Exploring around the base of Mt Hood

Andrew had plans to scout for new fishing locations last Saturday and asked me to come along. While the pull of a sunny day working in the garden will always be strong, a change of scenery and time spent exploring with my husband won out. Besides he was going to help me move a couple of garden projects forward on Sunday, so there was that.

First stop was near Marmot Bridge, the area was rich with trillium and sword ferns. Turns out these were the only pink petaled trillium I'd see all day.

Salmonberry, Rubus spectabilis.

I was shocked how dry the moss was already. Just a couple of warm dry days is all it takes. It still looks magical though.

Andrew was out in that stream somewhere. See the bridge in the distance? It's a foot bridge and you can see through the metal grate as you walk across—cue a slightly dizzy feeling—plus the holes were big enough for a phone to drop thru. Hence I took no photos from up there, my phone stayed safely in my pocket.

Horsetail, I do love it...

Dried umbels have a certain draw as well.

Oxalis oregana (Oregon wood sorrel)

White trillium 

With an occupant...

I think someone identified the hosta-like leaf in a prior post of mine, but I can't remember it's name. Picturesque the way it borders the fallen branch.

Mahonia nervosa (?) 

Passing back by the trillium with the beetle occupant she is no longer alone, admirers have arrived.

I see a pudgy black bird with a white beak sitting on a throne. or maybe surfing. You?

This area felt so remote—we were the only ones there—but I guess in the summertime that must not be the case.

Our next stop near Rhododendron, Oregon and I spotted a nice bunch of turkey tail fungus.

Nice beefy fire enclosure at this campground.

Yuck, let's hope people followed the directive.

Judging by the plant life underwater here I'd say this is just a temporary pond, or as Andrew called it, a fairy pond.

Nearby I found this, a Calypso bulbosa, known as the calypso orchid, or fairy slipper. 

Pretty cool!

Mt Hood...

We didn't have to go up to the mountain itself to find snow. In fact a couple of places Andrew had hoped to visit were still inaccessible due to the deep snow.

That's a lotta logs.

Logs with a future.

ZigZag River

We didn't get any closer because we didn't want to disturb them, but there was a cute pair of ducks having a rest on that log.

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