Mt. Whittier

14 miles of hiking • 4000' elevation gain •

Alpine start from Portland - arrived at the Norway Pass trailhead around 7am. Up around to the lakes basin, then up and across Whittier ridge and back down. Bizarre mix of people out there, from the group of backpacking girls who took 6 hrs to get from the parking lot to the first Mt. Margaret campsites (around 3-4 mi) and chided me about my cat hole trowel, to the group of elk hunters pushing mountain bikes up the trail loaded with their gear that they'd intended to take across the Whittier ridge until Peder told them that'd be impossible. Otherwise, mixed mist and sun made for dramatic lighting. Very little snow left. Huckleberries are popping out but aren't fully ripe yet.

Whittier, as always, is a blast.