timothy lake weekend

This past weekend I went out to Timothy Lake for a much needed break (a lot of work related stress lately, yuck), and the trip completely delivered the escape I needed.

Sunset on Timothy Lake.

View from our campsite.

Merrill, Duke and I got to paddle on Saturday morning, and after that I spent the afternoon with the Hetherington and Villanueva clans, who also happen to be out there this weekend as well.

Mer & Duke with Mt. Hood in the distance.

Unfortunately, Mer and Duke has to split that evening after Bodhi, their 15 wk old puppy, got a terrible allergic reaction and started to puff up like a marshmallow. I decided to stay, and after staring at the fire for a few hours (caveman tv) I called it a night.

Evening entertainment when camping solo.

Sunday morning I got up early, made a super yummy (and filling) breakfast and then headed off on my mountain bike to ride the Timothy Lake Loop. The approx 16-17 mile loop took me a few hours to do, but I absolutely loved it, and it was great to ride at my own pace and enjoy the total peace and quiet of riding alone (not ideal, but I had cell service the entire ride). If you mountain bike, you should definitely give a go, especially if you are staying at one of the campgrounds around the lake and can go for a post-ride dip to wash all the dirt and dust off!

Stop 1 on Timothy Lake Loop.

Stop 2 on Timothy Lake Loop.

Stop 3 on Timothy Lake Loop.

In case you're interested here is a trail description I pulled from mbpost.com.

"One portion might be characterized by shin scratching undergrowth encroaching the trail while other portions are more open and shaded under the evergreen canopy, almost cathedral-like, with the forest floor covered with moss, ferns and beds of needles. It can be a smooth, fairly level out-and-back suitable for the novice or younger riders for several miles along the lake shore while providing more technical challenges for the experienced; switchbacks, climbs, choppy downhill, moderate drop-ins and rocks and roots are part of the experience as the trail leaves the lake and heads deeper into the timber. It shares about 200 yards of the historic Pacific Crest Trail (at which point bikers must walk their rides) and criss-crosses it at other points."