Oregon Hikers

Hiked up Huckleberry via the Bonanza trail and down the Boulder Ridge trail with a car shuttle on June 13th. We parked right in front of the cable at the Bonanza TH. The Bonanza trail was easy to follow, not much blow down, but very wet with vegetation encroaching on the trail. Rhodies were in bloom. Somehow we blew right by the mine, although we hiked here years ago. Returning down the Boulder Ridge trail, it was very wide and well maintained.

The trail is well signed. Coming down the Boulder Ridge trail, we saw signs for Plaza and Boulder. The OR description says, "Reach the Plaza-Boulder Ridge Trail Junction and head right (Going left on the Plaza Trail will take you a long way down the ridge on a disappearing tread until you reach a private property line, where you will have to turn back and retrace your steps)." But, we did not see another trail, only that the trail heads up and to the right when hiking uphill and this is marked Plaza Trail. Maybe the old trail is lost in the ferns.

Hiking down Boulder well past the Plaza sign, we saw what appeared to be an old trail crossing our route. There was a wood square on a tree and a cairn. Was this the Plaza? Or maybe the trail was rerouted.

We only saw 2 other hikers the entire trip. Not many for a great hike. Only a couple spots of snow at the top. No views of Mt Hood this day.

Thx for the report, that's a really nice loop. Nice to know things are melted out up there as I have plans for the Plaza this year.

The abandoned section of the Plaza is still there although it can be brushy on top before clear tread appears. I did a TR a while back where I traveled most of it.

http://www.oregonhikers.org/forum/viewt ... 306#p20306

Here's the map:



--Paul

Thanks for the report! This one's been on my mind, as well. Still haven't done it. Is parking at Bonanza any issue at all?

The Bonanza TH description has a good photo of the "trailhead".
http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide ... _Trailhead
Off the photo to the right there is a no parking, private property sign, which does appear to be on someone's yard. We parked in front of the cable, which is at a bend in the road and wide, but not a parking lot. We didn't have an issue, but no one else was parked there. We did not call the Zigzag Ranger.

Thanks, Sugar Pine! Gonna do this one.