Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

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Waffle Stomper
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Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

Post by Waffle Stomper » June 27th, 2008, 11:52 pm

Eager to go on our first “real” hike of the 2008 hiking season, we knew it was going to be a good day when we were fortunate to see a handsome red fox shortly before turning into the Wildwood recreation area. When we got there not another car was to be seen. We threw on our packs and up the trail we went.

Once past the recreation area’s asphalt trails, over the bridge and at the trailhead sign, we walked into the peaceful forest and left our daily cares behind. Along the way we heard the voices of ravens, wrens and Swainson’s thrushes. The first part of the trail was fresh with young maiden hair and sword ferns. Scattered among the ferns were a few blue iris, oxalis and an amazing little garden of what I think is candy flower. If there are faeries they would live here.

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About half way up the trail we found the answer to the question “Does a bear poop in the woods?” We also ran into the only real obstacle which required removal of our packs and a crawl under a downed tree. Hmm, I wonder if that ole bear was looking down and laughing at the sight.

As we moved up the trail the undergrowth began to thin as the dense forest allowed only a few shafts of light reach the forest floor. In some of the darkest areas the ground was barren with occasional clusters of coralroot rising out of the rich soil. Some of the forest gave way to the sun and the earth was carpeted with more oxalis and vanilla leaf. The rhododendrons added their color along most of the trail. In the beginning their blossoms were fading and at about 3425 feet the last buds were seen trailside. It won’t be long before you’ll be able to find them in full bloom at the summit.

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Soon we were high enough that we could see that winter had just loosed her icy grip. A few trilliums were blooming and oxalis just started to break ground. It seems the rhodies had bit of a rough winter the leaves showing odd little creases and folds in them possibly from the more than normal weight of the snow.

Before we reached the Plaza Trail there were little patches of snow in the forest giving a hint of what might be ahead of us. Soon larger areas were on the trail but not enough that the trail could not be followed between them. At 4080 the trail was completely covered. It would not have been far to the summit viewpoint at 4300 feet but we decided to make a place for ourselves in the sun in a nice open meadow where we were entertained by grey jays, stellar jays and a little bird that chased bugs in the air. It will be a while before the bear grass will be in bloom but we did find a few hardy glacier lilies.

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glacier lilies

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our lunch spot

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right behind us, the rest of the way

The rest of this story to the summit will need to be completed by another Portland Hiker. For us, we ended our day tired but satisfied that our favorite trails will one by one be welcoming us. It doesn’t get much better than this.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

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retired jerry
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Re: Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

Post by retired jerry » June 28th, 2008, 4:30 am

Nice trip report

Weird, I was one ridge over on Hunchback Mountain at 4000' and there was no snow

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Splintercat
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Re: Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

Post by Splintercat » June 28th, 2008, 10:21 pm

Thanks - great report! :)

Tom

Aimless
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Re: update: July 2, 2008

Post by Aimless » July 2nd, 2008, 10:03 pm

I just got home from this trail a couple of hours ago. (Wednesday, July 2, 2008)

These past few days have been very warm with the freezing level near 15,000 ft. Nights have been very warm, too. The snow meltoff is very nearly complete. As of today, the only snow on either trail consists of some patches on the upper reaches of the Plaza trail, just prior to reaching the bare rock promontory at the top. The last 300 yards to the top are perhaps 25% covered, but there is no difficulty in finding the trail or walking to the top. All the rest is clear.

rosecity
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Re: Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

Post by rosecity » July 4th, 2008, 6:24 pm

I was also up to Huckleberry on Wednesday. The flowers on top are great.

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dixhuit
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Re: Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

Post by dixhuit » July 12th, 2008, 1:25 pm

We hiked this trail on July 11, and there was no snow to be seen anywhere. Shows you how fast things are melting.
In certain trying circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate
circumstances, profanity furnishes a relief denied even to prayer.
--Mark Twain

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retired jerry
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Re: Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

Post by retired jerry » July 12th, 2008, 2:27 pm

dixhuit wrote:We hiked this trail on July 11, and there was no snow to be seen anywhere. Shows you how fast things are melting.
Did you do a car shuttle between trailheads?

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dixhuit
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Re: Boulder Ridge / Plaza trails June 27, 2008

Post by dixhuit » July 12th, 2008, 5:24 pm

Did you do a car shuttle between trailheads?[/quote]

The Plaza Trail is the extension of the Boulder Ridge Trail that leads to the rocky summit of Huckleberry Mountain. We hiked up and back the same way. We didn't do the loop with the Bonanza Trail
In certain trying circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate
circumstances, profanity furnishes a relief denied even to prayer.
--Mark Twain

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