Warming weather, vaccines in arms for the elder household members and just plain cabin fever inspired a day run — the first since the inception of the pandemic — beyond our normal WaWaWA boundaries.
In Transit
From Walla Walla, we took Highway 12 to Hwy 730 near the Oregon border and along the Columbia River. (Windshield photography, of course.)
Cold Springs NWR
After landing at Cold Springs National Wildlife Refuge (near Umatilla, OR), we hiked for six or so miles, spotting geese, ducks and other birdlife (including a huge raft of white snow geese that eluded the camera).
McNary Beach
Next, it was a rest stop and lunch at McNary Beach on Lake Wallula, but not without a couple of miles of added hiking.
Twin Sisters
Then we retraced our route back along Hwy 730, this time stopping at the Twin Sisters basalt rocks in the steep cliffs along the Columbia. We took a fairly short, but extremely steep trail along the Twin Sisters outcroppings, Kim equipped with hiking poles and Ivi nearby yours truly to catch any of many threatened falls. And did I mention the ferocious wind?
