Wygant Peak 5-12-19
Posted: May 14th, 2019, 2:31 pm
Last year, I was on a few TKO work parties on the Wygant Trail as we repaired the tread to within ¼ mile of the summit. Sunday was the first time I’ve been able to hike the whole thing in a while, and it was interesting to see how the problem areas that TKO crews addressed are now seamlessly folded into the tread. The rampant spring growth took no time at all to disguise all the dirt and debris we cast downhill!
The Wygant Trail runs for most of its length in two State Natural Areas: Vinzenz Lausmann and Wygant. The short summit ridge is inside the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Poison oak is a feature of the hike for most of its length. I’d advise long pants at any season. Wygant and Viento Creek seem to be the places where it flourishes most profusely on the Oregon side of the Gorge, forming vast carpets under the canopy.
As most know, you can’t really do the Chetwoot Loop anymore. There’s a replacement Basil Clark bear sign at the lower end of the loop. At the upper junction, the bear sign is partially rotted away and also there is the 'corrected' Wygant Trail sign. Wygant itself has 35 switchbacks but also numerous viewpoints looking every direction but south.
I met a pair of hikers and two runners, not bad for Wygant as we rarely encountered other users of the trail when we were doing trail work. From the summit cairn, I took the now well defined trail down to the meadow on the southwest slope, getting views west to the Viento Ridge, Mt. Defiance, Indian Point, and Table Mountain.
The Wygant Trail runs for most of its length in two State Natural Areas: Vinzenz Lausmann and Wygant. The short summit ridge is inside the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Poison oak is a feature of the hike for most of its length. I’d advise long pants at any season. Wygant and Viento Creek seem to be the places where it flourishes most profusely on the Oregon side of the Gorge, forming vast carpets under the canopy.
As most know, you can’t really do the Chetwoot Loop anymore. There’s a replacement Basil Clark bear sign at the lower end of the loop. At the upper junction, the bear sign is partially rotted away and also there is the 'corrected' Wygant Trail sign. Wygant itself has 35 switchbacks but also numerous viewpoints looking every direction but south.
I met a pair of hikers and two runners, not bad for Wygant as we rarely encountered other users of the trail when we were doing trail work. From the summit cairn, I took the now well defined trail down to the meadow on the southwest slope, getting views west to the Viento Ridge, Mt. Defiance, Indian Point, and Table Mountain.