old bridge over a stream on South Willamette Trail heading towards Eula Ridge from Hardesty TH

tree scarred from pileated woodpecker feeding

Another Bridge, Please? goatbells.blog?p=38608

Goodman Creek trail needs a bridge. This old on is on S. Willamette tr and serves purpose. 20 miles no humans but Pileated woodpecker sign - S. Willamette and Eula Ridge trails. Wildflowers now blooming in foothills!

#hiking #hikeOregon #birds

2 deer at pisgah looking right at camera

a white albino camas wildflower

Flowers, Deer, & Kestrels at Pisgah goatbells.blog?p=38571

Within the first hour, 7 deer showed up – a group of 3 and then 2 pair, all were females … 1 was so close to trail and didn’t move at first – it probably could have kicked me; then, it just walked away.

Albino camas!

#hiking #hikeOregon

kids drawing to warn people to keep dogs off sensitive areas

March Pisgah Flower Tourism goatbells.blog?p=38562

With all the warm, sunny weather birds and flowers aplenty! Kids keeping animals safe too.

Raptors: Bald Eagle, Turkey Vulture, Northern Harrier, Red-Tail Hawk, and Osprey

Wildflowers were spectacular.

#birds #hiking #hikeOregon

Mt Washington from Black Buttte

Early Overnight at Camp Sherman goatbells.blog?p=38537

2 days at Camp Sherman with sun and 70s before Spring Equinox - weird!

Stunning views of Central Cascades and quiet, peaceful camping on the magical Metolius River.

#hiking #hikeOregon

County parks destroyed coyote

After people fed it and most people go off-leash dogs…. Shocker that the coyote gets fearless and humans complain… now, coyote is dead by parks hands. So sad and avoidable

#hiking #hikeoregon #pisgah

coyote hunting in meadow

Turkeys, Hawks, 5 Deer, a Coyote … goatbells.blog?p=38509

Snow falling in the foothills, so hike local. Rain and hail off / on all day; it kept most humans at home or indoors: Mt Pisgah trails were quiet.

Not a bad day in the woods, close to home. Flowers made it better.

#hiking #hikeOregon

very early tree blossom close up

red tail hawk perched above green field hunting

Blooms, Mist and a Hawk goatbells.blog?p=38483

Mt Pisgah trail conditions were muddy and the really muddy Tr #3 sections were avoided. Though my boots didn't get wet / muddy - I was lucky. Human traffic was very light and most dogs were on leash!

#hiking #hikeOregon #birds

South sister with a cloud bonnet from Alpine Tr

Three-layered Water Cake goatbells.blog?p=38439

Alpine Trail from best TH in Willamette NF

Conditions: slippery and muddy in the lower and upper thirds - dry in middle. Entire time, not one human … total solitude.

MTB Caution - one hazard between sign and Covered Bridge TH

#hiking #hikeOregon

From Mt Pisgah looking over green grass thru a tree over the fog to Sisters covered in snow

Sign warning of coyotes

Spring & Silly Humans at Pisgah goatbells.blog?p=38391
So many people had their dogs off leash... very small dogs and dogs under no command at all. I guess peeps don’t believe the sign. Or, maybe they’re just trolling for coyotes with dog bait?

#hiking #hikeOregon

looking east from Spencer Butte into fog, clouds and rain

All Day Rain on Ridgeline goatbells.blog?p=38381

When that is the best view of the day, ... :) goodness. Willamette Valley and Cascades need water - badly; so this helps our drought. Rain gear needs testing out and i need to learn it's limits. All day rain was perfect.

#hiking #hikeOregon

coopers hawk chasing thru a flock of song birds

Just Birds goatbells.blog?p=38316

Great blue herons aplenty and a wonderfully acrobatic hunter ... such wonderful birds and all as i walk from my front door to the park and back

#birds #hiking #hikeOregon

a bench and tree atop Mt Pisgah in the snow

Snow, Mud and Sun goatbells.blog?p=38304

Snow the day before, snow early morning ... muddy trails but birds out big - song birds, ravens, hawks and a lone kestrel. Humans didn't show up until after 10:00 - all 15 min from home.

#hiking #hikeOregon

Alpine trail through mixed age forest

From Alpine trail looking down at the fog over the town of Westfir

Quiet Alpine Trail goatbells.blog?p=38248
The valley was to have late morning fog, but the foothills warmer and fog-free earlier. Logical good hike -> Alpine Trail from the best Willmatte National Forest TH @ Westfir Covered Bridge park. 19 miles of quiet solitude #hiking #hikeOregon

smoke held in the valley from atop Mt Pisgah - stagnant air

a lone wild turkey in the bush at Mt Pisgah

Turkeys and Bad Air goatbells.blog?p=38236

Why people burn with stagnant air beyond me. A 60-degree April-like day on Mt. Pisgah: Turkeys and a lone hunting raptor.

