Oregon Hikers

How good is it to have these forums.

Hi everyone. I live in Canberra and am visiting the PNW from in late June 2018. I was looking at doing the Timberline Trail around 22-27 June while my wife does a NIA dance training program in Portland but recently learnt from the Forest Service (?) that this may be a too early due to snow and water levels in the creeks. I am wondering if any forum members have done the trail recently and if late June is a reasonable possibility. If I can't do Timberline, I am looking for alternate multiday loop hikes in Oregon of about 4-6 days. Could also do two shorter hikes, I suppose.

About me. I got into hiking in 2008 when I did the 6 day Overland Track in Tasmania with my middle son. It was stunning. I was hooked and kept blabbering about it so much my wife said "I want some of that", so I did it again with her. If any members ever hike in Australia I would absolutely recommend this hike. Wonderfully varied with rugged mountain scapes, truly ancient forests and towering eucalypts. Since then I have hiked in New Zealand, climbed Kilimanjaro, had a week camping and doing day hikes in Yosemite (wow) in 2015 and then a week in the back country at Glacier NP in Montana in 2016 (wow again).

I love big trees and dramatic landscapes, hence Yosemite and Glacier, so was really looking to enjoy more of this around Mt Hood. If the Timberline Trail is out of contention during late June I am wrestling with what else I can do at such short notice. I would really appreciate any suggestions from members. Oh, I will be hiring a car so will be mobile.

Welcome to the forum! I don't have an answer to your question, but following, since I was looking at doing the Timberline Trail around June 30th, and was also wondering about snow.

Lots of snow June 30 - high stream flows, difficult to find trail, lots of difficult tromping through snow

August 30 would be better

June 30 - I will likely do something like Cast Creek Trail to Zigzag Trail, and try to get up to Paradise Park depending on snow

Or Ramona Falls to Yocum Ridge

Look at Field Guide, lower elevation Mt Hood hikes

or Indian Heaven or Bull of the Woods or ...

Thanks Jerry, I figured it might be snowy, but my husband can only get time off when things are slow, so we were looking to do something around the July 4th holiday. I'll check out your other suggestions though. Thanks!

Thanks for the advice Jerry. Sounds like I need to reconsider. I read about the 3 sisters loop and wonder if it is lower altitude and therefore more passable for hiking 22-29 June? Your thoughts?

Could also consider setting up a base camp in a camping ground around Mt Hood area and doing a series of day hikes. I might do a post on general trip Q&A page.

Thanks again for your advice.

mulgravelad wrote: ↑

June 10th, 2018, 4:00 pm

Thanks for the advice Jerry. Sounds like I need to reconsider. I read about the 3 sisters loop and wonder if it is lower altitude and therefore more passable for hiking 22-29 June? Your thoughts?

Could also consider setting up a base camp in a camping ground around Mt Hood area and doing a series of day hikes. I might do a post on general trip Q&A page.

Thanks again for your advice.

Not likely the 3 Sisters loop will be do-able that early. This is a relatively low snow year but it was snowing down to 4,000' this morning! Stay tuned, a good long heat wave could change things and one is on the horizon right now.

Ok Don, thanks for the feedback re 3 Sisters. Will watch the weather from here in Oz but looks like a base camp with a series of day hikes around the Mt Hood area might be the go. Oh well, will have to come a bit later in summer next time.

I would think the Loowit Trail around Mt St Helens would be passable by now? That would be a unique adventure you can't find anywhere else for sure.

EDIT: Recent discussion on conditions on the Loowit Trail:
viewtopic.php?p=202072#p202072


So maybe it's not a good alternative...yet

East side of Three Sisters has less snow. June 28, 2016 I did the loop and there was a lot of snow on the west side, but when I got to the east it wasn't too bad. Around Broken Top too.

Thanks Jeff and Jerry. I will look at those options as well.

Thanks again.