Things To Do In: Portland, Oregon

Over the 4th of July weekend, I took a trip up to Portland and the nearby areas with the boyfriend.  I had never been to the Rose City before, and had a few goals in mind for my visit to maximize the long holiday weekend.


Firstly, I wanted to see the coast.  Specifically Cannon Beach.  I have fond memories as a child of taking a trip up to the southern coast or Oregon and camping near the beach.  Exploring the tide pools there was my favorite part of that trip and is one of my earliest memories.  I couldn't wait to get out there again.


Cannon Beach is the closest little beach town to Portland and only about an hour and a half drive away.  When our flight got in at 7 am that morning, we rented a car and drove straight to the beach.

It did not disappoint.

We had incredible weather and were able to take a nice nap on the beach as we were exhausted from waking up at 4 am to catch our flight.  We walked around Cannon Beach town, had a lovely lunch, decided against swimming in the freezing water, and instead drove back to Portland to check in with our Airbnb place.

Could it be any cuter?  This was our adorable little "Cob Cottage" in a great little neighborhood across the river from downtown that had very friendly cats in the yard to keep us company.

My second reason for going to Portland was to see the Columbia River Gorge and all of it's incredible waterfalls.  We spent two days (Saturday and Monday morning) hiking to waterfalls and scenic viewpoints.  Below are some of my favorites.



 

Lower Latourell Falls from the hiking trail

Lower Latourell from the trail.  You can hike to upper Latourell Falls (maybe about a mile hike?) but it isn't nearly as impressive as lower.  The path to get there though is lovely.

Standing near the bottom of Lower Latourell.  I fell like this waterfall was kind of overlooked by the rest of the throng of tourists.  Not sure why, as it was my second favorite.

Triple Falls - this was definitely the most intensive hike that we did to get to any of the waterfalls.  It's still not a difficult hike however if you're used to hiking, especially in Utah.  You can follow a path around the side to get to the river directly above the waterfalls where you can see a few people playing in the water.  We had a great lunch over there in the shade.

Then there is the big one - Multnomah.  This is just the upper portion of the falls when you're standing on the bridge.  You cannot tell how big this really is from the photo - it is immense!

Here is the full Multnomah falls.  I had to vertical panoramic this picture on my phone to get the whole thing in.  That's how big it is.  It is also insanely crowded.  I would definitely NOT recommend going on a weekend day, especially a holiday weekend like I did, however, if that's your only option, do not miss seeing Multnomah.

This is Fairy Tale Falls.  The smallest we saw, but very beautiful.  I wished I had brought my big camera for this waterfall so I could have gotten some long exposure shots. 

 

And this is what the path up to Fairy Tale Falls looks like.  It seriously felt like another planet to me.  So vibrant, so alive, so humid.

This was too good to resist.

The last waterfall on my list was what I was most looking forward too.  We saw more than the ones I showed above, but they weren't as impressive - (they're still amazing, I just didn't want this post to be too long).  Nothing however compares to the beauty of Oneonta Gorge and waterfall.  You absolutely MUST go here if you visit the Columbia River Gorge and you must go early!  It gets very crowded very quickly.  We went at 7am Monday morning and I ended up wishing we'd even gotten there earlier so we could have appreciated the magic and beauty a little longer without people showing up.

Isn't that beautiful?  The green was so overwhelming it was almost painful to look at.

To get there, you have to climb over this,

which is a lot sketchier than it looks in the picture and a lot of people struggled with it.

You walk a little bit, wading through water about mid calf deep until you get to the next challenge.  There is a drop in the river that you wade through the gets about chest deep on a tall person.  It is very very very cold.  If you're an awesome rock climber, you can climb around that section like this.

Brien is a much better rock climber than me and made it along the wall without falling in (unlike me).

But it was so worth it!

We also spent a lot of time in Portland itself getting our weird on, and I must say, I loved the city.  There are so many great restaurants, breweries, coffee shops, markets, music, interesting people, and cool sights.  My top three things we did in the city, which I unfortunately didn't think to take pictures of were:

1. Powell's City of Books - this bookstore takes up an entire city block with seven levels I think of books.  It's not just any old bookstore though - there are books on everything that I could ever imagine.  There are also the people that crowd the isles - it's like getting to see a miniature Portland in all of it's unique glory confined to a book store. 

