Last Post of 2012

For the last post of 2012, I have decided to do it on the most visited posts, most viewed months, and most viewed from countries up to now. While I don't get nowhere near the traffic levels that some more popular and much older blogs get, I am quite pleased as this is my first blog and it has only been around since March 16th.


Starting the top 5 most viewed posts (or in this case 6)

Sharing the position at # 4 with 6 views total are three completely different posts. One of these is Medium Steak Rub which is one of the first blogs I created. Not surprisingly, many people find it by searching for steak rubs online. The second of these is The Story of Silver Falls State Park--Part 2 and the third is A new kind of hot pad

At #3 with 7 views is A possible business idea...

At #2 with 10 views is 7 Natural Wonders of Marion County

At #1 with 13 views is The Story of Silver Falls State Park--Part 1 which isn't surprising given the second part to this series is tied at #4 (and the fact that I shared it on Oregon State Park's Facebook page)


The top 5 most viewed months are:

#5 is November with 25 page views, which isn't surprising since I hadn't posted at all for about 4 months at that time.

#4 is May with 31 page views.

#3 is July with 62 page views

#2 is March with 71 page views

#1 is December with 99 page views (not surprising since 4 of my top 6 viewed posts were created in that month).


The top 5 countries that have viewed my blog are:

#5 is the United Kingdom with 7 page views

#4 is South Korea with 9 page views

#3 is Germany with 27 page views

#2 is Russia with 30 page views

#1 is the United States of America with a whopping 207 views (not surprising for the obvious reason of this being my home country)


I hope you all have a Happy New Year. I will be blogging more in 2013 (and hopefully more often as well).

7 Natural Wonders of Oregon--2013

Now Oregon is a great state, but how does a person narrow down Oregon's greatness to 7 natural wonders? We share the deepest gorge in North America with Idaho (Hells Canyon); we have the second deepest lake in North America (Crater Lake); we have the world's shortest river (D River); we have the world's smallest harbor (Depot Bay); we have the world's biggest concentration of waterfalls (Columbia River Gorge during Oregon's dry season and Silver Falls State Park during Oregon's wet season); we have a volcano with not one, but two lakes inside its crater (Newberry Crater), we share a massive gorge with Washington made by a river that cuts through the Cascade Range (Columbia River Gorge), we have more sand dunes in one spot than any other west coast state (Oregon Dunes National Recreational Area)

Well, I think there should be some qualifiers, such as:
1. Does it make a person stand in awe of it's greatness? (this excludes places like D River and Depot Bay)
2. Is it still as natural as it can be given the time we live in? (this excludes the Oregon Dunes NRA since ODOT planted many invasive grasses in the mid 1900s to keep the sand dunes from crossing the roads and burying towns)

#7: Oregon Caves National Monument
Deep within southern Oregon's Siskiyou Mountains are the 'Marble Halls of Oregon.' As you would expect from it's nickname, these caves were formed out of marble. With roughly 3 miles of underground tunnels and an expanse of 488 acres, this is Oregon's largest cave system. If you ever find yourself traveling between Roseburg, Oregon and Redwood National Park in California, this makes for a nice side trip.

#6: Columbia River Gorge
This canyon stretches over 80 miles while cutting through the Cascade Range with cliffs up to 4,000 feet high! With so many cliffs, stream runoff is bound to go over these cliffs in the form of waterfalls-most of these are on the Oregon side. Although a major highway and rail line have been built through this area, along with many bridges, dams, and buildings, this region still captivates that mind as it did in the days of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

On April 9, 1806, Lewis  describes the area:
" we passed several beautifull cascades which fell from a great
height over the stupendious rocks" ...
" the hills have now become mountains high on each side are
rocky steep covered generally with fir and white cedar".

#5: Newberry National Volcanic Monument
Containing two lakes within a volcanic crater, vast lava fields, many small cinder cones, and several waterfalls, this 50,000 acre region is a playground for geologists and recreationists alike. The largest feature of this area is Newberry Crater, which contains East Lake, Paulina Lake, Big Obsidian Flow, and Paulina Creek Falls. Other notable features include Lava Cast Forest, which showcases the casts that formed around trees by lava; Lava River Cave, which is Oregon's largest lava tube; Lava Butte, which allows visitors to walk around the rim of a cinder cone (and take in views of the Cascade Mountains); and several waterfalls along the Deschutes River. If you're a person who likes to learn about your surroundings, I would suggests to check out Lava Lands Visitor Center.

#4: Wallowa Mountains
Located in northeastern Oregon, these mountains are nicknamed 'America's Little Switzerland' and the 'Alps of Oregon.' Showcasing many glacial features, including Wallowa Lake-a lake created by the moraines of a glacier, these mountains are paradise for those that love the backcountry. 31 peaks reach over 8,000 feet, including Mount Howard at 8,256 feet high (and has a tram to the top), and Sacajewea Peak-at 9,839 feet high, it is the highest peak in the Wallowa Mountains.

