Hamilton Mt, north ridge [edit: Snowy redo added 3/2018]

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Chip Down
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Hamilton Mt, north ridge [edit: Snowy redo added 3/2018]

Post by Chip Down » May 28th, 2017, 5:17 pm

A few months ago I noticed the north ridge of Hamilton Mountain, as it appears on the Google map, looks like it might be an interesting offtrail route. It's a bit of a problem though; "the summit" of Hamilton Mt is more like a regional high point on a ridge that eventually goes about 400 feet higher. So it's not as if you can start at the bottom of the north ridge and hike up to "the summit" of Hamilton. A sensible strategy might go something like this: Go to "the summit" via the standard southwest trail, continue north on the ridgecrest (maybe cheating a bit by taking the trail on the west side of the crest to avoid brush for the first few minutes), then along a nice bare rocky spine which terminates in an abrupt drop to the open flat area which is generally called Hamilton Saddle, continue north briefly on an equestrian trail that follows the ridgecrest, then go offtrail again on the crest when it becomes too narrow and steep for the equestrian trail (which splits and traverses the ridge below crest).

It worked out rather well. The spine between "the summit" and "the saddle" wasn't as difficult as it looked. It was actually a lot of fun, and I ended up traveling it both ways (not recommended if you hate brush, have poor balance, feel uncomfortable with exposure). Up and north from the saddle, the ridge was almost always easy to follow. It was intermittently brushy, but never miserable. It was never really great though. There was just one stretch where it was narrow and rocky, there were no views, no real excitement or challenges. Glad I tackled it, but can't really enthusiastically recommend it.

The hike back down from "the summit" to TH was less crowded thant a week before, probably because of the heat. It was unusually warm for May. It was breezier than expected, so I was grateful for that. Because I anticipated no technical challenges, I took no gear. No axe, no rope, no spikes or crampons. Not even a jacket. Lightest pack I've carried in months. Felt good, especially considering a heavy pack on a hot day is miserable.

Flipflopper rant: Damn instagram crowd blocking the trail for selfies, walking abreast and slowly, shouting, playing music, asking "are we almost there yet"...almost as annoying as the gun crowd at the quarry below who think the world is their shooting range. I loathe switchback shortcuts, but when I encountered timid hikers who were tenuously easing their way down the rocky parts of the trail, I wasn't going to wait in line. They could at least stay right, single file, as they work out their strategy for descending the trail, allowing the rest of us to fly by in the fast lane. Is that too much to ask? Okay, rant over. Yeah, I know, I'm an elitist dick. By the way, I usually hike in places where I see nobody all day, so this was weird, third hike in a row on a crowded trail, and tomorrow will make it four (the dreaded Multnomah basin).
Attachments
1.jpg
2.jpg
3.jpg
a little part of the spine
4.jpg
Looking back up at the spine from the saddle. I'm sure a lot of first timers who approach via the equestrian trail assume that's the Hamilton summit.
5.jpg
This should be named Disappointment Meadow". No views, no flowers. The only open spot on the entire route after the saddle.
6.jpg
Humorous extraneous gate on abandoned road. Road wasn't as bad as it looks, generally pretty easy to follow.
7 old lord chubby cheeks.jpg
My beer advice for a hot sunny hike: do not take a barrel aged barleywine (or even a non-barrel-aged barleywine...just don't take any barleywine, period). It was a chore to choke this down. I followed this with some fruit juice, and the citric acid was a great palate cleanser.
8.jpg
most trail signs aren't quite this direct
Last edited by Chip Down on March 11th, 2018, 2:40 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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adamschneider
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by adamschneider » May 28th, 2017, 5:55 pm

I've thought about taking the ridgecrest from the summit to the saddle just so I could make a loop out of the summit ridge and then go back down the way I came. (I find the back end of the standard Hamilton loop to be painfully boring.)

pablo
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by pablo » May 28th, 2017, 6:20 pm

Nice. That short spine has been on my list for a while - glad you did it and after your description I'll settle for your photos, or maybe just once for the experience. The roads north make for a nice Hamilton/Hardy loop.

--Paul
The future's uncertain and the end is always near.

