My friend Rick and I enjoyed a fine little hike today up Mt. Hood way. We started from the trailhead at Barlow Pass and headed south along on the PCT. At about the two mile point we took the cutoff trail that goes to Upper Twin Lake. A short bit later we arrived at the lake where we enjoyed a quiet and very scenic lunch spot...
After lunch we hiked around the lake and then headed to Palmateer Point by way of the side trail that heads northeast up the hill, away from the lake. Before long we were at the summit of Palmateer Point enjoying the best mountain views of the day...
From here we headed down into the Barlow Creek drainage then hiked up Barlow Road back to the car. An awesome little outting and we only saw about eight people all day. Pretty shocking considering how gorgeous the weather was. We did however see about a gazillion of the orange California Tortoiseshell butterflies, the same species whose population exploded around here last summer. This year they've arrived a month earlier.
Today's map (about 9 miles round trip with 1700 feet accumulated elevation gain)...
Really great day in the hills!
Gordon | 
