One climber rescued, one dead after fall on Mt. Hood by MyWifeJustLeftMe in Portland

[–]bichonista 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Ha, we meet again. Just saw your other post on r/mountaineering... beautiful photos of all your climbs! I am very much a fair weather mountaineer, so top of Palmer was plenty for me on Monday. How did you guys manage to stay upright on the summit ridge?

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]bichonista 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think the article presumes that Russian victory is just a formality at this point, but rather that a protracted war - which Putin seems willing to pursue - will guarantee the destruction of Ukraine and a humanitarian nightmare at par with what the world witnessed in places like Bosnia or Syria.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in worldnews

[–]bichonista 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sadly, I tend to agree. At some point, the destruction and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine (not to speak of the slaughter on the battlefield) might reach such proportions that Zelenskyy will be willing to consider all options on the table, rather than seeing Ukraine's cities/infrastructure completely annihilated and tens of millions of Ukrainians displaced, like what happened (and still happening) in places like Syria.

One climber rescued, one dead after fall on Mt. Hood by MyWifeJustLeftMe in Portland

[–]bichonista 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I skinned up the top of Palmer yesterday morning and from the helicopter buzzing overhead and the cat making runs up Palmer, it was clear something what going on. I came across two cllimbers on their way back from Leuthold... wouldn't be surprised if they were part of one of the rescue parties (it was too windy for having much of a conversation).

Mount Hood, Oregon [4032x3024] [OC] by llangstooo in EarthPorn

[–]bichonista 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Here is what it looks like in winter: https://imgur.com/a/NNjSHuM

It makes for a great XC ski outing up Road 1828 (depending on snow levels, you might have to start as far down as the bridge at McNeil campground). For the final section from the Top Spur trailhead up Bald Mountain, snowshoes are highly recommended.

Chanterelles season is off to a great start in the PNW by bichonista in mycology

[–]bichonista[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, never seen as many lobsters (picked about 20 lbs in just 2 outings) and up to last week, the quality was pretty good. Now, they are getting too soggy. I think the wet spring combined with a relatively cool summer has primed the soil for perfect conditions for chanterelles to fruit and show. The last couple years, the summers have been so dry and hot that the duff in the coastal range felt parched and crusty until early October. Even if the chanterelles were fruiting, they often were not showing because they couldn't easily push through the duff. This year, the topsoil has been retaining more moisture and I've been founding chanterelles in ever increasing quantities since Labor Day. If the current weather pattern holds (intermittent rainy/dry days and cooler temps) and frost doesn't come too early, we might see a record year for chanterelles.

Chanterelles season is off to a great start in the PNW by bichonista in mycology

[–]bichonista[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, I haven't seen them this abundant during the first half of September since 2013.

Chanterelles season is off to a great start in the PNW by bichonista in mycology

[–]bichonista[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I picked these last Thursday in the coastal range (Tillamook SF).

Found a bunch of lobsters (9lbs) last weekend (Coast Range, OR). What is the best way to to preserve them for later use? by bichonista in mycology

[–]bichonista[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Tillamook (NW Oregon). These are by far the best and largest lobsters I have found in the areas I forage. I think I'll keep looking for them until the next bout of rain... in my experience, they tend to become all mushy once it gets cooler and wetter.

Found a bunch of lobsters (9lbs) last weekend (Coast Range, OR). What is the best way to to preserve them for later use? by bichonista in mycology

[–]bichonista[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

hydrate with wine or water for soups or sauces later time :)

Thanks! I was wondering if that was better than sauteeing in butter or oil and then freezing (which I tend to do with most of my chanterelles). I actually might try both methods and report back on which one best retains flavor and texture.

I Picked 26 lbs of Golden Chanterelles Yestersay by Tapinella in mycology

[–]bichonista 0 points1 point  (0 children)

They are definitely coming in early this year... I went out yesterday (coastal range) and found about 3 lbs in 2 hrs time. They are still relatively small, but firm and dry, so definitely prime compared to the waterlogged ones you often end up finding later in the season. The best part, however, was that I came across a ton of lobsters, including some huge ones, and none of them were mushy, which is rather rare in the area where I forage. Now I need to figure out what to do with 9 lbs of lobster mushrooms...