5 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Perfect snow for snowshoeing down at Santiam Pass yesterday. The squeaky kind. Seeing clear skies in the forecast, I thought I'd head down and enjoy the weather. Needless to say, no clear skies, but some great new snow. My nerves were rattled when, after missing the turn and passing the 20/22 intersection, amidst strong winds and blowing snow, a Ford Explorer spun out into the oncoming traffic lane right in front of me. Scary stuff! I'd guess there were 2-4 inches of ice, and no kitty litter on that section.
The Maxwell sno-park had about 12 cars when I arrived and 30 when I left - so much for avoiding the crowds at Hood! Even then, while the shelter was crowded, I still ended up breaking new trail for about half the trip. A great place to go after new snow.
