At Maiden Peak Ski Shelter, mile 1912

I stopped to make my first journal entry at Lower Rosary Lake, mile 1908. For my blog, I’ll be using the mileage from Halfmile’s maps, recorded in 2014.  The Oregon section of my trip will be from Willamette Pass 1905 to Cascade Locks 2144.

I will be journalling using voice memos. While this means I have to transcribe everything at home, it allows me to add far more detail. Call me over the hill, but it’s much easier to talk than to type with my thumbs.

Lower Rosary Lake is a lovely teal color, and I had the place to myself. At three miles in, it was a nice spot to have some lunch, adjust gear, and so on.

It turns out that I left part of my hydration hose at home. My system uses a Sawyer Squeeze filter inline, from a dirty water bladder, through the filter, and out the drink tube. Internally, I am using an Evernew hose, which functions as a drinking straw to the bottom of the bladder. Looks like I’ll have to do this the old fashioned way, by filtering water into my two plastic bottles (e.g. Smart Water), and then drinking all at once when I’m taking a break.

I shouldered my pack again, and headed up and over a small ridge. Tonight’s destination was Maiden Peak Ski Shelter. This is a fantastic little cabin, built especially for back country skiers, but also available for use by hikers. And tonight, I had the whole place to myself.

I settled down on a long bench, amidst table and chairs and a large wood stove. It’s a great destination for the first night on the trail…I only had to worry about half of my systems, and could leave tent adjustments for later.

The wood stove area had a designated place for backpacking stoves, which meant I could cook my pasta inside. Dessert tonight would be a large scoop of Nutella…full of fat and calories, to stay warm overnight. Oh, and it’s darned tasty as well.

I signed the hiker registry, looking for familiar names, and then hit the rack.