Words from Virginia (The Person, Not the State):

Words from Virginia (The Person, Not the State):

I was very excited to have the opportunity to go on a 5-day trek with Heather into the Bull of the Woods Wilderness. Because I spend most of my time in the “electronic jungle”, it’s always a great feeling get out and spend quality time in nature, take in the sights, sounds, wildlife, and history (both natural and man made).

There were so many different choices to choose from when entering this huge wilderness that both Heather and I contemplated exactly where we were going to start. Fortunately, the ultimate choice came easy and we decided to start at Elk Lake Creek Trailhead. As is the case with most of my backpacking trips, there is always excitement of entering the unknown, and this was no exception! What a beautiful area!

Right from the start, we entered a beautiful, old-growth forest, crossed by lots of small streams, all while following the clear and pristine waters of Elk Lake Creek. The first day of hiking was a good one, filled with many sights, old-growth trees, lots of rhododendrons and other vegetation, rock slides, tons of mosquitoes, and the old Bull of the Woods lookout. Yes, the mosquitoes ate us for dinner, but we are outdoor ladies, so we made the best of it!

The views from the lookout were amazing! We could see Mt. Jefferson, The Sisters’ Mtns, Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, and Mt. St. Helens. This is where Heather got a great shot of me laying atop the lookout. The photos were just before our spicy and savory hot curry rice and bean dinner. …Good stuff when the night gets a little chilly!

After dinner, and before bed, Heather consulted the map.

While we graciously enjoyed our night’s stay in the lookout (along with our small rat companion), we woke anew to a beautiful sunrise overlooking the splendor of the mountains.

Our next day (2) took us down from the lookout past Mother Lode Mtn and then on towards Twin Lakes, coming to stop alongside Silver King Mtn. This was one of my favorite days (although it’s hard to pick a favorite).

It was so hot on day 2 that I was ready to jump into just about any water source we saw…and that’s no joke! The small microclimates here just boggled my mind. One minute, we were deep in a heavily forested area, and then suddenly, the forest opened up into rock crags, pine forest, and views of the surrounding mountains that were just amazing.

We made it to the upper Twin Lake just after lunchtime, and we decided to take a swim. Lying on the shore of this beautiful lake felt like heaven. I could have stayed there for the next three days. The water in the lake is so clear that you can see to the bottom. From above, it’s a beautiful aquamarine color that looks like it is fed by the purest of glaciers. From the side of the lake, it is so clear and clean and inviting, you just feel a need to dive in! And, we did.

Although I tried to get Heather to stay at Twin Lakes for the next 3 days, she reminded me that we were trying to complete a 40-mile loop, so, I managed to peel myself off the ground, and put on my clothes (no, I wasn’t naked, just mostly). We ate some of our tasty snacks, and we trekked on towards Silver King Mtn.

We spent the evening eating our savory Beef Stew (thank you Mountain House). The mosquitoes were still enjoying hanging around us so much that we thought it would be best to kindly dismiss ourselves as their dinner for the night. So, we set off into Heather’s cool Big Agnes Seed tent. I have to say that the net of the tent was a welcome break from our mosquito companions, so we played Rummy! And, Heather won. Yes, Heather won. I know this may be a shock to some of you who know me, but the girl just plain beat me. Enough said.

From this point forward, I will now refer to Heather as Heat: 1) because it is shorter and 2) it just sounds so cool! (p.s. – Thanks Bryan.)

So we slept until the morning, and I woke up and Heat was already mostly packed. Man, that girl is fast, a total pro. And then, Heat consulted the map.

For day 3 (day of the ‘Fro), we headed west towards Whetstone Mtn. and then cut south towards Battle Axe Mtn, with a detour to the Opal Creek Wilderness towards Jawbone Flats. Are you confused? So was I, but we had a map…and Heat consulted it! (Okay, I consulted it too, but I want to give her all the credit.)

This area was so cool! More time in the forest, following another pristine creek, surrounded by tons of wildflowers, and then on towards Jawbone Flats. There is a ton of history around Jawbone Flats, and for anyone interested in the history of Oregon, I highly recommend making a trek here! There are lots of old road washouts, mining shafts, a mining camp, and the Opal Pool. Put this one on your map, because you will enjoy, I promise!

After we got our fill of the Pool and mining equipment, we doubled back along the old forest road towards Battle Axe Mtn, and found a totally awesome waterfall that looked like something you would find in National Geographic. We soaked up the beauty of the water and the woods and decided to find a well hidden camp for the night. Heat made a “spider fire”, and we enjoyed watching its legs burn. (This was a virtual fire and no animals or insects were harmed while burning.) We then ate Buffalo Chicken and cheese tortillas, yummy!

The mosquitoes finally left us or lost us (thank you Jungle Juice). So, it was Yahtzee by the campfire. Yes, Heat played Yahtzee with me. Guess what? She won, again. Just where is my competitive spirit in the woods?

By the end of day 3, I was hobbling very well. Heat told me so, very politely I might add. But, by the next day, I was rejuvenated by a good night’s sleep, and we were off on day 4 towards Battle Axe Mtn. Not only is the name cool, but so is the trail and the remains of the lookout. We dropped our packs at the base of the mountain and decided to head up to the old lookout for some great views of Elk Lake and the surrounding mountains. This was one heck of a climb, but well worth it! We were rewarded with some tasty snacks and great views, once again!

After we got our fill of great views, we headed down the mountain back towards Elk Lake, and yes, we were starting to get a little tired. Just after the lake, we found the worlds smallest spring, got some great drinking water, and then bounced back to life and followed the Elk Lake Creek trail back towards our entry point. Overall, I think this was the longest day on our legs, and it was phenomenal! By day 4, I was so happy to be out here, I began to wonder if I would ever be ready to go back. (p.s. – I love to work in the electronic jungle, but time in the woods is fantastic!)

For our last night in the woods, we made it to camp late. We spent our last night on the creek, and ate some of the best-tasting pasta I’ve had in my life, ala Heat. While I think we would both have enjoyed playing a game of Yahtzee or Rummy (for which Heat would have probably won again), we were just too darned tired to play, so it was sleepy time just after dinner. Ahhh!

The next morning, we woke up, and started to head out of Bull of the Woods to connect up with the trail that we came in on. I will call this “the trail less traveled”. But, much of the trail was overgrown with fantastic rhododendrons, so there are no complaints. …If you want to feel like you’re the first person in the wilderness, this is the trail to be on. We were some of the first people to go this way in a very long time. (At least, that’s what it seemed like.)

We crossed the creek at least 4 times, and I got some great pics of Heat playing in the water! We loved it, and I’m sure you would too! After our last day of fun in the woods, we made it back to the car safely and on time…and all of my car windows were still intact!

There were (at least) four things I learned on this trip: 1) Heat consults the map very regularly (and I thank her for that), 2) Jetboils totally rock, 3) great water filters (Katadyn-pro water) make life fantastic in the woods, and 4) if you want to have a great and safe time in the woods, you go with this lady!

Heat, you totally ROCK!!! Thank you for letting me play in the woods with you! Climb on, Hikin’ lady!