Humbug Mountain

This has been yet another beautiful day in Port Orford.  The sun has been shining all day with a steady breeze.  Right now, my thermometer registers 68 degrees.  The wind makes it a little chilly in the shade, but in the sun it is very pleasant.

Wild iris

Tiger Lily

After morning coffee with the gang, we drove the short 5 miles or so to the Humbug Mountain State Park.  Our trail head was located at the back of a parking lot right off US 101, so it was easy to find.  We started our 3-mile, 1500 feet uphill climb about 8:30.  This was a forest hike and we only got one little glimpse of the coastline on our ascent.  The summit was almost completely treed in not offering a view there, either.  We knew the ocean views were very limited before undertaking this hike, so we were not disappointed nor surprised.

The hike was very nice without views.  The treadway was mostly dirt, typical of mountain sidehill cut trail building.  There were very few roots and only one rocky place, but it was so short you hardly noticed (if, indeed, it is possible not to notice rocks).  With the dense forest, rhododendron, and fern, the hike was actually quite reminiscent of a trail we might find in the Smoky Mountains in East Tennessee.  

There were several wildflowers in bloom. We saw tiger lily (which might be called Oregon lily here) and wild iris.

This evening, we are gathering with many of our fellow campers to enjoy a spaghetti dinner together.  I am getting the impression that, besides the morning coffee and afternoon social, there are covered dish dinners on a regular basis here.  What a fun place to be.  Of course, I’d have to hike everyday to work off all those extra calories.

We don’t really have a plan for tomorrow, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised to find us just hanging around the house and relaxing.