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Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 8th, 2019, 1:39 pm
by markesc
Decided to head back and grab some Hucklerries before they are gone and before those T-Storms rolled in!

Just got back to the car before the wind/rain hit... saw 0 people all day, it was like being transported back to 1995 hiking days!

Didn't take a lot of photos this trip as I was busy pickin away, but enjoyed the sounds of the glaciers/rockfall, and random thuds in the distance. Heard what had to have been either elk/deer, and thought about whether bear/cougar was around somewhere snacking on them ripe berries?

A few photos! If you want huckleberries, get up there soon as I noticed a lot of 'em are starting to get toasted, but there's still plenty either ripe or just before.
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Eyeing Barret Spur:
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Home later, ready to roll:
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Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 8th, 2019, 1:56 pm
by Chip Down
I blame the berries for my slow ascent of Elk Cove trail a couple weeks ago. ;)

Looks like it was a beautiful day. I'm surprised. Congrats on barely missing the storm. I love those trips where if feels like you stole a hike from the mountain. :D

Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 8th, 2019, 3:14 pm
by markesc
Chip Down wrote:
September 8th, 2019, 1:56 pm
I blame the berries for my slow ascent of Elk Cove trail a couple weeks ago. ;)

Looks like it was a beautiful day. I'm surprised. Congrats on barely missing the storm. I love those trips where if feels like you stole a hike from the mountain. :D
Yeah it was a whole lot of nothin, then as I started hiking down, the one thunder storm taking over the summit of hood seemed to have just enveloped the entire area, combined with another storm from the North. Didn't photo, but it was really neat seeing a waterfall of clouds heading over Vista ridge, and then immediately dropping and heading east.

BTW: That waterfall from the Coe is looking like a tasty off trail exploration!
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Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 8th, 2019, 3:34 pm
by drm
I thought I would mention that picking berries - and taking them home - requires a permit. But I won't tell - since you already did. A permit is not required if you eat them while in the forest.
The Forest offers a variety of free use products: Mushrooms, Berries, Boughs, Greenery and Transplants. Products can be consumed on Forest without a permit. However if you want to remove them from the Forest to take home, you will
need to get a “free use” permit from a local District office.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 497955.pdf

Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 8th, 2019, 4:23 pm
by markesc
drm wrote:
September 8th, 2019, 3:34 pm
I thought I would mention that picking berries - and taking them home - requires a permit. But I won't tell - since you already did. A permit is not required if you eat them while in the forest.
The Forest offers a variety of free use products: Mushrooms, Berries, Boughs, Greenery and Transplants. Products can be consumed on Forest without a permit. However if you want to remove them from the Forest to take home, you will
need to get a “free use” permit from a local District office.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DO ... 497955.pdf
Thanks for the heads up... just SO many rules to live in our wonderful "society" :roll:

Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 8th, 2019, 5:04 pm
by Chip Down
markesc wrote:
September 8th, 2019, 3:14 pm
BTW: That waterfall from the Coe is looking like a tasty off trail exploration!
Yep. But I have a suspicion that it doesn't look that great up close. And there's a modicum of risk getting to it. I've decided the risk/reward ratio is too high.

Regarding the berry permit, I didn't know about that. I've wondered about restrictions on gathering for commercial purposes, like if a bakery wanted to offer a special Elk Cove muffin studded with wild huckleberries. Surprisingly, it seems to be allowed. I found no restriction in the brochure, but it did state "We hope this brochure will make it easier for you to
use these products for personal, commercial and scientific purposes."

I found this particularly fun: "You are allowed to have someone under the age of 18 help you gather products, but they can’t gather for themselves."

Anyway, now that I know about the permit, I'll be discreet if I want to bring berries home ;) [I'm actually kidding; I lack the patience for such endeavors.]

Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 9th, 2019, 5:36 am
by markesc
Chip Down wrote:
September 8th, 2019, 5:04 pm
markesc wrote:
September 8th, 2019, 3:14 pm
BTW: That waterfall from the Coe is looking like a tasty off trail exploration!
Yep. But I have a suspicion that it doesn't look that great up close. And there's a modicum of risk getting to it. I've decided the risk/reward ratio is too high.

Regarding the berry permit, I didn't know about that. I've wondered about restrictions on gathering for commercial purposes, like if a bakery wanted to offer a special Elk Cove muffin studded with wild huckleberries. Surprisingly, it seems to be allowed. I found no restriction in the brochure, but it did state "We hope this brochure will make it easier for you to
use these products for personal, commercial and scientific purposes."

I found this particularly fun: "You are allowed to have someone under the age of 18 help you gather products, but they can’t gather for themselves."

Anyway, now that I know about the permit, I'll be discreet if I want to bring berries home ;) [I'm actually kidding; I lack the patience for such endeavors.]
Wow that's too bad as it looks like it would be a good telephoto shot from that sandy/rocky ridge in the foreground, but like a lot of things, looking from a long distance always looks "do-able" then you get there and it can be a nightmare of loose rock/drop offs/and my fave: those hillsides you cannot kick steps into, kind of like a sandstone with ball bearings.

I don't recall ever seeing a waterfall exiting the coe like that; Didn't realize just how bad of shape the glaciers are in.

Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 9th, 2019, 6:41 am
by retired jerry
I could see a possibility that commercial interests could pick enough berries that there wouldn't be enough left for wildlife.

An individual eating them would probably not. Even someone filling a container for themselves.

I wonder if there are biologists studying wildlife to determine which are at risk and what resources and habitat they need to sustain themselves

And then there are places where tribal people have legal rights to them

Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 9th, 2019, 6:40 pm
by Chip Down
markesc: Sorry, I misunderstood. Yes, you can easily follow the east moraine of Coe Glacier and get some great views. I thought you were talking about actually going to the falls, either top or bottom. That could be done, but I don't think it would be worth the risk. See pic below. As often happens, the closest pic isn't the best pic.

Regarding the health of the glacier: The terminus seems to be about where it was 30 years ago, so it's probably doing okay.

Jerry: I don't think it would be feasible to harvest H berries for commercial purposes. I could see it paying off for a boutique bakery or an upscale restaurant, but otherwise I don't think it would ever be a smart business decision to drive up to the mountain and labor all day for such a meager return. The fact that it isn't prohibited makes me think that U$F$ agrees there's no real threat. I do imagine there would be some outrage if Whole Food$ started selling $7 Mt Hood Huckleberry scones.

Re: Mt. Hood Elk Cove Huckleberry Hunt 9-7-2019

Posted: September 9th, 2019, 7:00 pm
by markesc
Chip Down wrote:
September 9th, 2019, 6:40 pm
markesc: Sorry, I misunderstood. Yes, you can easily follow the east moraine of Coe Glacier and get some great views. I thought you were talking about actually going to the falls, either top or bottom. That could be done, but I don't think it would be worth the risk. See pic below. As often happens, the closest pic isn't the best pic.

Regarding the health of the glacier: The terminus seems to be about where it was 30 years ago, so it's probably doing okay.

Jerry: I don't think it would be feasible to harvest H berries for commercial purposes. I could see it paying off for a boutique bakery or an upscale restaurant, but otherwise I don't think it would ever be a smart business decision to drive up to the mountain and labor all day for such a meager return. The fact that it isn't prohibited makes me think that U$F$ agrees there's no real threat. I do imagine there would be some outrage if Whole Food$ started selling $7 Mt Hood Huckleberry scones.
Wow nice waterfall shot!

Looks like it's gushing more water this time of year. That's crazy it's not retreated that much in 30 years. I'm hoping for some more opportunities to explore before the winter sets in. Your posts/high routes provide some inspiration!