2020 Trips To Date
2
South Matthieu Lake
16 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain • 2 nights
I've been wanting to do this bike/ski/climb trip for the past few years. Now have an adventure buddy who can rock all three.
Sunday: We put our skis in a kiddie trailer and slowly rode up McKenzie Pass from the gate. Stashed our bikes and trailer at Lava Camp Lake, and attempted to ski south on the PCT. Well it was a little too late this year for the skiing. The snow was patchy for the first couple miles until N Matthieu, then it was steeply forested. We hiked/postholed and carried our skis about as much as we skiied. After several hours navigating through the wilderness, we were very surprised to find three groups already camped at South Matthieu lake-including a family with barking dog and a fire near a "no campfires" sign. Grrr. Apparently there is an easier way in from the east via the Scott trail. Luckily everyone left the next day.
Well, the views looking south from our campsite were magnificent. The starry sky the first night was incredible, I saw the Milky Way and a satellite!
The next day we did a 10 mile tour through the lavalands. Our objective was Little Brother. We skiied until it started getting steep, then switched to our mtn boots, but the snow was soft and it was arduous. The beginning of our climb,but we were pretty fatigued. The morning was gorgeous, but the weather had turned by the time we reached Opie Dilldock Pass. We decided to climb Collier Cone instead and then suddenly the clouds just covered everything up and it started to rain. So we bailed, rats.
Skiing out of there the next day was also a challenge because going downhill on ice with a heavy pack through trees was beyond my skill level. The tree wells un-nerved me. After falling several times, I got this ominous feeling that an injury was looming, so I just carried them for rest of the return trip.
We dropped all of our gear near the road and went on a nice bike tour of the pass area before heading back down to the gate. Great adventure!
May 24 – May 26, 2020
1
Various trips during COVID times
63 miles of hiking • 9500' elevation gain •
I've been active, but was reluctant to post. Using this one for all the little local forays I did in Forest Park, Marquam trails, Tillamook Forest and such. Will post separate TRs for the more interesting trips.
Fri March 27, 2020. Maple Loop variation: 8miles, 1000 ft. 10 humans one dog. Forest perennials coming up. Violet and trillium blooming. Tread a bit messy. Moist day.
Monday March 30,2020 Gales Creek Trail, 5 miles 500ft eg. Rainy. Saw no-one. The Tillamook Forest is open for hiking!
Tuesday March 31, 2020 Urban hike-Mount Tabor, 5 miles 500ft, hundreds of people.
Friday April 3rd 8 miles 1500 eg, Gales Creek Story Burn loop. One pair of hikers. Delighted by skunk cabbage, snow at the top!
Sunday April 12th 7.5 miles, 900 gain, Step Creek Trail in Tillamook SF. After a couple hours of solitude, saw 8 people in last half mile near TH.
Tuesday April 14th 4.5 miles, 750 gain Marquam, Flicker and Warbler Loop also using Fairmont and Sherwood roads. Passed only 6 humans.
Saturday April 18th-Reeher’s Camp loop: Gales Creek trail to Bell Camp Road and logging road rambles around Round Top mountain-13.5 miles, 2500 ft. Plus I got a tick! One pair of runners at bottom.
Friday April 24th Council Crest Hike 3.5 miles, 750 ft Misty morning, passed 7 people 1 dog on trail, saw a few milling around on top.
Thursday April 30th-Forest Park Maple-Koenig loop 6.5 miles 750 eg. Saw 10 people on foot, 3 cyclists and one dog.
Tuesday May 19th- Just got NP swabbed for the 3rd time. Gave me a headache that the forest couldnt fix. Really nice to be back in green moist lush PDX! 2.5 miles 250 ft
May 18, 2020
1
Ancient Lake, WA
7.5 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Who doesn't love a waterfall in the desert? Spectacular area.
