Oregon

On a frigid, cloudy, and misty Oregon day in early June 2017, I started to hike to the top of Paulina Peak, located in Newberry National Volcanic Monument.

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No snow at the trailhead, but the temperature kept dropping and dropping as I ventured higher.

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About mid-way, I entered the cloudy mist and then started to follow a snowshoe trail, as the snow was deep.

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I hiked above the clouds and the sun shone bright on the snow-capped trees.

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At the summit, I looked out over the horizon and saw many white-tipped mountain peaks thrusting their way through the cloud cover.

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I will never forget this moment.

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I sat on the top of the mountain and watched the clouds below me dissipate, revealing the once hidden scenery beneath.

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Crater Lake has the bluest water I have ever seen in my life. When I visited the national park in July 2016, many of the roads around the lake were closed due to late-season snow. I could not hike in most of the areas that I wanted to.

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I remember setting up my tent in a nearby forest service campground while it snowed on me.

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I was the only person in the entire campground.

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A site close to me had left behind a large stockpile of wood, and I quickly made a blazing fire to warm up. I kept the fire going as long as possible, then settled in for a cold night’s sleep.

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A friend and I drove Highway 101 from southern Oregon to upper Washington and took in the immense beauty of the Pacific Ocean.

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