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11 miles / 3,250 feet gained
Nice day in the coast range! Went with ICS pals and pace was brisk. Some icy rocks to negotiate on the traverse. Found out we all loathe the coming down Kings, so we took Coronary Ridge to the Wilson River trail(Kings Jr), and that was much more pleasant and only added an extra half mile distance.
7.5 miles / 3,000 feet gained
I was heading east on I-84 and looked over and saw goats on Dog Spine, plain as day. Okay, four white blobs, but I was convinced and immediately changed my hiking plans to see if I could find them. Left the trail rather early and spent hours bushwacking the steep south facing slopes, heading easterly. It was mostly pleasant. Unfortunately I overshot the Dog ...
7 miles / 750 feet gained
Haven't been here in over 15 years. It was so very lovely this morning and fairly quiet, just a bit busy near North and South Falls. I vow to return in less than a decade!
7.5 miles / 1,000 feet gained
Definitely interested in exploring this area more.
8.5 miles / 2,000 feet gained
Pleasant day reading the forest. The Buck Creek Trail is designed for mountain bikers. Mellow grade. Just a hollow cement structure left on top at this former LO site.
10 miles / 1,500 feet gained
Did a couple different hikes on a wild and wet weekend at the coast with the hubs. Tillamook Head, Ecola Forest Preserve, and Oswald West.
6.5 miles / 1,500 feet gained
Very rainy, had to retrieve another critter cam. Had some great sets- will include a few of the best shots.
5.5 miles / 500 feet gained
Went out in the river of atmosphere. It rained the entire time. Had an umbrella, got soaked anyhow. And, only a few mushrooms, grrr! Clearcuts and industrial forest must be passed before you reach the old growth. Now access is cut off by Weyerhauser. They shaved the steep slopes of Teal Creek Canyon, next to the cliffs where falcons nested. Who is watching t...
10.5 miles / 2,500 feet gained
3rd time up here this year and it doesnt get old. Pulling down the critter cam to be redeployed for winter. I started from Teacup and wandered the low woodlands south of Clark Creek before I picked up the Elk Meadows trail. Some lovely western larches in bright autumn display.
16 miles / 4,750 feet gained / 1 night
I spent the weekend climbing at Smith Rock, but instead of heading back to Portland, I headed south to the Steens and the Alvord Desert. Camped the first night at Haystack Reservoir, then stayed two nights at the Alvord Hot Springs in a military bunker-what fun! The light in the desert this time of year is beautiful. Did three hikes: 1) Little Blitzen Gorge ...
18 miles / 3,750 feet gained
Cascadia Wild asked if I could go up and retrieve a stranded critter cam that has been up here for over a year. It's a long hike, would love to return for an overnighter. So beautiful with the light dusting of snow on the slopes above, and the fall colors. Rain held off until just after our turnaround. Had to deploy the umbrellas on the way down.
3.5 miles / 500 feet gained
Sevreral hours of umbrella hiking. Fungi are starting to emerge.
10.5 miles / 2,500 feet gained
The air feels so clean! Mountain looks lovely again.
7.5 miles / 1,000 feet gained
Went for a swim in Castle Lake! Saw elk poos, elk bedrooms, elk skeletons and even a few elks.
17.5 miles / 4,750 feet gained / 1 night
I started at the south Tatoosh trailhead. Long slog upwards, but once you pass the turnoff for Butter Peak, you get a lovely rolling trip through subalpine meadows and ripe huckleberries as you travel north below the ridge approaching Tatoosh Peak. The eastern flanks of the ridge are just mesmerizing, reminds me of the Wallowas. Acres of steep hanging meadow...
45 miles / 11,000 feet gained / 4 nights
Day 1: Staircase -> N Fork Skokomish to 2 Bear Camp. Day 2: 2 Bear Camp to N side of Hopper Mtn (headwaters of Home Sweet Home Creek), fun scramble up to Mt Hopper! Day 3 down to the Duckabush via HSH trail and up to LaCrosse Basin. Day 4 back to First Divide-camped along Mt Steel climbers trail. Day 5: Long slog out. Pics to follow
10.5 miles / 3,750 feet gained / 2 nights
My first multipitch climb! Camped in Headlight Basin
4.5 miles / 2,500 feet gained
The road up was gnarly, but there were only a few hikers on the trail on a Saturday. Wedge mountain is the eastern ridge overlooking the lower part of the Enchantments. I enjoyed the overcast day, but the views were not far ranging. Still magical! Trail leads up to a point on the ridge at 6200. True summit is an easy trip south for half a mile and 700 ft mor...