May 18, 2020
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1
Riverside State Park, Spokane
4 miles of hiking • 250' elevation gain •
Started in the equestrian area and it really had a wild, abandoned feel to it. Biome similar to Bend, with Pondersa pine and open understory. This river feels like it's in the wilderness, rather than in the suburbs of a small city. Love the basalt formations here.
May 11, 2020
Blythe Lake, WA
3 miles of hiking • 250' elevation gain •
Enroute to a 2 week deployment in Spokane. My intention was to go to Potholes Coulee, but the map brought me to Potholes State Park. This is mostly an anglers boat ramp with very little hiking so after a frustrating lakeside wander, I headed to nearby Blythe Lake which was awesome! Followed a deer trail to a cool rim. Fun scrambly ridgewalk. Almost stepped on a rattler. Very dramatic.
May 5, 2020
1
Mill Creek Ridge
6 miles of hiking • 1250' elevation gain •
A bit creepy on the approach to TH. Hoping for some spring Morchellas. No morels but found an antler. Saw 2 cyclists, tons of elk sign, nice flowers and birds.
May 3, 2020
1
Pat's Cabin Canyon
8 miles of hiking • 1500' elevation gain • 1 night
Pat's Cabin Canyon is a BLM wilderness study area. Located just north of the Painted Hills Unit on Burnt Ranch Road. It is just beautiful. So dreamy wandering up and down here. You travel along an old road or in the canyon creek bed (dry). Too bad there isnt a year round water source up in the canyon, although I did see some seeps. I camped near the mouth at Bridge Creek. No-one around.
April 27 – April 28, 2020
Sutton Mountain
6.5 miles of hiking • 1750' elevation gain •
Escape to the high desert! Took the off trail route suggested by Barbara Bond in her 75 scrambles book. Had fun wandering the upper basalt layers of the Carroll Rim. Hedgehogs blooming on the summit. Looked down on the Painted Hills unit, which was closed.
April 26, 2020
1
Elk-Kings Traverse
10.5 miles of hiking • 3750' elevation gain •
Started early, ran the river trail and some of the traverse. Saw only 1 person on traverse, and then about 15 people and 7 dogs on the final 3 mile leg down Kings which is a brutal descent, don’t care for it at all.
April 20, 2020
Hanging Rock
9 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
You've all seen these cool pinnacles north of Smith Rock from the highway. This is within the Crooked River National Grassland. I started at the equestrian corrals just outside of the Henderson OHV. Wide open country for ridgetop ramblings, cool pinnacles and rock formations for scramblings, no-one around at all. Fun to look DOWN on Smith Rock.
April 7, 2020
3
Deschutes River: Mack's to Snake Box Canyon
12.5 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain • 1 night
Magificent! Love the high desert solitude. Basalt formations excellent. Watched bighorn graze the hillside across the river from my camp.
March 22 – March 23, 2020
3
Timberline Lodge via West Leg
5.5 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Well since the ski area was closed we decided to just take over the slopes, ha ha! It was surreal to be traversing the slopes on this bluebird day with no-one around and the chairlifts stilled.
I rented BC Nordic skis that weren't so great on the 3 hour long trip upwards on the stiff, sometimes icy surface of West Leg Road, but they sure helped me carve some turns on the way down via the Glade and Alpine runs. The Timberline Ski Area and Wyeast Lodge are closed, but we were surprised to find that Timberline Lodge (and dining room) itself was still open.... with guests.
I only counted the uphill mileage.
March 17, 2020
2
March 15, 2020
1
Gorge wanderings
7 miles of hiking • 2500' elevation gain •
Whacked a lot of bushes today. Stick in the eye, attacked by pricker bush, and a sharp scree rock pierced my favorite hiking pants. Excellent fun!
March 11, 2020
Tryon
5 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
Very pretty spring morning. Only a few trilliums blooming today, but lots of indian plum. In some areas there was a continuous carpet of waterleaf. In most of the other areas, the evil ivy rules.
