Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

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gratefultrails
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Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by gratefultrails » October 21st, 2016, 9:21 pm

I went to my default hiking spot today, hoping for some interesting weather right at the transition of the valley and Western slope of the Cascades. Wildcat area did not disappoint - the Eagle Creek valley usually has some excellent fog formations on cloudy days, seeing as it's one of the first major mountain valleys of the Western Cascades. Examples:

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Every 10 seconds, it seemed, a new ridgeline was uncovered by the fog, only to be shrouded in mist again soon thereafter.

I hiked all the way on the Douglas trail to the intersection with the Plaza trail and headed S toward Coffman Camp for a nice bite to eat and a refill at the springs that make up the headwaters of Cheeney Creek. The Plaza trail section has some nice fall colors.

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On the way back to the car, Huckleberry Mtn. also revealed itself across the Boulder Creek valley:

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I also found some boomers to supplement the spring water I collected. It's always so rewarding to bring a few natural products home from wilderness expeditions..

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And finally, the only sun of the day... a quick break near the quarry with a giant Noble fir

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As usual, no one else out in this corner Mt. Hood Natl. Forest. What a special place to have as Portland's backyard.

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-Q-
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by -Q- » October 22nd, 2016, 12:01 pm

Cool title for your post.
Great song!!

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gratefultrails
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by gratefultrails » October 23rd, 2016, 10:59 am

-Q- wrote:Cool title for your post.
Great song!!
I agree! It's funny the Appalachians are one of the only mountain ranges that have music written about them. I guess also John Denver and the Rockies... But I do notice the Oregon backwoods folk aren't as musically inclined as they are in the South. The Cascades are so beautiful, they deserve some great music written about them.

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-Q-
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by -Q- » October 23rd, 2016, 7:09 pm

woody Guthrie sang about the Columbia river, but that's about all I can think of for the cascades.

Fellow deadhead here. Your avatar is real cool

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Naturebat
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by Naturebat » October 24th, 2016, 2:19 am

Naa, the Cascades needs dat swaggy house / electro / dubstep musicz, right!? :lol: Fits that dramatic mountainous terrain and weather we have, eh? None of that plebeian foothill stuff they've got going on. :lol: (jk)

We've gotta stand out, right? :twisted:
- Previously ElementalFX

squidvicious
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by squidvicious » October 24th, 2016, 6:15 am

Well, Richmond Fontaine does have lots of songs referencing the area... but probably not in any way you'd want to be known for.

"Oh the Cascades, where it's dark and wet--disappear without a trace..."
https://richmondfontaine.bandcamp.com/track/cascade

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kepPNW
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by kepPNW » October 24th, 2016, 6:20 am

gratefultrails wrote:
-Q- wrote:Cool title for your post.
Great song!!
I agree! It's funny the Appalachians are one of the only mountain ranges that have music written about them. I guess also John Denver and the Rockies... But I do notice the Oregon backwoods folk aren't as musically inclined as they are in the South. The Cascades are so beautiful, they deserve some great music written about them.
There's a fellow named Gary Jess whose composed a number of albums named after ("inspired by") the local mountains (and other things). All instrumental, I believe, so you wouldn't know without the clue of the album cover. The one I heard was relaxing, though. (Example.)
-Q- wrote:Fellow deadhead here.
Lots of us out there crawling around the woods. :D
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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miah66
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by miah66 » October 24th, 2016, 11:57 am

Love the hike. I was kind of bummed to read that the Eagle Creek trailhead is now owned by a logging company and access is not allowed any longer. How the heck does this kind of thing keep happening? e.g. Aldrich Butte.
"The top...is not the top" - Mile...Mile & a Half

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gratefultrails
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by gratefultrails » October 25th, 2016, 2:12 pm

-Q- wrote: Fellow deadhead here. Your avatar is real cool
Excellent! Happy to hear this.
Elemental Fluttershy wrote:Naa, the Cascades needs dat swaggy house / electro / dubstep musicz, right!? :lol: Fits that dramatic mountainous terrain and weather we have, eh? None of that plebeian foothill stuff they've got going on. :lol: (jk)

We've gotta stand out, right? :twisted:
Hey, I'd give it a listen if it the captured mountain spirit, like "Wildcat Quarry Womp" or something.
squidvicious wrote:Well, Richmond Fontaine does have lots of songs referencing the area... but probably not in any way you'd want to be known for.

"Oh the Cascades, where it's dark and wet--disappear without a trace..."
https://richmondfontaine.bandcamp.com/track/cascade
Haha that's pretty spot on like more than half the year. I always seem to remember the bright snowy days. Or the flowery ones.
kepPNW wrote: There's a fellow named Gary Jess whose composed a number of albums named after ("inspired by") the local mountains (and other things). All instrumental, I believe, so you wouldn't know without the clue of the album cover. The one I heard was relaxing, though. (Example.)
Lots of us out there crawling around the woods. :D
Thanks, I'll check it out! Cheers
miah66 wrote:Love the hike. I was kind of bummed to read that the Eagle Creek trailhead is now owned by a logging company and access is not allowed any longer. How the heck does this kind of thing keep happening? e.g. Aldrich Butte.
Ahh, really?! I was hoping to walk all the way up that valley sometime, only done a small section. It's such an undercover area, I never hear anything from the Forest Service about trailhead updates. And the trailheads themselves usually have no sign or a makeshift, hardly visible one!

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kepPNW
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat

Post by kepPNW » October 25th, 2016, 3:17 pm

gratefultrails wrote:
miah66 wrote:Love the hike. I was kind of bummed to read that the Eagle Creek trailhead is now owned by a logging company and access is not allowed any longer. How the heck does this kind of thing keep happening? e.g. Aldrich Butte.
Ahh, really?! I was hoping to walk all the way up that valley sometime, only done a small section. It's such an undercover area, I never hear anything from the Forest Service about trailhead updates. And the trailheads themselves usually have no sign or a makeshift, hardly visible one!
You can still do it, I believe, but it's a lot more work than it used to be. You'd have to come at it from above, up where you were here. Looks like a very healthy loop could be an option, too, given the time and interest...
capture.jpg
Eagle Creek trail selected/highlighted.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...

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