“Tues 6/17 There was a couple elk [milling] around my camp this morning. I passed the Cliff in a short time also saw a couple good springs, then I cam to where the road cuts down through a beautiful rough, narrow gorge called the Golden Gate from there it was all down hill to Gardiner.
“Canary Springs 6/17/24”
At the Springs I looked around a little y tok some pictures then hiked on down to G. Here I left 8 rolls of film at the drugstore also got a check by mail y some other mail, then I was fool enough to buy a lemonade at the [something] and it made me as sick as a dog so I found a secluded spot y put a finger down my throat y got rid of most of it, but I felt miserable as I dragged my self out of town, y as soon as I could find a place to camp I just laid down, but tonight I had to out y tickle my throat again y still I don’t feel right, but perhaps it will be better in the morning.”
Parsons doesn’t mention it in his journal, but we know from his photos that he visits and passes through the Golden Gate, the Silver Gate, stops off at the Devils Kitchen, and Canary Springs before crossing the border into Montana and stopping in Gardiner.
For those that are interested the Yellowstone Insider has some interesting history on the Devils Kitchen. They note, “The Devil’s Kitchen is all but unknown in today’s Yellowstone National Park. Located east of Bath Lake in the [Mammoth Hot Springs area, the Devil’s Kitchen (for all its hellish imagery) was just a cavern—one regularly pumping out gases, of course. Further, it was itself the remains of a hot spring. What makes the Devil’s Kitchen interesting, in terms of Yellowstone history, is its uniqueness as a tourist attraction. In the early history of Yellowstone tourism, the Devil’s Kitchen was an interesting feature, despite featuring none of the hallmarks of a typical thermal attraction. It didn’t bubble, or pop, or flow, or cascade, or even hiccup. It wasn’t distinguished by its impressive colors.” Read more here.
It’s (way past) time to hit the books (and articles, podcasts, videos, and webinars)!
Most of us have a lot to learn when it comes to racism, anti-racism, and allyship in the United States, especially as it relates to outdoor recreation. There are hundreds of important resources available online, in the library, and through your headphones. Below are just a few of the outdoor-related ones that have resonated with the staff at the Mazamas, but trust us, time, a search engine, and a few keywords will be your biggest friends in this course on how to be a better human.
In their most recent report, “The Heat is On,” the Public Lands Trust analyzed park data from across the country to determine who does and doesn’t have access to this vital public resource—and uncovered some troubling findings. Download the report here.
Seeing White—Scenes on Radio, season 2 (14 episodes)
Videos & Movies
Pedal Through—A short film about finding healing through bikepacking. The film is part of the #OregonMade “Oregon’s Outdoors Are For Everyone” film grant series created by Travel Oregon and the Oregon Office of Film & Television.
Titan Project is a film about Sabrina Chapman, a Canadian sport climber with Indian & African heritage. Sabrina is on a mission to send her first 5.14a — the threshold for elite climbing. It’s also much more than that. It’s a story of one womxn’s journey of self-acceptance, healing, and resilience.
We realize this is a (very) incomplete list. Have you read or watched something pertaining to racism in the outdoors that you think should be here? Let us know! Share the pieces that have resonated with you in the comments below and we will get them added to our list!
“[Looking up] the upper Yellowstone River 6/14/24”
“Today I have just been plodding along down the river crossing several large creeks, abt 9 am I got to the lake y have been following the trail along its east shore the rest of the day. I have seen 70-80 elk y moose, lots of ducks, geese y several pelicans. This evening I saw white smoke around a point so I thought there must be somebody living but where I got there it was some steam vents in the rocks. I cooked a pot of rice over the one that seems very hot y [something] slightly, but here is on quite large that roars quite loud.
Page from Parsons journal
There is a thumping sound underground like a steamengine then here is a lot of little hot springs y several boiling mud-holes. I may sleep here tonight if the wind dies down a little, it usually does. It is blowing right off the lake who is quite rough along this north shore. I wish I had some brown beans y bacon, I would have a nice big pot full by morning. I expect to get to the highway in a couple hours tomorrow.”
“Yellowstone Falls 6/15/24”
Parsons doesn’t mention it but he’s crossed over into Yellowstone National Park and the lake he hikes along is Yellowstone Lake. Reading his journal today it’s amazing to think of a time when you could hike through Yellowstone, cook a pot of rice over a steam vent, and camp just about anywhere you wanted to. The following day Parsons leaves the lake and hikes up the Yellowstone River to Yellowstone Falls.
