One of my favorite drives is the road (Hwy 224) along the Clackamas River from Estacada toward Detroit… this time of year the road is still closed because of snow… the road past the Ripplebrook Guard Station is not maintained during the winter. There is no cell phone coverage after a couple miles south of Estacada… and no gas stations either… so you are on your own once you leave town.
When the daffodils bloom at my home in Gresham I know it’s time to head up the Clackamas River and check the wildflowers… trilliums and erythroniums… both were in bloom yesterday, April 16, 2013.
A “road closed because of snow” sign was posted roadside as we left Estacada but we were determined to see how far up the hill we could get. A snow shower did not bode well and the road was blocked by snow just after the Olallie Lake junction (FSR 4690).
byLarry
