Looking forward to expanded adventures this year!

[iadknet]

Hello there!

I'm new to the group and have been spent the last couple of weeks immersing myself in all the resources this site has to offer, as well as nwhikers.org and Alltrails.

About 10-15 years ago my wife and I would regularly hike the popular hikes in the area (Eagle Creek, Dog Mountain, etc.). For our honeymoon in 2009 we did a 7 day hike around the Dingle Peninsula in Ireland.

We haven't done many adventurous hikes over the last decade or so, but I do take our dogs and 5 year old son (when he isn't sleeping in) on 2-5 mile hikes every morning around Portland. Powell Butte, Mt. Tabor, and Oaks Bottom are part of our regular rotation.

Lately I've been feeling the urge to expand our adventures again and set the goal to do at least one new and more challenging hike each month this year. Most of these hikes would just be myself and the dogs. As a stretch goal, I'd like to aim for at least one multi-day hike in the fall.

After venturing out on a couple of new hikes over the last couple of months I have realized a couple of limitations though.

1. Our two current dogs are both young, large, enthusiastic, and rodent-obsessed. We're working on training, but not ready for narrow trails along risky cliffs just yet Earlier this month we adventured up the Salmon River Trail but I chickend out and had to turn around just as the views opened up as both dogs became intensely interested in sniffing just off the trail and I was afraid we'd all end up down a cliff. Honey in particular can spot a squirrel 100 feet up a tree and half mile away. I do really appreciate hikes with expansive views though, so I have been trying to comb through all the guides for hikes with views that don't have narrow trails next to steep cliffs.

2. Our car and my driving ability are also limiting factors. We have a Honda Fit and I'm not really experienced/confident driving in snow or on extremely rough roads. I enjoy hiking in the snow, but I'd rather not deal with chaining up the car or worrying about icy roads.

This is the list of potential adventures I've compiled so far. Any additional suggestions or advice would be much appreciated!

Mt Hood
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... _Park_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... d_Cap_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... Trail_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... adows_Hike

Eastern Gorge
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... Trail_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... ntain_Hike (the description for this one describes rough roads, but recent comments on AllTrails claim the road has been graded and improved)
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... kitat_Hike

Indian Heaven Wilderness (potentially a good place for first backpacking trip?)
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... dd-on_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... apiki_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... _Loop_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... _Loop_Hike
https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guid ... _Loop_Hike

Obligatory hiking companion photos:

[Webfoot]

Welcome, iadknet.

2. Our car and my driving ability are also limiting factors. We have a Honda Fit and I'm not really experienced/confident driving in snow or on extremely rough roads. I enjoy hiking in the snow, but I'd rather not deal with chaining up the car or worrying about icy roads.

An old Subaru with a moderate lift would greatly expand your destination options in the PNW. AWD and studded tires will handle just about any plowed road. (I hate putting on chains.)

An example of what I mean.

[iadknet]

An old Subaru with a moderate lift would greatly expand your destination options in the PNW. AWD and studded tires will handle just about any plowed road. (I hate putting on chains.)

Higher clearance and AWD are definitely high on my wish-list for our next car. And I do find myself wishfully browsing used car listings looking at Subarus, but it's just hard to justify the financials of a second car at the moment, or the risk of replacing our reliable old Fit with a used unknown.

Someday, I'm hopeful we'll have a car better suited for adventuring, but my hope is that there are plenty of places to explore within reach of the Fit to fill the next couple of years.

[Webfoot]

Someday, I'm hopeful we'll have a car better suited for adventuring, but my hope is that there are plenty of places to explore within reach of the Fit to fill the next couple of years.

There surely are!

[adamschneider]

An old Subaru with a moderate lift would greatly expand your destination options in the PNW.

On the other hand, I drive a Toyota Yaris, and there are very few trailheads that I can't get to but wish I could. (The two most frustrating ones are Silver Star Mountain and Breitenbush Lake.) There are soooooo many places to go that I don't really feel very limited by my tiny car.

(And if I ever do need a burly vehicle, I could rent one for a few days, and I'd still come out way ahead money-wise. I get 36 MPG and my tires only cost about $60 each.)

[Webfoot]

On the other hand, I drive a Toyota Yaris, and there are very few trailheads that I can't get to but wish I could.

You think that until you start driving around in a 4x4.

(And if I ever do need a burly vehicle, I could rent one for a few days, and I'd still come out way ahead money-wise. I get 36 MPG and my tires only cost about $60 each.)

A hit, a very palpable hit. Though I believe most rental contracts expressly forbid this kind of use.