Castle Canyon Trail 072621

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Don Nelsen
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Castle Canyon Trail 072621

Post by Don Nelsen » July 27th, 2021, 5:53 pm

Kel wouldn’t tell me where we were going Monday, only saying it would be a surprise. Well, often I pick out the hikes after a discussion and mutual agreement and at least a couple of times I’ve surprised her on where we were going so it was my turn to be surprised.

We’ve done lots of hikes near Mt. Hood but there are still a few we’ve not done and this one was a big surprise! It’s short, to be sure, only 2.4 miles total out and back via the route we took, but very steep, especially the final bit at the top. The rock formations were the biggest surprise and the unexpected views from them, too.

The trail starts out nice and gentle but soon becomes steeper and more interesting. After a half mile or so, the ridge narrows and rock outcrops appear, quickly becoming epic. As a side note, this might be called “Castle Ridge Trail” but that doesn’t flow as well.
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We arrived at a magnificent ridge with a catwalk along the spine and enjoyed a short break, noting that the trail continued on up. We continued to where the route became a rock climb/scramble about 200’ vertical more and decided that was it for this trip. I wonder if the bootpath/rockclimb continues all the way to the top of the ridge and the Zigzag Mt. Trail?

The first ridge:
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Continuing up, the rock was now solid basalt instead of a mix of cemented ash and rock:
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Seriously steep, but doable with veggie belays:
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We had lunch on a small flat spot at 2,700' when the route turned to a rockclimb. Here's the route above where we turned back:
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On the way back, at the first ridge with the views we noticed a side trail off to a parallel ridge a few hundred feet to the west. Wow! An even better ridge, albeit a sketchier bootpath trail. A few photos:
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The map:
Castle Canyon Trail et al, 072621.jpg
dn

Hike # 69, 1,100' EG, 2.4 miles
Last edited by Don Nelsen on July 28th, 2021, 5:03 pm, edited 4 times in total.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Chip Down
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Joined: November 8th, 2014, 8:41 pm

Re: Castle Canyon Trail 072621

Post by Chip Down » July 28th, 2021, 6:38 am

Don Nelsen wrote:
July 27th, 2021, 5:53 pm
I wonder if the bootpath/rockclimb continues all the way to the top of the ridge and the Zigzag Mt. Trail?
Sort of. Details here: viewtopic.php?t=28148

Webfoot
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Joined: November 25th, 2015, 11:06 am
Location: Troutdale

Re: Castle Canyon Trail 072621

Post by Webfoot » July 28th, 2021, 7:35 am

That's a fun one, and just my size, but I chickened out at the "sketchier bootpath trail." It looked like I would be trusting my life to a clump of grass, and it still does.

Since you're bolder, did you climb into the alcove on the spire that Kel is looking at in the second photo?

jvangeld
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Joined: May 29th, 2018, 6:36 pm
Location: Proebstel, WA

Re: Castle Canyon Trail 072621

Post by jvangeld » July 28th, 2021, 2:03 pm

That is beautiful, the way the rock formations pop out of the forest.
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109

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Don Nelsen
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Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Castle Canyon Trail 072621

Post by Don Nelsen » July 28th, 2021, 5:29 pm

Chip Down wrote:
July 28th, 2021, 6:38 am
Don Nelsen wrote:
July 27th, 2021, 5:53 pm
I wonder if the bootpath/rockclimb continues all the way to the top of the ridge and the Zigzag Mt. Trail?
Sort of. Details here: viewtopic.php?t=28148
Chip,

Thanks for posting the link. I try to read all of your TR's but I must have missed that one. "Sort of" - no kidding! Kudos for doing that bad boy. It looked really daunting looking up from where I ended the hike Monday.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Don Nelsen
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Vancouver, WA

Re: Castle Canyon Trail 072621

Post by Don Nelsen » July 28th, 2021, 5:32 pm

Webfoot wrote:
July 28th, 2021, 7:35 am
That's a fun one, and just my size, but I chickened out at the "sketchier bootpath trail." It looked like I would be trusting my life to a clump of grass, and it still does.

Since you're bolder, did you climb into the alcove on the spire that Kel is looking at in the second photo?
Nope. I didn't even notice it until you mentioned it. Guess I have to go back. :)

The area looks to have lots more interesting nooks and crannies and I'll be back to do some more exploring.

Thanks for the comment!

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

realtrailclown
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Joined: January 27th, 2021, 4:59 pm

Re: Castle Canyon Trail 072621

Post by realtrailclown » April 2nd, 2023, 9:22 am

Did this one on March 18th, and it's a nice, fast climb. Near the top, encountered peregrine falcons, swooping around in the canyon below. There was a thick layer of snow laying atop the moss on the very final approach to the end, so opted not to attempt that (no cleats). I learned from a local that there is a side trail that forks off the from the approach that offers great views as well, but once again conditions prevented me from following that fork to the end. I will be back.
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