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Odell_Camping_082204_055.jpgLils Or Bust

 

 

 

 

Lost in the Diamond Peak Wilderness

 

 

 

 

Elevation: 6,800 Feet

 

12.1 miles (Projected) Round Trip

17 miles (Actual)

 

What started out as a long hike turned into a mini-epic in itself.  We went camping with Linda's Family out to Odell Lake right next to the Willamette Pass Ski area.  We were joined by some further family and friends on a lovely August weekend anno Domini 2004.  The weather was a titillating 75 degrees with a slight and comforting breeze coming off the lake.

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Linda and I had decided we would do a hike on the saturday and chose a hike that boasted seven lakes and twenty-two ponds.  I have a thing for hidden lakes and ponds up in the forest.  I think they are beautiful and untouched by gas powered motors, jet-ski's and beer guzzling (and beer can tossing) fishermen.  We used a guide book that I am really not going to mention because I really don't have many positive things to say about it.  Needless to say it rhymes with "Riking Roregon: Rentral Rascades Rike Rumber Rinety Rix."

My wife and I hadn't really been on a decently long hike together for quite a while and to be honest, I didn't know how she was going to like it.  I had been doing hiking with either Tanis or by myself for the last few real hikes I have done.  I will say, by the end of the hike, I was more than impressed with not only her stamina, but her real will to finish something as strong as she started.

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We got up nice and early (for us) and drove across Odell Lake to the trailhead on the West Side.  This was about the only successful navigation of the rest of the trip.

We partook of a reading from the Hiking Guide (henceforth referred to as: Le Livre Stupide).  The book said to cross a footbridge off the trailhead.  Then across a railroad track after .2 miles.  There was no footbridge we could see.  There was a road bridge, but not a footbridge.  We had seen the railroad tracks from the highway so figured if we bushwacked it through this going north we would be ok.  We did find a trail that kicked up to the railroad tracks.  But then no trail after that.  We went up.  Then we went down.  Linda said if we just went down to the tunnel of the railroad tracks we would follow the trail.  This was the wrong way, though.  This was the end of the loop, not the beginning.  But, at the time, I didn't know this.  I thought we were going the right way. 

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