Jeff and I took advantage of our day off Friday to get a start on some post-Thanksgiving calorie burning. Along with our dogs Dodger and Kodi we ventured out for a first time visit to the Table Rock Wilderness south of Molalla, OR.
The directions I had from the my Sullivan hiking book led us straight into a road closure due to bridge work, a bit discouraging at first since I didn�t have any detailed road maps along to re-navigate. However, with some reckoning off our GPS units and the aid of Feyrer Road detour signs we managed to swing around to the other side of the Molalla River and get our driving back on track.
We came upon snow a couple miles before the trailhead, but recently-laid tire tracks led us all the way in. In fact a gentleman in a Toyota SUV seemed to be scoping out the conditions when we arrived, but after a few minutes he drove off, perhaps deeming there were more interesting roads for playing in the snow.
There were about four inches of snow on the ground, but after Jeff noted footprints heading off on the day�s route we decided to keep it light and go without snowshoes as well. The first mile and a half followed along the now closed road, blocked to cars by a couple landslides, one very sizeable indeed. We found the wooden post marking the start of the actual trail from the road, but were intrigued that the footprints we�d been following didn�t turn but just continued up the road. Our best guess was there must have been some hunters about.
It can be a gamble trying to follow a trail when it�s been transformed and often disguised by the cover of snow, but the winding white path remained easily discernible nearly the whole way. Easily discernible yes, but what must be a relatively relaxing route in the summer turned to offer a bit heart-pounding workout as we broke trail. I think it was a wash whether snowshoes would�ve been worth having or not. We managed okay, but certainly would�ve breezed a few stretches as well had we nabbed them along.
Circling a rocky outcropping
Our toughest stretch by far was traversing the boulder field along Table Rock�s northern cliff. What�s probably a five minute walk in the summer took us at least twenty minutes as we had to plow through knee to thigh deep drifts. I told Jeff after we completed the traverse that anymore of that and I�d likely vote to just turn back.
Dodger has a turn breaking trail nearing the summit
Our deposit of efforts came back with returns when we crested the final ridge that would take us to the summit. Mt Jefferson stood nobly to the southeast basking in the autumn sun, and to the south we spied the distant Three Sisters, Mt Washington, and Three Fingered Jack. Closer by a pasting of white frosted the land, what must have been a coating left by a fog bank frozen upon the land before succumbing to the sun. From the Table Rock summit, Mt Hood, Mt Adams, Mt Rainier, and Mt St Helens also joined the view, but the additional periphery was also marred by the many nearby clearcuts which scar the land to the north and west of the Table Rock Wilderness. Our eyes thus kept getting lulled back to the south and east, especially Mt Jefferson, as we delighted in the calm air and warmth of the afternoon sun.
Mt Jefferson and Battle Axe (right)
Summit stretch
Lonely Pechuck Lookout
Solitude
Three-Fingered Jack
Jeff leads the return
On the day Dodger probably had the worst of it since the snow kept balling up on his hind legs, often times getting to the size of softballs. Periodically we�d break for Jeff to clean him off. The return at least was a much easier affair given the path already broken before us.
Back on the north cliff traverse
We had an enjoyable time checking out the Table Rock Wilderness. It turned out to be a great choice for the limited daylight our season now affords.
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