6/11 I took the trail about 6 am. It was pretty wet going, I got up to the upper lake (2m) here y saw quite a number of ducks but I left them alone, from there I expected to have quite a climb to the pass so I was very surprised when the trail came near the creek after having left it for a short distance, to find that the water flowed north instead of south, I was going down towards Buffalo creek all ready, there was quite a lot of snow in the timber but I soon got down to an open grassy park, and here I nearly stumbled on an elk but he was too far away by the time I got my camera in action, but there also was a big, fat porcupine and I believe I got his picture although I had to take it on the run. After going down a little more I crossed the creek and began climbing up on to a lot of open park on the hillside here I first saw 1 elk laying down some distance away the I had close view and a picture of 4 bulls y later on I saw several more [unintelligible] y got another picture of 4 cows, so I have seen 8 today. Well, after a while I had another snowy slope down to Buffalo Creek. The [unintelligible] told me last night
“Elk along the Buffalo”
that I could not cross the Buffalo without swimming, but after I had decided on the best place I stripped off and waded across, walking a little downstream y using a stick to steady me the water was very cold so after rubbing my legs good I crossed back then got my outfit and crossed the third time. Then I eat lunch before I started out again. From here I expected to find another trail branching off to 2 Ocean Pass y if I didn’t find it I would first follow the creek down to where the Highway crosses. Well, I didn’t find the Trail ( I expect I should have gone upstream a ways instead) it was interesting country unspoiled by civilization y I saw elk … y than in some places the river runs through a narrow, rough gorge. The main trail crossed the [something] a couple times, but as it was to big to ford here safely I managed to get along on the N side by climbing around the cliffs a couple of times finally I cam out on high bench-land covered thickly with LP Pine. Here I lost the trail but followed elk trails for a while but where I saw the rive again I could hardly
figure out which direction it was flowing. but I decided it must be Soda Creek coming down to it and it joined the river in a very peculiar manner.
Well, after crossing the creek I found the trail so I thought I might as well camp especially as I got m pants wet in crossing. Well, it has been rather wet y hard going, but I have seen the Elk in their natural surroundings and native haunts y I have enjoyed it very much, I only wish I had found that trail today. I saw several grouses [unintelligible] y a number of new flowers as I have been walking along I have been comparing the country with Alaska it is very much the same thing at this time of the year. It is getting more pleasant weather for camping out. This morning at 4.30 it was warm enough so I could strip off and take a good rub down before dressing.
“Looking up the Buffalo River.”
7 pm. Just now I heard some elk bugle y I can see 5 across the river with 2 calves. There also is a couple grouse drumming nearby. Jeh, I hate to go back to the highway.”
As noted before, Parsons is in Dubois, Wyoming, waiting out the weather. While there he finds work installing electrical wiring in cabins. It continues to snow on and off over the next thirteen days. Although his journal is blank between May 29 and June 10, his photo albums show that on June 8 he attends a round-up of wild horses. His only images from his time in Dubois are labeled “Roughriding in Dubois.”
Over the previous days, Parsons traveled across Wyoming, from Fort Steele to Dubois. In general, he found it mostly flat and “uninteresting.” In some cases he traveled along existing roads and from time to time was picked up by a passing motorist. On the 28th, he got a ride and covered 65 miles between Lander and Circle. In Lander, Wy, he stops to buy groceries and mentions buying a copy of Outdoor Life magazine, “in which I found a brief description y a few pictures of my last year’s trip.” If you are reading this, and happen to have a copy of the April or May 1924 issue of Outdoor Life magazine, we’d love to see Parsons article!
This is not true for too many of our fellow citizens.
In the last few months, we have witnessed George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery murdered, and Christian Cooper threatened while birdwatching. In the wake of these events, our country has erupted in violence and in riots.
Dr. Martin Luther King said:
“Certain conditions continue to exist in our society, which must be condemned as vigorously as we condemn riots. But in the final analysis, a riot is the language of the unheard. And what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years. It has failed to hear that the promises of freedom and justice have not been met. And it has failed to hear that large segments of white society are more concerned about tranquility and the status quo than about justice, equality and humanity. And so in a real sense our nation’s summers of riots are caused by our nation’s winters of delay. And as long as America postpones justice, we stand in the position of having these recurrences of violence and riots over and over again. Social justice and progress are the absolute guarantors of riot prevention”
“The Other America” Given at Stanford University on April 14, 1967. Full text.