#3: Steens Mountain
At over a mile in height from its top to the desert floor below, this long mountain reaches 9,733 feet into the air in southeastern Oregon. Created by many layers of basalt and a massive fault that uplifted it, the Steens Mountain is the largest fault-block mountain in Oregon's basin and range region. On the western side, a person can see u-shaped valleys that were once carved by glaciers until 14,000 years ago. On the eastern side, at least on a clear day, is a grand view of the desert floor far below from the East Rim Overlook

#2: Hells Canyon National Recreation Area
Shared with Idaho, this roughly 8,000 feet deep canyon was carved by the snake river. Although there are dams along the canyon, due to it's beauty, inaccessibility, and great white water adventures, it is # 2 on the list. The majority of this 653,488-acre area is within the state of Oregon, and offers horseback riding like none other in Oregon.

#1: Crater Lake National Park

 Crater Lake with Wizard Island on the left.

While most people recognize Crater Lake as the lake on the Oregon Quarter, most people would not know about the other features that include a trail up Mount Scott and an area known as The Pinnacles-a region of ash that has eroded into needle-like spires by wind and rain. The tributaries on the west side of this volcano, which might have been taller than Mount Hood before it exploded, feed into the Rogue River. While dormant at the moment, this volcano had been building up again, creating what is known as Wizard Island.

7 Natural Wonders of Marion County, Oregon--2013

As 2012 winds down and the new year approaches, I decided to make a list of the7 Natural Wonders in Oregon's Marion County. Starting with an honorary mention and finishing with number 1, these natural wonders show the best of Marion County. Unfortunately, I only have a picture to one of these places; although, if you wish to see what they look like, there are many pictures online.

Honorary Mention: The Oregon Garden
While not entirely natural-it was created by people, the Oregon Garden near Silverton is spectacular nonetheless.This 80-acre botanical garden contains more than 20 specialty gardens and features. Waterfalls, ponds, and a 400-year old Oak tree are some of the the things visitors see when they come here.

 # 7: Salem Hills
Running along the southern edge of Salem towards the village of Marion, the Salem Hills come in at # 7 on our list for amazing vistas, world-class vineyards, and fossil-hunting opportunities. Underlying the soil on the western portion of these hills are fossil -bearing sandstone with shells from between 40 and 32 million years ago--the time when the Willamette Valley was a shallow sea. Below the soil on the the eastern portion of these hills is basalt--a microcrystaline rock that weathers into Jory Soil. That particular soil happens to be perfect for growing wine grapes, which is why Willamette Valley Vineyards is one of Oregon's finest.

#6: Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge
Just south of the Salem Hills, this 2,865-acre refuge is perfect for migrating and wintering waterfowl. With many trails and several observation spots, this spot offers something for the hiker that wants an easy walk to the photographer. As this refuge was created primarily for the birds, it is one of the greatest birdwatching areas this close to Salem.


#5: Bull of the Woods Wilderness
Just east of the Opal Creek Wilderness, this 36,731-acre area  comes in at number 5 partly because it is shared with Clackamas County.  Many trails and gravel roads crisscross this wilderness that is home to many lakes and 4,500+ foot mountains. Be sure to watch for black bears, cougars, and coyotes if you plan on going backpacking, though it is rare to see one.

#4: Santiam Canyon
Named for the North Santiam River, which is the boundary between Marion and Linn counties, this canyon boasts many recreational opportunities. For the Whitewater Rafter and Kayaker, the North Santiam River is perfect for those who do not want to travel outside the Willamnette Valley. A group can run it in a single day by putting in at Packsaddle Park upstream from Gates and take out at the North Santiam state Recreation Area. One of the rapids that paddlers go over is the falls at Mill City-which is but a small drop. Many camping areas dot the river, including the Fisherman's Bend Campground and the Detroit Lake State Park-which supports water recreation opportunities from boating to fishing. At the western end of this canyon, and north of Mehama, are three waterfalls-Shellburg, Stasel, and Stout Creek.

#3: Opal Creek Wilderness
Bordering the northern edge of the Santiam Canyon, the Opal Creek Wilderness preserves 20,454 acres of pristine, old-growth forest. With many pools along the Little North Santiam River and Opal Creek, it is a destination for those in the Willamette Valley wishing to escape the summer heat. Many trails offer hikers opportunities to explore parts of this wilderness without all of the crowds that state parks get. One of these trails takes hikes to phantom bridge-a natural bridge unique to western Oregon.

