16 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain • 2 nights
Had two more days at Smith, camping at Haystack Reservoir. Friday was ethereal, with little cirrus clouds flowing across the sky. This place is so beautiful. Met up with friends on Saturday for climbing, and we visited multiple crags in the park.
The rain came in overnight and we woke up to a drizzling Sunday morning, decided to just head home. But the weather cleared it was blue skies when I hit Warm Springs and I was not ready to return to a dreary week in PDX, so I turned off the highway onto the BLM road and went a few miles east to Mecca Flat on The Deschutes. This was a beautiful flat walk down the canyon a couple of miles towards Trout Creek.
There were quite a few cars in the day use area, but I was the only hiker. This is where all the fly fisherpeople go. Currently, it is Steelhead trout they are after. It was interesting to observe the anglers in their obsessive hobby. Seems very meditative. They take good care of the access trails, cleaner than the rafter and hunter areas I have visited. Maybe when I get older I'll try it. Not ready to slow down yet. Saw quite a few (wild/feral?) horses across the river on the tribal land.
