The snow level is now above 7,000 feet. PCT hikers report the PCT at Mount Hood is completely snow free and the Mt Hood web page shows the Silcox Hut is snow free. It sounds like the Timberline Trail around Mount Hood may be passable during the 4th of July three day weekend.
I pack extra food and water in case I need to turn around due to excessive snow. This makes for a heavy pack. Rose calls as I'm getting ready to leave and asks if I want to go on a short hike through Forest Park. I have all weekend so I delay the start of this hike until 7:00 Saturday night. The first part of this trail is on the PCT trail. I hike around the mountain clockwise.
The going is easy to Zigzag Canyon. A sign just before the canyon lets dog owners know that dogs will no longer be rescued from the canyon and to watch your dog carefully. This is the first major canyon of many canyons.
I see many deer on this trip. The first four I see tonight, two bucks and two doe. The next morning I surprise a baby deer feeding from its mother. The mother takes off running, knocking down the baby. The baby gets right back up and runs after its mother.
Wildflowers grace the trail. Lupine and Indian Paint Brush are along the entire trail. Rhododendrons are common just after the Paradise Meadows alternate trail I take. At one point there is a large field of Rhododendrons. There are also many Lilies this time of year.
I've already seen many people camped or hiking so apparently the word is out that this trail is snow free. I decide to pitch my hammock about 7 miles from the start of the trail. I sleep on a steep hillside. An advantage of hammocks is they don't require level ground :).
After sleeping in until about 9:30, I'm off. Quickly pass the Sandy River Canyon and take the old PCT to Bald Mountain, passing Ramona Falls (pictured). The trail is confusing to find because, when it leaves the main trail, there is a sign that says Ramona Falls is to the left but Ramona Falls is to the right, the Ramona Falls loop trail head is to the left.
The original trail has some really nice views of Mount Hood from it. There are many people on this trail. Two exceptionally large groups are coming the other way. They won't tell me why they are all together. I do meet two hikers that say the rest of the Timberline trail is either snow free or contains snow fields that are easy to cross.
Go around a draw and a different side of Mount Hood is now shown.
Mount Adams and Mount Rainier are visible in the distance. Mount St. Helens is also visible from this point but not in the picture.
The stone hut at Cairn Basin. I take the shorter trail closer to the mountain for the next mile.
The views of the mountain keep changing as I get further around. Just past this point is the creek where most people ended up fording and getting their feet wet. My feet stayed dry the entire trail although I made sure my most valuable possessions were in waterproof containers before jumping across this creek.
At cloud cap, the detour Dad and I took three years ago still exists but is now the main trail, straight up the hillside and all. I'm getting a little tired. The creek at cloud cap was the hardest creek to cross three years ago. Now it has a bridge. I see a sign that says they installed the bridge just three days ago.
The climb up from cloud cap is steep. I remember much from when Dad and I hiked this trail and see our campsite while climbing. This second stone hut, Cooper Spur shelter is pictured.
Mount Adams is also visible from this side of the mountain.
There are about 7 snowfields to cross in this section. None seems overly dangerous and all have footprints across them to step in.
The mountain is very steep on this side.
I meet a fellow hiker at the top of the climb and we chat for awhile. He is also tired and setting up camp. On the way down, I catch up with an older Mazama Club Member and hike down to the Gnarl Ridge trail with him. It is fun chatting with him.
I am too tired and it is apparent that I won't reach the car tonight so I camp in the ski resort area and sleep really well. It has been a 28 mile day, mostly steep up and steep down. The next morning it is a quick hike to White River (pictured).
This is the view from White River toward the mountain. The snowy flatter area on the left has many moving dots on it. It is 7:00am on July 4th and filled with skiers. The five miles goes by quickly and the 40 mile hike is over. The weather was perfect. I'm more tired than I’d like but very glad I took this trip.