Outdoor report: Outdoor attractions being added to Mt. Bachelor, Crater Lake

 

By ROB DEHAPPORT/for The Herald  —  Another 4th of July has come and gone. We were blessed with sunny and warm weather as many folks headed for the high country to escape the heat in the Willamette Valley.

Given the fact that the 4th fell on a Tuesday I was surprised to see the number of people flocking to the beaches of Crescent Lake. I counted nearly 100 cars parked at the Simax Beach Day Use Areas on the 4th. I had never seen so many people at the lake, even when a holiday falls on a weekend.

Find your quiet spot

Obviously, people enjoy recreating in the Cascades more so than ever. Is it possible to find a quiet and peaceful spot these days? I would say yes.

However, it may take more effort than in the past to find such a place.

These modern times with the internet and social media have seemingly allowed many once “secret” places to become overrun with people. I hope those reading this can still enjoy a favorite peaceful and quiet spot now and then. I’m certainly not sharing information of any of my favorite places of peace and quiet! As I stated, it may take more effort to find these places than in the past. I hope you all find such a place.

Fishing Odell Lake

 As many readers know, I love to fish at Odell Lake. It’s close to home and offers tasty Kokanee for anglers to enjoy. Odell can get quite crowded with anglers at times. However, courtesy and respect continue to be the norm for Odell anglers and boaters. I hope that continues!

Speaking of Odell and fishing, it’s been tough fishing in recent weeks at Odell. Very slow success rates, despite lots of fish being seen with sonar. Oh well, as they say- A bad day fishing beats most good days at work!

The hot spot in the Cascades currently is at Paulina Lake. Anglers have been limiting out on Kokanee quickly in the morning and throughout the day. The Kokanee limit at Paulina is currently 5 fish per day. I read this week that ODFW is considering increasing the limits at several Cascade Lakes to 10 for next season. We will be watching for those decisions.

Zip lines and tour boats

 There are so many various ways to enjoy the outdoors. Hiking, camping, fishing, boating as well as a few other newer opportunities. Mt. Bachelor now offers zip lines for those seeking a thrill. It’s somewhat expensive but likely nothing you will soon forget. There is also some zip lining available near Crater Lake.

Crater Lake recently added three new tour boats for those wanting to see the lake up close and personal. To enjoy these new boats and a trip around the inside of the beautiful caldera you must hike down to Cleetwood Cove and then back up to your car. Reservations recommended. The new 40-foot boats are more environmentally safe to operate than the older boats and will accommodate more people.

If Crater Lake National Park and zip line crowds similar to Yogi Bear’s “Jelly Stone National Park” aren’t your cup of tea, be sure to get out and enjoy one of your favorite places, or explore and find some new places to experience before Summer passes us by.