5 miles / 3,500 feet gained
Got this from the 75 scrambles book. Was going to do Guye, then Snoqualmie, but I got distracted by Cave Ridge and a geocache. Started out the hike in a light overcast drizzle that eventually diminished to just moody clouds. Very refreshing. Really liked that area. Caves, marmots, huckleberrries. Decided to head straight up to Snoqualmie from the Cave Ridge ...
15 miles / 4,250 feet gained / 1 night
Started at Red Rock Pass and found a great campsite on E side of Butte Camp Dome- unfortunately no water, the whole side of the mountain on the Loowit trail is dry until the Toutle. Next day went on a scramble up the slopes chasing goats admiring the unsanctioned routes. Found ripe huckleberries at 3000-3500 ft elevation too!
17 miles / 4,750 feet gained / 1 night
Hiked up Cooper Spur, then dropped down and traversed below the Newton-Clark Glacier. Visited the Bandit Boulder! Fun scrambles all around, then dropped down to the Timberline to loop back to Cloud Cap. Stayed at the Tilly Jane Campground for the night, where I was the only tenant and it was free. The next day, I drove over to Elk Meadows trailhead and met u...
9.5 miles / 2,250 feet gained / 1 night
My niece is visiting from NYC. I wanted to bring her up to the alpine for a quick overnighter. The weather, wildflowers and scenery were gorgeous but the mosquitoes were awful, from TH to 7200 ft just below the Adams Glacier, they relentlessly tried to penetrate our bug bafflers. A comic sufferfest. Could not relax in camp unless inside tent. Packed up and r...
25 miles / 8,000 feet gained / 3 nights
Finally got up here! For the past several years, I've signed up for climbs on various mountains in these parts( Ragged Ridge x2) that were always cancelled. For rain-in August! This year I got onto a Baker climb during my vacation week, and scheduled several days of explore time afterwards. We did not complete the climb. Went up Heliotrope Ridge and camped o...
8 miles / 2,750 feet gained
Went up via the south ridge and Indian Pits. Was here exactly one year ago, where there was some beargrass here and there. Today, every single beargrass plant was blooming from 3500 ft on up. I'm covered with pollen! GLORIOUS
10 miles / 3,000 feet gained
Wow, this was a really cool mountaintop! A long cirque ridge, with cool layered pillars. It felt like walking the outer walls of an ancient fortress. I was able to drive to the Ironstone Mtn TH at over 6000 ft on Bethel Ridge. All of the open south facing slopes were lovely with xeric rock gardens, but on north side of ridge, and in the saddles, there were p...
7 miles / 2,750 feet gained
Snow above 4000 ft made for slow going, but I was still able to follow the trail for the most part. Lovely steep meadows up high full of glacier lillies.
7 miles / 5,250 feet gained
Went with a small Mazamas group. Tuesday after Memorial Day and the mountain was very quiet, only one person ahead of us who gave us the summit to ourselves when we arrived. Due to concern for the warm weather, we left Tline at 11pm. Traversed the Hot Rocks and came up the old chute. Conditions soft, but not yet mashed potatoes. Got some good glissades below...
11.5 miles / 2,250 feet gained / 2 nights
The forecast told me the rain would cease after 11am. I got to the TH for Crabtree Valley at 1pm and it was still raining hard. I took the short hike to nearby Crabtree mountain instead. Logging road with intermittent snow drifts. The rain did stop, but the trees kept on with their drip drip drip. Camped nearby and awoke to sunny skies next day. Lots of old ...
12 miles / 1,500 feet gained
This was the first hike described in the 2001 edition of "50 Hikes in the Tillamook State Forest". I can only recommend it as a winter hike. Gentle climb on logging road with a few bits of mature forest. However, I will definitely return on mountain bike! Lots of roads to explore, behind locked gates, no OHVs allowed. No sign of party pigs. The summit road l...
4 miles / 750 feet gained
Had an afternoon thing in The Dalles, so I went for a little stroll across the river afterwards. The big flower display is done, but some hardy summer flowers are out. It was quite windy, and the 2-3 foot high grasses undulating in the wind was mesmerizing.
5 miles / 500 feet gained
Checked out the Underhill Trail and a few other spots. Looking for morels. Big zero. Even in the areas where the snow was still receding, it seemed too late. Feels so dry over there.
