Burley Mountain
On October 2nd, Kim and I decided to take a drive up to Burley Mountain. The mountain is roughly equidistance from Mt Rainier, Mt. St. Helens, and Mt Adams (Adams is a bit further than the other two). When we left Vancouver in the morning it was cold and cloudy, we weren’t sure if we would be able to see anything up there or not. We took I-5 to highway 12 then east to Randle. By the time we got to Randle the skies were clear and it was a beautiful day. From Randle it is just a short distance to FS 7605.
FS7605 was a great road. This is a fun road, in fair condition. There were a couple areas with sizable ruts and a lot of fun water bars. From the start of FS7605 to the top of Burley Mountain is only 9 miles, but in that 9 miles you gain 4000 feet in elevation.
Once on top of the mountain the views were every bit as great as we had anticipated, with clear views in every direction. You could even see a clear outline of Mt. Hood in the very distance. At the top there is one of the few remaining smoke lookout towers, and a brand new radio tower. Up there we ate out lunch, and took some pictures.
Leaving Burley Mountain we continued south on 7605 then merged onto FS 28. After a few miles 28 ends at FS 25 (a major paved road). We 6 miles on 25 then turned on to FS 2573, still south bound. FS 2573 was another great road. No so much because it was challenging or rough but because the scenery is fantastic. Large sections of the road have a high canopy of deciduous trees creating a very surreal feeling.
FS 2573 dumps out on to 25 again. So another 4 miles on 25 then left onto 93. We drove 10 miles on 93 and 9303, let me tell you 9303 was a crappy drive, full of very large and very deep pot holes. Rough, narrow, rutted, rocky, steep, etc. are all fun, but I really hate potholes. They just aren’t any fun.
Overall it was a fantastic filled with fun, laughter and some great scenery.
Click here to see all of the photos
Click to download tracks
OBCDR – Route 3
During late August I took a couple days off of work so that Kim and I could do an overland trip from Hoodoo Ski are to northern California on the Oregon Back Country Discovery Route – Route 3. This route runs north to south (or south to north) along side of the cascade mountain range. The route (as we went) was roughly 464 miles long, ~90% was off-road. Most of the off road was dirt/earth roads and gravel roads, but we spent roughly 20 miles on OHV (Off Highway Vehicle) trails and around 50 miles on highway.
The plan was to take 4 days and 3 nights to complete the trip. At the end of the first day we made it only 50% as far as we had planned. There were a couple reasons for this, first was that we were taking it slow (too slow) and enjoying the scenery, second was that we had a very time consuming re-route due to a road that was closed, and finally much of the roads on the first day were very overgrown with thick bushes. Those bushes were a real pain in the ass, the clear coat on the truck will never be the same. I also succeeded in putting the first dent in the truck when I came off a log and it flipped up and hit the lower passenger door. Not very noticeable unless you get down and look along the bottom of the truck. With the exception of the overgrown roads the first day was a lot of fun. We started out on OHV trails, then on to the overgrown roads, and finally back on some fun dirt roads. Around 5:00 we found a spot off the road to camp. It was a nice spot, nobody around, clear skies. We ate dinner played some cribbage and went to bed.
