South Cascade Crossing

All the hallmarks of a Cascade Mountain pass, but with a southern flavor and a spice of autumn.

The hallmarks are, from west to east: lush foothills, dense forests, signature volcanic peak near high mountain lakes–then a shorter descent into dryer, pine-rich forest before landing on the floor of the eastern High Desert. Setting off from the edge of the Bear Creek Valley, the foothills had the usual farms and ranches, but in a terrain of biscuit-tan summer grass on a thin soil over basalt hills. Perhaps thin soil accounts for the smallness of the Black oak, and the size of the maples and their leaves–certainly not the Big Leaf maple of the northern reaches. But the small maples were golden, and the day was comfortably crisp. We passed a characteristic bluff just before we hit the zone of conifers and the Rogue-Siskiyou National Forest, and its name might be Meyers Hill, based on my atlas. Not a famous landmark but I liked its exotic look for making me feel farther from home than in reality.

 

Moving on, we were headed for the top of the pass, and a short hike along a stream that issues from Fish Lake, called North Fork Little Butte Creek, and our featured photo. What a gem of an example of terse but torturous western American cartography nomenclature.

 

 

 

 

At the trail head there was already a car, and it was a Tuesday morning. Thankful to miss the crowds of summer, I set off along the glassy creek.  Soon a massy lava flow appeared across the creek, dotted with fiery pioneer plants. Meeting up with the two women with the car, I asked where I might find a bite to eat in these parts. They told me there was food in the lodge right there on the lake, and that it was open. Glory be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I felt happiness on seeing the Fish Lake Resort, with its neon OPEN sign, the old-school sign of welcome and sustenance; the American flag, the wisp of smoke from the chimney, and on the porch the cool shade of forest from the bright sun throwing sparkles up from the lake…and then the sweet, young waitress who brought me a decent hamburger and then overcharged me…I love being in those places so much, and the old cedar paneling on walls and ceiling warmed by the fire makes such a nice smell.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch I went on just a little way to the Lake of the Woods, and turned down its eastern shore to try to catch a view of Mt. McLoughlin, the reigning volcano in these parts. The campground that was to have the perfect view was closed for the season, so I had to go down a dirt road nearby through some summer homes, to the lake and a somewhat inferior view.

Most of the homes were shut up for winter, and the docks and beaches deserted. I bet it is great to come up here in the summer to cool off, because that Bear Creek Valley gets bloody hot.

 

 

 

 

 

Heading down from the pass, I turned off at Rocky Point Rd., and being on the other side of the Cascades, we had hit the Quaking Aspen Belt. My god are they glorious right now. Shimmering gold, white trunks, dark pines…I just drove along the road slowly with my mouth hanging open. I caught glimpses of this part of Klamath Lake, which here is a sort of waterway bounded by huge marshes, and fed by springs situated at intervals along the waterway as you head north. I stopped at the first ‘resort’ and nobody was there, and I couldn’t tell where the spring was, Harriman Spring, because they might just be under the general water, not sure. Went to the next ‘resort’ Point Comfort, because it was built in 1912, and I really wanted some old wooden architecture, but it was closed too.

Then came to Rocky Point Resort, and it was open, because there were a few RVs and a couple of cars at the cabins. The office was closed, so I called the number and a very nice guy answered and said he’d be back after 3:00 and just to pick a spot. So I did, on the lake shore, with a view out over the marsh and to the hills, or mountains on the east shore of the lake. There are really big Ponderosa pines here, which my heart just swells to see, plus the golden aspen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I will have a beer and olives in my camp chair and go in to have dinner this evening.