13.5 miles / 3,000 feet gained / 1 night
Had a great trip in the vicinity of Clarno. I first went to the Hanock Field Station and did a loop hike in the Clarno Unit backcountry. Saw fossils, a petrified tree, and visited the Red Hill and Whitecapped Knoll. 4.5 miles, 750 ft gain. I then drove down nearby Clarno Road to the Spring Basin Wilderness trailheads. Was going to car camp there and get an e...
9 miles / 2,250 feet gained
Roaming around, with some pleasant flailing. Found all kinds of old revegetating roads and helpful critter trails. The scree field is epic! Untouched. Magnificent views all around. I witnessed a big chunk of basalt do two endos and hit the cliff on the way down bringing even more with it. I think I saw some goats up high too. Found some more old road to take...
10 miles / 2,500 feet gained
Dog TH packed at 0900 on a Tuesday, and the flower show has not even begun yet! Drove around to the Northern Augsperger TH. I went up via Berge Road to sometimes rough 2700 (but you can also go up on the east side from Willard). Only saw one other hiker on the Augsperger trail, it's a bit brushy, some snow in the trees just north of the summit, but trail not...
1 miles / 500 feet gained / 1 night
The Mount Tahoma Trails Association has developed a system of ski trails with alpine huts and yurts on state land near Ashford, WA. The forest itself is bland reprod and the trails are logging roads which are great for skiing, maybe not so great for hiking. But the views from the huts are worth it! We visited the High Hut, then Snowbowl hut and camped nearby...
6 miles / 500 feet gained
Accessed the north side of the White Salmon trails via Bates Road. Saw some ticks, deers and a lone mtn biker.
12.5 miles / 2,500 feet gained
Took Hug Point Road to Onion Peak Road to Dave's Spur. Didn't quite make it to summit via bushwack. Got chilled with wet shrubs and rain. Want to return with my bike to get to Onion Peak proper.
13 miles / 750 feet gained
On Monday, I hiked the Kwis Kwis/Fort to Sea figure 8 loop. It goes through the coastal forest of the park and you pass some lovely wetlands. Lots of skunk cabbage. Very pleasant hike, saw only 2 pairs of hikers. Wednesday, I returned and started at Sunset Beach, heading east on the Fort to Sea trail. After you leave the forested state park, you are led arou...
9 miles / 1,000 feet gained / 1 night
I visited two different spots on the west side of the Deschutes River. First I parked at the Heritage Boat Ramp and walked upriver on the Rockpile Trail. I went up about 2 miles and stopped to sketch and relax in my chair. I had gone well past the trail end line on my map, not sure how long it continues. I then had to do some driving to get to my next spot-F...
9 miles / 2,000 feet gained
Went up towards St Cloud, but veered off to visit Gable Falls. Fun bushwacking up to Cruzatt Rim. The long flat walk westerly on the plateau was very pleasant. Lots of old roads and trails to explore out here.
9 miles / 1,500 feet gained
Was inspired by Sarah's recent trip to the area. Bushwacking through poison oak involved.
10 miles / 1,750 feet gained
Love these steep oak covered woodlands. The vegetation is waking up, a few flowers starting to pop. Spring will be here soon!
4 miles / 750 feet gained
This is just a logging road hike on Stimson Lumber property to a former LO site. I parked at the gate on Military Creek road, then hiked up to 303, then 303A, then bushwacked up a ridge. Also found on some pretty good elk trails. Arrived in a snowstorm, but then the sky turned blue all around, luring me out of the car with inadequate footwear. . It was reall...
4 miles / 750 feet gained
Bushwack in the rain without a care in the world! Well for a few hours anyhow. Went down to the lake to photograph the tundra swans. Someone has turned the cement building at the old Knierem home site into a shelter- might still be living there-creepy!
7 miles / 1,500 feet gained
Came up Coyote Creek to the Wizard Trail(trail closed signs on top ,but not on bottom-oops!). Grass widows are blooming. Gorgeous day. Also stopped and had a visit with Sweeney the resident mountain goat near Stevenson.
37 miles / 7,000 feet gained / 4 nights
Had a 6 day trip to the desert. Camped 4 nights, stayed in hotel first and last night. Rented a jeep so I could access the remote spots. Had some fun desert hiking every day! 1) Clark Mountain-highpoint of Mojave National Preserve.Visited plane crash site, but then failed to summit because I got sketched out on knife edge ridge. No trails, alone in the wilde...