Day 2 we woke up ate breakfast broke camp and went on our way. We weren’t but 10 miles from the main road leading into Bend Oregon. We took the highway into town and got some gas and doughnuts. Then back to the trek. When we got back to the route, we discovered that in this area the Forest Service maps (both the paper maps and the ones in the navigation software) were completely wrong. Maps indicated that there were roads where there were none, and vice versa. Knowing the general direction that we wanted to go, we mucked around until we found a road that actually went through. The road we took was very small and was used primarily by mountain bikers trying to get to the trail head. Small enough that the truck and the mountain bikers couldn’t be on the road at the same time, good thing we were only going 2 mph. All of the bikers moved to the side to allow us to pass, though some gave us a dirty look, as if the road belonged to them. We just smiled and kept on driving. After a mile or two we finally intersected a road that was part of our planned route and away we went. When I think back on the second day of travel a couple things stick out. First, in the middle of nowhere (of course you could say that about most of the trip, that’s kind of the point of the trip) we came 
across two downed trees across the road with no way around them. Not a big deal, we stopped, I looked at Kim and said “See I told you we would need the chain saw”. I got out and proceeded to cut the first tree. By the time I was done with the first cut a white Dodge Durango pulled up from the opposing direction. Two men who worked for the Forest Service got out of the rig. After the customary greetings one of them said “I am glad you are cutting those trees, I kind of forgot to pack any saws before we left the shop.” We chuckled a bit then finished with the trees. With their help it didn’t take long to clear the road. Once again we were on our way, but not for long. 20 to 25 miles further down the route we ended up on another overgrown road. Determined to stick to the route we proceeded. However, the road just kept getting worse and worse. Finally it was to the point that the amount of clear space between the bushed was less than 3 feet, you couldn’t see the edges of the road you just had to aim down the center and give it gas. I had had enough, but how to turn around on such a road? Finally we came to a spot that had a steep incline on one side with no bushes. We drove past it, put it into 4-wheel drive and backed up the incline. I swear that the incline was at least 45° and all I could see was dirt out the windshield. No sky or even bushed. For some reason the picture see to tell a different story, I prefer my version though. Now turned around we headed back to the primary gravel road. I quickly learned that going through the bushes where no one has been is not nearly as bad as going through the bushes in the opposite direction that someone has been. Instead of widening the road my first time through, I merely bent all the branches so that on the way back they were all pointed directly at me like knives waiting to peel the clear coat off the paint as if it where the skin on an apple. Whatever, away we go. Eventually we stopped near the PCT and made camp ate dinner and played cards. Perhaps the most memorable thing about the evening was that for the first time Kim beat me at cribbage, she was so excited she could hardly stand it.
The next morning we woke, ate, broke camp and hit the road. The road out from our campsite was nice enough, but when we got to the next section we really started to have some fun. OHV trails made up the majority of the next section of the route. The trails were very narrow, very steep, and had some interesting 180° switchback. They aren’t exactly meant for a full size truck, but we made it through without incident. Without a doubt they were some of the 
most interesting driving of the trip. We went up and down, we went left, we went right, and we went through the “whoops” with a decent amount of speed. There was a lot laughing and a few “oh-shits”. After the OHV trails we came out onto the highway that leads to Crater Lake. For sure we were to close to not go and see the lake. So after a few miles of highway driving we were there. Paid our entry fee and drove to the top. Once at the top we got out looked around, looked at each other and I said “yup, it’s a lake. Let’s go back to the entrance and eat at that restaurant.” Kim agreed and away we went. The restaurant was an over price buffet with substandard food. About half a step below the quality of the food that Sodexho serves. Yet it was a hot meal that we didn’t have to setup camp to eat, so I suppose it was good enough. At this point it was obvious that both of us were tired and not sure how much further we wanted to go, we didn’t really want to camp out another night but didn’t want to give up before reaching our goal. We talked it over and decided that we would not spend another night camping, instead we would continue on our route all the way to California and then drive home. The benefit being that Kim would be able to sleep the entire way home, the benefit for me was that we would make it all the way. So we paid our bill and went on our way. We did a couple more miles on the OHV trails, then back to the dirt roads. This section of the route gave us some of the best scenery we had seen yet, possibly due to the sun setting. Suffice it to say that there were many more interesting roads. Eventually we came out on highway 66. This was the longest stint on a paved road as we headed east to pick up the last leg of the route. By the time we got there it was dark, no worries turned on the lights and away we went. The road was very rough with large rocks but what the hell no need to slow down. Kim made the comment that she liked driving on these roads at night because it was more exciting.
At 9:30PM we made it to Dorris California. A very small town couldn’t even see a gas station. We stopped so I could air up the tires and Kim got the inside of the truck ready for the long drive home. I got back in the truck and we left. Kim made it all of 2 minutes before she fell asleep. She slept the entire way home. It was 3:30am by the time we got home, which made for 18 hours of driving. A long day indeed, but without a doubt it was worth it.
