• Quail Run TrippingGoing to Boring orTraveler
    View from Paulina Peak of craggs and Paulina Lake
    View from Paulina Peak of craggs and Paulina LakeThe craggsEdge of the parking lot and trees on more craggsView of the Big Obsidian FlowDead treePaulina Lake and East LakeIndy leading us up the trail to the Big Obsidian Flow trailWhitebark PineThe trail leading through obsidianSmall brush on the flowSplit rock a the top of the Big Obsidian FlowMore vegetation growing in the cracksA good part of the trailA view from the top of the stairsJill heading down the stairsWe got ducked again, this time in the parking lot of the Big Obsidian FlowOur healthy lunch at Paulina LakeSomeone's Golden Retriever removing sticks from the bottom of the lakeIndy getting a drinkIndy hauling Les back to Jill at the top of the boat ramp, East LakePaulina Fallsone side of the river to the falls

    Newberry Caldera

    Yesterday in the United States ⋅ ☁️ 64 °F

    Out to explore more of Newberry National Volcanic Monument today. Now heading southeast to the Newberry Caldera. First stop was Paulina Peak. The access began as a normal paved road, but soon became gravel and climbing. The road narrowed to a little over than one lane and began climbing more steeply. The surface was very washboardy, and Les put the Jeep into 4WD high range. We crawled on up to the peak in first and second gear to fine an empty parking lot at the top. The views were great and we had good sunlight for photography. We both took lots of photos. There were craggy cliffs, Paulina Lake, the Big Obsidian Flow and East Lake. Heading back down the mountain, Les dropped into 4WD low range and second gear, seldom having to brake on the way down.
    Our next stop was the Big Obsidian Flow. We started out from the parking lot with Indy leading the way, but found a set of metal stairs that Indy wound have cut his feet on, so he went back to the Jeep to bark. By the time Les got back to the stairs, Jill was at the top of them. The trail on the obsidian flow varied from gravel to jumbles of rock to navigate through up to the peak of the flow and looping back the the top of the stairs. The length of the trail was 3/4 of a mile, but took us over an hour to make the hike. The flow varied in consistancy of the rocks from pumice to obsidian with little vegetation.
    We went to eat lunch at a resort restaurant on the shore of Paulina Lake that turned out to be closed. The resort store was still open and we bought some very health food to eat at a nearby picnic table. After lunch we headed to East Lake. The views were not much of an attrction, but we stopped at the boat ramp and let Indy get a walk and a drink of lake water.
    Returning to the entrance of the monument, we made one more stop to see Paulina Falls. They were surprisingly high and divided in the middle. We saw them from an overlook near the parking lot. There was another overlook on the other side of the falls, but no bridge close by to get there.
    We returned to camp, Les took a nap and then we went to LaPine to eat and Cinco de Mayo restaurant and shop at Ray's market. Returning to camp we loaded the bikes on the rack on the Jeep in preparation of leaving in the morning.    Read more