Oregon trip report and RAVE for Crater Lake!!!
Aug 1st, 2006, 10:57 AM
#21
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Absolutely! From Portland, head out on I-84 (east) and get off at either exit 17 (Troutdale) or exit 22 (Corbett). Take the old scenic highway from there. Along the way stop at the Portland Women's Forum (yes, odd name but amazing views and great place for a picnic), Vista House (just reopened last year after an extensive remodel), stop along at the various falls, then it leads down to Multnomah Falls. Walk to the top of the falls, not just the little bridge. It is an easy walk, only a mile, but really pretty. After MF, continue on for more nice falls. You can either head back to Portland from there, or take the loop around Mt. Hood and head back that way.
Aug 1st, 2006, 02:28 PM
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these photographs are all so amazing ! I also loved looking at BA & Iquazu Falls 
travlinandgolfin, there isn't much left to pick, as mms has been a wonderful help when I want to find my way to these places in Portland also
She and beachbum are 2 extremely helpful people here in Portland for visitors and newbies.
travlinandgolfin, there isn't much left to pick, as mms has been a wonderful help when I want to find my way to these places in Portland also
She and beachbum are 2 extremely helpful people here in Portland for visitors and newbies.
Aug 27th, 2006, 08:45 AM
#27
Hi Lisa,
We're in Portland now and on our way today heading down to Bend, then Crater Lake, so I looked at your trip report and am completely STOKED looking forward to seeing the blue blue water (I get a charge out of that stuff too!). Question -- is the trail down (and obviously back up) a path with switch backs, or is it steps and a straight down/up path/drop?
If it's like the path up to the Multinomah (sp?) falls (we did that yesterday) we could do it, but my husband's recovering from a car crash (he's generally quite strong!) so I need to let him down easily if there's no meandering involved.
Thanks
We're in Portland now and on our way today heading down to Bend, then Crater Lake, so I looked at your trip report and am completely STOKED looking forward to seeing the blue blue water (I get a charge out of that stuff too!). Question -- is the trail down (and obviously back up) a path with switch backs, or is it steps and a straight down/up path/drop?
If it's like the path up to the Multinomah (sp?) falls (we did that yesterday) we could do it, but my husband's recovering from a car crash (he's generally quite strong!) so I need to let him down easily if there's no meandering involved.
Thanks
Aug 27th, 2006, 08:56 AM
#28
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The paths differ a bit. Multnomah Falls is mostly paved, until towards the very top. The trail for the boat ride at Crater Lake is not paved at all, and there are no steps. There are a few switchbacks, and there are a couple benches along the way that I saw people stopping to rest at. You can meander at your own pace.
Aug 27th, 2006, 02:26 PM
#29
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Hi surfergirl!
As I recall, it's all switchbacks, no steps and just smooth dirt. We thought it was very easy on the body...just remember you'll have to go back UP
Have a great time and hope you have great weather with BLUE skies...as I understand it, that makes all the differnce in the color of the water!
Good luck and ENJOY!!!
As I recall, it's all switchbacks, no steps and just smooth dirt. We thought it was very easy on the body...just remember you'll have to go back UP
Have a great time and hope you have great weather with BLUE skies...as I understand it, that makes all the differnce in the color of the water!
Good luck and ENJOY!!!
Sep 13th, 2006, 04:10 PM
#31
To: luv2globetrot and mms and all others who helped us with the Oregon trip: THANK YOU!!!
I wanted to add a few things about Crater Lake here to keep this great thread on it going --
1. If you stay at Crater Lake Lodge and book it online, make SURE you look at the YEAR you are booking. Yep, we arrived with reservation in hand and were told, yes, we have a reservation, but for 2007. Apparently this often happens when booking online, and they just happened to have a corporate room for their "Denver folks", which turned out to be a really GREAT room, so we kind of lucked out.
Also, since it didn't appear that there were any restaurants for miles (we came in from the north so perhaps missed a village), we also lucked out in getting a dinner reservation, as someone had just cancelled theirs. Food was pretty good, and the ambiance great.
