I began walking, hiking, and backpacking with John Lynn shortly after retiring to Roseburg, Oregon, in 2012. I can't remember exactly how we connected; it was probably while walking on the roads nearby, although our homes share a backyard fence. In any case, we began more than a decade of shared exercise and made many excursions in an effort to stay in shape and explore the nearby wilderness in the Oregon Coast Range and the Cascades of Oregon and Washington.

    My photographic record of our wandering is not very complete. On our local expeditions near Roseburg, I rarely took pictures. And when we were venturing into the more distant mountains, it was usually the mountains themselves that I focused on. However, I do have some pictures that capture John on the trail.

     Our first backpacking trip in 2013 was from Wright Creek to Swiftwater on the North Umpqua Trail. We camped at the only flat spot we passed—the south terminus of the new Susan Creek Bridge, which was still being constructed.

 

     At the start of our first long hike (20 miles was a lot longer than we planned), we set out from Keene Reservoir on Highway 66 towards Callahan's Lodge above Ashland on a late January day in 2014.

    In 2015 we ventured onto the Oldenburg Trail over the Cascades from Windigo Pass (where winter storms had blasted through the access road), hiking through snow and over fallen trees to Crescent Lake. As with most of our longer hikes, we relied on Mary Anne to retrieve us from our destination.

      One of our more unusual hikes was a snowshoe walk in early 2016 near Diamond Lake with Mt. Thielsen looming above us.

     Our first trip along the Pacific Crest Trail in Washington took place over 6 days at the end of June in 2019, from Snoqualmie Pass south to Crystal Mountain. We spent one night on a ridge where the ground was adequately flat, but the forest had been severely burned in a previous year.

After mugging with bear grass along the way, John looked a little tired after the long push up the ridge before we dropped steeply down to the Crystal Mountain Resort.

     In 2021 we took a trip on a section of the Pacific Crest Trail south of Crater Lake through the Sky Lakes Wilderness. Despite having a noisy nighttime encounter with the local bear family, our trip past pretty lakes and interesting mountains was enjoyable. The water burbling from the ground at Boundary Springs was intensely cold but welcome after a long, dry day. This is the source of the Rogue River.

 

     In 2023 we hiked from Elk Lake south to Crescent Lake along the PCT. The most unusual section crossed a severely burned area, and we walked almost an entire day through what looked like an atomic wasteland.

    In 2024 we attempted to hike out to the Goat Rocks along the Pacific Crest Trail south of White Pass in Washington. Although it was mid-July, we were stymied by a steep snowfield near Hogback Mountain and we made the safe decision to turn back. Still, the opportunity to experience some new territory made up for the long drive.

     Our final backpacking trip was a short one from Crescent Lake up to Diamond View Lake and back along the ridge of the Cascades. We gave our legs a good workout and enjoyed a quick view of the top of Diamond Peak.

      

Afterward we drove the rough road to Summit Lake, where we spent a pleasant night until rain got the better of John's tent and suggested that we return to Roseburg and drier accommodations. 

      We had been discussing another trip, hopefully with less climbing, in 2026. I had suggested taking the trail along the lower Deschutes River pictured below. I know that John was looking forward to another trip. 

    John will be sorely missed by his family and many, many friends. His positive cheerfulness, his constant desire to help others, and his determination to remain busy are qualities I aspire to. My friendship with him — and the memories we shared — will keep him alive in my heart.