10232011 Crabbing @ Netarts Bay + Tillamook

Weather Forecast
9am: Cloudy 54F, 12am: Partly Sunny 58F, 3pm: Partly Sunny 59F, 6pm: Sunny 54F
Link: http://www.weather.com/weather/wxdetail/97141?dayNum=2
Excellent weather, higher tide after 11am onwards!!


The Plan
0745: Meet at Verandas
0800: Leave for Tillamook
0930: Tillamook Cheese Factory (tour then lunch) 
http://www.tillamook.com/cheesefactory/index.html

Cheese Factory Tour

Menu for lunch there: http://www.tillamook.com/assets/userfiles/Creamery%20Cafe%20Color%20Menu%208-29-11.pdf
1230: Netarts Bay RV & Marina (crabbing) http://www.netartsbay.com/index.html
Netarts Bay RV & Marina   2260 Bilyeu Ave W.    Tillamook, OR 97141

Netarts Bay (crabbing)

1500: Balik Hillsboro
1645: Home sweet home (for those who get things to bring home, cook it and bring for dinner)
1830: Gather @ Kevin's place (2887 NW Overlook Drive #1724 Hillsboro, OR 97124)
Crabby Cook Book: http://www.netartsbay.com/Crabby%20Cooks%20Book.html

2000: Santap
2200: Bersurai


Be Prepared for:
1. Eat your own breakfast at home before meeting up at 8am.
2. Thick clothing, jacket, wind breaker and gloves.
3. Bring some of your own water.
4. Good shoes (you might get a little wet)


*We will think of what to cook when we actually do crabbing (because we will have time to wait for a catch and talk cock)

10292011 Mount St Helens Hike To The Summit

Length: 10.5 miles or 17km loop hike.
Elevation Gain: 4450ft or 1.5km or 1 mile.
Difficulty: Very Difficult


Permits are required for this hike which cost $22 per person. Trail is open from Late Spring through Fall. We got to book now because only 100 climbers are permitted per day and for the 22nd left only 7!! Here's the link: https://secure.kinsail.com/calendar.asp?p=mshi&pt=parks&ItemID=494604&GroupID=18101


From hiker review:
The trail is well marked both in the forested areas as well as on the mountain itself. On the mountain the trail is designated by tall posts. As you begin the hike/climb you will hike for the first couple miles in dense forest. The trail gets increasingly steeper each step of the way.


At a couple miles you will cross the Loowit Trail that circles Mt St Helens. There is a restroom there for your convenience. Then the trail gets very steep. You remain in the trees for another half mile or so, then you break out into the open. At this point you must find your way to the top of the mountain by following the pole markers well placed almost all the way. The trail follow Monitor Ridge to the top of the mountain.



The steepness is not the most difficult part of this hike. It seems to me that negotiating your way through the lava boulders is the greatest challenge, especially when you are coming down the mountain. Never the less, this hike is so very worth it. It just doesn't get any better than this. There are no technical aspects of this hike, and yet you end up on top of a real mountain.


Of course the views are everything.


Another review here: http://www.naturalbornhikers.com/MountSaintHelens/MountstHelens.htm

Essential Things To Prepare/Bring:
1. Chains for the shoes (expected snow at higher altitudes).
2. Thick clothing, jacket, wind breaker and gloves.
3. Food to eat halfway because no fast food outlet at the mountain =)
4. Enough water e.g. 2 liters at least OR Gatorade. 
5. Power bars.
6. Hiking sticks (optional)


Probably will start hiking at 7am and the average hiker duration is approximately 10 hours. With this it is about 850 meters per 30 minutes. If so we would be done by 5pm and back to Hillsboro @ 7pm-8pm. I would expect only a maximum of 4 people for this day hike.

10152011 Crater Lake National Park 2D/1N

**Subject to change as the date draws nearer**


Exclusively a Crater Lake National Park trip because it helps us put more focus on one place and makes it more meaningful. In short, this is a 2D/1N trip with 15 hours of driving, double of that outside of the car (14km of hiking) and should be back to Hillsboro by 9pm on Sunday. This trip is configured for the more outgoing folks who prefers outdoor adventure. Below are the details which are not finalized yet but pretty much laid out carefully. I will cut it off by early of ww42.