2. Breweries - I found out that Portland has the most microbreweries than anywhere else in the country.  We were lucky enough to be in town when there was a smaller microbrew festival going on so we were able to sample a bunch of different beers from some of the smaller, lesser known Portland breweries, which happened to be just as delicious as the more well known ones! 

3. The neighborhoods - we spend a lot of time walking around the neighborhood we were staying in as well as near and in the downtown area and got to feel a little of the funky vibe Portland has.  It's a great time to just walk around and feel like you belong in a new place.

If you have a weekend in Portland, you'll have more than enough to keep you entertained and will probably leave wishing you could spend a few more days there.  It's a city right on the brink of nature with a fun local culture and a great food scene - in short, my favorite kind of city!

-Leah







Rafting through the Grand Canyon

Rafting the Grand Canyon should be on everyone's bucket list.  There is no excuse not to go.  There are all sorts of rafting trips available through the Grand Canyon anywhere from 2 days to 30 depending on how much ground you want to cover and how fast.

Back in August/September, I spent 16 days on the river and rafted about 225 miles.

Classic shot of the Colorado winding through the lowest level of the Canyon.  That's only about 1200 feet at the top of the rim you can see.  There are two more layers on top that aren't visible for a total of about a 5,000 ft deep canyon.

I did this as part of a non-commercial group aka, private boaters.  We had 7 non-motorized rafts and used only oars and the momentum of the river.  I can't even begin to really describe how incredible the Canyon is.  Let's just say, there is a reason it is one of the natural wonders of the world. Seeing it from the bottom up is by far the best way to appreciate the beauty, strength, and history of the Canyon. 

The umbrellas were a lifesaver with the brutal sun and heat of the desert.

Things to know about rafting the Colorado through the Grand Canyon - it is HOT!  Going in late summer the temperatures we experienced ranged from a cool 90 degrees up to 120 Fahrenheit.  Down on the river it was cooler (meaning only 95-100 degrees), but on one of the hikes we went did, we crossed the second level of the canyon through a large desert that was 120 degrees. 

On that note though - the water is COLD.  Only about 50 degrees Fahrenheit.  There is a risk of hypothermia if you fall out of the boat in a rapid and aren't able to get back in for several miles of river. 

Deer Creek Falls in the background.  It's a 40 foot waterfall that plunges almost directly into the river.

You should also know that you pack in everything and you pack out everything.  That means all the food is packed in coolers and boxes on day 1 and should last you the full 16 days.  You do not open the coolers if you can avoid it.  Funky meat and dairy is no bueno.

That means you also pack out everything that happens after you eat.  Yes, that means poop.  In the delicate desert environment, there are no outhouses and you do not dig holes.  Thousands of people raft down the river each year, so to keep everything pristine and beautiful, you take it with you in air tight rocket boxes.  Not the most pleasant, but definitely a necessary chore of packing up the pooper each day.

There is no contact with the outside world.  Yes, you have a satellite phone for emergencies, but you are completely cutoff otherwise.  That means no texts, no emails, no phone calls, no tv, no radio, etc.  Losing that connection is spectacular.  You live in the moment without all of the distractions social media and technology bring into our lives.  I felt so calm and relaxed during the trip knowing that even if I wanted to stress about work, I couldn't.   

This is "the patio" at the top of Deer Creek Falls.  Back by the trees is a beautiful area to soak in some non-silty fresh water and enjoy the shade.

The natural wonder of the Grand Canyon is everywhere.  The timeline of the earth is visible in the rock layers along the entire river and the further you go, more and more is revealed.  There are so many side canyons and features offering fresh springs, a cool oasis, and breathtaking colors. 