We have failed to hear the injustices.
In our outdoor spaces, in recreation, and in our industry, we direct indignities and injustices towards Indigenous, black, and brown people. It has been a part of the fabric of America since our beginning. There is inequity in who is welcome, who is safe, and who has access to resources and opportunities. America has systemically oppressed people.
As climbers, hikers, backpackers, trailrunners, backcountry skiers, our identity is formed on our public lands and waters, and through our activities on National Forests and Parks. These spaces were created for us by displacing those who were here before us. Parts of our industry are sustained on the backs of indigenous, black, and brown people. The outdoors today is not welcoming or just to all people.
As a 125 year-old organization in a State originally created only for white people, the Mazamas have played a role in the oppression of minorities, perhaps not with intent, but the impact is no less. As an organization whose mission is to Inspire Everyone to Love and Protect the Mountains, we have work to do. Our pillars to educate, build community, and advocate for the protection of and access to our public lands and water is sound. But, we must redefine “everyone.” We, as an organization and all of us as individuals that make up our community, have significant work in learning, understanding, and evolving our actions to create a more just and equitable world.
Our vision to inform the mountain culture in the NW must include our work to acknowledge our past and actively redefine ourselves to create equitable access to our mountains and a just future for all.
“This has been my longest days travel because I rode abt 65 miles. At first, it was raining quite hard last night y my fly was leaking some too, but I managed to keep my bedding dry anyway. The snow was way done in the hills this a.m. y it was [illegible] a little of and to after. I got on my road, then after a few miles I got a ride with a fellow from Lander all the way to Circle, it was through a rather uninteresting section of the country except perhaps a little along the Little Wind River. Then from Circle I started walking up to Dubois but after a couple miles it started hailing and raining which gradually turned to heavy snow. I put my tent over my back and kept on, but finally I almost had made up my mind to try to find an empty shack at one of the ranches but by this time a couple fellows overtook me in a car y gave me a lift. The car was skidding y sliding all over the road y one man had to keep wiping the windshield continually but we finally got into town.
Dubois, Wyoming
Here I tried to find an empty cabin, but finally took a room at a hotel, also I had made up my mind to try to find a job y stay over until the weather to better. I finally got an offer of some work from one of the storekeepers who is also a rancher owner y banker.”
The following update on Gorge recreation was created and released by the USDA Forest Service in collaboration with Washington State Parks, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Dept., and the Oregon Dept. of Transportation.
May 27, 2020 — Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area
A group of state and federal agencies are opening a limited number trails and day use sites in the Columbia River Gorge today, while crowded sites (including most waterfall viewing areas), campgrounds, and visitor’s centers remain closed.
When determining which facilities and services could resume, land managers followed CDC and state health authorities’ guidance for the outdoor recreation sector. The day use sites are part of a phased resumption of access that will likely span several months. Decisions are made in the interest of protecting the health of the public as well as local communities and agency employees, and sites could be subject to closing again if crowded conditions are deemed unsafe. The public should expect fewer available trails, activities, and services through the summer.
Agencies are coordinating their frameworks for phasing in access to public lands and waterways to make a conscious attempt to encourage visitors to disperse across as many alternative recreation opportunities as possible. Most waterfalls, including Multnomah Falls and others along the stretch of the Historic Columbia River Highway known as “Waterfall Corridor,” remain closed because they draw millions of visitors from around the world each summer. Dog Mountain, Beacon Rock Trail, and several other narrow hiking trails also remain closed. The trails in the closed post-Eagle Creek Fire area (including Eagle Creek Trail itself and the nearby day use site) also remain closed.
The driveable portion of the Historic Columbia River Highway, also known as US 30 or the Scenic Byway, remains closed between Larch Mountain Road and Ainsworth.
Here is an interagency snapshot of recreation site status in the Columbia River Gorge as of May 27, 2020:
The Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is open to pedestrians and bicyclists from Hood River to Mosier (the “Twin Tunnels” section) and along the newer section from Wyeth to Viento. The section from John B. Yeon to Cascade Locks remains closed (this includes John B. Yeon, Tooth Rock, and Cascade Locks trailheads and parking areas).