Assumptions: 1km/30mins to cover, slow pace hike in which you can converse comfortably.
Rim Drive is expected to be open until late October before the first significant snow fall.

Area of Interest

Weather Forecast
Saturday: Partly Cloudy, 10% chance of rain, 50F-60F.
Sunday: Mostly Sunny, 10% chance of rain, 50F-60F.
Great weather ahead :)


Saturday 10152011 
0600: Leave Hillsboro (bfast in car, no choice since added Safari detour)
1000: Time in Safari Drive Through
1130: Head to Crater Lake
1330: Reach Park HQ a.k.a Steel Visitor Center; watch Park Film, learn about lake & people
1415: Hike Lady of the Woods Trail 0.8km loop, 30mins, Easy, Historic Architecture
1500: Hike Castle Crest Trail 0.8km loop, 30mins, Easy, Flowers, Meadows, Creek
1545: Reach Rim Village & Tea Time @ Cafe; Sinnott Memorial Overlook, Visitor Centre, Lake Lodge, Gift Shop

View from Watchman Peak

1715: Hike Watchman Peak 2.6km loop, 2hours, Moderate, Panoramic Views - Best Sunset Spot
1930: Back to car to Diamond Lake Bear Cabin http://www.nationalparkreservations.com/craterlake_diamond_lake.php
2000: BBQ Dinner/Relax/Poker?/Recuperate


Sunday 10162011
0600: Rise and shine
0700: Leave for Rim Drive. There are 6 must see overlooks, Watchman was one yesterday
0730: Cleetwood Cove Trail

One of many views from Mt Scott Trail (Highest Point in Crater Lake NP)

0900: Hike Mount Scott Trail 8.1km loop, 3hours, Strenuous, Panoramic Views - Best Morning Spot. Lunch at Peak just like Multnomah Falls.
1300: Cloudcap Overlook
1400: Pumice Castle Overlook
1430: Phantom Ship Overlook
1500: Hike Pinnacles Valley Trail 1.6km loop, 30mins, Easy, Volcanic Spires
1600: Vidae Falls
1630: Off to Eugene for Dinner
1900: Dinner at Eugene (place tbd)
2000: Back to Hillsboro
2200: Home sweet home and Monday I will OOP 1st half. 


Wildlife watching includes elks, bobcats/mt lion rare, fox, black bear, marmot, porcupine, grouse or bald eagle..dawn and dusk are the best times. 1st day might be a good chance since we will hike until dusk.


I chose to skip this @ Roseburg: http://www.wildlifesafari.net/default.asp
And also this @ Gold Hill: http://www.oregonvortex.com/


Trails by the following order and info:
Lady of the Woods Trail: http://www.craterlakeinstitute.com/cultural-history/structures/lady-woods.htm
Castle Crest Trail: http://www.craterlakeinstitute.com/planning-visit/activities/trail-castlecrest-wildflower-garden.htm

Watchman Peak Trail: http://www.craterlakeinstitute.com/planning-visit/activities/trail-watchman-peak.htm
Mount Scott Trail: http://www.craterlakeinstitute.com/planning-visit/activities/trail-mount-scott.htm

Pinnacles Valley Trail: http://www.craterlakeinstitute.com/planning-visit/activities/trail-pinnacles-valley.htm

09242011 Mount St Helens Day Trip

I know this is long but please read so you don't ask me BOBO questions in which the answers are already below.


This is in response to the many questions I get early this week. I had planned this way back in end of August. I have been to Mount St Helens but this time it is of a different trail which I have not been. The previous trip time management was way off because we (me and Chun Fai) did not have the correct distance thanks to a lousy map and unfortunately I was not the organizer. I had previously planned the Silver Falls State Park hike and Multnomah Falls hike which both were on schedule or you can ask the witnesses. I have always used the standard of walking/hiking 1 mile in 30 minutes. This has proved to be spot on  in the two trips above. 


The blue line is the trail we going to hike. This is an easy hike compared to my 1st.
The red line was the trail I hiked in my first trip which took me 13 hours to complete.

