October 5, 2013 Ken Round Mountain 8 miles 2,250 feet gained
This was supposed to be a trip to Cascade Arm/Sahale Pass that, due to the government shut-down by a group of puerile egotists, resulted in the access road to the trail head, not to mention the NCNP itself, being closed. Alternate trip #1 was the Meander Meadows loop but, yet again, the access road was closed. Alternative #2, fortunately, did not have a gate...
October 5, 2013 Father Guido Sarducci Snoquera Falls 10.97 miles 3,000 feet gained
Trails are in great shape.
October 5, 2013 Mileage Mike Robins Island 13.8 miles 2,250 feet gained
Made it to the Tanner Cutoff Trail on this second try.. Went with a good friend and had a great time! Weather was fantastic, and started out brisk, but ended up much warmer. Only saw a couple of hikers near the TH, at the end of the hike, and saw no other people (or hunters) the entire hike.
October 4, 2013 Allison Butte Camp 12.5 miles 2,500 feet gained
We did a fun 12-mile loop on the southwest side, starting at the Redrock Pass trailhead, ascending north up the Butte Camp Dome trail, and tromping through snow on the Loowit to the Loowit re-route. From there, we did a short bushwhack south along the drainage to meet up with Trail 237 (Toutle Trail) and then floundered to find Trail 231 (Kalama Ski Trail) b...
October 4, 2013 Karl Butte Camp 12.5 miles 2,500 feet gained
Great little loop, on SW flanks of Mt St Helens, with some great new trail friends! The mountain had a fresh coat of snow, and down below the mushrooms were 'sploding all over the place. Full [trip report](http://www.portlandhikers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=17186) now up on [PortlandHikers](http://www.portlandhikers.org/).
October 4, 2013 Ken Cutthroat Lakes 8 miles 1,500 feet gained
This was a beautiful day for a hike: mostly sunny skies, temps in the low 60s, and a weekday to boot. I headed off to the Cutthroat Lakes via the Walt Bailey Trail. The trail is in fairly good shape overall, though it is rocky and rooty in places, making for an ankle-twisting obstacle course (think a roomful of rugrats on Christmas morning). The trek proved ...
October 4, 2013 Jen Little Huckleberry Mountain 6 miles 2,000 feet gained
Little Huckleberry is a nice little leg stretcher hike to a former LO site that gives big views of the area. I started early on a frosty morning of this bluebird fall day. Hiking alone without a dog gives you a much better chance for wildlife encounters and today I saw three elk and two young buck deer near the summit. Grouse in the forest and a rather frien...
October 2, 2013 Ken Mount Dickerman 7.5 miles 3,000 feet gained
Dibs and I decided to brave the rain and make a run at Mount Dickerman. The trail head usually looks like the parking lot at Nordstram's the day before Christmas while the trail itself is choked with people. Not today: it was lonelier than a convict in solitary on Devil's Island. Our journey began in the rain and it never really let up. Temps were moderate, ...
September 29, 2013 Mileage Mike Robins Island 10.1 miles 1,500 feet gained
Rain, rain & more rain! We headed out on the #400 trail towards the Tanner Butte Cutoff trail. I was hoping to get there, but we turned back because the intense and constant rain penetrated all our clothing and backpacks! My wife was getting chilled, and it's our agreed upon rule to turn back if either of us is uncomfortable with the situation! We bumped int...
September 28, 2013 Ken Basalt Peak 11.5 miles 3,250 feet gained
What a miserable day: rain, fog, cold. A perfect day for a forest foray and we three intrepid souls accepted the task clad in rain gear and fleece. Arriving at the Rock Creek trail head near Lake Wenatchee we began our sylvan saunter amidst clouds and fog, the steady, at times hard, rain beating a tattoo upon our heads. The guidebook had promised a forest fu...