When we arrived, we were a little disappointed in not being able to see the blue blue color luv2globetrot was carrying on about because a fire to the north was causing a big haze over the lake. But the next morning, we took the "plunge" and walked down to the lake (did NOT go on the tour), as we descended the crater, the lake became bluer and bluer and we eventually had to keep stopping to take a zillion photos and say a lot of "wows"!
It took about 30 minutes to get down to the bottom and 45 minutes to get back up and I grudgingly have to admit that as much as I absolutely HATE to hike, this was not bad and being down at the lake was absolutely worth the fear of never making it back to the top. It was a nice meander, even though people twice my age with canes were getting back up faster than me.
There were a bunch of kids from a science museum in Portland on a trip there, and it seemed that the sole purpose of their hike down was to dive off a rock into the water and swim back to land. I think the trip was for the counselors to get back at their charges, but it was a lot of fun seeing the brave young men daring each other, then jumping into the water, and once back to the surface making some rather explicatory comments about the temperature of the water.
Being a kid from L.A., there was one other thing about Crater Lake that was worth the price of admission -- the night sky. Oh, my, oh my. I had forgotten there was a face of an old man looking down at me from the milky way.
I wanted to add a few things about Crater Lake here to keep this great thread on it going --
1. If you stay at Crater Lake Lodge and book it online, make SURE you look at the YEAR you are booking. Yep, we arrived with reservation in hand and were told, yes, we have a reservation, but for 2007. Apparently this often happens when booking online, and they just happened to have a corporate room for their "Denver folks", which turned out to be a really GREAT room, so we kind of lucked out.
Also, since it didn't appear that there were any restaurants for miles (we came in from the north so perhaps missed a village), we also lucked out in getting a dinner reservation, as someone had just cancelled theirs. Food was pretty good, and the ambiance great.
When we arrived, we were a little disappointed in not being able to see the blue blue color luv2globetrot was carrying on about because a fire to the north was causing a big haze over the lake. But the next morning, we took the "plunge" and walked down to the lake (did NOT go on the tour), as we descended the crater, the lake became bluer and bluer and we eventually had to keep stopping to take a zillion photos and say a lot of "wows"!
It took about 30 minutes to get down to the bottom and 45 minutes to get back up and I grudgingly have to admit that as much as I absolutely HATE to hike, this was not bad and being down at the lake was absolutely worth the fear of never making it back to the top. It was a nice meander, even though people twice my age with canes were getting back up faster than me.
There were a bunch of kids from a science museum in Portland on a trip there, and it seemed that the sole purpose of their hike down was to dive off a rock into the water and swim back to land. I think the trip was for the counselors to get back at their charges, but it was a lot of fun seeing the brave young men daring each other, then jumping into the water, and once back to the surface making some rather explicatory comments about the temperature of the water.
Being a kid from L.A., there was one other thing about Crater Lake that was worth the price of admission -- the night sky. Oh, my, oh my. I had forgotten there was a face of an old man looking down at me from the milky way.
Sep 13th, 2006, 04:17 PM
#32
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I am so glad you enjoyed it! Sounds like you really lucked out with the room and dinner. We had lunch there and loved it. That is pretty funny about the comments on the cold water, lol! When we went, it was SO hot, and the water didn't cool us off much, but we were very thankfuly for it nonetheless.
Sep 13th, 2006, 09:01 PM
#33
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luv2globetrot,
Great trip! Sounds like you had a great time in a short period of time. My husband TR,and I planning a trip to Oregon in June '08. Your really gave us some great pointers. I can't wait to see crater lake National Park. Thats what we do on our vacations, hike, sightsee, good foods, and some boat tours if we read of some that are good.Do you have to be in REALLY GOOD shape to get down and back to crater lake?
Our plan so star in POrtland (1night)
Go down through the wine country stay (1nite B&B)Go to the wineries and see some of the covered bridges.
Go to Newport and drive along the coast to see ligthouses (which I love and collect) Then we were driving north and staying a night in Astoria (Hotel)on Columbia River.
Then drive to Seattle so I can see the underground city. (Don't know how long we will stay)
Then we are driving to VanCouver for a few nights. We have two weeks, do you think we can fit everything in?