Why this date? It's a FREE Day at Johnston Ridge Observatory which normally cost $8 per person entry. I had split to two groups: one that prefers to experience the real thing (or I should rather put it, enjoying the last remnants of good sunshine) and the other that wants to do the drive-stop-picture group. The plan only differs in the morning and we will meet up at the observatory at noon.


Weather is extremely good for such time at this month. This is because the east coast has a lot of moist hence the dry winds are all heading towards the west for this entire week. Hopefully we can see the caldera which I missed in my first hiking trip there due to cloudiness.

The REAL thing: Hummocks to Johnston Ridge Observatory Trail

Strenuous 5 mile hike. Elevation Gain: 1700ft
Trailhead: Hummocks trailhead (meaning up n down small hills). Then climb up the ridge, the views of the mountain, river valleys are impressive. Also has elks to see up close. The last time I went I can see more than 10 of them in one place grazing at the fields from the binoculars @ Forest Learning Centre because I was hiking a different trail not this.

0530: Leave Hillsboro
0700: Bfast at BK @ Castle Rock if you want
0740: Start Hike @ Trailhead (2km/hr pace)
1200: Reach observatory with 2nd group

***Trust me, with this pace we will probably reach before 12. But I am factoring in the time we rest, talk, taking pictures and enjoy the scenery. The strenuous came about because it involved an elevation gain of 1700ft but we do it across 5 miles so with our pace it is not going to be tiring. But please make sure you have enough sleep la the night before.


Drive-stop-picture: Centre’s and Viewpoints
0700: Leave Hillsboro
0830: Bfast at BK @ Castle Rock if you want.
0900: Mount St. Helens Visitor Centre $5 but you can enter gift shop for free and ask questions on counter, look a live cam for weather conditions of the mount before you head up.
0945: Hoffstadt Bluffs Visitor Centre FREE and has helicopter ride (price unknown) if you want to go.
1000: 3 viewpoints to stop by Elk Rock, Castle Lake and Loowit (see signboards)
1045: Forest Learning Center FREE opens from 1000-1600
1200: Johnston Ridge Observatory opens from 1000-1800
1300: Head to Ape Cave for both groups. This 2nd group of people need to help REAL group take back car down the hill.
***All these viewpoints and visitor centers are along the road up to the observatory so use your eyes and spot them, there is no need for me to show u where it is on the map nor will you need to use a GPS device unless you don't even know how to use ya eyes and see. 


From here on both groups meet each other!! As for lunch we can do a quick and easy buy at SubWay @ Castle Rock or stay and eat somewhere else there for just half an HOUR only.


Ape Cave
1445: Reach Ape Cave HQ. $5 per car for site pass. We can’t do Upper cave it is tough, done it before, can be dangerous for non-experience group.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayF3GumebuY&feature=related (lower cave, like walking only)

1500: Lower cave is ¾ mile long and an hour to complete the round trip. Even kids can do this so shouldn’t be a problem for any of us unless you are afraid of the dark LOL.
1615: Head to Lava Canyon. Some can go back if too tired, but I doubt la walk a bit nia.

Lava Canyon
http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org/wiki/Lava_Canyon_Loop_Hike
Distance 6miles round trip. Easy first 0.4miles, Moderate next 0.4miles and Strenuous last 0.6miles.
BUT we will do 1.1 miles round trip (up until the suspension bridge point) because the latter trail is dirt and basalt with unprotected drop-offs. Not safe for the faint-hearted.


1700: Arrive on trailhead (sun will set at 7.34pm so we can still see many geological features)
1900: Back to Hillsboro (possibly dinner on the way if you all want)
2100: Reach Hillsboro (either sleep or poker or some other extra-curricular activity)


Essentials things to bring (the usual camera...etc you figure it out yourself):
1. Some source of light, torchlight, headlight for the cave.
2. Jacket because inside the cave it is extremely cold.
3. Power bars if you want to snack in between.


PLEASE response by Thursday if you have not so I can finalize the groups, find the leader for 1st group and 2nd group and subsequently coordinate with them especially the meeting up place at Johnston Ridge Observatory. Here are some more pictures of my previous trip: https://picasaweb.google.com/nicholas.gim.chuan.choong/20110813_MountStHelens