Plenty of great viewpoints tower above Diamond Lake

Trail to the slopes of Mt. Thielsen on a smoky day

The greatest reward from climbing a mountain is the accomplishment. The second is the view from the summit. Frequently, when topping a Cascade volcano or one’s remnants in Oregon on a clear day, one can see the two sides of Oregon: green stretching as far as they can see to the West and more arid country to the East. Ridges radiate from mountains before flowing and spreading into forestlands. Still at altitudes of 5,000', those forestlands then eventually give way to flatlands of the Willamette Valley and the high desert of Central Oregon.

Ignorance in the woods can be very costly

Lake Kiwa, Waldo Lake Wilderness

I think it was back in cub scouts as a wee lad when the "be prepared" mantra was originally drilled into my head. Forgetting toilet paper when preparing for a hike is one thing – not packing the right clothes on a backpack trip, especially in the winter, is another.