#2: Mount Jefferson Wilderness
While most of this 104,523-acre wilderness is located south of Marion County, some of the most scenic is located within Marion County. One such scenic place is known as Jefferson Park. This high-mountain region is a backpackers playground featuring ridges and valleys, small lakes and streams and amazing up-front views of the north side of Mount Jefferson.

#1 Silver Falls State Park

South Falls

At over 9,000 acres, this park showcases 10 waterfalls year round and many more from December to April. Some of the recreational opportunities include biking, fishing, riding horses, birdwatching, swimming, and of course hiking. With it's proximity to Salem, it is the number one most visited park in Oregon with over a million visitors annually-compared to half a million that visit Crater Lake National Park. To find out more about this park, check out my series 'The Story of Silver Falls State Park' here: The Story Of Silver Falls State Park
You can also find more information at the Main Lodge.

Four more pot holders

For the last few days, I decided to make some more potholders as a gift idea. I would love to sell them someday, but until I learn accounting and start a business, I will continue to do it as a hobby. Each of them are made from 100 % wool. I decided to go with that material for it's heat resisting qualities.

 

 This yarn is called 'Wedgewood.'

  

 Although it looks like camouflage, it actually is called 'Forest.'

 This yarn is called 'Harmony.'

 This hot pad has two yarns in it.

The blueish one is called 'New Denim,' while the greenish one is 'Jade Heather.'

You can really see the blue/green combo in the lower left of this picture.

The Story of Silver Falls State Park--Part 7

The first part of the series is located here: http://beavercountryramblings.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-story-of-silver-falls-state-park.html

THE TEN FALLS

Perhaps the main reason why this state park was created was due to the waterfalls. It was these waterfalls that June Drake photographed which led to Samuel Boardman to create this park.

 South Falls

South Falls, you can walk behind the waterfall and see the sedimentary rock that makes up the Vantage Interbed. If you look up into the small caves behind the waterfall, you can see multi-colored erosional chimneys—the result of mineral deposition as water slowly erodes ancient tree casts. Nearby is an ADA accessible viewing area for those who cannot walk down the steep slope to the bottom of the canyon. Also nearby is a small waterfall known as Frenchie Falls. At 177 feet high, this waterfall is the highest single-drop waterfall in the park. It is also the first waterfall that formed part of the original park. 

Lower South Falls

The Lower South Falls is a second waterfall that you can walk behind. At 93 feet high, this waterfall is the sixth highest waterfall in the park. During winter and early spring, this waterfall forms a solid wall of water.

Lower North Falls

At only 30 feet high, Lower North Falls is the second smallest of the main waterfalls. Unlike those on the South Fork, this waterfall cascades over only one lava flow. In late October, the colors of the vine maples accentuate the white ribbons of water.

Double Falls

At 178 feet high, Double Falls is the highest waterfall in the park. Located on Hullt Creek, it is a short hike off of the main Canyon Trail. It gets its name as being the only waterfall in the park that drops twice. (The first drop is at the top of the photo, just right of center.)

Drake Falls

At 27 feet high, Drake Falls is the smallest waterfall on the Trail of Ten Falls. It was named after Silverton Photographer June Drake.

Middle North Falls

 

At 106 feet high, the Middle North Falls is the fifth tallest waterfall in Silver Falls State Park. This waterfall has three things in common with the Lower South Falls: there is a trail that goes behind it, the top two lava flows are the same at each waterfall, and both of them become walls of water in winter and late spring.

 

Winter Falls

While Winter Falls is the fourth largest waterfall at Silver Falls State Park with a height of 134 feet, it becomes just a trickle in late summer. To see this one at its peak, the best time to view it is in winter and early spring. The name of this waterfall comes from the fact that its water comes from snowmelt and rain.

Twin Falls

 

At 31 feet high, Twin Falls is the third smallest waterfall in Silver Falls State Park. This is one of only two places where you can see gouge marks in the rock due to a large volume of water that flowed through at one time. The other place that shows gouge marks is just upstream from the top of North Falls. Due to these gouge marks, the stream has been split into three as it cascades down toward the pool below.

North Falls

 

As the third largest waterfall in Silver Falls State Park at 136 feet, North Falls puts on the greatest show in the winter and early spring when its thunderous roar can be heard over a quarter mile away at the North Falls Viewpoint. The cavern behind the waterfall contains the casts of ancient trees in the ceiling. At the base of the waterfall, car-sized boulders litter the stream bed, and a few hundred feet downstream are boulders as large as a bedroom. Each one of these boulders broke off from the ledge the water flows over.

Upper North Falls

Of all the waterfalls on the Trail of Ten Falls, the Upper North Falls is the only one that is not surrounded by a deep canyon. At 65 feet high, it is the fourth smallest waterfall in the park.