Then there a rapids.  RAPIDS!!!  Huge, monstrous, insane rapids.  I've rafted quite a few other rivers, but the rapids on those rivers are mellow little babies compared to so many of the rapids on the Grand Canyon section of the Colorado.  I did get thrown out of the boat in one of the BIG rapids, and holy hell - that was an experience for the books.  The force of the water and the size of the waves is immense.  I came up out of the water and couldn't see the raft anywhere, only heaving silty brown waves churning around boulders in one of the narrowest sections of the river.  I rode that rapid feet first in just my lifejacket until I caught up to my raft once we were through.  While I definitely wouldn't encourage anyone to fall out of the boat, it did make for one amazing experience!  Luckily I remain pretty calm in situations like that, so it wasn't a big deal to me as far as the "freaking out factor".  I was frozen for most of the day after that once the adrenaline left and I was soaked in river water.  It didn't help that that day was the cloudiest and coolest with regular rain showers the entire time we were on the water.

 

Beaver Falls in the Havasu Creek side canyon.  If you keep hiking away from the Colorado, you'll eventually make it to Havasupai, although you'll be fined for crossing onto the Havasu Nation land without a permit.



I've heard from so many people that visiting the Grand Canyon was very underwhelming for them since they only drove to the North or South rim, walked to the lookout points, and basically saw a big hole in the ground.  The Grand Canyon viewed from the bottom up is a completely different experience and rates as my most favorite adventure to date.   If you get the chance to raft the Grand Canyon, absolutely do it.  Make it happen. 

 

California's Highway One

Last April, I took a trip driving down a portion of the iconic California Highway One.  It was scenic to say the least.  

Winding coastline on a narrow highway with steep cliffs plunging into the ocean.  There are numerous state parks, nature reserves, and breathtaking view points to stop at, admire, and explore.  We began our drive in Carmel By The Sea and ended at San Luis Obispo over the course of two days.  The highway extends nearly the entire coastline of the western United States and this is only a small portion of it that is particularly known for it's beauty.  

One of our first stops just south of Carmel was at Lobos Point State Reserve.  I was a little surprised at how much I loved this place.  There is an entry fee of $10 per vehicle which we paid, but the great thing is, this entry fee included all the other state parks we stopped at later on in the next two days!  This Reserve has numerous easy nature trails that take you along the coastline, through the unique mediterranean-like ecosystem.  This was great as my mom went with me on this trip and she isn't the greatest hiker anymore.  Some of the pathways are even wheelchair friendly and offer some of the best views.  The photo above looks down onto China Beach which is a popular sea lion hangout.  Those brown lumps on the beach and rocks are all sun bathing sea lions!  You can hear them honking long before you can see them as you're walking toward the view point.  If you spend some time watching, you'll likely get to see them frolicking in the calm water, and climbing on and off the beach and rocks.  

This area of California made me think of Italy (although I've never been there) with all of it's cypress trees, rugged cliff sides, incredibly blue waters, and vineyards everywhere.  

We kept driving down the coast and stopped at nearly all of the lookout points.  It's usually very windy being right on the coastline, so make sure you bring a jacket.  I was there in April which can be very cold and rainy however we had beautiful clear skies and unusually warm weather except for when we were right on the coast.  The next major stop was at Big Sur State Park.  I had always though Big Sur was a specific destination.  I found out that Big Sur is more of just this general area of the California Coast. There is however a beautiful state park with lots of hiking trails.  After driving inland to the actual park, I hiked about three miles to get to this lookout point.  You can see the ocean there in the distance.  I did two hikes while in Big Sur State Park, both of which I'd rate as easy.  My mom did the first one with me and did well even through the steep parts.  There are lots of other, more strenuous hikes within the park if you have more time to explore (which we didn't unfortunately).  There was also a gorgeous looking campground here which I imagine would be a great weekend escape.

Wild irises in Big Sur State Park.

Our next stop was at the most iconic of all the state parks in this area - Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.  This is the location of the incredibly picturesque McWay Waterfall and jewel blue cove.  As an fyi, this place is packed.  There is a parking area on the inland side of the highway, but it was beyond full.  Cars lined the highway on either side of the park entrance and people had to walk down the highway to get to the beginning of the very short trail that lead to the view point.  There is rarely a shoulder on the highway so this can be very dangerous for pedestrians, but it is well worth the effort.  Once you've finally been able to park, you take a short walk through a tunnel under the highway, around a bend and boom, there is the view.  There is a lot of interesting history on Julia Pfeiffer Burns who lived in this area and was a pioneer and her friend, Helen Hooper Brown, who owned the land McWay Waterfall is on and the "Waterfall" house nearby.  She donated the land to the state of California and had it named after her friend and mentor.