When do you think is the best time to fit in Craterlake National Park into our itinerary? We go to as many National Parks we can make it too. We are doing quite well so far. Our travels are right up there with the places and pictures you take.Great Photos of all the places you have gone.
Where are you off to next. We are going to costa rica in Dec. (Do you have tips on costa rica?) we are renting a villa.
Thanks again for your entire great and informative report. I hope I can come back in Dec. and help people out and do the same thing.
Are you really looking for a place to retire? You both look too young (lucky you). If you are where have you looked so far. We look and then we have to ask ourselves what do we want to do when we grow up lol
Thanks!
Dee
Great trip! Sounds like you had a great time in a short period of time. My husband TR,and I planning a trip to Oregon in June '08. Your really gave us some great pointers. I can't wait to see crater lake National Park. Thats what we do on our vacations, hike, sightsee, good foods, and some boat tours if we read of some that are good.Do you have to be in REALLY GOOD shape to get down and back to crater lake?
Our plan so star in POrtland (1night)
Go down through the wine country stay (1nite B&B)Go to the wineries and see some of the covered bridges.
Go to Newport and drive along the coast to see ligthouses (which I love and collect) Then we were driving north and staying a night in Astoria (Hotel)on Columbia River.
Then drive to Seattle so I can see the underground city. (Don't know how long we will stay)
Then we are driving to VanCouver for a few nights. We have two weeks, do you think we can fit everything in?
When do you think is the best time to fit in Craterlake National Park into our itinerary? We go to as many National Parks we can make it too. We are doing quite well so far. Our travels are right up there with the places and pictures you take.Great Photos of all the places you have gone.
Where are you off to next. We are going to costa rica in Dec. (Do you have tips on costa rica?) we are renting a villa.
Thanks again for your entire great and informative report. I hope I can come back in Dec. and help people out and do the same thing.
Are you really looking for a place to retire? You both look too young (lucky you). If you are where have you looked so far. We look and then we have to ask ourselves what do we want to do when we grow up lol
Thanks!
Dee
Sep 17th, 2006, 10:03 AM
#34
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Hi PrincessDee!
Thanks for the post.
We still have 8 years til retirement (that'll be 25 years working for the government), but we are already counting the days!
We always have retirement in mind wherever we travel. I can't imagine staying in one place for the rest of our lives, so we're always thinking, "What would it be like to live here for awhile?"
As for your trip, sounds like you have alot planned, but if I were you I'd try to squeeze in Crater Lake (unless you think you'll be back in the area some other day). I believe it's about a 5 hour drive from Portland, but you only really need a day there, but that is a long drive just to do Crater Lake.
As for the walk down to the lake itself, we saw lots of people who looked like they may not get a lot of hiking in...if you know what I mean
and although they were slow and took breaks, they certainly were able to do it. You'll be fine!
We are off to Hungary and the Czech Republic Tuesday!! We'll spend a few days in Budapest, a few days in Prague and a side trip or two! Can't wait!!
As for Costa Rica, you may want to look at my previous posts. I have a few threads in there from our trip.
Good luck!
Happy, safe travels!
Lisa
Thanks for the post.
We still have 8 years til retirement (that'll be 25 years working for the government), but we are already counting the days!
We always have retirement in mind wherever we travel. I can't imagine staying in one place for the rest of our lives, so we're always thinking, "What would it be like to live here for awhile?"
As for your trip, sounds like you have alot planned, but if I were you I'd try to squeeze in Crater Lake (unless you think you'll be back in the area some other day). I believe it's about a 5 hour drive from Portland, but you only really need a day there, but that is a long drive just to do Crater Lake.
As for the walk down to the lake itself, we saw lots of people who looked like they may not get a lot of hiking in...if you know what I mean
and although they were slow and took breaks, they certainly were able to do it. You'll be fine!We are off to Hungary and the Czech Republic Tuesday!! We'll spend a few days in Budapest, a few days in Prague and a side trip or two! Can't wait!!
As for Costa Rica, you may want to look at my previous posts. I have a few threads in there from our trip.
Good luck!
Happy, safe travels!
Lisa
