Armed with maps, food, and all other essentials, we set forth on Saturday in search of Pechuck Lookout. 

Warning: Wrong trail forthcoming.

After getting to the Rooster Rock Road Trailhead, we parked the car and gathered our gear up. Looking around, I saw a little embankment near the end of the parking area with a little trail beyond. It looked good, so we started on our way.

With a little bit of incline, things seemed to be jiving with the trail description I had printed out and put in my pocket. Then we needed to cross a stream. Umm, not mentioned in the description. Oh well.

Moving along, we strolled through a beautiful mid-mountain forest, admiring hundreds of butterflies that provided ample opportunities to teach the kiddo all about coloration patterns and what they can mean: camouflage a la' mimesis or warning colorations a la' "don't eat me."

Distracted, I checked the description again. Well, we sure weren't climbing 1,000 feet during the first mile of the trek. Checking my GPS, it definitely looked like we were heading in the general direction, but I knew something was awry, compounding the feeling I got immediately after we left the trailhead.

In any case, the trail continued and so did we. After some eventual steep uphill climbing (finally!), we reached a beautiful outcropping halfway up the southern side of the mountain. The rhododendrons, paintbrush, and beargrass were exploding. 

The smell! Oh, the smell! The only thing I can liken it to was sticking your nose in a bottle of honey and just inhaling. It was a scent for the ages.

While maintaining the loose trail, we kept forward and just enjoyed the heck out of each stop we could make.

Holes in the ground, complete with double-dog-dares to stick arms within. Neither of us took the other one up on it.

Monstrous banana slugs just aching for company as they slowly moved across a .... leaf.

Oregon flags in full bloom. 

Lunch time was in order, and we broke out the goodies. Prosciutto, sharp cheddar cheese, granola bars, and a few apples delivered the calories.

Heading out a bit further, we ran across rocky outcroppings that appeared to be more andesite than basalt. I'm venturing that this was some of the older rocks in the area, especially compared with the basalt that appear to make up Table Rock and Rooster Rock.

Speaking of the latter, I was able to line up where we were on the topographic map with a view of Rooster Rock. 

Well, we managed to go over two miles, but down the mountain from our original goal. Conclusion: Way off the original trail, crossing creeks we never should have crossed.

Making our way back, I was a little disheartened by the fact that the boy was disappointed. It was entirely his idea to see Pechcuck Lookout after seeing some amazing pictures and video of the place online. Not making it to the "castle on the mountain" really bummed him out.

I did everything possible to have him appreciate what had been accomplished and enjoyed throughout the day, but I still know it was a downer for him. I figured I would make it up to him during the next weekend or two. We got back to the car at the trailhead, and that was when I noticed the uphill trail that should have been our original destination.

Waking up Sunday morning, it was all about appraising what had to be done around the house versus returning to the Table Rock Wilderness so that we could go on the right trail and find Pechuck.

With clearance granted from my lovely wife, the lad and I kissed the ladies of the house goodbye and hit the road again.

This time, we pulled up to the Rooster Rock Road trailhead and immediately went to the trail so conveniently missed the previous day. Greeted by blooming rhododendrons, mushrooms, and beargrass, the initial part of the trail hid the fact that we would be going vertical for the next mile.

I am being dramatic. It was a steep incline, but the trail was soft and the switchbacks were placed perfectly to provide a nice pace during the 1,000' gain in that first mile or so.

I like to have the boy try his hardest to climb stretches of trail, but I did carry him for significant chunks on this one. When it was his turn to hike, there were two significant lessons I have learned with him during elevation gains:

1. He always holds my hand on the side furthest away from any drops.
2. Switchbacks uphill make great small "goals" for him to achieve. The reward is a break, a snack, some extra time on my shoulders, some goofing off, or usually a combination of every single one!

After making it to the top of the ridge and turning right (left takes you to Rooster Rock), there was a symphony of trillium and corn iris to meet us, as well as unbelievable views through the trees on either side.

The trail was largely flat for a while, but then dips quite a bit. While a relief after the climb up the mountain, it was definitely a reminder to be ready for coming back!

After stumbling across the old trailhead booth near an abandoned road atop the mountain, we started one more steep climb toward Pechuck Lookout. An eerie forest of secondary growth silver fir forest awaits, as does an amazing view of Table Rock near a rock face alongside the trail. 

Upon passing a composting toilet outhouse, we knew we were close! A little more sweat, and we saw the tip of Pechuck peering over the edge, and heard the cries of greetings from a lovely pair of hikers who had passed us on the way up.

After immediately scoping out the lookout and heading upstairs, it is easy to say that this was worth a day of being on the wrong trail and tackling the tougher correct trail to correct for it. 

It isn't only the history of the lookout that bled such neat feelings, but the sense of all folks who had trekked up that way and all of those having camped there. Reading the log book, and scribbling our own entry was in its own way an amazing gesture of camaraderie and a way to break bread with those before and after us. 

After exploring the lookout for a while longer and enjoying some well-needed calories, we spent a little bit of time scoping out Table Mountain and Mount Jefferson. As the picture to the left shows, it's pretty impressive to see the growth of trees around a historical lookout.