September 28, 2013 Mileage Mike Catherine Creek Shortcut 9.7 miles 1,750 feet gained
Excellent day at Catherine Creek! Not much rain, and some cloud filtered sun came out before we left. Unfortunately, there is thinning/logging going on near Tracy Hill, and the trail was jello soft muddy and not fun! Except for the Tracy Hill area, the trails were in great shape, and hikers were only seen close to the TH on the way back. We were welcomed by ...
September 27, 2013 Jen Soosap Peak 5 miles 1,000 feet gained
Wet wanderings trying to find parts of an abandoned trail the Trail Advocates are starting to reopen. Should eventually lead all the way down to the Wash Creek/Fish Creek drainage.
September 26 to September 27, 2013 Allison Elk Cove 16 miles 3,500 feet gained 1 night
My original plan was to start at the Vista Ridge trailhead, climb to the Timberline Trail and then head south to McNeil Point, where I would camp. I would return along the Timberline Trail the following day and make a day-visit to Elk Cove. What ended up happening was that I day-hiked to the ponds just beyond the McNeil Point trail, warily eyed the fresh sno...
September 26 to September 28, 2013 JM Colchuck Lake 13 miles 2,000 feet gained 2 nights
Got rained out on my Enchantment Lakes trip, so stuck at Colchuck Lake at the bottom of Aasgard Pass for two days hoping for better weather. It never came. Hiked out in the pouring rain.
September 24, 2013 Ken Nason Ridge Lookout Spur 10 miles 2,500 feet gained
Needed to get out today. Weather was not looking all that promising but finally just loaded up the Scion with my pack and Dibs and headed east along Highway 2. Destination: Alpine Lookout. Picked up Krusteez, a PCT thru-hiker in Skykomish. Dibs immediately let the young man know he expected to be petted in exchange for giving up his seat and he was obliged. ...
September 22, 2013 Mileage Mike Silver Falls 8.3 miles 1,750 feet gained
All I can say is that Mt. Rainier NP is Awesome. We started on the East Side Trail and headed south along the Silver Falls Loop. This canyon is pure visual ecxtasy! It started raining hard, and continuously half-way through the hike, which only made the mood that much more exquisite! After 3/4ths around the loop, we headed up the Cowlitz Divide Trail, which ...
September 22, 2013 mariella 2 miles 0 feet gained
My first group hike. Womens only. I went with my sis in law met 7 other ladies who met up with us. We did part of the lower sunset trail in the Franklin Mountains Texas state park, and its my first hike in over a year. We had some good rain this month so the dessert mountains were looking pretty green. Found a few fossils too.
September 21 to September 25, 2013 RenegadePilgrim Antler Peak 23.5 miles 2,500 feet gained 4 nights
I've been sitting on this trail report for a while. It's taken me a couple of weeks to process the entire experience so I am going to try to share what I can at the risk of putting myself out there for criticism and being labeled a "wimp" by some. So, here goes. I have wanted to do the Wonderland Trail for the past two years and found a hiking partner from o...
September 21, 2013 scotty Deyoe Creek 8.5 miles 1,750 feet gained
September 21, 2013 Bosterson Ridge Cut-Off 10 miles 3,000 feet gained
From Herman Creek TH to Indian Point via the 3rd gully. Decided to come back early rather than keep going with limited time, and in doing so, just missed the rain.
September 21, 2013 Ken Yellow Aster Butte 7.5 miles 2,500 feet gained
This was supposed to be a trip to see some fall foliage and enjoy the endless views from Yellow Aster Butte. Mother Nature had other ideas, exclaiming, "Ha!" as we headed out from Everett under gray skies heavy with precipitation. Arriving at the trail head we encountered two other cars. The clouds hung low but our spirits did not succumb to their weight. Be...
September 21, 2013 Mileage Mike White Pass Lake (Leech Lake) Campground 8.2 miles 2,000 feet gained
Started at White Pass on the PCT. Headed south into Goat Rocks Wilderness and stopped just before Hell Lake. Met only PCT hikers here, and talked for about 25 minutes. They didn't have trail names! Then headed north into William O. Douglass Wilderness. We didn't go as far as wanted as I must have had food poisoning from very meal the night before, in Packwoo...