Okay, so that is the story of our trip. However there is one very important thing that I have not talked about. How the hell do you navigate the vast system of unmarked logging roads and OHV trails? Well the answer is simple, we used a program call Overland Navigator sold by Spatial Minds. This navigation software was written specifically for navigation off highway (of course it works on highway just as well). The interface is uncluttered easy to read and easier to use. There were a few times when we had to do some significant re-routing for various reasons. Overland Navigator made it easy to find alternative routes and kept us going in the right direction. No I don’t get any kickbacks from Spatial Minds, but when a piece of software does exactly what it is advertised to do, just as easily as they say it does, well then it deserves some recognition. In case you are wondering, the answer is yes, we do always carry paper maps for where we are traveling. You just never know when your computer or GPS is going to die. At any rate if you like to travel off road I highly recommend that you give Overland Navigator a try, you won’t regret it. I also should mention that in May when we did Route 4 of the OBCDR we purchased paper maps from Oregon Off-Highway Vehicle Association’s web site. The maps were difficult to read and it took me many hours to plot the route for the GPS. This time I purchased the GPS tracks from TrekNow. The CD was cheaper than buying the maps, and the tracks were extremely accurate, this saved me a bunch of time and aggravation.
To see all of my pictures click here.
Normally I would allow you to download my GPS track, but since I purchased it from TrekNow it seems fitting that you do the same.
Backpacking Trout Lake
Well it has been a long time since I have posted anything to my blog. That doesn’t mean that I haven’t been doing anything, I just haven’t been writing about it.
Back in June of 2008 we went backpacking with some friends (Eric, Jackson, Brock, Kim, and me) up in the Selkirk mountain range just north of Bonners Ferry (just a few miles from Canada). We could not have asked for better weather. It was warm without being too hot and the sky was clear. Getting there was easy, the road was in good condition, in fact there were a few cars at the trailhead.
We arrived at the trailhead in the late morning and wasted no time getting on the trail. The beginning of the trail was a little steep; I think that everyone was nervous that the entire trail would be that steep. The boys didn’t have a lot of experience with backpacking; we didn’t make it more than a half a mile before both boys needed to refill their water bottles. Luckily there was a stream nearby and we were able to filter some water for their bottles. I must admit that I was a bit worried that this was a sign of things to come, but I was wrong, this was the only refill stop that we had to make. We stopped to catch our breath a few times but other than that it was a quick hike.
Near the end of our hike we came around a corner and could see the lake below. The scenery from hear was fantastic, you could see all through the valleys below. For the next bit, the hike was steep downhill to the lake. Once at the lake we looked around for a site that would hold our two tents. There were a few other hikers camping at the lake as well, we finally decided on a spot (the first one we had looked at). It was big enough for us but it was a complete dust bowl. After getting camp setup it was time to swim.
The water was very cold, but after that hot hike I was ready to jump in. The water felt great but it didn’t take long at all for me to be ready to get out. After swimming we proceeded with the typical camping stuff; fire, dinner, cleanup, bed.
The next morning we got up, made breakfast and then got ready for our planned day hike. The plan was too hike up to Big Fisher Lake for the day. Eric and I packed some daypacks with food and water then we headed out. I think that the kids enjoyed not have packs on, they liked being able to run up the trail and then wait for us to catch up. Once again the trail had spectacular views of the valleys on both sides of the ridge. It was wilderness as far as the eye could see. It had been a very long time since I was able to see that far, and in so many directions. When we arrived at the summit of the tail, overlooking Big Fisher Lake, we realized that we didn’t want to hike all the way down to the water (800 ft. below us) just to come back up again. We decided that we would eat lunch and then continue up the ridge until we reach the summit.
There isn’t a whole lot more to say about this trip, the scenery was fantastic, the hikes were a perfect length, and we all had a lot of fun. In the beginning I was a bit nervous, I hadn’t taken either of the boys on any hikes and I didn’t know for sure how it would go. I quickly got over my fears as I saw how much fun all the kids were having. This was a great trip and I look forward to doing it again next summer.