Our next major stop was just before San Simeon.  The coast will gradually change from steep cliffs plunging into the ocean to rolling hills and flatter coastal areas with big beaches.  All of these beaches are protected and you cannot trespass.  You'll notice there are animals on all of these beaches and you will absolutely be tempted to stop and take pictures.  Don't!  There are signs posted everywhere that there is no stopping on the highway except for in designated areas.  I imagine this has multiple purposes: firstly, to keep the wildlife and humans safe.  Secondly, to keep the highway from turning into a parking lot.  And lastly, because there is a WAY BETTER VIEWPOINT only a couple of miles further!

The beach above was immense and everywhere you look there are elephant seals!  I had never seen elephant seals before and was surprised to find out that this section of California is the primary breeding ground for them.  All of the elephant seals above are either females or juveniles so they don't have the obvious trunk-like nose that the adult males have, which give them their name.  The females though do have a bigger, squishier nose than a sea-lion or seal and they are huge.  Seeing elephant seals was a complete surprise for me.  I had planned all of our other stops, but I had absolutely no idea these incredible creatures would be there.  Being the crazy animal lady that I am, we spent a lot of time watching them flip sand on their backs, wiggle around to get more comfortable, and occasionally argue with one another.  I don't know if my mom was quite as fascinated by them as I was, but she was a good sport.

As I mentioned before, the coastline changes to incredible rolling hills.  The further inland you go in this area and everything turns to wine country.  Looks like Tuscany, yes?  Beautiful.

Both nights we spent on the coast awarded us spectacular sunsets over the ocean.  

If you plan to drive the California Coast through the Big Sur area, make sure you are prepared for a couple of things.  It is a very twisty and winding, single lane highway, that often has plunging cliffs right below the road.  If you are afraid of heights (like my mom) or don't like driving, you should definitely have someone else drive.  Much of the land is either a state park, or protected so there is very little development in the area.  If you need gas, you should stop at the first gas station you see as there won't be another for a long time.  And yes, it will be expensive.  Also, there are restaurants along the coast at some of the little resort-like stops, however they are extremely expensive and there are not a lot of options.  Come prepared to spend money, or pack your own food.  Same goes for hotels if you require a bed and shower (like my mom) however if I were to go again, I would camp as there are lots of campsites to choose from.

Have you driven along this, or any other section of Highway 1?  Is there any other iconic drive you've done?

-Leah

Peru

Seven months ago I went on an incredible trip to Peru to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu.  I have been meaning to write a post on it for months, but as usual, the time gets away from me.  I wanted to get something up so these are all iphone pictures, but it's better than nothing.

We hiked 4 days from about an hour outside of Cusco to Machu Picchu near Aguas Calientes.  The scenery was breathtaking and I made good friends with all of the others hiking with me.  What impressed me the most though was the porters.  They are so hard working and helpful.  It was wonderful to be able to support them through a reputable tour company that treated them well and took care of us as the customers.

If you ever have the chance to go to Machu Picchu, go.  It is expected that the Peruvian government will close the site down so you will only be able to view from a distance rather than explore the ruins for yourself in order to preserve the area.

At the top of an almost 14,000 foot pass, aptly named Dead Woman's Pass.  The highest point on the trail.

The reward for making it to the top of the pass is coca tea.  Not legal in the US.

Wild flowers.  This one is smaller than a pea.  

The best part of the trail is that you see ruins the entire way along the trail.  

Wild orchids on the trail as big as my hand.

After beginning our final day's hike before sunrise, we arrive at Machu Picchu just as the sun crests the mountain.

It was so much bigger than I expected.  

I think it was 8,000 feet or so down to the bottom of the canyon where the city of Aguas Calientes sits.

