Thursday, November 26, 2020

Difficulty: Easy

Tier: 3

Friday, November 27, 2020

Difficulty: Very Difficult

Tier: 1

It is 5.3 miles and 2,076 feet to the end of the maintained trail. I would guess another half mile and 750 feet to the peak, using six different rope climbs and a couple scrambles over the ridge.

Monday, August 17, 2020

Difficulty: Very Easy

Tier: 1

It’s a nice little lake with a view of Mt. Hood. That’s about all we saw. Very nice and easy to get to.

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Difficulty: Very Easy

Tier: 3

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Difficulty: Very Easy

Tier: 3

Saturday, August 15, 2020

Difficulty: Easy

Tier: 1

Saturday, August 29, 2020

Difficulty: Hard

Tier: 1

We went on a foggy day, so no views to appreciate. But, this was a nice hike! It’s quiet, and we only saw a handful of people. The drive there was also very easy and only gravel road for the last quarter mile. We’d like to do this again on a clear day!

It’s worth it to go straight at this marking before crossing the ridge. We walked about a mile before the trail ended, but it had a lot of rocky ridge points that seemed to overlook the Gorge.

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Difficulty: Medium

Tier: 2

Saturday, July 11, 2020

Difficulty: Hard

Tier: 1

Overall: Our favorite hike to date. Truly breathtaking. Well-maintained trails. Tough hiking challenge. Very rewarding!

The Stats: I logged 3,500 ft elevation gain and about 12 miles. From the start of the trailhead and back, we took 5 hours, including breaks. The additional mileage may be in part from one planned detour and one minor unplanned detour.

Planned Detour: At the junction, there are 4 trails to take. The trail to the left takes you along timberline to McNeil Point. If you don’t mind an extra climb, you can go straight along the Mount Baldy trail. Within fifteen minutes, you hit a vast, majestic view of Mt. Hood and the valley below. Highly recommend this detour and view! Getting back on the trail is also very easy. There’s a sign as you keep hiking that says “cut-off trail.” Use this trail and turn right at the next fork.

The Views: This hike offered the best views we’ve seen yet of Mt. Hood and the surrounding area. The peak was so close that we could see the detail on the side of the mountain, including gorgeous waterfalls, rushing rivers, and serene lakes. Around a mile from McNeil point, you can also see Mount St. Helens.

The Elements: Hiking in the summer was perfect. It was sunny and warm for the first 2 miles–shorts and t-shirt weather. Once we were more exposed, we hit areas of snow and strong winds. It was quite cold! Definitely a hike where you need to layer up.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Difficulty: Difficult

Tier: 1

This a fantastic trail, and is certainly a good leg workout. It can either be a 6-mile, or a 4-mile trail depending on where you start. If you start at the Paulina Lake Campground (A), it is 6 miles, but if you start at the NF-500 parking lot, it is a 4-miler.

We started at the campground. The first mile is a quick and easy walk through the trees, with only 200 feet of elevation. The hike really ramps up once you get to the NF-500 parking lot (B). From here it is about two more miles to the peak. Nearly the entire hike, there is a clear view of the Northern Cascades.

The middle sections is no joke; there are few flats spots to take a much-needed rest. While difficult, it is a straight-forward trail, as long as you take your time on the ascent. We reached the peak in less than two hours. Two hours of quad-burning, calf-destroying fun.

As you can see, it was a crystal-clear day. At the summit, we had breath-taking views of the Sisters, Mount Jefferson, and and even all the way down to Mount Shasta in California. Next to the serene Paulina Lake lies the Obsidian Flow, the exposed remnants of a large lava flow around 1,300 years ago. A reminder that natural beauty comes in many forms.

We were lucky to have gone on such a nice day, and I would certainly love to make the trip again. A tier 1 hike, and at the time of writing this, probably in my top five hikes in the PNW.