Trail Details
Length: 2.7 miles to Trout Lake, 4.4 miles to Bigh Fisher Lake from Trailhead
Elevation Change: ~1000 ft to Trout Lake, ~2200 ft to Big Fisher.
Maps
Google Earth
Photos
Click here to see the photo gallery
Getting There
Getting there isn’t too difficult. First you need to get to Bonners Ferry, Idaho. Then follow this map.
Hiking Dog Mountain
- View From The Top
I am way behind in my trip logs, I think that it is time that I get caught up a bit. On May 4th Kim and I decided to finally attack Dog Mountain. Dog Mountain is one of those hikes that everyone knows about, half have tried it, and fewer have succeeded. I might be exaggerating a bit, but from people I have talked to and reports that I have read, it seems that Dog Mountain is often underestimated as to how difficult it can be. May 4th 2008 was a perfect day, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, it was hot, and most important it wasn’t raining. In typical style we didn’t arrive any too early (about 10:00am) it was already hot outside and the parking lot was half full. We didn’t waste any time in getting started. There is no easing into this hike, it starts out uphill and doesn’t stop till you reach the top. A couple hundred yards up the trail is the only toilet (vault toilet). The first part of the trail is a series of back to back switchbacks, the trail is steep and frankly I didn’t get a lot of enjoyment out of this section. Before too long you come to a junction that allows you to choose between the short hard way or the long easy way. The short way is about 4/10 mile shorter than the other. We opted for the shorter route figuring that on the way back we would take the long way. From here the scenery is better and the trail is not quite as steep (in the beginning at least). After we started on the shorter trail we didn’t see another hiker till the trails rejoined. Once that happened we go a better appreciation for how popular this trail is. The trail was crowded with people and their dogs. We joined the herd and headed up the massive hill. Eventually we broke out of the trees and got into an open area where we could see for miles and miles. This was a nice change that seemed to give an energy boost. Soon after we were at the final leg of the trail, just another 4/10 of a mile to go, I told Kim that she didn’t have to wait for me so off she went leaving me in her dust. I slowly made my way up the last bit of steep trail. I was about 10 minutes from the top when I got a text message from Kim, “I’m waiting. How long till you get here?” was all she had to say. I had to laugh at her cockiness.
Success, I finally made it to the top. I was hot, very hot. So I looked around for that large patch of snow that I had seen from below. We came around the corner and there it was, like a gift from the hiking Gods there was a large patch of snow, ice cold freezing snow. I wasted no time, I climbed up the hill and laid my tired ass on the snow and began to cool off. This was a good spot, we sat and ate our lunch and enjoyed the view. We played at the top for a while before take the journey back down the mountain. On the way down we took the long route, this route was without a doubt more scenic. There are many views of the Columbia River and of the Gorge.
The Columbia River and The Gorge
So here is a small rant; People, don’t let your dogs crap on the trail, and when they do, move the crap off the trail. Just because it is named Dog Mountain doesn’t mean that your dog should be allowed to crap where ever it wants. I can’t tell you how many piles of crap there were on the trail, it is very frustrating. If you can’t clean up after your dog, then leave the mutt at home or better yet why don’t you both stay home.
Trail Details
Length: 3.1 miles on the way up, and 3.5 miles on the way down.
Elevation Change: ~2800 ft.
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Elevation Profile For the Trip Up
Maps
Google Earth
Photos
Click here to see the photo gallery
Other Sources
http://www.fs.fed.us/gpnf/recreation/trails/locations/mta-0147-dog-mountain.shtml
http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes-of-the-week/dog-mountain
http://www.nwhiker.com/CGNSAHike48.html
Getting There
Getting there couldnt be easier. From Vancouver just drive east on HWY 14 for about 48 miles and that is it or if you prefer here is a map that will get you all the way there.
