Sandy Glacier Landing

[Fred]

June 27, 2008

Sandy Glacier Landing

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Thomas and I started from Ramona Falls trailhead for an overnighter at Sandy Glacier Landing. The bridge crossing the Sandy River was just in and the forest service crew putting the finishing touches on the new detour trail. The sun was hot. The dusty trail was silent except for the sounds of rushing water.

The way to Yokum Ridge turned to snow at four-thousand foot elevation and we soon lost the trail. Thomas had a ribbon in his pack and used half to mark the point where we reached the ridge. He saved the other half in case we needed it later on. The dirty Cascade concrete snow left barely a trace of a track and would make finding the way back interesting.

Following the ridge crest took us thought a series of serene openings, sub alpine fir trees sunk deep into snow wells, draped in florescent green moss. Birdsong celebrated the arrival of a summer long over due.

Sometimes the surroundings felt familiar. Then we reached on open park area with cliffs to our left and knew we were near. A notch led back to the ridge crest. We found ourselves just above Yokum Ridge camp. There was so much snow we barely knew the place.


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Sandy Glacier Landing is the flat area above and to the north of Yokum Ridge camp. A rising snow traverse took us there. The view was tremendous with a wild cloud cap over the mountain.

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The question was where to camp. Except for snow there was only a couple small patches of ghostly krummholz. Hardly a proper camp site, but tucked away under these dwarf timber were a few places just big and flat enough for a bivy bag. Lying there I could look up through the branches at the infinite blue sky while listening to the intermittent rumble and roar of clattering rocks tumbling down the glaciers.

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Half a mile away and eight hundred feet over the camp poses a large upstanding rock slab marking point 7465, a good place to take in the view.

Thomas Nears Point 7465

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Looking up Yokum Ridge

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Descending

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The sun set at our backs, illuminating the final hour with golden light. I set up the camera on a tripod and tried to get some “Kurosawa” shots. Akira Kurosawa, the famous Japanese file director, was noted for painstakingly planning the tiniest detail. I on the other hand like to project an air of artistic competence and great personal gravity, but rely heavily on luck.
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Tracks in evening light

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Hanging Glacier

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Sandy Glacier, Mount Hood

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Ruby Glow, by Kurosawa

[AlexanderSupertramp]

Wow Fred. When you go out, you go out! Great report and pics.

Adam

[zombie]

Awesome photos from what appears to have been a great trip! I especially like the fact that Kurosawa came to your mind, as scenes from all manner of jidaigeki and chanbara films pop into my imagination while I am on the trail.

Thanks for another trip report that makes us all wish we were there!

-aaron

[Grannyhiker]

Ah, some outstanding pictures for the 2009 Portland Hikers calendar!!!

[Splintercat]

Terrific report and photos, as always, Fred!

Tom

[Waffle Stomper]

Beautiful pictures, and well done trip report.

[retired jerry]

Great trip, great report.

I've looked down at Sandy Glacier Landing before and thought it would make a nice place to camp. Does anyone camp there? Is there any drinking water in the late summer when most of the snow is gone?

I've also thought it might be possible to continue over to McNeil ridge. Anybody ever do that?

[Fred]

You can get to McNeil point by doing a steep side hill in snow, then descending a good ways. This would be best done along the margin of the glacier because there are cracks.

This is the first time I've used the new website. The pictures from flickr will not display full size like they did on the old site. Does anyone know how to fix this?

[BCJ]

Outstanding report, Fred! Beautiful photos.

[justpeachy]

Beautiful evening pictures! Proof that evening light is unbeatable for awesome photos!