Winter is a good time to find quiet beauty in Oregon's McKenzie River Valley

2 January 2003

MCKENZIE RIVER VALLEY, Ore. — It’s early and the sun is peeking out in slivers from behind craggy edges of the Cascades. I’ve just driven 3 1/2 miles up a frosty, winding road in anticipation of taking the first dip of the day in Terwilliger Hot Springs, which trickles down to Cougar Lake and eventually, the McKenzie River.

Lucy, the beaglelike mutt, thumps her tail, knowing that roads like this always lead to woodsy trails where she can scramble through underbrush and dart way ahead of me. I am slightly miffed to see an old silver pickup in the parking area, but there’s frost on it, so maybe I still have the place to myself.
(Read on …)

2 January 2003 comment