Backpacking Tillamook Head
On April 12th 2008, Kim and I went backing from Seaside to Tillamook Head and then on to the hikers camp near Cannon Beach in Ecola State Park. The weather this weekend was great, in fact it was the best weather that we have had in some time. This was evident in the amount of traffic heading from Portland to the coast. Traffic aside; it is still a nice drive. After an hour and a half driving we finally arrived in Seaside, we drove up the road leading to the trailhead and when we arrived I was very surprised to see a sign that said “No overnight parking”. In all my preparation and reading for this trip I never read anything saying that we couldn’t park at the Seaside trailhead. So what to do, we decided to drive back down the road and see if there was another place we could park. I wasn’t about to get back on the 101 and drive to Cannon Beach. Luckily about ¼ miles down the road we found a spot to park. Wasting no time we pulled in, grabbed our stuff and started hiking up the road to the trailhead. The trailhead was nice enough; the trail is wide and had been cleared out from the winter storms. It wasn’t long after getting on the trail head that we started to gain elevation. Switchback after switchback we climbed the hill. After a while we got up to the top, looking back at where we had come from it was immediately obvious that the work was worth it. The scenery up here is great. If you don’t have a great view of the Pacific Ocean then you are looking at a lush green coastal forest full of life. Although the weather was great and the trail had been cleared, there was still a lot of mud which made progress a bit slow at times. No worries though, just trudge through it. About half way to the hiker’s camp we stopped for lunch. We sat with our legs hanging over a missive cliff overlooking the ocean. It was a great place for lunch. We finished eating and headed for the camp. Shortly thereafter we arrived at the camp and saw 8 tents setup. My first reaction was that the shelters were full and people were pitching their tents, a problem for us since we didn’t bother to bring our tent. However, when we looked around the shelters were empty. I guessed that the tents must have belonged to the large group of Boy Scouts that we saw at the trailhead. No matter, we unpacked, I rested and Kim wrote in the visitor’s book. About an hour later the Boy Scouts arrived. A bit annoying, sure, but they weren’t that bad. We all shared the picnic table and shelter while making our meals.
Later in the evening, after dinner, Kim and I headed out towards the lookout point to watch the sunset. We were only an hour early but this gave us time to talk and horse around. As time went on more and more of the Boy Scouts showed up to watch the sunset, I must admit that even though it was Kim’s idea to watch the sunset, I really enjoyed it as well. Having Terrible Tilly (an old lighthouse) in the background truly added to the whole experience. After sunset, we headed back to camp, sat around the fire and listened to stupid Boy Scout stories. Before too long we decided to go to bed.
The next morning when we woke up the Boy Scouts were gone and we essentially had the place to ourselves. We took our time in getting fed and packed up. The weather was not as nice today, but not all that bad for the Oregon coast. We headed out and back up the hill, when we reached the top we were in the middle of a very low and very thick marine layer. As the clouds drifted through the trees, the water could condense on the branches and large drops of rain would fall on us. This wasn’t all that unwelcome as I was hot hiking with all that gear on my back. I started to notice that the mud holes that we had walked through just the day before were now mostly covered with down branches. At first it wasn’t all that bad, but then it became excessive. On their way back up those Boy Scouts had covered all the mud holes with branches. While this might sound like a good idea, it isn’t, and any Boy Scout should know it. The branches are organic material, and therefore will break down and make the problem worse. Not to mention that having all these branches strewn across the trail poses it own set of hazards. At one point I was following Kim through one of these patches, when she stepped down a branch stuck up and stabbed me in the shin. When I finished cursing, I began to curse the Boy Scouts and there leaders for making such a damn mess of the trail. Hey, Boy Scouts, you are out hiking, if you don’t like a little mud stay home.
Boy Scouts aside, this was a great trip. The trail is nice, the scenery is fantastic and the wood shelters are fun to sleep in. You should note though that this is a very popular trail system. Even in the middle of April there were a lot of people coming through camp. If planning a visit in the summer bring a tent just in case.
Trail Details
Length: 4.8 miles each way.
Elevation Change: ~1100 ft.
Maps
Google Earth
Photos
Click here to see the photo gallery
Other Sources
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_188.php
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/ecola-clatsop-map.pdf
http://www.oregon.com/hiking/tillamook_head.cfm
Getting There
Getting there is a snap. From Portland drive West on highway 26 all the way to Seaside. Here is a map that will get you all the way there.
