Thursday, March 26, 2009

Five Mile Butte Fire Lookout

Spring Break '09 started with a trip to the Five Mile Butte Fire Lookout with the crew pictured above. Chip, Josh, Jamie, Kessler, Hank, and I spent three relaxing days in a room of windows 60ft. off the ground. Our ski hut at elevation is/was otherwise used to spot fires from a vantage point in the forest. We were grateful for the smiple pulley system in place to hoist our heat and water sources up to our flat. I can honestly say I have never skied such lovely 20 degree spring corned (did I just make that adjective up) slopes. In the ski world I believe we call this "meadow skipping". Have you ever tried to skip without smiling- it's impossible. Therefore, even though we longed for the steep slopes out of reach on Mt Hood, the skiing was still completely fun.

We were blessed with a variety of weather, allowing us to see Mt Hood and her surroundings in many different lights. A variety pack of visuals to illustrate this are included. I am addicted to the new "collage" feature I finally figured out. So, sorry if the pictures are too small for you to see- you can click on any collage and blow it up if that helps ya out. Mostly this was a great opportunity to hang out with great grad school friends for Chip and I. The combination of special people was delightful- plenty of laughter, relaxation, good food, and fun. Thanks guys for a great trip!


"Simplicity is the peak of civilization."
- Jessie Samptor