Lava, Water, and Ice

Yesterday I hiked in the Cascades near Sparks Lake, west of Bend. This is gorgeous country, laden with pine and fir forests; snow capped volcanoes; pristine lakes; and lava fields. The contrasts between these elements makes the area beautiful and interesting. This is South Sister, reflected in Sparks Lake.

Volcano country is lizard country, and my saurian friends enjoyed the scene.

The countryside was not always as benign at it appears now. Thousands of years ago, lava flowed through the area from the surrounding volcanoes. There are still large fields of it around the lake, and there are many fissures cutting the landscape, forcing the hiking trails to take zigzag routes.