Hiking Hamilton Mountain
On April 3rd 2008 Wen-Li and I hiked up Hamilton Mountain in Beacon Rock State park in the Columbia River Gorge. You often hear people talking about hiking up Beacon Rock, but it is rare that you hear about people hiking up Hamilton Mountain. Which is a shame since Hamilton is just across the highway from Beacon Rock. When we arrived at the park the gates were closed so we walked from the highway up to the trailhead. The first two miles or so the trail is wide and in good condition, at times the trail is a bit steep but has a lot of flat areas. After you get passed the waterfall the trail narrows and becomes steeper. The higher you go the smaller the trail gets. When we were within about a quart of a mile of the summit we ran into snow. We continued on to the top, the view up here is great. The cloud level was high and we could see east and west as far as the eye could see. We were not able to stay long since it was getting dark. About a mile down from the top it was dark enough that we had to put on our headlamps, luckily the trail at this point is a bit wider and safer. This is a nice trail with some great views, if your in the area you should check it out.
Trail Details
Length: 3.5 miles each way
Elevation Change: ~2100 ft.
Maps
Directions
Getting here couldn’t be easier. From Vancouver just drive east on highway 14 for about 30 miles. you can’t miss it. Click for Google Map
Snowshoeing Pocket Creek (Mt. Hood)
One of the things that I love most about living in Vancouver (Washington not BC) is that I can drive 1.5 hours west and be on the coast, or I can drive an hour east and be snowshoeing in the mountains. This is exactly what we did on March 22nd 2008 when we drove to Mt Hood and went snowshoeing on the Pocket Creek trail. The weather was great, it was warm and sunny. There was lots of snow on the ground and none in the tree tops. I said that we went snowshoeing, but this is not completely accurate. I went snowshoeing while Kim and Wen-Li went cross country skiing. This was Kim’s first time on X-Country skis, she did great, they had to keep stopping so that I could catch up with them. This was a great trail for Kim to tryout the X-Country skis, the trail is flat and had seen enough use that there was a nice track for her to follow. Not to mention the fact that the snow pack had about an inch of fluff on top of a very solid base.
About half way through the trail we stopped for lunch. I took off my snow shoes and used them to dig a nice bench seat and table for me to cook lunch. While lunch was cooking Kim played around on her skis. After lunch we got back to the trail. Towards the end of the trail we came upon an open meadow, the sun was so bright reflecting off the snow that it was difficult to see, even with dark sun glasses. By the time we reached the end of the trail my feet were killing me and I didn’t feel like making a loop. So we decided to follow the highway back to the car. This cut about a mile off the return trip and it was easier walking for me. The snow banks along the side of the road were more than 10 feet high so Kim and Wen-Li got on top of the bank and skied back to the car.
This is an awesome trail for X-Country skiing but it is a bit boring for snowshoeing (too flat). I highly recommend this trail, but I you better hurry if you want to try it out this year, the snow is melting fast.
Maps
Google Earth
Google Maps
Cape Lookout Point
Maps, Photos, Directions, and Trail information is below
On March 2nd Kim and I went for a hike along Cape Lookout Point on the Oregon Coast. The trail is part of Cape Lookout State Park. The trail is not that long, about 2.4 miles each way with minimal elevation change. The cape is narrow which allows for views of both the north side and the south side of the cape. There are many spots that have great views along the trail. This is a very popular trail, we saw many people both coming and going. If you are looking for a short coastal hike you can’t go wrong with this one, just beware that the trail gets muddy and slick with rain. There are also a lot of exposed roots crossing the trail; at times they can make footing a bit tricky. It is interesting to note that in 1943 on a foggy day a B-17 bomber crashed into the south side of the cape, there is a plaque along the trail, the plaque is mounted about 8 feet above the trail.
Trail Details
Length: 2.4 miles each way
Elevation Change: ~200 ft.
