is lying, I can say that the Starbucks in Bend are annoying me, and that they’re understaffed… to say the least.

I stopped at four Starbucks before I finally found on that was open… and even then, they didn’t have what I was looking for “due to supply shortages”

Seriously. I didn’t make it to the trailhead ’till almost 1:00!



But you know what?

That’s fine. It’s all fine – I’m not in a rush; the trail to Green Lakes is only 5 or 7 miles each way (I think it’s officially 4.55miles to the lakes area, with a few more spent trying to find a campsite), and I still had quite a bit of daylight left. My bag was packed, I was ready to go, and the trail was waiting for me.



Adequately caffeinated, I started into the woods.

It’s… interesting. Green Lakes was one of those hikes that Sarah and I did regularly when we were still a semi-happy young couple. But I couldn’t tell you the last time I’d been out there… and frankly, I don’t know why we stopped going. It had been a tradition, for a little while, but… as with everything it seemed to have withered and died on the vine.

Going in by myself was interesting, with that context in mind. I enjoyed the familiar views, and appreciated seeing them with new eyes. I took photos, I reflected, and I continued walking until it was time to stop.


In the evening, I set up camp before heading out to explore the large Moraine flowing to the South of South Sister – It’s a very interesting geological feature, full of neat pumice stones and obsidian chunks. I watched the sunset, and appreciated the quiet and solitude of the wilderness.

Dinner was had, my book was read, and sleep came easily.





Saturday, 23-Oct-2021


Saturday dawned bright and cold – my absolute favorite was for a dawn to break.

Instead of cooking breakfast at camp, I was feeling exploratory… so I bundled up the breakfast bits and headed out toward Green Lake itself, aiming to cook up some oatmeal and jerky. With, of course, my hard-earned coffee!

Of interesting note – I got to watch various Instagrammers doing their product-placement photoshoots while I cooked and ate… One lady and her dog posed with beef jerky sticks, while another did handstands in exceptionally well-fitted yoga pants, while her fried photographed the hand lotion balanced on her feet… before saying that they should have brought their sponsored trash bags too.

It was interesting. I’m not hugely against it, mind you, but it’s definitely interesting.



After enjoying a lovely slow breakfast, I re-packed the gear, and took a walk. I’d been to Green Lakes, as I mentioned, but I hadn’t even gone past the Northern border of the camping area… There was no rush to the day, and my legs were feeling good, so I set my sights on a far-off ridgeline, and started walking.

The trail was beautiful, and I’m absolutely thankful that I took the time to explore – Green Lakes has excellent views, but the views of Broken Top from the ridgeline were unique, and the light was just,.. *muah*





After returning to camp, I could have packed up… but again, I wasn’t really in any rush for the day. I wanted to get back to the car before sunset, but… it’s all downhill, man. And I don’t walk too slowly anymore, so I felt confident enough tat I took it easy.

I stretched out in the sun, opened my book, and spent some time trying to understand the book that I’d brought with me… no easy task, since it’s a full-on psychotherapy dialogue, rooted in lessons earned during the authors time in concentration camps during the Holocaust. But worthwhile things take effort, and I feel positive about what I learned in that sun-dappled spot, in the middle of Oregon, surrounded by the peace and quiet of the mountains.




The hike out went even better than I could have hoped. I arrived back at the car with nearly an hour of sunlight left… which gave me easily enough time to quietly pack the car, take a few extra photos… and more importantly, even granted me the chance to revisit a favorite Tex-Mex restaurant in Bend (El Rodeo) that I hadn’t been to since the last time I’d hiked in the area.

A great trip, and a much appreciated chance to overwrite some negative memories with more positive ones… while also doing some significant introspection on that exact subject.