WTA Work Party

Trail maintenance and bear sightings at Sunrise and First Burroughs with the WTA. This is one of the most incredible places I've ever been, so sure I'll throw boulders around and dig trenches on my Sunday. Mount Rainier is my boyfriend, after all. Link to volunteer opportunities here.

Eagle Creek Celebratory Hike

I made a big life decision this week, so toodling around in the Gorge while Dr B. tried out his new carbon fiber Look was just about my speed. I lapped up my newly regained freedom while meandering up Eagle Creek a bit and, oddly enough, ran into my coworker and her in-laws at the bottom of lower Punchbowl Falls canyon. I felt like an omnipresent forest gnome, or some official hiking dork representative of Oregon. As long as it's not in an office. Apparently I don't like those.

Willamette Valley Whirlwind Tour

Wine tasting day at DDO, Patton Valley, Stoller and Winderlea. That's a whole lot of pinot.

Old Snowy Backpack

I had been thinking about this trip for weeks, but didn't think I'd actually do it due to time constraints. Usually an overnighter for me takes lots of planning and ramping up. But I already knew the Snowgrass Flats area so well that I could've even hiked in in the dark if need be. But no need, I got to camp near the PCT junction just before dark, passing hordes of Saturday hikers on their way out. One well-meaning but baffling older lady took it upon herself to caution me "You're starting out kind of late." I let it go... I'm so much nicer on the trail.

The night was long and I slept fitfully, but was not overly nervous about bumps in the night. I read Cheryl Strayed's (mostly terrible) PCT book, then packed my down jacket around my head and drifted off. My philosophy now seems to be: "If it's not ripping through my tent, I don't want to know about it."

I got up at dawn and headed up the PCT, gaining increasingly great, albeit smoky, views of Rainier and Goat Lake. I climbed slowly up the Old Snowy moraine in the shadows, and crossed some flat snowfields before catching sight of both the famous Knife's Edge snaking off towards Elk Pass and a herd of resident mountain goats. Both were a fantastic reward.

Just below the final push to the summit I began to get a touch of vertigo, so I sat and had a snack. When will I learn that most nutrition bars are inedible over 8,000ft? I climbed the last little stretch until cliffing out at a mini-cairn and view of the other side of the ridge. I got freaked out and gingerly turned around - must've zigged left when I should've zigged right, but at the point I was close enough that I felt satisfied. Plus, scrambling down in scree and loose boulders with big dropoffs is not my favorite thing ever.

Chatted with a bunch of nice people on the way down and broke camp. I could've probably gone faster, but the air was thin and smoky and I was underslept. The five miles back to the car from camp are a major pain in the ass, and yes, that was me listening to T-Rex without headphones as you passed. You'll live.

Broken Top Trail #10, i.e. The Best Hike EVAR

Why didn't anyone tell me about this hike? Sorry Canyon Creek Meadows, you've been replaced (I'm so fickle). The hike on Trail #10 to No-Name lake on Broken Top should be mandatory information upon entering central Oregon. The road to the trail head past Todd Lake is hands-down the worst I've ever driven outside of Hawaii, but the hike itself to the most exquisite glacial lake in the state is only an hour walk, less if you're acclimated. There is only one trail junction less than a mile in - it'll be about five feet before the faded Sisters Wilderness sign that you veer right/northeast. The trail climbs gradually around the east face of Broken Top until just before Broken Hand. Then hike briefly to a notch at the top of a short snowfield, and scramble along the right hand side through the notch until you're eye level with a shimmering aqua pool. In September the lake was still 3/4 snow-covered, so I wouldn't visit any earlier. The user trail continues along the northeast side of the lake to a spectacular lookout at a cliff's edge. It takes about 15-20 more minutes to get there. The views stretch from the Three Sisters to Mount Adams. It's windy in the cirque below, and the water ripples in star bursts that spread quickly across the water. I sat in the sun and listened to snow sheets break apart and water dance, convinced that this hike is the definition of perfection.

4.5 hours from PDX, 5 miles RT. Car-camped at Devil's Lake to get an early start, which was good for both lighting and the solitude. FR 380 sucks.

Use this link for decent directions, but veer right at the junction where they veered left. Follow that trail around the mountain and up the snowfield to the notch. It's almost idiot proof.

 

Jefferson Park On Memorial Day Weekend Is Still Jefferson Park

I played the sympathy card and got Dr B. up at 4 a.m. to hit Jefferson Park with me. The drive from Portland was quick, but the gravel road was quite bumpy and the fist four miles of hiking on the Whitewater Trail were not so spectacular as last week's Three Fingered Jack hike. But, the towering craggy summit of the mountain and the colorful lakes of Jefferson Park were worth the dull (but admittedly gentle) climb. Bays Lake was the most inviting and recalled for us the Gem Lakes on the JMT, especially Ruby. The guidebooks say the hike to Russell Lake is just 11 miles RT, but I can't see anyone sticking to that. You can barely see any of the lakes without venturing off onto the little user trails branching off from the PCT. Our mileage was close to 14 when we finished, and we didn't even explore Russell Lake fully. All in all, it was great, if a bit overhyped. The crowds, if you can call them that, hardly detracted from the experience. At any rate, it cleared my frazzled mind and will make the week ahead more bearable.