My friend Robin and I decided to hike to Clear Lake, for the Colors…… We decided last year… but things didn’t work out. This year we decided to try it again. Schedules worked out for the two of us, the other two were not available. I had a vision in my mind of a photograph I had taken in 2016 and then had printed into a notecard in 2018.
In order to get this photo we had to start at the old Santiam road trail and the McKenzie river trail.
At the beginning of the trail we cross over Fish lake Creek which is actually dry most of the year, or the water runs below the surface of the creek.
The color was fantastic as expected
the trail is well maintained and wide
It is nice and shady with lots of color
Pretty soon we came to the second bridge that crosses Fish lake creek. This is where the McKenzie River trail intersects with the trail that goes around Clear Lake.
My goal was to go to the fingers of Clear Lake to get the shot of the lodge and the 3 Sisters Mountains. So, we didn’t cross this bridge even though my secondary goal was to go to the Great springs. I remembered the bright turquoise blue where the spring hits the lake.
Here on the main trail, I was getting all the color I wanted. and I was enjoying the challenge of photographing the bright trees in the shade of the Douglas fir trees.
Pretty soon we accessed clear lake, and there was the shot I wanted but… Well not exactly what I had photographed before. It was a nice summer day we were in the cool shade watching kayakers making their way along the lake shores
The color of the lake was intense, and I was enjoying the different angles of shots.
The Colors, of the leaves and the lake were mesmerizing….
I came to an old log that many people had climbed on over the years and there was the shot I wanted. We rested a bit on the bench placed just for this view had a bit of lunch then continued on around the bend because the Colors of the water ….
3,000 years ago, the McKenzie River was dammed by the lava flows from Sand Mountain. The trees that were in the valley were trapped underneath the water and have never surfaced. Standing as a ghost forest underwater. You can see some of the underwater trees in this photo.
I knew that these paddlers were working their way into Great Spring, then working their way over to the cove we were in.
The colors were so intense, I couldn’t resist taking more and more photos.
Soon it is time to head back to the car, Slowly.
Enjoying the colors of the lake and the forest. Watching the paddlers
Soon we are at the bridge where the trails intersect.
Robin suggested we go this way and I am glad we did at least for a few feet.
Robin wanted to know if I could photograph the green moss along the trail…. Sure…..
Eventually we made it back to the trail head where we started.
We talked about going into the clear lake parking area at the lodge…. but I was unclear on the parking situation and why we would need to pay the county to park. We decided to go a bit further down highway 126, to Sahalie Falls which is the first water fall down the McKenzie river from Clear lake.
This is one of my Favorite falls to photograph. simply because it is easy to get too.
The first shot is photographed with a fast shutter speed capturing the water instantly. The second shot I slowed down to about an eighth of a second allowing more water to flow through the photo. Not my best work, but a good reminder to not always shoot things the same way every time….
Thank You, Robin, for going along with me on this Fall adventure. Maybe next year Geri and Susan will be able to come with us….
