The Delightful Mistake

In all the years we’ve been hiking, we’ve never seen a more beautiful trail bursting with wild flowers, and we’ve never experienced the following.

The week we visited Hawk Mountain Trail, Mr. Hospitality told us about Coffin Mt. Trail, asked if we’d been there. We hadn’t, so this was the weekend, and we found it to be absolutely lovely. Everywhere the eye could see, there were clusters of flowers, and just when I thought I’d seen them all, a new one would appear. It was a photographer’s delight, and I could not get enough.

WARNING: AGING RANT  Turns out, I didn’t get enough. As you know, seeing the screen on a cell phone in bright sunlight is difficult, and if you turn for a better view, sometimes you miss your shot. It’s kind of a crap shoot; what I get is what I get (’cause I am not yet ready to haul my “real” camera on the trail). I wear contacts for distance and when I try to see anything up close, I need magnifiers. And, it ticks me off. Combine that with the screen and sunlight issue, and my love of flowers, and I’m lucky to get a clear, good up-close shot.

There were so many flowers and everywhere I looked that apparently I stopped “every two seconds” for yet another shot (according to the husband. I figure that’s the risk he takes for bringing me along). It got to the point that I could not remember (guess that qualifies as another AGING RANT) if I’d actually taken a shot of a particular flower, and figured I had….so did not take another. (Should have.)

The trail was breathtakingly lovely.

Succulents and just about everything else greeted us along this trail.

But, the trail seemed to keep going and going, longer than it was supposed to go. Just about that time, I looked up and saw these signs. And I said, “We are on the wrong trail.”

The husband whipped out his map to confirm, and a very nice couple happened along just then to confirm we were, indeed, on the wrong trail.

THIS is where we were supposed to be, the top of Coffin Mt. Trail.

We were, however, on Bachelor Mt. Trail. Far be it from me to point out a mistake of that nature; I am what they might call directionally challenged. So, I looked at the husband and said, “Well, this was a delightful mistake,” which I meant with my heart and soul. Look at this trail once again:

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And, that’s just the trail. This stopped me in my tracks (it probably isn’t lost on the husband that when I say “Would you LOOK at that view!” it’s code for “I need a break”).

We had no idea we would be able to see Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, Mt. Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack, Three Sisters, and Black Butte from one vantage point. To the north, I’ve zoomed in on Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood, and that is glorious Mt. Jefferson directly in front.

After huffing and puffing our way up–5,970 feet elevation–on a mostly uphill trail, we were treated to Oregon’s magnificence once again, a mistake I’ll gladly repeat.

Next hike: Coffin Mt.Trail (we hope).