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:
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.
On the way back to the car, Huckleberry Mtn. also revealed itself across the Boulder Creek valley:
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..
And finally, the only sun of the day... a quick break near the quarry with a giant Noble fir
As usual, no one else out in this corner Mt. Hood Natl. Forest. What a special place to have as Portland's backyard.
Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
- gratefultrails
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- Joined: October 21st, 2015, 8:08 am
- Location: Eugene
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
Cool title for your post.
Great song!!
Great song!!
- gratefultrails
- Posts: 82
- Joined: October 21st, 2015, 8:08 am
- Location: Eugene
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
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.-Q- wrote:Cool title for your post.
Great song!!
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
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
Fellow deadhead here. Your avatar is real cool
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
Naa, the Cascades needs dat swaggy house / electro / dubstep musicz, right!? Fits that dramatic mountainous terrain and weather we have, eh? None of that plebeian foothill stuff they've got going on. (jk)
We've gotta stand out, right?
We've gotta stand out, right?
- Previously ElementalFX
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Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
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
"Oh the Cascades, where it's dark and wet--disappear without a trace..."
https://richmondfontaine.bandcamp.com/track/cascade
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
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.)gratefultrails wrote: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.-Q- wrote:Cool title for your post.
Great song!!
Lots of us out there crawling around the woods.-Q- wrote:Fellow deadhead here.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
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
Instagram @pdxstrider
Instagram @pdxstrider
- gratefultrails
- Posts: 82
- Joined: October 21st, 2015, 8:08 am
- Location: Eugene
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
Excellent! Happy to hear this.-Q- wrote: Fellow deadhead here. Your avatar is real cool
Hey, I'd give it a listen if it the captured mountain spirit, like "Wildcat Quarry Womp" or something.Elemental Fluttershy wrote:Naa, the Cascades needs dat swaggy house / electro / dubstep musicz, right!? Fits that dramatic mountainous terrain and weather we have, eh? None of that plebeian foothill stuff they've got going on. (jk)
We've gotta stand out, right?
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.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
Thanks, I'll check it out! CheerskepPNW 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.
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!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.
Re: Foggy mountain breakdown @ Wildcat
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...gratefultrails wrote: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!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.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...