You look like a monkey!

Camping/Hiking_Cove Palisades S.P.

Hiking/Scrambling_Smith Rock S.P.

Weather_75 degrees, Sunny

After driving through snow at Mount Hood, we arrived at Cove Palisades S.P. which is 30 minutes North of Bend, OR.  Our first impression driving towards the S.P. was that we would be sleeping in farm fields.  At the last moment, it opened up into a canyon, with cliffs, waterfalls, and boulders everywhere.  Saturday morning, we made our way over to Smith Rock, a.k.a climbers paradise. 

Tam-A-Lau Trail

We could see why this was a climbers paradise.  All sorts of trad and lead routes within walking distance from each other.  Not being in climbing shape, we decided to hike and scramble through Asterisks Pass and around Smith Rock.  There was a formation called Monkey face, and that is when I realized vp looks like a monkey, but don't we all.
 

Monkey Faces

Smith Rock

Martha Rock

Mount St. Helens Part 1

Day Trip

Hiking_Mount St. Helens

Weather_Cold and Rainy

The weather looked bleak so we decided to do a day trip to Mount St. Helens.  It was described to me as "a mountain with a hole in it." We had to check it out for ourselves.  Although the weather did not cooperate, we were still able to have a great hike.  Unfortunately, we were not able to see "a mountain with a hole in it," so we will return....

Mount St. Helens peaking through the clouds

Devil's Elbow