badger creek trail: 5/13-5/14 (mother’s day weekend)

[abramj17]

badger creek trail

distance: 22mi out and back
elevation gain: 2300ft
link to trail: oregonhikers.org

spoiler alert: i didn’t make it all the way to badger lake. I’ll explain why in the trip report!

hey folks,

about 2 months ago, I decided to start my backpacking season a bit earlier than the weather was permitting. I chose to hike the badger creek trail because it is a decent length but has relatively little elevation gain. you’ll find that the closest town to the trail is wamic, oregon, which is just southeast of mt. hood natl forest (badger creek wilderness) and about a 2-2.5hr drive from northwest portland. the trailhead starts right off of a forest road near a campground in the natl forest. distance wise, i think it’s a great option for those who work business days or for those just looking to get away for the weekend.

sidenote: upon arrival to the trailhead, i realized that i left my hiking boots at home (rookie mistake). i made the executive decision to attempt the full 22mi in chacos.

spoiler alert 2: that isn’t the reason why i didn’t make it to badger lake

my first impression was, “this is an extremely flat hike…,” which gradually got a little steeper as I hiked in further, but never too steep of a grade. the incline is much more noticeable when hiking back down to the trailhead. I also thought the creek was rushing, probably because of the crazy winter we experienced this past season...

for the most part, the hike was relatively maintained and clear. at that point in the season, there was very little traffic, especially because there was rain in the forecast that weekend. from which i recall ended up being a pretty bad storm (in the portland area).

my girlfriend and i made it just a mile or so past the junction to head up towards gumjuwac saddle, which is when it started dumping snow. the snow was wet, and to make things worse, the trail was covered in very large scattered patches of snow, making the trail hard to distinguish. in terms of weather, nearing badger lake, it ranged from high 30s to low 40s. we decided to turn around at that point because there was so much snow, and my toes were beginning to freeze (not really), and the map i was using to navigate was just the one i had in my guidebook.

luckily there are campsites scattered all along the trail, so we hiked a few miles back down and camped at a site right next to the creek. overall, i thought this trail was a great way to start the season, even though i didn’t make it to badger lake.

pack: REI traverse 85L
tent: Mountain Hardwear drifter 2 DP
boots: Men’s Z/1 Classic Chaco
sleeping bag: Sierra Zissou 23
guidebook: Moon Outdoors: Pacific Northwest Hiking

chaco review:

hiking 20mi in chacos is never preferable, but it wasn’t too bad at all. i am actually surprised how well my feet held up for most of the hike until we got to the snow. a lot of people complain about rub when hiking lengthy distances in chacos, which seems to be more common for those who have the toe strap (which i don’t). i’ll admit that there was rub, but it never hurt too bad. the cold weather and flat terrain probably contributed a great deal to my experience with them, as hiking up a steep 2mi to the 1st flatiron in boulder, colorado put me in a good deal of pain. nonetheless, my feet felt secure and supported while hiking badger creek. overall, i am happy with how they held up even though every stick and twig on the trail were out to stab my toes and feet...

update:

one of my good friends just hiked badger creek this past weekend, 7/15-7/16. from her photos it looks unbelievably clear! i'll begin adding media to my posts once i figure out how...

cheers,

abe

[abramj17]

up next: hamilton mountain (wa), salmon river/devil's peak loop