After four days on the trail, and a terrifying bus ride down from the ruins, we splurged on pizza and pisco sours in Aguas Calientes.

Lists, lists, lists - in 2015

I am the type of person who loves making lists. I make bucket lists, grocery lists, goals lists, to do lists, chores lists, etc. I thought I would share a "2015" list of things I want to do/accomplish/try/learn in 2015.


Writing

• Blog post about my Peru Trip
• Bi-weekly post about my goings-on
• Grand Teton Trip
• Monthly Volunteer Newsletter for CAWS

Reading

• Currently reading
• Not That Kind of Girl - by Lena Dunham
• Yes Please - by Amy Poehler
• Waldon and Civil Disobedience - by Henry David Thoreau
• Read in 2015
• A Heart for Freedom - by Chai Ling
• Serena - by Ron Rash
• Gone Girl - by Gillian Flynn
• Angels and Demons - by Dan Brown
• Never Let Me Go - by Kazuo Ishiguro
• The Bell Jar - by Sylvia Plath
• If I Stay - by Gayle Forman
• Guns, Germs, and Steel - by Jared Diamond
• How To Be A Woman - by Caitlin Moran

And I'm sure a lot more will be read and/or added to the list.

Traveling

• Grand Teton - Some friends and I will be hiking up to the saddle of Grand Teton peak in the Wyoming Tetons, then climbing the face.  I will only be top roping in, definitley NOT lead climbing.
• Arizona - Air Balloon Festival - In less than two weeks I'll be heading to Arizona to visit the boyfriend and we'll be going to the Phoenix Air Balloon Festival.  I'm SO EXCITED to do this.  Firstly, I can't wait to get out of the nasty air here in Salt Lake, and mostly, I've wanted to go to an air balloon festival for years.
• Los Angeles - Visiting my friend Melinda who now lives there, and trying to surf.
• Grand Canyon Whitewater Trip - I'm hoping this will happen.  I have a friend with a permit for August of 2015, so I'm hoping everything will come together and there will still be room for me. 
• International??? - In the event the GC raft trip doesn't work out, I'll need to have some sort of big vacation.  We'll see what comes up.

Fitness

• I'm doing a challenge with a friend of mine to run/walk 2,015 miles in 2015.  We're splitting the mileage in half, so 1,007.5 for each of us.
• Along with that, I'd like to run at least one more half marathon.
• Complete a Century Ride (100 Mile) road bike event.  So far, the most I've done is 75 miles.
• Lead Climb - I want to learn to lead climb (in the gym) and lead at least one climb on an actual rock.

Learning

• Play the guitar - I have a class starting today!
• Lead Climb - see fitness.
• Photo Shop - I have myself a fancy DSLR camera that I'm still working on mastering, but I'd like to learn more in photo shop, since right now I know nothing.
• Re-learning to ski.  I haven't skiied for 15 years since I decided snowboarding was way "cooler" at the age of 13, although I spent my childhood skiing.  Let's see if I can pick it back up.

-Leah

Travelogue: Alaska Part Four

This has been a long time coming.  Life has a way of speeding up and catching me in the present with little time to reminisce on the extraordinary experiences I've had so far.  This is both good and bad in that I definitely want to live in the present and value life as it comes, however, I also want to appreciate and value everything I've been lucky enough to do.  Unfortunately as well, my present has mostly been full of work, as it's the busy season in the world of employee benefits insurance.

It's been nice to look back through these pictures and remember my last few days in Alaska.

Tour of mulit Iditarod champion Jeff King.  His dogs are incredible.

The dogs coming back from a run with the ATV.

Puppies!

Hiking.

Walking along the ridge line at about 9000 feet.

Bus ride into the park to see some wildlife.

Dall sheep.

The Iconic park photo.

Mama grizzly.  There is a little dark brown blog down to the left from her a bit.  That's one of two babies born this spring.

Second mama bear we saw.

Her two cubs chasing across the mountain to catch up.  They were born the spring prior.

Seeing grizzly bears in the wild was a dream come true.  Denali National Park does not disappoint.  

-Leah