Trip Report
Saturday, May 19 was an ideal day for a meandering drive up the valley past sturdy farm homes, trading centers and small towns with their old store buildings, picturesque churches, and grange halls. The area was bustling with spring activity. In Scotts Mills we had a rest stop at their community park. The park entrance wasn't made for a bus, but our driver, Baxter Shaw, finally got us into a parking lot. Once parked, he carried to a nearby table the donut holes he had brought for us and the coffee Ray had so thoughtfully put aboard just before we left the South Eugene parking lot. We recharged our energy with pleasure. The swings, teeter-totter, and slide beckoned many. Some took a quick walk along picturesque Butte Creek.
Much too soon we had to load up and leave for Larch Mountain where we ate our sack lunches while enjoying the warm bright sunshine, the snow, the spring flowers blooming where the snow had melted, and an exceptionally good view of Mt. Hood. (We saw Mt. Adams, too - The Editor)
Leaving Larch Mountain we drove to Crown Point for a quick view up and down the Columbia River. At Horsetail Falls we stopped for our hike-of-the-day. While part of the group hiked around the falls checking the flowers and other things of interest, others took trail 438 to Upper Falls where the trail passes along the cliff beneath the falls, which cascades out over your head into the pool below. The damp coolness of this fern-filled spot was most refreshing after the climb. Time was running out so we hurried back down to our bus and returned home with only a brief rest stop at "Grove of the States" where a Black-headed Grosbeak sang for us. We arrived in Eugene where Ray (Cavagnaro) welcomed us about 1½ hrs later than we planned.
Larch Mountain enthusiasts were Lois Baker, Margaret Barnard, Margaret Block, Bessie Brunig, Ella Carrick, Reva Dildine, Gerry Fehly, Evelyn Herider, Jane Hilt, Everta Hutchins, Fern McMullen, Ruth Nichols, Daisie Niccolls, Elsie Norberg, Bonnie Rickard, Reta Ridings, Enid Rondeau, Lois Schreiner, Grace Smith, Myrtle Smith, Hazel & Cliff Stalsberg, Betty Mae Stamm, Mary-Douglass Stovall, Helen Stovall, Helen Weiser and leader Irene Flynn.
