Overnight in Cairn Basin with a bear sighting
Posted: September 3rd, 2017, 8:18 pm
Hey there. Relatively new to backpacking so thought I'd share my folly-filled but interesting overnight.
Headed out from Top Spur in the early afternoon... up and up and up until reaching a view that made me forget about my already aching legs.
I've hiked some other small sections of the Timberline and even with all the impressive views, I still think the most magical part is the abundance of streams. Maybe it's because I spent so long in the Midwest so it's hard to comprehend how they could exist. Either way... so refreshing.
The ponds are looking a little sad at this time of year, though. One or two others were completely dry.
Nonetheless, lots of incredibly views from this area.
Unfortunately, I turned the wrong direction at an unmarked junction and ended up heading down Mazama trail. I didn't notice at first because I was too infatuated with the burnt out area.
It was at this point that I realized I was heading down a ridge, but it was a clear day and the view up into Washington gave perfect view of Mt St Helen, Mt Ranier, and Mt Adams. Hard to see in my Android photography, but it was pretty neat.
On my way back up the Mazama trail to my missed turn there was a large clearing with a campsite in it, but as I turn the corner coming into view of the clearing... a black bear in the field looking straight at me! Admittedly I was a little too panicked to analyze it very much (and far too panicked to take a picture), but even from 100 yards it looked quite large (at first I thought it was a giant boulder in the middle of the field). I backtracked the trail a waited a few minutes, but the next time I tried to pass it was still frozen in the field looking my direction. Not confident that I could just walk past the thing, as a solo backpacker, I went back around the corner and started to shout talk / loudly and slowly make my way forward. This time the bear was gone when the field came into view.
I hike quickly to my campsite after this, off a second wind of adrenaline.
I passed another friendly hiker on his way back to the Trailhead and relayed to him about the bear. He said he wasn't too surprised because the field is full of blueberries which they are feasting off of at this time of year. So maybe if you are looking for a bear encounter you have a place to go.
Not too sure how common bear sightings are on Mt. Hood. I'm relatively new to the area and have only been up there a handful of times.
Headed out from Top Spur in the early afternoon... up and up and up until reaching a view that made me forget about my already aching legs.
I've hiked some other small sections of the Timberline and even with all the impressive views, I still think the most magical part is the abundance of streams. Maybe it's because I spent so long in the Midwest so it's hard to comprehend how they could exist. Either way... so refreshing.
The ponds are looking a little sad at this time of year, though. One or two others were completely dry.
Nonetheless, lots of incredibly views from this area.
Unfortunately, I turned the wrong direction at an unmarked junction and ended up heading down Mazama trail. I didn't notice at first because I was too infatuated with the burnt out area.
It was at this point that I realized I was heading down a ridge, but it was a clear day and the view up into Washington gave perfect view of Mt St Helen, Mt Ranier, and Mt Adams. Hard to see in my Android photography, but it was pretty neat.
On my way back up the Mazama trail to my missed turn there was a large clearing with a campsite in it, but as I turn the corner coming into view of the clearing... a black bear in the field looking straight at me! Admittedly I was a little too panicked to analyze it very much (and far too panicked to take a picture), but even from 100 yards it looked quite large (at first I thought it was a giant boulder in the middle of the field). I backtracked the trail a waited a few minutes, but the next time I tried to pass it was still frozen in the field looking my direction. Not confident that I could just walk past the thing, as a solo backpacker, I went back around the corner and started to shout talk / loudly and slowly make my way forward. This time the bear was gone when the field came into view.
I hike quickly to my campsite after this, off a second wind of adrenaline.
I passed another friendly hiker on his way back to the Trailhead and relayed to him about the bear. He said he wasn't too surprised because the field is full of blueberries which they are feasting off of at this time of year. So maybe if you are looking for a bear encounter you have a place to go.
Not too sure how common bear sightings are on Mt. Hood. I'm relatively new to the area and have only been up there a handful of times.