MIST & MOSS ON THE MC KENZIE RIVER

My last outing was up the McKenzie River on Highway 126. This being summer, it was in the 90's when I drove up the Cascade foothills to an old campground located in an old-growth forest. Some of the Douglas Fir trees are 10' in diameter and are said to have been old when Columbus set sail. 

The McKenzie River emits a mist rising into the surrounding trees allowing moss to grow on every surface. The camp host informed me of a special spot to view the river. Once there, I nearly fell over in a heap.  The first pix below is what I saw. The rocks are all coated with chartreuse moss. Trees that had taken root on rocks now leaned out over the river with their roots exposed from soil but covered with this same chartreuse moss. The entire surface of "non-river"substance is coated with the same beautiful moss. But the moss wasn't the show. The "SHOW" was the river. For a stretch of about 80' long and about 15' wide the river is a "Windex-Blue" in the most vibrant way possible. To accentuate that blue, the surrounding water takes on a translucent emerald green. The entire scene is breath taking in the real sense of these words.

Then came the thunder, then came the rain. It thundered down on the camp for about seven hours. The rain only fell for an hour or so but the dripping continued on throughout the day. I loved the little circles it made in the creek that ran through the campground. What a beautiful spot to spend a hot summer's day. We were all born wet so no worries with a bit of drizzle. Mist hung in the air like moss hung from the trees. The aroma of the sizzle from rain on warm forest could make a person light headed. I hope you don't miss it.