Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

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rydccoc
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Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by rydccoc » September 14th, 2021, 1:21 pm

Hi hikers, I'm thinking about doing the Timberline Trail around Mt Hood in the next week or so, clockwise. Already saw the posts about the closing of the Muddy Fork / Yocum Ridge area and will take the PCT route. I did it two years ago around Labor Day weekend when conditions were great and there were log crossings at each point, including a huge log like a tank at the Eliot crossing. Was wondering about the current conditions for stream and river crossings. Seems like Eliot crossing might be the most difficult this year? I'm not even sure if I want to do the trip because of this posting I saw for the Eliot back in July of this year 2021. Log that was there two years ago apparently was washed away last year.

https://adventurecontinues.org/2021/07/ ... rail-2021/

Called the Zigzag ranger station already and they said it will rain/snow this weekend, so now thinking of postponing trip to maybe Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. Any advice appreciated.

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retired jerry
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by retired jerry » September 14th, 2021, 1:36 pm

https://www.nwrfc.noaa.gov/weather/10_day.cgi

rainy (snowy?) weekend. Starting next Monday it's better but still rainy

I did it a couple weeks ago. Clockwise from Ramona Falls TH.

Eliot and Newton I had to walk through, maybe calf deep or so. Not too bad except my boots got wet.

I took off my socks and insoles, crossed, emptied boots of water, squeezed some out, put socks and insoles back on. Not the best but...

There was a log across Eliot but I was too much of a wimp. Somebody said they found a spot to hop across Newton.

Rest of streams I hopped across

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retired jerry
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by retired jerry » September 14th, 2021, 1:45 pm

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.p ... UEY81NlCdN

I just noticed there is supposed to be 4 inches of rain over the weekend. That could cause streams to swell to dangerous level. People have died in september in similar condition.

Be careful

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pinecone
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by pinecone » September 14th, 2021, 3:40 pm

This is going to be a bad weekend to be up there, likely the most dangerous stream conditons yet this year. The high freezing elevation will put a lot of the rain into the creeks, and it is forecasted right now for a high volume in a short time, which could make crossings very dicey. Normally easy crossings like the Sandy will swell and appear flattened, where you can't tell what is a deeper pool and what is a higher point, making it easy to suddenly drop down in these conditions, then lose balance and footing and bye. Any current conditions for log crossings/paths are likely to be irrelevant come Sunday if enough water washes through.

rydccoc
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by rydccoc » September 16th, 2021, 5:27 pm

Thanks! I'm going to think about a trip starting from Cascade Locks going down the Eagle Creek trailhead and joining the PCT, then taking the PCT to Timberline Lodge. Grab the Mount Hood Express back to Portland. Start maybe Tuesday or Wednesday next week. That way I can avoid I think the tougher crossings and just have to cross Sandy after Ramona Falls.

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retired jerry
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by retired jerry » September 17th, 2021, 5:22 am

That's probably a better plan

That crossing of the Sandy is where someone died in September after heavy rain, so be careful. After the weekend the weather should be better.

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pinecone
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by pinecone » September 17th, 2021, 8:22 am

That's a pretty fun route- I recommend leaving the PCT for the section at the Paradise Park Trail and taking that trail up through Paradise Park/visit split rock to get some good above Timberline views (of nice new snow on the peak after the front goes through :D )

rydccoc
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by rydccoc » September 19th, 2021, 1:48 am

Thanks! Yeah, that area, I think it's the Paradise Loop? That's one of my favorite hikes in the area. Probably too late for wildflowers by now. I met someone the other day who said it's possible to take a route up to a sort of summit up there? I looked on some maps and it looks like there could be 2 trails that lead up to an overlook. Less than a mile one way going up. Going southbound on this trip I probably won't cross the Sandy until earliest Wednesday, maybe not until Thursday and looking at the forecast it should be getting fairly warm by Friday.

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retired jerry
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by retired jerry » September 19th, 2021, 6:41 am

Yeah, nice hike up from Paradise to a high point.

One use trail is a continuation of the Paradise Park Trail.

Another use trail goes by split rock.

You could make a loop - up one, down the other, but getting between them at the top is tricky. You have to do a steep slope with loose rock.

The rains are supposed to end today, so probably by Tuesday or Wednesday stream flows should be back to normal.

I might go up there myself.

This would be a good time to see bears.

rydccoc
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Re: Timberline Trail around Mt Hood conditions?

Post by rydccoc » September 19th, 2021, 6:00 pm

Thanks! Yeah, I see on some maps that the trail by Split Rock. Also see the other one. I'll probably try the one by Split Rock this trip since I figure it should be easy to find. Probably don't feel confident to go across to the other trail until I go up that one by itself another trip when I have time. Yeah, looks like most of the week should be pretty dry and getting warmer.

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