Hello, again! After a few weeks of bad weather, bad timing and general scheduling difficulties, my hiking buddy Theresa and I were finally able to get back on the trails.

We drove out to Cascade Head on the coast which is just outside Lincoln City. Cascade Head is not only the winter home of a local elk herd but is also a spot where extremely rare wildflowers can be found. Alas, it was a bit too early in the season to spot many flowers but we did interact with some wildlife! This was a 6.8 mile hike with 1300 ft elevation gain. Much of that gain occurred during a short stretch, fast enough that our ears popped on the way up and down.

Almost immediately we came across the elk herd in a field near the trailhead. We quietly peeked at the animals and took pictures but they all turned to stare at us.

"Um, yeah this is our turf."

A few moments later it was like a silent signal went out between them to be wary of us strangers. As if on cue, they all stood up to face the largest elk (I assume the male of the group.) It seemed as though they were waiting for instructions. We decided to leave them alone!


The trail climbed through an old growth forest with Sitka spruce lining the path. Early spring makes everything a vibrant, fluorescent green! The skunk cabbage was blooming and so the entire forest had a slight stinky odor mixed in with the sweeter smell of the wildflowers. Skunk cabbage look like alien plants!

Feed me, Seymour!!

The older spruce canopy gave way to smaller-branched trees that formed arches over the walkways. The path had some really lovely bridges spanning small streams and mini waterfalls.

Theresa crosses a stream.

We didn't see many of the famous wildflowers but we were just in time to greet the Trillium!

Playing with new filter effects and macro settings.

Eventually we came out of the forest to a breathtaking open expanse overlooking the ocean. I of course was inspired to spin like Maria in the hills.

The hills. They are alive with the sound of music.
Too much spinning...

Now, this is where the REAL hike began. The trail led through an open field atop an enormous cliff and climbed rapidly. Our ears popped every few minutes and we had to pause for breaks very frequently. This gave us a chance to grab some nice scenic shots though!

Taking a breather. Can you see the path where we started in this picture? Here, I'll zoom in and point to it for you:

Yeah. One heck of a climb!

Here's another part of the path behind us as we climb further up.

My turn for a breather!

That is quite a long way down!

Snail crossing! He reminded us to take it slow and steady.

Finally we reached the upper viewpoint and continued our climb ABOVE the cloud bank!

Just beyond the upper viewpoint the trail dove back into the woods for a spooky, misty trek that could inspire many ghost stories:

Nope, not a ghost this time. just Theresa.

Theresa thought this looked like a triceratops in the ground. Very interesting patterns in the forest!

The trail ended on an old logging road and we headed back down the path the way we came. For the record, it took us about 3 hours to climb to the top and only 1 hour to get back down!

Entering the lower forest again we came across a deer relaxing in the brush.

"What?"

It didn't seem to mind me taking its picture but eventually it got up and crossed to a higher and more hidden area.

"Geeze, can't I eat in peace? I'm going home."

As if that weren't enough wildlife for one day, on the way back to the trailhead we discovered that the elk herd had moved further inland, merely steps from the trail.

"I've got some elk, here..."

"Yeah, me too!"

"Sigh. Anges, they're back again."

To cap off a pleasant day, we took a detour home and stopped at a small public beach because you can't go to the coast without stepping onto the sand! Theresa, always prepared, happened to bring a kite. WIN!

There's something very Oregon about flying a kite in misty, rainy weather. The kite is a bit incongruous with the clouds but in a pleasing, mysterious way!

The End.