“Night & Day”
5/6/18
Rating: 3 Stars
Miles: 9.6 (10.7 on GPS, but lots of jitter, listed at 6.0 which feels a bit short?)
Time: 4 hrs, 10 min
Avg MPH: 2.3
Elev Min: 100’
Elev Max: 2,214’
Total Ascent: 2,605’
Steps: 18,700
Flights of Stairs: 203
Time Up: 3:45am
Sleep Hours: 5:30
Start Time: 5:40am
Temp Low: 54
Temp High: 62
Other hikers: 3
Female hikers: 67%
Longest time without seeing a hiker: 3:30
Wildlife: Birds, Bumble Bee
Parking Permit Required: No
Parking Lot: 13 spaces
Bathrooms: Pit Toilet
Columbia River Gorge * Wygant Peak
Opening Shot: Mitchell Point from part way up Wygant Peak
In my quest to re-hike all the trails on the Oregon side of the Gorge after the Eagle Creek Fire, I ventured back to Wygant Peak for another go, after doing it also last year, before the fire. I got to the trailhead at 5:30am and what do you know…I was the first car there…just how I like it! It was a balmy morning with it being in the mid 50s already. The wind was dead-calm which made for a rare glassy picture of the Columbia at dawn.
Some Scotch Broom lined the path with some views into the Columbia along the old road.
As I got into the trees, the Pacific Dogwood was in perfect bloom and just gorgeous as there were several of them interspersed.
There is a very faint waterfall back in here. I almost missed it, as it was almost dry already, which surprised me this early in the spring, as I remembered it being more substantial last year.
Western Groundsel was next on the path as I started winding up the switchbacks,
mixed in with Arrowleaf Balsamroot.
I saw the uncommon Silver Crown Luina for I think the first time ever for me.
The crossing of Perham Creek (~1.5 miles in) was super easy as there is a fallen log that made the crossing almost as easy if there had been a full-on bridge there.
As I started to head up in earnest, I saw Lupine,
Prairie Star,
and Larkspur.
There are several nice viewpoints, pretty evenly spaced out, on the climb up with views of the Columbia. One of the lower ones, down a short spur trail right after the power lines, offers an expansive 180-degree view to the left,
and right.
Longleaf Phlox was next,
and Western Waterleaf.
The wind finally started to blow as I approached one of the last few viewpoints toward the top. This is looking at Dog Mountain, with Wind Mountain tucked in behind on the left.
Fairy Slipper was up toward the top,
and Hooker’s Fairybell.
Then I reached the glorious 2,214’ summit with its expansive views…of trees. And of course the baby cairn.
Knowing the real payday was just ahead, I dropped down the use trail, past the summit a tenth of a mile, to the open meadow, which afforded me some nice views to the west.
I saw a Red-Flowered Currant there,
and took a pano which included snow-capped Mt Defiance in the upper-left, and a hint of the burn area, in the center of the picture, on the ridge on the back side of the main ridge in the picture.
I was so thankful for the work that had been done since I hiked the trail last year. The bottom portion was a first class trail with the trail raked out and worked on significantly. Last year there were 91 blowdowns that I counted, with many being significant with climbing over, or crawling under. This year, there were 5. They were towards the top and I didn’t even really need to break my stride to get passed them. Wow…amazing work!
It took me 2 hours and 20 minutes to get to the top and then 1 hour and 25 minutes to get down.
I did see some Oregon Grape on the way down that I missed on the way up.
Here’s a cool, short video clip of leaves spinning in the wind on cobwebs that fascinated me.
2018-05-06 Spinning Leaves from Michael Irving on Vimeo.
I only met 3 hikers on my hike, a solo gal as I was coming down, and then an older couple in their upper 70s I’d guess, by Perham Creek. I always love seeing older hikers as it inspires me to aim to be “one of them someday”…out hiking in the Gorge when I’m 80.
Thanks to the OregonHikers adamschneider and pcg who helped me identify some of the flowers I wasn’t familiar with! (feel free to correct me on this or any post where I’m mistaken…thanks!)
Summary:
A decent hike in the gorge with several views and a healthy climb that isn’t too steep. It’s got a creek, a small waterfall in the spring, nice views, and an okay view from the summit if you go past the summit to the meadow. The trail is in awesome shape with the blowdowns out…a nice Oregon Gorge hike while the other trails are closed. Lots of flower variety too, although not dense amounts of them.
Favorite experience of the day:
The view from the meadow, just after the summit.
Least favorite experience of the day:
Being first on the trail for the day and thus being in charge of knocking down all the cobwebs from overnight.
Today's elevation:
Google Earth with Track:
GPS Track:
https://www.gaiagps.com/public/5HHQcatwJC8RDJjAVmDliMrE
-GoalTech (aka Mike)
www.GoalTechHikes.com
@goaltechhikes (Instagram)
