So Picturesque
Jul. 26: We are sitting in our new camp, a ways up the trail from Crater Lake in one of Raz’ hidden camp sites. I will tell you more about Raz’ camp sites in a moment. This one is not THE Crater Lake in Oregon, but a small lake deep in the Eagle Cap Wilderness that bears the same name. The frogs are active, as we are winding down. We are thoroughly enjoying hanging in our tent listening to the frogs as the sky turns from dusk to dark.
We awoke our last morning near Pine Lake and Raz laid out a breakfast of homemade granola with yogurt and walnuts and serviceberries from Raz’ garden. People ate at their own pace and began to break down camp at their own pace. Raz has taken years to dial things in, and the result is that he currently has a custom designed kitchen on all camping trips. It is comprised of two stainless Stella boxes two cubic feet each, and inside are shelves that hold plates and utensils and some limited food items. The box connects via a steel table that fold out between the boxes and it becomes the main work area for Raz to prepare meals.
I thought it was a miracle that we folded the tent efficiently enough to get it back in the bag. I have never quite gotten the swing of how to do that in all the years I have gone camping. There was actually a “certified” format, which we found out about afterwards. But we got it all to fit and that’s good enough for the guys I go with.
Regarding the camp breakdown, everyone pitched in by getting a llama, bringing it to camp and waited patiently while Raz told Jim and James which saddle went on which llama. I had Chuck and we made eyes at each other for quite some time. Eventually, the saddle bags and kitchen were loaded and we were offered snacks for the hike to come. We loaded ourselves up and began our ascent out of the Pine Lakes Basin. Right before we began the descent out of the basin, I turned around, and had that bittersweet feeling wash through me, which happens often when I travel.
Chuck Is a Gentle Soul
One Last Peek Before Climbing out of Pine Lake Basin
When we reached the top, our descent began. Basically we were told to follow the same trail we had come in on, but at the point where we had gone right to ascend the path into Pine Lakes Basin, we should take the trail the other way, to traverse the mountain. Simple enough, although somehow Dan and I went one switchback too far before wondering, if we had missed the turn. At some point we noticed that the other campers or the llamas were not coming along. That was a strong clue that we got off track. And when Dan saw the llamas far away, going completely the opposite direction, it 100% confirmed our suspicions.
Slow and Steady
We actually had looked at the proper turnout, but somehow it looked different coming down the mountain. So we convinced ourselves it wasn’t the right place to turn off, when indeed, we should have. To give credit when credit is due, Dan was thinking we had missed the turnoff and I was still thinking things were looking familiar and ready to carry on, even further off track. Anyway, we headed back up, and it happened that Jim was heading toward us, since Raz sent him to find us. I asked Jim how he knew we took a wrong turn, because we had been in front of him. He informed us that everyone got to the lunch spot including the llamas and we were missing. Yesterday I had been joking about that if I ever lead others on a wilderness walk, I can pretty much guarantee we will all get lost. And today, I proved my statement to be completely accurate. We felt silly but got over it and enjoyed a good lunch underneath a grand white bark pine, probably hundreds of years old.
Raz shared more llama wisdom with us. It seems like campers pick his brains and he is eager to share, while never boastful. This conversation was about the mating habits of llamas. First off, they don’t have a fertility cycle like many other mammals, no menstrual cycles. They are willing to mate at any point in time, and after they do, the female releases an egg. But in short, the male llamas are always on the hunt and Raz has had a couple times where a male successfully got loose and made his way to the females. So that’s the first thing. But even more interesting to note, the llamas do not appear to be pregnant. He’s been raising them for decades and he can’t tell when they are pregnant. Of course, if he mates them, then he knows. But when a male llama escaped to get naughty with the girls, he didn’t know, if a pregnancy happened. Llamas carry their young for twelve months and then one day, they pop out a baby. Sometimes to Raz’ surprise! We all found llama mating to be a totally engrossing conversation.
We Were All Interested in Llama Behavior
After lunch we headed to another one of Raz’ secret camping spots, about half a mile above Crater Lake. One of the gifts Raz offers his groups are his secret spots. The lakes themselves may have other visitors, but he has carved out some very sweet camping spots that nobody else seems to know about. In fact, he said that in 25 years of coming to these spots, he has never found anyone else there. And this spot was no different, as it was sequestered in the pines alongside a gurgling stream.
On the four mile hike, it was interesting to see how the basalt inter played with the granite. The granite has been here for eons and the basalt has made more recent intrusions and flows through the region. We’d turn one corner and see a mountain side of white granite rock and then turn another corner and see the reddish basalt.
Basalt Intrusions through Granite
We all stopped as instructed by a rushing stream a short distance from the turn to the hidden camp site. We filled up our water jugs as one of the campers had a steri pen and was kind enough to share it with us. It works by using UV rays to kill microbes in the water. Compared to the size and work of a filtration system, this pen is very handy.
Shortly before we reached Crater Lake, Raz told us to take the trail through the woods, up the hills, around the meadow, and at the second blue Wallowa Llamas sign, we have arrived. Dan scoped out a flat and semi-private tent spot. Again, we all pitched in to bring the llamas to their home, a meadow across the stream. Now in addition to not making much noise, they don’t drink much water either. Only .75 gallons a day, which is less than me. I always thought of myself as a camel, since I can hold in water, but they are even more of camels, since they are closely related to them. In fact, their faces look just like camel faces.
The Foreground Is Granite and the Background Is Basalt
Llamas Arrive
After sweating and huffing for half the day, Dan and I were happy to take some down time at camp and read and let our conversation drift from here to there and everywhere.
Dinner was enchiladas with all the fixings. It got lots of oohs and aahhs. The two teenagers had several helpings a piece! Raz had an oven that was part of the custom designed kitchen and it was heated with a small white gas stove beneath it. It was pretty cool to have freshly baked dishes come out of the oven. Who would have thunk it?
Dan and I did our ritual evening walk and headed toward the pond Dan had discovered earlier. The subdued evening light made a perfect reflection of the red mountain in the pond. We observed nature in silence, both enjoying the moment and the solitude that accompanied it. We strolled a bit longer through the woods, overlooking the lake, and here we are again, watching the sky go from dusk to dark.
The Setting Sun Reflects the Mountains in the Pond
I Am Ready to Hunker Down for the Evening