March 3, 2020
1
February 29, 2020
2
West of The Rest
7.5 miles of hiking • 2000' elevation gain •
Started out with a ridiculous bushwack, but then spent hours wandering the woods in my favorite go to wonderland. Didnt see anyone.
February 25, 2020
1
White River
7 miles of hiking • 1000' elevation gain •
Ski/snowshoe combo up to the critter cam. No good animal pictures this time, but a banner day to be out on the mountain!
February 18, 2020
1
Oldman Pass
7 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
Last class with the students-a ski tour inside a snowglobe!
February 16, 2020
1
Willow Prairie Cabin
8 miles of hiking • 3000' elevation gain •
We rented this extremely rustic cabin for the night. Fun ski in. Had some issues with the woodstove and got a few facefulls of dust and smoke. Next day, my asthma was terrible.
In the morning, we skiied east to a landing area at 5300 ft. I was short of breath and having trouble keeping up with my fast moving friends. I sent them onward to climb Mt Mcloughlin and I slowly followed behind. They successfully summitted, but I turned back at the "South Tip".
February 13, 2020
February 4, 2020
1
Deschutes River Bike Trip
1 miles of hiking • 250' elevation gain •
This was a 33 mile bike trip, but I did stop and hike up the Harris Canyon and another gully. Wanted to log it here just so I could post some pictures! It was so very beautiful. The best part is between mp 10 and 13- such excellent basalt formations, pinnacles and caves, all inviting exploration.
I want to go back soon and camp. Hard to travel across a scree field in bike cleats.
January 30, 2020
1
Birch/Holman/Wildwood Loop
4 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
Struggling with my asthma and SAD. Got a good fix up from the forest. Found an interesting rogue trail,with art. Pretty soaked.
January 28, 2020
1
Pocket Creek
6 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
Helping out with Mazamas Nordic Ski School, assisting with the same class I took 5 years ago! It was slow going for our novice skiiers, but I did get a good little workout in when I had to accompany some folks out early, up and down the same road twice.
January 26, 2020
2
Larch Mountain
12 miles of hiking • 1500' elevation gain •
Starting from about MP 9 on Larch Mountain Road(where they stopped plowing). Grueling uphill grind through heavy wet snow. Was pleased to have mild winds and some views under the cloud deck at the summit. Totally gassed afterward.
January 20, 2020
1
Lower Macleay to Collins Sanctuary
6 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Another exploration of our wonderful urban trails. I forgot how gorgeous Balch Creek Canyon is, very quiet in the morning,and then extremely crowded in the afternoon on return. Instead of going up to Pittock Mansion, I looped the Audobon trails. The Collins Sanctuary was delightful. Looks so pretty with NO IVY!
January 19, 2020
1
Markham loop
4 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Variation on the last trip, just wanted to explore more of this trail system. Trails are quieter than Forest Park, but the ivy is frightening in some areas.
January 16, 2020
1
Who needs an umbrella when you have trees?
4 miles of hiking • 750' elevation gain •
Did a loop with the Marquam, flicker and Towhee trails. How lucky are we to have such wonderful trails right in town? Dreary moods begone!
January 11, 2020
1
Tolinda Trail-Forest Park
3.5 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
New trail to me-connects lower part of Germantown Rd to Leif Ericson drive. Evidence of old homesite. Muddy and slippery fun.
January 6, 2020
Tanque Verde, Saguaro NP
18 miles of hiking • 5250' elevation gain • 1 night
A challenging trip in the desert to start the year. Went up Tanque Verde Ridge to camp at Juniper Basin, 6000 ft where there was some snow. We set up camp then climbed Tanque Verde Peak. Sun went down and temps plummeted. Cold night in the tent, need to fix that situation.
January 2 – January 3, 2020
2
Cactus Forest -Saguaro National Park
4.5 miles of hiking • 500' elevation gain •
On vacation with family. First foray into the desert, scouting out next trip.
Lovely day.
January 1, 2020
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