Trail Seeker

Would I do this trail again? Yes, but I admit it was very challenging. Rarely was there any flats where we could get a decent pace going, a lot of ups and downs, creek/river crossings and in and out of canyons. This trail allowed us to get an intimate 360 degree view of Oregon's highest peak (11,235 ft), and although I have summitted this peak a couple times in the past, skirting it's flank gave us an ever changing view of the mountain.

This is me as we worked our way to the highest point on the trail

A portion of the Timberline Trail shares the Pacific Crest Trail

Working even higher up with Mt Adams and Mt Rainier in the distance

One of many glaciers we crossed on the east flank of Mt Hood

Another of the many unmapped (unnamed?) water falls along the trail

Kate taking in a view of Mt Jefferson and the Three Sisters

Many stream and river crossings were deep in Alluvial soil

An intensely orange sunrise

White river basin, the last river crossing on our trip

July 2006
Timberline Trail

Mt Hood

Paradise Park

Zigzag canyon

Razor thin trail on dangerously steep wash out

One of the many faces of Mt Hood

Me with Mt Adams off to the left

Kate looking back down at the Muddy creek canyon

Descent into the rock strewn Eliot river basin

Eliot river, one of many river and creek crossings

We head out Monday to hike the Timber*line trail, I have been doing quite a bit of research on this loop and it looks to be challenging. Elliot Cr on the NE side doesn't have it's seasonal bridge in as of yesterday, There is still snow on the north and eastern area, one fellow lost the trail for a while around the Lamberson spur due to snow. The south side is reportedly clear with some patches of snow, that is the side we plan to start from.

The concerns I have will be the river fordings at Zigzag, Newton and Elliot creak (unless they plan to install the seasonal bridge at Elliot). High run offs could cause problems or delays as we may have to wait till early morning to cross when the run offs slow due to the cooler nights. Because of the good snow fall this past winter, we are on the edge of the time where the trail is open, esp in the shadyier areas.

Typical time to hike it is 4 days, we have 5 reserved. There is a lot of up and down on this trail as the trail winds through glacial canyons and that makes for a more strenous trail. We plan to talk with other hikers to see if they know any trail conditions and re-assess our plans if needed.

Edited to add: If you use Google Earth, they have recently added high resolutions of Mt Hood and Three Sisters areas in Oregon

I had intended to post pictures of the rhondy, but when I tried to import the ones I wanted off the wife's computer they wouldn't. After checking into why, I found the drive I stored my photos on was full. Yesterday I went wood cutting, I wouldn't have bothered, but I could use some oak for those really cold nights in the winter. My father really likes to use oak, I don't blame him, it is a really good species for home heating. My father found this source of oak at a fair price from a farmer from church, he has cut four cords now and plans to keep cutting until he runs out of room to store it. Finding oak to cut is not an every day thing and he knows it.

I have plenty of wood stored already, when I moved here some 13 years ago I didn't have any wood and worked feverishly to stock up from any source, the forest service was the prime source. Now I am well stocked and could go several or more years with out cutting. I also have better insulated the house and put in better windows since moving here which reduced the demand for wood. We have the provisions for electric baseboard heat, but the breakers have never been turned on all the time we have been here.

We are still cleaning house around here, my wife had a yard sale but now it seems to be more cluttered than before. The stuff she piled up for the sale was stored in the barn, a pick up load that didn't sale went to Goodwill, but now there are some items that need to be put some where until we decide what to do with it, ebay comes to mind.

We took everything out of the wash room and painted it, that really was useful for clearing out some excess stuff that was in there, now I need to go through the radio room and do a similar number on the stuff in there.

Life is pretty good right now.