Oregon Hikers

What/Where: Backpacking trip all the way around Mt. Hood on the Timberline Trail (TT)
Who: Me (Born2BBrad)
When: 6/28/19 - 6/29/19

Miles: 41.62
EG: 10,150’

Normally I wouldn't write such a brief trip report, but people seem to be wanting recent intel on the Timberline Trail, especially the N/NW side. I can verify that it is comparable to this time last year. For details on that, read my TR from last year (link below).

Comments:
- There seemed to be a little bit less snow than last year, but only a few percent less.
- The major river crossings were the easiest ever for me. Partially due to better and more logs laid across the flow. Maybe it was the time of day that made them easier. The Eliot was just a simple rock hop.
- Going through the Dollar Lake burn area there are quite a few logs across the trail. A little more than last year.
- No mosquitoes or biting black flies. That will change soon.
- Went in the CCW direction this year. The climb from the Sandy River up to Rushing Water Creek, then the climb out of the Zigzag Canyon, then the couple hundred feet of EG after that to end the trip was a butt kicker.
- Got caught in a brief, but still miserable, thunderstorm around Little Zigzag Canyon. That wasn't in the forecast!

Link to last year's TR:
viewtopic.php?t=26834

Born2BBrad wrote: ↑

June 30th, 2019, 8:28 pm

- Got caught in a brief, but still miserable, thunderstorm around Little Zigzag Canyon. That wasn't in the forecast!

At least you were almost done. Was that around 4pm Saturday? That's when I got it. My forecast said 30% chance. Guess my luck ran out. Anyway, congrats on another round.

first report for this year of entire loop? Nice job

was their little enough snow for mortals to try it now, or did you need devices like microspikes and ice axes?

I also did the timberline trail but I went clockwise. I did not need microspikes or ice axes but I would definitely recommend hiking poles and boots particularly on the isolated high elevation portions above 7000'. One snowy stretch was about 300' long but the trail alternated between snow and rock a lot.

I got caught in a hail storm around 4pm on Saturday, White river was my toughest crossing, had to ford that, all the others I could walk on logs, step or hop across.

- Any snow covered sections above significant exposure (cliffs/ledges)? Wondering if there will be any sections this weekend that create a fall hazard (on snow) beyond just sliding down a bit.

- What is your estimate for deepest snow cover over any portion of the trail?

Thanks for the brief report! I know why you don't post about your hikes anymore, but for what it's worth I always enjoyed reading your trip reports and I miss them.

Born2BBrad wrote: ↑

June 30th, 2019, 8:28 pm

Got caught in a brief, but still miserable, thunderstorm around Little Zigzag Canyon. That wasn't in the forecast!

We saw that storm from McIntyre Ridge, moving from south to north and slowly engulfing the mountain, the base of which is just barely visible on the left side of this iPhone pano taken at 5pm on Saturday:

I'm glad you got to finish your trip!

That "20% chance of isolated showers" (thunderstorms actually) seemed to isolate right on top of me and my 2 companions on the south side of Lookout Mountain. We were attempting High Prairie TH -> Badger Lake (by going east -> south -> west) Saturday and then Badger Lake -> High Prairie TH (going north) Sunday.

We got dumped on, drenched and had to back out of the trip because of how wet much of our gear got.

Oh well...~11 miles and a few thousand feet of up & down = decent enough.

This was my first time being caught out in thunder/lightning while backpacking. A learning experience, for sure!

reskied wrote: ↑

July 1st, 2019, 10:01 am

- Any snow covered sections above significant exposure (cliffs/ledges)? Wondering if there will be any sections this weekend that create a fall hazard (on snow) beyond just sliding down a bit.

- What is your estimate for deepest snow cover over any portion of the trail?

Above 7000' there are some spots where you would slide far, but I didn't feel exposed to cliffs or ledges while hiking. Bigger concern is staying on trail on longer snow stretches when snow prints aren't easy to ID. There are a few sections by Ramona falls that have had avalanches so they don't allow stock there.

I am not experienced at entering snow depth. Normally snow sections were 1-3' deep, deepest was probably by timberline lodge at over 6' or above 7000' section when it was probably around the same. Some river crossing still had snow crossing but those were melting fast.

Thanks Brad! Might try this in a few weeks.