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RobinB
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by RobinB » June 3rd, 2017, 11:09 pm

Chip Down wrote:Flipflopper rant: Damn instagram crowd blocking the trail for selfies, walking abreast and slowly, shouting, playing music, asking "are we almost there yet"...almost as annoying as the gun crowd at the quarry below who think the world is their shooting range. I loathe switchback shortcuts, but when I encountered timid hikers who were tenuously easing their way down the rocky parts of the trail, I wasn't going to wait in line. They could at least stay right, single file, as they work out their strategy for descending the trail, allowing the rest of us to fly by in the fast lane. Is that too much to ask?
Seconded.

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kepPNW
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by kepPNW » June 6th, 2017, 7:22 am

Yeah, that upper "meadow" is definitely a disappointment. Doesn't even seem natural, especially given the road that leads to it.

The gate is at the boundary of the state park, so not entirely random.
capture.jpg
Green arrow to gate.
Karl
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-Q-
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by -Q- » June 6th, 2017, 8:11 pm

kepPNW wrote:Yeah, that upper "meadow" is definitely a disappointment. Doesn't even seem natural, especially given the road that leads to it.

The gate is at the boundary of the state park, so not entirely random.
capture.jpg
I always assumed that 'meadow' was just an old logging landing. It doesnt look natural at all to me.

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Chip Down
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by Chip Down » June 6th, 2017, 9:00 pm

kepPNW wrote:The gate is at the boundary of the state park, so not entirely random.
Oh...hmm.
Related reading: http://www.oregonhikers.org/forum/viewt ... 17&t=25458

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kepPNW
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by kepPNW » June 7th, 2017, 5:38 am

Chip Down wrote:
kepPNW wrote:The gate is at the boundary of the state park, so not entirely random.

Oh...hmm.
Related reading: http://www.oregonhikers.org/forum/viewt ... 17&t=25458
Ha! Saw that before there were replies, and thought "State Park" too, but felt just as Jerry did... Too smartass to reply. Or not enough. Hmmm... ;)
Karl
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Chip Down
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Re: Hamilton Mt, north ridge

Post by Chip Down » March 11th, 2018, 2:33 pm

In contrast to my hot-day hike reported above, I wanted to do Hamilton in the snow. I've done that on the east side, but have never taken the standard trail in the snow, so figured it could be fun. I was distraught to find it bare almost all the way to the top. Of course, the Oregon side taunted me with its snowy display.

I wasn't willing to go home without some snow play, so decided to repeat my previous hike all the way to the powerline tower. Not long after Hamilton Saddle, the snow got deep. It was fatiguing, and I very seriously considered giving up. I was prepared to turn back at any moment if the snow got any deeper. But as I continued ascending, it never got much worse, except for the occasional random mid-thigh plunge.

From the high point of the ridge, it was slightly tricky deciding which way to descend to the powerlines, but I was thinking I should veer west a bit, and that soon put me right on the ridgecrest again. I started to catch glimpses of big open snowy expanses through the trees, and sure enough, before long I could see my destination tower. Took a break in a sheltered spot; it was maybe about 40 degrees and moderately breezy, so not a pleasant place to spend a lot of time.

On the way back, I took the west loop to avoid the crowds, and because it's been so many years since I hiked that trail that I didn't even remember what it looked like. I was getting extremely tired of walking in the soft snow, so it was a great relief to finally get to bare ground, just slightly above the junction where the equestrian route heads up and east, leaving the creek to head up to Hamilton Saddle. The western loop was crowded, with yelping dogs and perfume-drenched women and a guy with a gun and people talking way too loud. I was actually a little surprised that nobody on the trail asked about my axe and gaiters, until I was all the way down at the trailhead. Oh, and I even carried crampons, thinking there might be some icy spots on the trail. Had I been asked "is there snow up there" I could have honestly said it was over a foot deep, sometimes two. But the opportunity never came.

Considering how distraught I was when I realized the Hamilton trail was bare, it turned out to be a somewhat fun rewarding day. Glad I suck with it to the tower.
Attachments
1.jpg
The undulating ridgecrest between Hamilton summit and Hamilton Saddle.
2.jpg
Table Mountain from my destination tower.
3.jpg
I was blessed with a nice dry stump to sit on. That's Birkenfeld back there to the right.

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