67 - 9/25/2010 - Rogue (Day 3)

Mule Creek Canyon

I got up early and packed up so I could help with breakfast (bagels with lox and other toppings) and get going. I pushed out ahead of everyone else and made it to Mule Creek Campground a bit earlier than the group. After a nice lunch of salmon salad sandwiches, I headed out with the couple who were handling dinner. As we headed into Mule Creek Canyon, we were a little bunched up, so I slowed down and still tried to get some photos of the people ahead of me. Mule Creek Canyon is a lot more interesting when you have to run it slowly.

People caught up with us in Mule Creek Canyon, and the people I was with decided to scout Blossom Bar. I waited and ran it with people watching. I had a lousy run, hitting every rock, but I still made it through OK. Below Blossom Bar, we pushed off towards camp. We were hoping for Middle Tacoma, or possibly Upper Tate Creek. Upper Tate Creek was already taken, but the beach there has gotten much smaller, so it's not as desirable. Middle Tacoma was also taken, so we took Lower Tacoma, which turned out to be a very nice camp. It has easier beach access, and it has more options for camping if you don't mind walking a little bit.

Dinner was fish tacos, which were really good after a long day of rowing.

After dinner, we were all sitting around the "fire" (which was actually a fake propane fire that looks really nice) when we heard a noise from the river side. We had seen bears on the other side of the river that afternoon, and someone said it was a bear. The person next to me jumped up and yelled "BEAR! Go away!". A moment later, the "bear" stood up - it was actually one of our group who had fallen returning from the river. I think she was more scared than we were.