Dog Mtn flowers (5/2)

[alanecharlesworth]

Lots of flowers, still some balsam root buds left to open. Three cars in the lot when I started at 6:44 on a Monday, lot full when I got back down at 10:50. Trail not crowded.

[Webfoot]

Thanks for the report!

[Double Tree]

Yes, Dog is in bloom. I'll add my observations from 5/1 Sunday morning: Dozen cars at 6:30 a.m. Counterclockwise: Chocolate lilies at peak. Lupine blooming at the very lowest levels. Rose, penstemon, buttercup, anemone, and more paintbrush than I remember in the past. Lupine barely even forming buds in the upper meadows. The lower half of the upper meadow is peak balsam root, while the upper half is really just starting and some balsam root just about to bloom. Still some trillium and lady slipper on the downhill/Ausperger side of the hike. In other words, it's "early" in the blooming. Couple weeks of good blooms, at least.

Forest Service and sheriff present as I departed late morning, with at least one illegally parked and ticketed vehicle.

Kelly

[alanecharlesworth]

FWIW, I didn't see anybody policing the parking lot yesterday on a weekday.

In years past, I used to do the flowers in the second half of May, but with our second warm spring in a row, the first half of the month seems like a better bet.

[windmtnpete]

Sunset was nice last evening.....

[BigBear]

I hiked Weldon Wagon Road and the balsamroot are just passing their prime at that location.

I do have a observation: if the USFS wanted to make it safer by changing the parking lot design, they failed at a criminally incompetent level. There are cars parked on the narrow shoulders between 1/2 and 1 miles from the parking lot in both directions, with people and their dogs walking the non-existent shoulder. Wow, this is an amazingly dangerous situation.

For some reason the trails are busier this spring than any other I have seen in my nearly three decades of hiking in the Gorge. There are more people than there is trail (and TH). USFS needs to expand the hiking options, not curtail them.

[ThePortlandeer]

Caught the sunset there last night as well.

The bugs are IN...be prepared to bleed.

[kepPNW]

Sunset was nice last evening....

WOW! And that's why I dismiss the calls to be there before sunrise. Beautiful!

I hiked Weldon Wagon Road and the balsamroot are just passing their prime at that location.

When? I was there Sunday afternoon. Wonder if we crossed trails?

I do have a observation: if the USFS wanted to make it safer by changing the parking lot design, they failed at a criminally incompetent level. There are cars parked on the narrow shoulders between 1/2 and 1 miles from the parking lot in both directions, with people and their dogs walking the non-existent shoulder. Wow, this is an amazingly dangerous situation.

People are definitely going to die there, yep.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s03g8kBLP-8

The bugs are IN...be prepared to bleed.

No kidding! Itching all over...

[windmtnpete]

I do have a observation: if the USFS wanted to make it safer by changing the parking lot design, they failed at a criminally incompetent level. There are cars parked on the narrow shoulders between 1/2 and 1 miles from the parking lot in both directions, with people and their dogs walking the non-existent shoulder. Wow, this is an amazingly dangerous situation.

Parking at Dog Mountain seems to be precisely going as planned by the Forest Service, they don't have to do anything (that's what they do best). County makes good on their promise to bring more business to the locals . Sheriff makes good on all the citations and other violations of the law. People in general are not complaining too much as far as I know.

Seems like a win-win for everyone?

[Dave Rappoccio]

I do have a observation: if the USFS wanted to make it safer by changing the parking lot design, they failed at a criminally incompetent level. There are cars parked on the narrow shoulders between 1/2 and 1 miles from the parking lot in both directions, with people and their dogs walking the non-existent shoulder. Wow, this is an amazingly dangerous situation.

To be fair this was the case even before they shrunk the lot. Last year I got done Dog at noon and the amount of cars beyond the lot on the road shoulders was astounding. Any real estate at all was occupied. It's a miracle we've had as little impacts there as it feels like we should.