Easter Ham - Hamilton Mt, the easy back way 3.31.13, E&J

[Eric Peterson]

Needed another quick hike after the Double Dog Dash from 3/30, so Julie and I headed over to the
Hamilton Mt complex and parked at the equestrian TH thinking the lower lot would be full plus we
needed to make the hike easier than the traditional straight south face hike.

Met the nice Ranger Lady who patrols the area lots for Peder types and talked to her a bit about how
REI in Portland is still selling the older single license plate Discovery Passes and she said I was cool
with the one I got



Heading up the nicely graded back roads under Hardy Ridge -





Used the Dons Cutoff also to avoid the open warmer road, I think it might be shorter to walk up
the road to Dons Cutoff rather than use the winding road anyway -











Fellow Portland Lurker Hiker "Baird" -



9.5 miles and 2100'

[Splintercat]

Eric, you KNOW you're a PH celebrity with the lurkers start spotting you on the trail..! You may want to consider a marketing agent at some point, just to handle the paparazzi...

I've always kind of dissed the road sections, but it looks pretty darned pleasant in your pics -- I'll have to try that! Easier on the knees to come down that way, too, I suppose. My main mental block each year is that damned WA pass! I only hike a couple times over there (at most) each year, so still chafe at the price tag... grr...

Thanks for posting!

Tom

[Eric Peterson]

It's my own fault for choosing such a common hike but we both needed something somewhat
easier on us

I know what you mean on the DP, I finally bought one mainly for the Silver Star complex
but the Hamilton area has lots of options too if one wants to park in the safer patrolled
area parking lots. The Ranger Lady is packing heat, and I actually do prefer parking where
the chances of riding home on broken glass is minimized.

[Guy]

Met the nice Ranger Lady who patrols the area lots for Peder types

The Ranger Lady is packing heat

Ah, a new approach then no longer a fine but a bullet between the eyes....
Peder & I better keep our wits about us

[Peabody]

Thanks for the TR. I'm always looking for a new hike and it's getting harder to find one that works for both of us. Hamilton is on my 2013 "to-do" list and this looks like this could end up being next weekends hike.

[Splintercat]

The Ranger Lady is packing heat, and I actually do prefer parking where the chances of riding home on broken glass is minimized.

Fair enough! I'm still finding bits of my driver's side window tucked here and there in the car... five months after having it kicked out by some Clackamas Cracksters... grrr....

Oddly enough, I have never hiked to the top of Beacon Rock, so this might be the year I break down and get that damned Discovery Pass..! (...I suppose I'll have to pay sales tax on it, too... )

Tom

[Baird]

Hey Eric! This is Baird, the notorious lurker who was so excited to get his picture taken with you and Julie. Thanks for getting me to finally sign up.

Now everyone is going to know who to blame when I put up my weekly trip report to the lower bridge at multnomah falls.

But seriously, I am really excited to be a part of this wonderful, welcoming community. Thanks to all of you!

[Eric Peterson]

But seriously, I am really excited to be a part of this wonderful, welcoming community. Thanks to all of you!

Hey Baird, awesome that you registered, nice meeting you up there and can't wait to see some
Trip Reports from your hikes!

Thanks for the TR. I'm always looking for a new hike and it's getting harder to find one that works for both of us. Hamilton is on my 2013 "to-do" list and this looks like this could end up being next weekends hike.

I've been working harder at finding hikes for both Julie and I, so far we have been doing routes that
are new to both of us, glad to help with a hike idea.

Guy - Still waiting for Peder to catch it, heh.

Tom - Beacon Rock is fun to add on after doing the other area hikes or as a stand alone hike depending
on ability. But I've never been to Little Beacon Rock!

Forgot to mention while Julie and I were over on the Hardy area jeep roads, we hiked passed a older
gentleman that had to be 90, I joked him asking why he wasn't doing the river face route of Ham
and he said he preferred the less busy back way. I hope we're all hiking/shuffling at 90+ too!

[kepPNW]

Tom - Beacon Rock is fun to add on after doing the other area hikes or as a stand alone hike depending on ability.

Since getting up there has come up so much recently, thought I should mention that it's apparently still closed off due to that rock slide smashing up a portion of the trail. Gotta watch the website for updates. Agreed, it's an excellent side-trip to take, after any other hike over on the WA side, or even as part of a gorge car tour when you have visitors in town!

[Sean Thomas]

nice job, ep. I guess I should have checked this thread more as I thought for some reason that the beacon was open again. tried to knock it off the list yesterday but it was still closed so we ended up at...




















wait for it
























Herman Creek