Y'all know I really dig the dispersed camping (free!!!) on Lolo's pass with short trips to Lost Lake, because I have blogged about it before. It is ideal if you are going with a group of folks. We haven't really had an issue with finding a spot, even if leaving on a Sat morning. However, if you want prime locations on the river, leaving on Friday afternoon is a good strategy. It is located near a rockhounding site, and close to Lost Lake and several great hikes.
So...there are supposed to be veins of pyroclastic flows filled with petrified wood and jasper on the cliff face near the side of the road. I was not interested in dying so we didn't try to collect. There is a steep trail past a couple of waterfalls and I believe that there are some spots that you could find material, but I didn't explore much. There were 4 random men exploring the area and I got a definite "Deliverance"-vibe. I enjoyed this little treasure trove of objects tucked behind the falls though...
As I have mentioned in my previous post, the rates for renting kayaks, canoes, SUPs, and boats are really reasonable at Lost Lake Resort. They went up a tad this year, but you also get them for at least 2 hours. Now, let me just tell you about my canoe experience...have you ever been trying to woman a vessel before, when your boat-mate literally always paddles in the opposite direction as you do so you just do U'ies the whole time. Circles for days? No...well lucky you. I had to tell my fella that he wasn't allowed to paddle anymore. I would say that I have never laughed so hard...but I am behind blogging by at least a month and I KNOW that there have been subsequent adventures when I have laughed even harder. (Tease)...
I previously hiked Ramona Falls and Balk Peak from the campsites on Lolo's pass (the trailhead is the same for both), but this time we chose to drive down around Mt Hood for the trailhead to Umbrella Falls.
It was a hot day the first week of July. There were wildflowers everywhere. Oh, and guess who got a wildflower book for their birthday? This Cancerian, that's who. So, be prepared for some flowie-dorkage. That's going to happen. I digress...so the trail isn't super long or challenging, but it was HOT! The falls were lovely. What makes this hike interesting is that you can see the lines for the ski areas and the lifts. It's strange and also pretty cool. The trail wasn't packed and the Tupes had a lovely time.