The boy was over the moon about Pechuck Lookout, and we had to go back up to the second story one last time before our departure. I promised him that we would be back one day to stay for an entire evening, but that will have to happen when he is a little more capable of carrying some extra pounds and not residing on my shoulders for 80% of the hike!

Checking the time, we bid the other hikers adieu and headed downward so that my poor wife would not worry too much about our whereabouts. It was a speedy departure on the descent, and a definite reminder of how tough my little guy was on the way up. I was really proud of him for tackling an entire weekend of some pretty good terrain and elevation gain. Pechuck - you are awesome.

This beautiful Oregon State Park is a bit on the young side, officially opened in July, 2007. Whether your thing is hiking, biking, horses, relaxing, or disc golf, this 1,500+ acre park has got you covered.

Today was all about National Trails Day at Stub Stewart State Park. The boy and I began the morning bright and early making our way to the park, and upon arrival, eating our breakfast and signing in for a joint trail maintenance venture between Oregon State Parks and REI. We even received some slick volunteer t-shirts with the phrase "Get Dirty" plastered across the front. 

After logging many, many miles upon the state's trails over the past couple of years, the timing felt right to show the lad what was behind the magic of every inch of trail we step upon. A refresher for myself was not a bad thing either!

I couldn't have been more thrilled with how things turned out. Our amazing hosts, Rangers Steve and Brandon, were phenomenal and instrumental in getting the most knowledge parlayed into our little group in a short amount of time, including personal and group safety, the lingo behind cutting trails, a breakdown of tools for the job, and the ecology of the park. 

When it was time to throw on the gloves and start maintaining some of the trails around Matchcutter's Lane, we stood at a crossroads around our instrument of choice: Loppers, a Pulaski, a hoe, a McLeod, or a mattock? Considering the boy is still the tender age of four, we went with the responsible choice of a hoe. I think neighboring volunteers breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing our choice.

Ranger Steve provided really solid lessons around drainage concerns, troubles with switchback cutters, the beauty of Oregon soil, forty-five degree backslopes, how to broadcast our organic materials, and more safety tips throughout the exercise. I will never forget the multiple times when the Ranger stomped his foot on the soil for effect, and the lad followed suit and did the same.

After having lots of experiences running into park rangers on the trails or at lookouts, this time it was definitely having an impact on the little guy. Age? Rapport? Definitely both.

The lad was able to experience a little bit of hard work, but mostly got to enjoy the immediate fruits of the labor: bugs and burrows. In the cutest manner, he would ask Range Steve a question each time he came across something new, be it a termite, an ant, or a vole burrow. 

While we weren't on that stretch for the longest time, the unspoken camaraderie between volunteers was excellent. Everyone filled in where needed, patching missed points or grooming forgotten pieces of the trail. Soon enough, we ventured down the way and past the intersection of Barberchair Trail. This stretch of trail had some good stumps therein, and we set to work maintaining the areas around the stumps. Naturally, our gear wasn't going to be doing any of the heavy work needed to deal with those bad boys.

Ranger Brandon gave us some insights into how that work would be done, and told us about some of his experiences working on the Banks-Vernonia Trail. I can't wait to do that whole trail, and you can bet I'll be thanking that man throughout it.

When the time for the activity wrapped up, we hiked back up to the hilltop day-use area and returned our tools (one-at-a-time of course). Pictures were taken and everyone went their own way, preparing for the forthcoming National Trails Day festivities.

The boy and I grabbed some bites to eat, and made our way through the nearby trails. It is a gorgeous park, and the trails were a blast to traverse, namely because of the varying ages of the surrounding Douglas firs. Some stretches are just a couple of decades old, while others have a little more age amongst them. 

The lupine, in multiple colors, was in full force among the grassy areas, which was a tranquil escape. We passed family after family, which really speaks to the appeal of this area for the little ones.

In a pleasant turn of events, we actually found ourselves returning along the same route that included the areas we had just helped work on. The little guy beamed with some pride when I showed him each area. Score.

When we finally got back to the picnic area, the festivities were in full effect. The lad cashed in on shwag, namely a carabiner (REI) that now lives on his hiking pack, a water bottle (Equestrian Society), and countless stickers. While he got to observe solar flares courtesy of an OMSI booth, I was able to sink my teeth into some amazing GIS work provided by the Upper and Lower Nehalem Watershed Councils. The blast of activities was rounded out by some disc golf, pelt petting courtesy of Rails to Trails, spore prints by the Oregon Mycological Society, and free sandwiches.

While I was pumped up and ready to continue exploring the park, the poor kiddo had definitely done his share for the day and was ready to head home. As I heavily reflected on the previous week's venture to Marys Peak, it was pretty easy to pack up and plan our return to Stub Stewart for another day.

While we did not get the chance to hit some wild and difficult trails in celebration of National Trails Day, I wouldn't have traded the day at all. It was the lad's first experience with true stewardship in an organized fashion, and the fun he had with the educational outreach programs was top-notch.

I want to thank every single person and organization involved with making our day so amazing. Happy National Trails Day, today and every day hereafter.