Mary’s Peak – Page 4 – Not Your Average Engineer

August 26, 2011July 1, 2020

William J. Finley National Wildlife Refuge and Around

Yesterday I drove out to William J. Finley National Wildlife Refuge to watch the sunset. The refuge is south of Corvallis a ways and has a great view of Marys Peak.

A panorama from one of the viewing platforms.

Out in one of the dry marshes.

I followed a little trail through the marsh to see what was out beyond civilization.

Goodbye sun. See you tomorrow.

A different dry marsh. This is a really nice refuge with plenty of places to observe all the critters that call it home.

Another area of the refuge.

Some resident Canadian Geese doing their thing in a mowed field.

Marys Peak silhouetted by the sunset.

Out on a farm access road between Philomath and Corvallis. Marys Peak and the fading rays of light in the center. It was a wonderful night for a photographic expedition. In the future, I will have to visit the wildlife refuge earlier in the day so that I can hike some of the many trails.

August 15, 2011July 1, 2020

Suit Up! Marys Peak Awaits!

Saturday night Christy, David, and I drove up the back roads from Harlan to the top of Marys Peak. We found the top shrouded in fog but still managed to get a few good long-exposure images. I had just come from Alyson and Max’s wedding and was thus still in my suit.

The whole operations crew on the lower summit.

On our way down, we used David’s GoPro Hero cam to capture a time lapse video of our descent. The logging roads are a bit sketchy but if his car can make it there, just about anyone can.

August 13, 2011July 1, 2020

Marys Peak Overnight

Last night after Joaquin and I returned from the Scandinavian Festival in Junction City where we helped a dude with MS smoke a cigarette and drink a beer, Joaquin, Matt, and I climbed Marys Peak to watch the Perseids Meteor Shower. We reached the summit in an hour and 45 minutes. In other words, at 1am. While setting up our tent and bivy sack, we saw several good shooting stars even with the full moon directly overhead. As we approached the tippy top of Marys Peak, we interrupted at least one couple mid-coitus. It was rather impressive to see how many people had made the trek to the top. Well, until we found out the road is open again from Harlan.

Just before the sun sneaked above the clouds to the east Mount Jefferson is peaking up above the clouds a bit to the right of center.

Looking northwest toward the ocean.

Joaquin wakes up.

The moon prepares to set in the west.

My new bivy sack. I need to figure out how to keep the sack from touching my sleeping bag as my bag was rather damp this morning. Otherwise, I was very impressed with the performance of the new bivy sack.

Fog and clouds spilling back toward the coast.

When we arrived at 1am, all of the fog was to the west and the valley was clear. Sometime in the night it inverted.

Joaquin and Matt borrowed my two-person tent.

Here comes the sun!

Taking the tent down and getting ready to head downhill.

Absolutely gorgeous. It was one of the more memorable mornings that I’ve had in the last several months.

Heading back down the trail. It took us 1:45 to get to the bottom and find our cars. It appears we were the only people to hike to the top of Marys Peak from the bottom. Matt and Joaquin carried wine with them all the way. I was more practical and carried food and water. I’m thinking that I will have to go back up to the top again very soon with a proper camera. It is just too amazing not to do it again.