On a bright, sunny day on the east side of the Cascades, I decided to take a drive by Green Ridge to an overlook of Lake Billy Chinook.

I stopped often to explore the woods, and later the open landscape near the Lake. At one spot I played hide and seek with a couple of young mule deer bucks in an area with many manzanita bushes.

Near the Lake the landscape was dominated with juniper trees, a few ponderosa pines and plenty of sagebrush.

While hiking in an open area in the afternoon with the sun shining, I spotted a large group of hoodoos with balancing rocks on top. A truly remarkable volcanic landscape.

Hoodoos

Young Mule Deer buck (Bigger buck in background)

Lake Billy Chinook

Mt. Jefferson

Mule Deer doe and her three buds

Snow-covered Mt. Jefferson and Olallie Butte behind Lake Billy Chinook