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has opened the following sites for day use:
Western Gorge
Eastern Gorge
Bass Lake Wildlife Area
Seufert Park
Fort Cascades National Historic Area
Hess Park
Hamilton Island Recreation Area (inc. the boat ramp)
Spearfish Park
North Shore Recreation Area
Avery Park
Tanner Creek Recreation Area
The Dalles Dam Northshore
Day use sights open in the Gorge.
Washington State Parks has opened Doug’s Beach and Columbia Hills State Park (including Horsethief Butte, Horsethief Lake, Dalles Mountain Ranch, and Crawford Oaks). Limited parts of Beacon Rock State Park are open, including the Doetsch Day Use Area, Hamilton Mountain Trailhead, equestrian trailhead, and boat launch.
Sandy River State Park (note: not the same as Sandry River Delta)
Oregon State Parks reopened on 5/27/2020.
The USDA Forest Service is opening:
Balfour-Klickitat
Lyle Trailhead & the Klickitat Trail
Bonneville Trailhead
Sams Walker
Bridge of the Gods Trailhead & the Pacific Crest Trail
St. Cloud Day Use Area
Catherine Creek Recreation Area
On the White Salmon Wild & Scenic River:
Herman Creek Trailhead
BZ Corners
Larch Mountain Recreation Area
Husum
USDA Forest Service managed trails reopened on 5/27/2020.
Skamania County has rescinded its Order of the Health Officer under RCW 70.05.070 that closed recreational hiking in Skamania County.
Visitors are asked to plan ahead, by checking agency websites or ReadySetGorge.com to see what is open before driving out and by considering a couple of “Plan B” recreation activities in case their first choice is too crowded when they arrive. Recreation sites may open or close with little advance notice; please respect any closures posted when you arrive.
Agencies are working in dialogue with a bi-state group of local and tribal leaders, and will monitor site use and its connection to local economic recovery as well as community health. Community leaders ask that you give them time before visiting, as the Gorge is still in transition. The Gorge is getting ready for visitors, but the region is still in recovery and is still adjusting and putting new measures in place.
Hike Leader Angela Schaefer enjoying the wildflowers around Mt. Hood in 2019.
Ahhh, Memorial Day. Barbeques, hikes, picnics — the symbolic start of summer, though not necessarily sunshine, in the Pacific Northwest. How serendipitous that our outdoors have begun to reopen for recreation just in time for us to use this 3-day weekend to its fullest.
If you choose to go outside, do your own research on the area you intend to visit and make back up plans! We highly encourage you to try to call ahead to be sure your destination is accepting visitors. And while we still may not be able to backpack or camp overnight in many places, we can still get outside every day and explore our beautiful, local areas.
Find the latest updates for the following agencies by clicking on their names:
As you venture back out to the trails, peaks, crags, and waters we love, we implore you to do so with an abundance of caution and flexibility. Luckily, as outdoor recreationists, we are better prepared than many to adapt to changing surroundings and circumstances, so use your training, do your research, and go forth into this 3-day weekend!
Have you found a helpful article or webpage in your research? Share it in the comments!
P.S. Don’t forget to check out these helpful guidelines shared by the Recreate Responsibly Coalition!
Over the past couple of days Parsons has made his way out of Colorado and into Wyoming. Between the 19th and the 21st, he hikes across the Medicine Bow mountains. On the 20th he notes, “Well, Saturday night I camped at the head of the Fall River, which drains into the Mississippi, last night I camped at the head of the Colorado River y tonight at the head of the Michigan Creek who runs into the Platte y then on to the Mississippi, so I actually crossed the divide twice although I have been going west the last 2 days.” By the 20th he’s out of the mountains and deep into the Platte River valley, “rather boring sagebrush country, nothing much of interest.”
“Sagebrush camp”
On the 22nd he wrote “I hiked all the 20 miles to Saratoga today, arrived there at 12. There I bought a few supplies and struck out again, the road followed the Platte River which flows north y as I was looking on the river I said to my self, why not tie a raft together y travel by water for a ways. So I went down along the riverbank looking for some logs y collected some fence wire from an old fence.” The next day he floats the North Platt River almost all the way to Fort Steel, Wyoming, roughly 40 miles. The next morning he watches antelope from camp before hitting the trail again.
“In Wyo 5/23/24”
It was not uncommon for Parsons to build a watercraft on the fly and make use of it. Sadly, his collection does not contain a photograph of the raft he built and floated on the Platte River.
Look for a future post that explores his fascination with watercraft and showcases several of the boats he built over the years.
