The perfect end to a perfect hiking season – St Helens. A strenuously rewarding hike which gets extremely demanding in places, especially climbing and traversing boulders through the mid section and if that is not enough the last one mile is just loose gravel and ash. You gain an elevation of roughly 4600 feet in around 4.5 miles and takes around 240-300 mins for a motivated hiker (times may vary).
Warning: Carry plenty of water as there aren’t any sources of potable water on the mountain, next to none. The only running streams are available halfway through the mid section (that also if you are lucky and hiking in the right season i.e. when the glaciers melt) but these may carry loads of ash.
The gorgeous view… beautiful, beautiful, beautiful…
Category Archives: Hike
Silver Star Mountain Hike
Gorgeous views atop the mountain but you have to traverse through some of the most demanding patches at the start and midway through the hike. It offers an elevation gain of around 2100 feet in 3 miles and takes around 120-150 minutes for the average hiker (times may vary). The trail gets nasty in places (very rocky) and gravel and is partly responsible for the longer duration during ascend and descend.
Mt Hood at a distance…
Mt Adams is one of the mountains visible from the summit on a clear day…
Video
Wahkeena Falls Hike
At around 1.6 miles into the hike (past Wahkeena and Lemmon’s viewpoint), you encounter a thick tree cover and also pass a couple of scenic streams flowing down along the trail. The trail goes all the way upto Devil’s rest (at around 2500 feet in 3.7 miles). Although not a strong recommendation to go any further beyond the 1.6-2 miles mark on this trail, it offers an exciting green cover in spring/early summer and probably year round.
Dog Mountain Hike
One of the more strenuous hikes for the average hiker, but you gotta earn the breeze and views at the top of the mountain. You gain an elevation of 2800 feet in around 3.8 miles and may well take you more than 120 mins to reach the summit (times may vary). Be sure to carry enough water on a hot day but I personally recommend May/June for the best scenery (wildflowers). These pictures were taken in July.
A lovely hike…
Just got lovelier…
Video
2018 Update:
McNeil Peak Hike
A long hike along the west face ridge of Mt Hood gaining around 3100 feet in 6 miles, McNeil Peak (I hope that is what it is called) is around 3/4’s of a mile further up from McNeil Point Shelter. The views along Timberline trail #600 are astounding to say the least and this may be an ideal summer hike for the initiated. An average hiker may take as long as 180-210 mins for the long and strenuous hike all the way to the peak (times may vary). Make sure you are carrying enough water for the 120-150 mins on your way down the mountain.
The stretch between the shelter and the peak is steep in places and has no cover for shade. But is gorgeous nonetheless…
Mt Hood from McNeil Peak…
Video
2013 Update: McNeil Point from Bald Mountain and further up from McNeil Point Shelter (Pics below)
2014 Update: Night Camping around 2.5 miles along the way to McNeil Shelter (Pic below)
2014 Update: Night Camping about 0.25 mile further up the shelter (Pic below)
Pittock Mansion Hike
If you aren’t so much of a hiking enthusiast but don’t mind a good work out on an odd day (or an odd work out on a good day – whichever), here’s my suggestion for you – Pittock Mansion. Nestled in the forest park only a few mins (drive) from downtown Portland, this hike offers what may well be few of the most exciting views of the city for common public. Alternately you can also drive all the way up to the mansion (use Burnside).
The hike reaches an elevation gain of around 900 feet in 2.5 miles and takes around 45-60 mins in summer when the trail is clear of puddles. I recommend visiting the mansion in different seasons (and varied times of the day) to enjoy a beauty called Portland, however my personal favorite is fall. A must see…
Tom Dick & Harry Mountain Hike
Another personal favorite, great for a second or third hike at the start of the season. It not only offers generous views of the SW face of Mt Hood, but also extends its greatness 🙂 to include St Helens, Mt Adams, Mt Jefferson and Mirror Lake. You cover an elevation gain of roughly 1700 feet in 2.9 miles and takes around 90 minutes for the average hiker (times may vary). I shall definitely recommend summer (July) as the trail may carry a fair amount of snow as late as June.
Mt Hood close-up
Mt Jefferson at a distance
2013 Update: Backpacking overnight at the summit (Pics below)
Tom, Dick & Harry Mountain Starry Night Oregon Trek Hiking Backpacking Camping Tent Mt Hood[/caption]
Saddle Mountain Hike
Saddle Mountain is the perfect second or third hike for the serious hiker at the start of a determined season (that should ideally end with a 4000+ feet elevation gain hike). It offers some of the most spectacular views including all snow clapped peaks (in a radius of 200 miles) on a clear day. And offers around 1600 feet of elevation gain in 2.6 miles and takes no more than 90 mins for an average hiker (times may vary). My favorite time of the year is April-May, however March offers more wildflowers.
Notice where Columbia meets the Pacific ocean…
What a view!
The higher of the two summits on the mountain…
2013 Update: Cloudfall from Saddle Mountain
Silver South Falls Hike
Over the years I cannot count the number of times I have had to take people to experience the majesty of these falls. What makes the trip worth the investment is the fact that you get to walk behind some of the falls, South falls (pictured) being my favorite. Recommended season is spring (on a not so rainy day).
Multnomah Falls Hike
One of the more popular attractions near Portland, Oregon offers a lot more than just a magnificent view of the falls. There is a 1.3 miles hike to the viewpoint at the top of the falls gaining around 700 feet in 45 mins for an average hiker (times may vary). But I wouldn’t necessarily recommend as the views from the top aren’t so great, unless you have time to kill. Recommended season is either fall or spring.
Last Man On The Trail 