#hiking #hikeOregon #birds

rainforest like scene along Goodman Creek

small meadow around the top of Hardesty

Quiet Empty Hardesty and Goodman Creek goatbells.blog?p=38205

two very different hikes from same TH - Hardesty a butt-kicker up / down, and Goodman Creek a rainforest amble up the hill - both remarkably quiet, and not 1 human for duration - ah!

#hiking #hikeOregon

looking east from Pisgah to Diamond Peak over wood smoke in valley - shows low snow pack on the peak

Stagnant Air Still at Pisgah goatbells.blog?p=38192

With the air conditions, wood smoke just sat in the valley to both the east and west. Looking to the east and Diamond Peak, we should NOT be able to see rocks – the terrible OR snow pack so far in 2026.

#hiking #hikeOregon

pre dawn golden hour from Mt Pisgah to the east

Cold Pisgah Morning goatbells.blog?p=38147

In the 20s with sun sometimes and thick cold fog mostly. Deer, coyotes, birds and solitude ... a carbon karma rational hike for January in Willamette Valley.

#hiking #hikeOregon

jay perched for max sun

red-wing blackbird perched for max sun

Frost to sun at the park goatbells.blog?p=38133

After so much cold fog soup in the valley, when the sun pops out, everybody wants the sunniest perch - can't blame 'em

#birds #hikeOregon

Ridgeline trail thru woods in fog and sunlight

Ridgeline Fog Soup goatbells.blog?p=38112

thick dripping fog below and clear skies above (sometimes). a perfect OR winter hike closes to town in January

#hiking #hikeOregon

looking SE from Pisgah to Diamond Pk

Pisgah’s Coyote goatbells.blog?p=38101

Frost in shadows, sunlight and blue skies ... a good day to be on trail .... and a coyote slipped thru the meadow below me. distance far for my 12-45mm lens, but you can see it

#hiking #hikeOregon #MtPisgah

Data Geek Special goatbells.blog?p=38060

5 years of hiking miles and 2 years of carbon karma tracking ... time to look to 2026!
#hiking #hikeOregon

pre dawn over the fog from Mt Pisgah

Frosty Pisgah’s Trees goatbells.blog?p=38043

A cold morning around 30 degrees with possible sunshine after the fog … snow at lower elevations in the foothills, and Ridgeline Trail hiked last week. I decided to head to Mt Pisgah for a solid ramble around the hill.

#hiking #hikeOregon

sunrise through clouds in southern willamette valley

Building hope after winter solstice! goatbells.blog?p=38035

Ray Bradbury’s, “Action is hope. There is no hope without action.” Or, Greta Thunberg “Once we start to act, hope is everywhere. So instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then, and only then, hope will come.”

#hiking #hikeOregon

fog, clouds and mists over willamette valley foothills

Ridgeline Solstice 25 goatbells.blog?p=38021

Hiking Ridgeline Trail and Spencer Butte has become a Winter Solstice tradition over the last 3-4 years. This year, however, was the worst weather. Gortex top-to-bottom and an umbrella …
#hiking #hikeOregon #Oregon

sunrise behind bare trees

Spencer sunrise thru crack in sky goatbells.blog?p=37996

flexibility, timing and paying attention to weather ... a low carbon burn hike, a great sunrise and smiles all-round!

for about 10 minutes the sky, sun and earth were perfectly balanced and every human stopped to watch

#hiking #hikeOregon

sunrise from Mt Pisgah looking east to cascade foothills

Avoiding rain on Pisgah, and driving less! goatbells.blog?p=37982

Pisgah was not the original plan, but with rain in the foothills and none in valley, why drive to get wet if something dry and just as good is closer?

Driving less (carbon karma) and a great experience - nice!

#hiking #hikeOregon

trail thru fog-filled forest

Kirby’s VERY favorite photos from 2025 goatbells.blog?p=37966

from that same annual 'look back' to posted photos, these are the 'VERY FAVORITE' ones ... in weird twist, few are from within wilderness - most from around town

#hiking #hikeOregon

raptor against an orange predawn sky

Kirby’s almost favorite photos from 2025 goatbells.blog?p=37951

Looking back at the posted photos from the last year, these are the 'ALMOST' favorites ... good, but could be better

#hiking #hikeOregon

fog rolling over the foothills in Willamette Valley

Winter is in the air goatbells.blog?p=37920

2 Pileated woodpeckers, a deer, perfect trail conditions on Ridgeline Trail - 10 minutes from town - why drive further?

the air, clouds, wind all carried winter's early touch
#hiking #hikeOregon

bench above the fog on Mt Pisgah looking at Spencer Butte

Magical mists goatbells.blog?p=37906

Morning fog was thick on the valley floor, but not very high ... Mt Pisgah summit was above the fog. Beautiful. the mists made great photos before and after sunrise. such a wonderful place 10 minutes from downtown.

#hiking #hikeOregon