It’s been over 5 years since I hiked to the summit of Hamilton Mountain. While the hike felt just as strenuous as it ever had, this was the first time I’ve hiked there in the fall.
Located on the east side of Mount Hood, this trail begins at the Mount Hood Meadows ski area and features a former lookout at Elk Mountain and spacious meadows with a view of the mountain.
McNeil Point, located on the northwest side of Mount Hood, is a subalpine and alpine area filled with meadows and great views of the mountain and surrounding ridges.
This hike circles the rim of Larch Mountain, a former volcanic peak in the Columbia River Gorge.
This section of the Wilson River Trail in Oregon’s Coast Range goes from the Elk Creek trailhead to the Idiot Creek trailhead.
The Wind Mountain Trail is steep, but also quite short so it’s over before you know it, and the views of the Columbia River Gorge from the top are amazing. It’s also the site of tribal spirit quest spaces at the top.
The Triple Falls area was severely burned in the 2017 Eagle Creek Wildfire. This hike begins at Horsetail Falls and features a walk behind Ponytail Falls before continuing to Triple Falls.
Archer Mountain is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge, west of Hamilton Mountain. The trail is steep with a couple of sketchy sections near the Quiver Point and Arrow Point viewpoints.
A popular hike in the spring when wildflowers are blooming, the Lyle Cherry Orchard Trail has big views of the Columbia River, with balsamroot and lupines covering the slopes.
This short hike to the Dry Creek waterfall starts in Cascade Locks on the Pacific Crest Trail heading south.
Located in the Oregon Coast Range, the Wilson River Trail runs for about 24 miles with multiple trailheads located just off Highway 6. This is part one of our plan to hike the entire length of the trail in sections.
My first hike of the year was to visit an old favorite, Triple Falls. I hadn’t been here since 2016, before the devastating wildfires in September 2017. And I’d never seen it with snow and ice.
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