Finding Lost Lake

Hello, thanks for visiting!  Would you like to go for a drive?  Ok, buckle up.  As I watched the weather forecasts, it looked like our long run of summery weather was drawing to a close and endless rain was coming our way.  Friday was supposed to be the last nice day for a while, so I suggested we take the boys on a drive to see a beautiful place.  Lost Lake at the base of Mt. Hood.  I also asked my blog friend Gracie to join us.   

But let's start at the beginning, shall we?  Gracie arrived shortly after noon and we headed out to Hood River to try a new place (for us) for lunch.  We were very happy with our lunches here and will gladly go back.  The boys had a mac and cheese, Gracie a turkey rollup, Dayle had soup and salad and I had a grilled turkey sandwich with cream cheese and cranberry sauce.. and sweet potato fries!  Yum!

As we drove up the mountain, the crossing gate came down and we were treated to the Mt. Hood Railroad train going past.. blowing it's whistle as it went by.  FUN!  I quickly found my camera, rolled down the window and stuck my camera out.  Bloggers are funny that way.

We had not been here for a LONG time.. maybe 20 years or so.  I was dismayed to see that most of the forest on our drive up to the lake had been logged off!  What a shame to drive through miles of stumps in such a beautiful area.  Fortunately the forest surrounding the lake was untouched.  We arrived at the Lost Lake Resort & Campground.

1. Lost Lake is a lake in Mount Hood National Forest 16.2 kilometres northwest of Mount Hood in Hood River County in the U.S. state of Oregon. It is 34.4 kilometres southwest of Hood River, a 26.4-mile drive. Wikipedia
4. Surface elevation: 3,146' (959 m)
5. Area: 245 acres (99 ha)
6. Length: 1.022 miles (1.644 km)
7. Width: 4,150 feet (1,265 m)

After you pass through the resort center - which is really just the boat launch and store, you drive over a bridge and are treated with your first good look at the lake.  (Above)  You then can drive around the lake a ways and they keep one area trimmed back to expose *THIS* view.  Awwww... lovely.

Lewis & Clark College brought their rowing teams and boats up for some paddling with a magnificent view.  It might also be that they want to train them at high altitudes so they build up more endurance.

Of course we took way too many photos from the viewpoint.. zoom.. 

What do you think?  Was it worth the drive?  :-)  Actually, this place is only a 1 and a half drive from our house.

Now - it might be prettier with the mountain covered with snow - so maybe we'll make the trek again in late Spring, once the road is passable and snow free.

This tree was next to the cabins you can rent there.  Vine Maple, all beautifully orange and red.

There were several boaters enjoying the lake.

This tree is directly to the right of the bridge above.

Here is one of the cabins they rent out.  Isn't it cute?  We stayed here once years ago.

Gracie and I walked down to the dock area with the boys while Dayle checked to see if they could rent a rowboat for a while.  Dang.. it was too late for that.  Oh well!  We sat and watched the boys run around and took deep breaths to enjoy the freshest air ever, and watch the sun sparkle on the lake.

I realized that I didn't get a shot of the boys, so Gracie sent me a few that she got.  The image below is one.

I zoomed in on these three people enjoying their fishing.

We even drove back up to the viewpoint for a few more shots, the sun was illuminating the face of the mountain and a fishing boat is pretty in the shot.

A close up of the craggy, rocky mountain top.

OK. Time to bid this beautiful place adieu and wind our way down to Hood River and home.  I'm so glad we came back here.

Down the hillside we were treated to technicolor maple leaves.

We'd crossed this river on our way up and I promised myself we'd stop on the way down.  Gracie and I walked out on the bridge and snapped some photos of the roaring Hood River as it descended towards the mighty Columbia River and then on out to the Pacific Ocean.

We walked across to the other side of the bridge and looked UP the river.. I wish you could hear the sound of the rapids.. 

When taking the photo upriver I noticed a little peak of the mountain, so I zoomed in for this shot.

I noticed that Parkdale was just 5 miles further up the road so we drove up to show that small mountain town to Gracie.  She snapped these images of the boys climbing in the cherry trees in the park.

EEP EEP.. little monkey boys.  Not long after this shot by Gracie, I saw Caleb fall out of the tree right onto his head, thunk!  He scraped his side but suffered no other injuries.  He'd grabbed a tiny branch for support and it broke off in his hand and down he tumbled.  I think he learned a valuable tree climbing lesson.  Hayden swinging happily.

I know this next image will be out of context!  But my sister Denise, her husband Steve and their oldest son Shane attended the balloon festival in Albuquerque International Balloon Festival in New Mexico - and got to go up for a balloon ride.. this is just one of the fabulous photos my nephew Shane shared with me.  Be sure to go to the URL on his photo.. he's traveled the world and taken amazing photos.

I have potatoes and eggs cooking on the stove, I'm making potato salad to take to our older son's house for a BBQ.  They are all moved in and I can't wait to see their new house all full of furniture!!  Very exciting!  I hope your weekend was and is going wonderfully.  Remember to make the most out of your time on this blue spinning globe.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-)