Opal Creek (and Jawbone Flats)

Wow. Just wow.

This place was one of the prettiest I've seen. Makes me feel unfaithful, to CO, to my mountains. But these two days in OR provided pretty serious competition. In truth, I don't think anything could really displace my Rockies. They are deeply rooted in my heart and psyche. But this stuff was unbelievably pretty!!! Which also means I was very disappointed with my photos. They can never do nature's best handiwork justice. And I had hell with trying to get a proper white balance - if I was more technically competent, this wouldn't be such a problem! Some images look too yellow, some too blue (esp. out of the point and shoot camera), some too red! But alas, you're dealing with an amateur...!! So be it. Hopefully you won't notice too much...!

Off the freeways, onto a highway, then onto a smaller road, and soon onto a dirt road...

View of a creek below bridge on dirt road going in.

This dirt road had more deep, nasty potholes than any other I've ever been on!!! Try as I might, and as slow as I went, I could NOT avoid them all! I'm only sorry I didn't get a photo to demonstrate... It was a pretty drive, although I was so busy navigating the minefield, I didn't always get to see/enjoy it!

A kind of drippy morning, which is more or less what I was hoping for!

A little sunshine threatening, but it only made occasional and usually brief, appearances, so all was well...

Zou and I finally made it to the trailhead, got our parking dues paid ($5 for the day, just like at Eagle Creek... I guess I wouldn't mind quite so much, or feel as ripped-off, if the road getting here wasn't so horrible!!!!!), and headed out...

I didn't take Zou to the gorge, but I loved having her company on this trek. My best little buddy!

The first part of this walk is on a gravel road, then on a lovely little trail, then back again on the road. A little under seven miles total, and gorgeous for every square inch!

Bunchberry.

Doggyberry. (well, wait. I guess dogberries would be a different thing entirely...!! : )

A potential destination, and a landmark, is Jawbone Flats - an old mining camp. It is currently inhabited, and used as an educational/entrepreneurial facility (kid camps, B&B, etc.), so some people are allowed to drive the road in. But for us unwashed hordes, we walk...

Zou agrees to pose on decaying stump - such an agreeable girl...

These are named just look they look - starflowers.

Fancy part of the road. Part of the "wall" on the left is giant rock.

This old building is just barely still standing!

Sawmill Falls (or Cascada de los Ninos - not quite sure how they came up with that translation!?).

Looking downstream...

and even more downstream...

Then back onto the road and over to the bridge to access the trail. Zouey appreciates just how high this bridge is...

and how pretty the water color is...

Beautiful! (and yes, it's sunny, but I got enough cloudy weather for the waterfall pictures I really wanted, so it was OK!)

Zou comes to this other sweet little creek first, but she then has to wait for her old mom, because I have to get the tripod and real camera out of my pack to take proper photos of this fairyland.

Zou being so patient...

Moving on...

My pretty girl beside this gorgeous creek.

Zouey watches a couple and their dog pass by on the trail. After which, she scared the crap out of me by jumping off that log to come to where I was by the creek. Unfortunately, she assumed all the stuff around her was fairly solid - but it was just loose moss and twigs and logs, and she sort of fell into all of it! I was afraid she was going to break a leg! I'm betting she was kind of sore for a day or two after that, but she's still young and held together OK, thank goodness!!!

And we come to yet another great little side creek...

Stopping to take in a view down to the main stream.

And checking on Mom again...

Such pretty, clear water!

A mossier part of the forest.

I'm sorry I didn't get a better photo of this nice gal and awesome dog mommy. Her dogs might have been small, but they were obviously troopers, good little buddies, and having a great time!

Big steps for such little pooches!

Zou checks out all the previous passersby.

And now, a couple photos that I personally feel were the best of our trip this year. The clouds were back in place and allowed me to get the nice long exposures that give the water that flowing, ribbony look without nasty contrast and blow-out highlights! I love that, along with the incredible water color.