BPL Oregon 2000

A WALK IN THE WOODS

By Marge Prothman - The Old Gal

On Sunday, I drove from McCall, Idaho to Sandy, Oregon .At  the Best Western Motel I met  with the three male members of our group. They were marvelous, Treadwell being the biggest surprise of all. Really tall, Young, energetic with a great sense of humor. George Cole with that wonderful Soft Southern Accent and Don Ladigan our trip planner who looked after all the many details.

At dinner time we met with Carolyn Eddy and her husband and a few of their friends. Another big surprise for me. I was sure I had met Carolyn and her goats on the PCT a few years back. I was expecting a very small lady, instead here was this tall, redheaded, marvelous lady. 

We had a wonderful dinner and after went to the local park to have "show and tell" and  sharing. I think the hit of the show was George and his hammock. Lots of trees in Oregon for him to tie up to.. Also Don showed us his Swiss Card and  on my return home I stopped at REI and purchased a "Swiss Card" instead of the heavy jack knife I carried..

Monday morning we were all set to hike. We  shuffled cars around on Sunday afternoon. The three guys set off in Dons truck to start their hike from Mt. Hood Lodge. I had previously hiked this part so decided to start with Carolyn at Lolo Pass.

My car had been taken to the trailhead where we will come out. At this point I will not write about the three guys. I am sure they will describe the early part of their hike.

I was picked up by Carolyn and her husband in a small truck with a box on the back. We drove to the trailhead at Lolo Pass and all the time I was wondering where the goats were. The box on the back of the truck did not seem big enough to carry much Was I ever surprised, out came 3three of the biggest Goats I have ever seen, they were like small ponies. 

Carolyn is a very competent and knowledgeable lady and in no time at all the goats were packed and off we went. 

Now my indoctrination began. I was "herded by" the goats and became part of the pack. We had Sunny, Packman, Festus and then me all in a line behind Carolyn and the Dog.

 These goats were constantly "poop in and pea in "so I thought I would give them a little room and stay back a little. Well that is not the way it worked. Festus took a liking to me and if I got more than ten feet behind then he stopped, turned his head with a look that said "what's keeping you, get up here".

Festus was my friend and wanted to be kissed ( I am not big on kissing goats) and when he was allowed loose in camp he  made a beeline to me and chewed up any plastic bags  I had left out.

We did 13 1/2 miles the first day and these remarkable animals were able to get over most of the six big blow downs we encountered. If they really could not get over them, Carolyn would unpack them, help get the goats over without the packs and then repack on the other side. Most of the time it was just the big White Goat Festus that needed the help. I was amazed at how how the goats could jump and balance on small roots etc.

Our first night camping was a disaster of sorts. It was really a dirty place in fact it was a turn around for an old hard as a rock road. Carolyn discovered  her tent had fallen off one of the goats some where along the trail so she decided to sleep out. The wind was howling so bad, I was having a hard time getting my tarp tent up. There was no way you could put the stakes in the ground, so I used big rocks, but after one especially huge gust it all came down again for the tenth time.  I slept out also.

The next morning I could not believe how wet the tops of the sleeping bags were. Luckily we were not wet inside the bags. I think the big white cloud over the Columbia river decided to blow its moisture on us.

We got started  a little late this morning. We waited for the sun to help dry our gear. We did not have far to walk, we were to meet the "Hiking Machines" (the guys) at Wahtum Lake. 

Don Ladigan, Carolyn and Festus, Marge (the old gal) George Cole

We settled into a great campground on Wahtum Lake. We thought  the men might arrive in the evening or even the next morning.

We were in the middle of a afternoon nap, the goats too, when in the mid afternoon Treadwell, George and Don arrived. They had done a 20 mile day the first day and a 18 mile on this second day. We had a fun time introducing them to the goats. And of course a little celebration with the Southern Comfort. Treadwell had picked up Carolyns tent where it had fallen off the goats and packed it in.She was happy about this.

The next two days were easy days and we were in the most spectacular part of  the Eagle Creek Trail, with loads of waterfalls, narrow canyons, walking under a waterfall on one portion of the trail. On the steep canyons there was a cable drilled into the stone, so you had a hand grasp if needed. Lots of picture taking here.

Marge (the old gal) ready to walk the trail under the waterfall.

Caroyln and the goats could not come out this way, livestock was not allowed. She went over the Benson Plateau and came out on the PCT..

Once back in Sandy we had a huge lunch and lots of good talking.  I drove Don  to get his car at Mt. Hood lodge and then the goodbyes. We had great weather the entire time. 
It was a marvelous time.