September 21, 2013 Father Guido Sarducci Echo Lake 15.25 miles 3,000 feet gained
Had Echo Lake completely to my self. Weird.
September 20, 2013 Allison Carpenters Lake 7 miles 2,250 feet gained
A quick hike with friends and some early chanterelle mushrooms.
September 20, 2013 Mileage Mike Deer Creek 7.6 miles 1,750 feet gained
Had an excellent three day vacation at Mt. Rainier National Park with my son. This was day one, and the weather was great! Amazing number of waterfalls! Wish there was a good view of Sydney Falls, as the view through the trees indicated an amazingly large falls! Corrected elevation per Topofusion.
September 20, 2013 Jen Carpenters Lake 7 miles 2,250 feet gained
Out on a quick hike/mushroom hunt with friends. The woods have already dried out from last week's rain, but we did find enough fungi for each of us to make a nice meal.
September 19, 2013 Ken Blanca Lake 6 miles 2,750 feet gained
This was an after-hours hike. It was planned around the sunset and a full moon. The moon was visible but did not provide as much light as hoped for and headlamps were used. Due to the time of day and a drop in temps the group chose not to head down to the lake but enjoyed the views above the lake before heading back down.
September 19 to September 20, 2013 Roman Blue Lake 10.5 miles 1,250 feet gained 1 night
Went in from Thomas Lake trailhead, camped at Blue Lake for the night. No one else at the lake, it was very quiet. I took some night pictures @ full moon light. Next day I went north on PCT and found the junction with abandoned CCT trail just past Junction Lake, and took it back to Rock Lake. CCT goes through several big meadows, the trail is quite rutted in...
September 19, 2013 Erik Walker Eagle Creek Trail 14 miles 1,500 feet gained
Eagle Creek to Tunnel Falls today. 14 miles. Ran into some PCT hikers. Chatted with one of the group for a bit, Hummingbird(She didn't know what day it was). They'd seen two bears and two mountain lions along the way along with tons of deer and Elk. On the trail since MAY and had around 20 days to complete the trek through Washington. Best of luck to them.
September 18 to September 21, 2013 annsmith Devils Punchbowl 11.5 miles 3,250 feet gained 3 nights
Got a late start and arrived at the trailhead after sunset. The moon was nearly full and our hike in to Buck Lake with headlamps was quick and uneventful. Set up camp at the first lakeside campside and went to sleep. Woke up in the morning to a mist-covered, perfectly still Buck Lake before the sun had broached the mountains surrounding the lake. Ate breakfa...
September 16, 2013 Nat Turner Multnomah Creek Way 6 miles 1,500 feet gained
Good Stuff Great Forest
September 15, 2013 Allison Lost Lake Butte 10 miles 1,250 feet gained
A weekend at Lost Lake with some hiking, paddling, and swimming.
September 15, 2013 scotty Winter Falls 8.5 miles 1,250 feet gained
September 15, 2013 Mileage Mike Sherrard Point 10.8 miles 2,000 feet gained
Cool, cloudy and occasionally drizzly day - Awesome! Only saw one couple the entire day, towards the end of the day. Intense thunder at beginning of hike, but was gone after first hour. Unfortunately, no views the entire day, but the mood was ethereal/mystical!
September 14 to September 15, 2013 Stacey Triangulation 12 miles 1,750 feet gained 1 night
Gorgeous last backpack before the start of fall, and the first backpacking trip for my mutt, Gordy. Spent the evening camped by Bays Lake with friends. Our campsite was surrounded by ripe huckleberries. Lots of backpackers, but no mosquitos.
September 14, 2013 Jack Tombstone Lake 3.5 miles 500 feet gained
Beautiful weather for some off trail w/ my son to a lake in IHW.