Maps
Google Earth
Google Maps
Photos
Click here to see the photo gallery
Other Sources
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_188.php
Hiking Tillamook Head
Maps, Photos, Directions, and Trail information is below
Okay, so we didn’t make it all the way to Tillamook Head, I’ll tell you why later. We actually spent most of our time on the Clatsop trail loop. This trail is great, we took the access road up to the hikers camp. The road is obviously wide. The grade is constant uphill all the way to the camp. There is a creek running alongside the trail and the scenery is great. We were very surprised when we got to the hikers camp. We were expecting a rustic area set aside for camping. Instead what we found was 3 wooden shelters, each with four wooden bunks. There was also a covered picnic table and a fire ring. The camp also has a pile of firewood in sacks, for a $5 donation you can make yourself a nice fire without having to worry about finding any wood. The hikers camp sits at a crossroads of sorts, from here you can go to a viewpoint, get on the other half of the Clatsop trail, or take a trail to Tillamook Head and then Seaside. First we went the 1/8 mile to the viewpoint. On the way there is a WWII radar bunker. The equipment is gone, but it was interesting to look at the bunker. The view at the viewpoint is great, you are standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Tillamook Lighthouse (Terrible Tilly). After taking some pictures we headed back to the hikers camp. From there we continued to Tillamook Head. The trail has not been cleared from the winter storms and there are a lot of trees down across the trail. As we hiked we talked about how fun it would be to camp in the shelters and then hike into Seaside, once we decided that this was a good idea we wanted to turn around so that when we came back the trail would still be new to us. On our way back we saw two Bald Eagles flying along the edge of the cliff. I have never seen a bald eagle in the wild; I must say it was great. When we got back to hikers camp we got on the trail portion of the Clatsop Trail headed back to Ecola State Park. This trail was beautiful; the forest was green with ferns and other plant life. The trail affords many views of the ocean and at times Cannon Beach.
The trail was great and so was the weather, I can’t wait to return and stay at the hikers camp overnight.
Trail Details
Length: 4.3 miles (This is the distance we hiked, the Clatsop trail is actually shorter than this)
Elevation Change: 1000 ft.
Maps
Google Earth
Google Maps
Photos
Click here to see the photo gallery
Other Sources
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/park_188.php
http://www.oregonstateparks.org/images/pdf/ecola-clatsop-map.pdf
http://www.oregon.com/hiking/tillamook_head.cfm
Getting There
The Clatsop trail is accessed from within Ecola State Park, in Cannon Beach Oregon. Park at the Indian Point Parking, go to the information post and you will see the trail heading north.
Snowshoeing Mt. Spokane
Maps, Photos, Directions, and Trail information is below
On January 20th 2008 a group of us went up to Mt. Spokane to go snowshoeing. We started on the Mt. Kit Carson trail (road) and then quickly switched to trail #100. At first I was a bit concerned, the trail was a bit steep and we had three children with us, the youngest being eight years old. Although we ended up taking quite a few breaks it turned out great. The trail was not crowded (unlike Kit Carson) yet the trail was well established. Most of the time we were in the trees with the occasional view of the sky however, there were a few places that had great views of the valley below. It was so nice to get away from the winter grey of Vancouver and see some clear blue skies. Just being out in the clear weather made it worth the cold temperatures (14° F), what a great way to spend the day; great friends, great weather, and a great trail, couldn’t have asked for a better way to spend a winter Sunday.
After about a mile the children were getting tired and wanted to go back. We convinced them go along a bit further so we could reach a 1000 ft elevation gain. At 1.2 miles my Garmin GPS said that we had climbed 1034 ft, so we turned around and went back. I was dissapointed when I downloaded the GPS data and saw that we had only climbed 744 ft, but what can you do. It would be nice to go back and do the trail again.
Trail Details
Length: ~1.2miles (each way) This is not the entire trail, just where we turned around.
Elevation Change: 744 ft.
Maps
Google Earth File
Google Maps
Photos
Click here to see the photo gallery
Other Sources
http://www.mountspokane.org/
http://www.mountspokane.org/Maps/SnowshoeTrailMap.pdf
Getting There
From Spokane head North on Highway 2, turn right on Highway 206 and follow 206 to the snow parks, and here is the map.