September 14, 2013 Roman Deep Lake 6.5 miles 1,250 feet gained
The amount of huckleberries is epic in IH this year!
September 14, 2013 Jen Baker Point 11 miles 3,750 feet gained
This was a super dayhike. We scrambled up the eastern ridge of the mountain and had 2 miles of "Sound of Music" ridgetop rambling. Epic vistas in all directions, but mighty Tahoma took up most of the forward viewfield. We dropped down through steep hanging meadows to the Frying Pan Valley, rock hopped across the silty creek and entered Summerland. Joined the...
September 14, 2013 Ken Ranger Camp 9 miles 2,500 feet gained
The day may not have started out promising, what with gray clouds filling the skies as we traveled forth from Everett, but it turned out to be an absolutely perfect day for a hike. With a reputation as one of the most popular hikes around, we were fortunate to encounter few people along the way as we ventured forth. Breaking out on the ridge, after a memorab...
September 14, 2013 Mileage Mike 9 miles 1,000 feet gained
Had to work today, so stayed close to home. The Wildwood Trail was in excellent condition, and only saw a dozen people on the trail all day!
September 13 to September 15, 2013 JM Rock Lake 20.5 miles 4,750 feet gained 2 nights
Left PDX Friday night and camped at Breitenbush Campground. The next morning we set out to do an overnight loop to Jefferson Park. Starting at S. Breitenbush trailhead, we hiked 5.5 miles up the wooded flank of Park Butte Ridge. As we neared the top, the trail passes through some small meadows and a talus slope and descends into Jefferson Park lakes area. Af...
September 12, 2013 Ken Bald Eagle Mountain 11 miles 2,250 feet gained
This was a hike I wanted to do for a while so I decided to make use of a day off and headed out from the trail head around 11:30AM. There were three cars at the trail head but I saw nary a soul all day. The trail is in pretty good shape overall, although a few areas are overgrown. Berries were abundant but beyond ripe - they were shriveled or split open. Vie...
September 12, 2013 Erik Walker Wahkeena Falls 6.5 miles 2,500 feet gained
Did Wahkeena Falls up to Devils rest on a Sunny September day. Plenty of vertical. Would not recommend unless you're in halfway decent shape. Definitely and workout. Had to scoot around a fallen tree that covered 20 feet of the trail near the top. No great view at the top but a nice lookout just before you get there. Plenty of waterfall views in the first mi...
September 11, 2013 Beth 3 miles 750 feet gained
September 10, 2013 Allison Origin Creek 5 miles 250 feet gained
A quiet stroll along Gales Creek looking for mushrooms.
September 10, 2013 Beth 1.5 miles 500 feet gained
September 9 to September 11, 2013 Roman Goat Butte 24.41 miles 5,250 feet gained 2 nights
Due to elevation gain and length of this hike, I went 2 days up (camped at Foggy Flats the 1st night), then 1 day back. I carried $15 in case I met reservation ranger but saw only 1 hiker past Foggy Flats. The trail past the boundary is very faint and disappears in some places; the cairns really helped, as well as Cascadehiker's GPX track. Once down from the...
September 8, 2013 Stacey Silver 10 miles 4,500 feet gained
Agreed to lead the usual suspects up to the summit of MSH. Camped at the Climbers' Bivouac the night before. It was difficult to find a spot to due to a large group of Boy Scouts, who had taken over about 75% of the established campsites.
September 8, 2013 Bosterson Mount Whittier 22 miles 5,500 feet gained
Long Whittier loop starting at S. Coldwater TH, up the ridge and then down the Lakes Trail and up Coldwater Canyon, across Whittier and then back down the Boundary Trail past Mt. Margaret and Coldwater Peak to complete the loop. Spectacular weather, plenty of wildlife (frogs, elk, goats, ladybugs, snakes), huckleberries are peaking, great views, excellent ru...
