Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

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Splintercat
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Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by Splintercat » August 29th, 2021, 5:41 pm

These photos are from a loop I did in late July -- I visit Eliot Moraine every year, but this was actually the first time I'd hiked the Tilly Jane Loop after all this time! It's a nice addition -- some interesting views into Polallie Canyon, some really impressive old growth Mountain Hemlock and a look at the group of historic buildings at Tilly Jane campground and guard station. There were several logs down on the Tilly Jane Trail -- all were easily navigated.

I also made a couple stops on the way up Cloud Cap Road (which BTW, is very bumpy this year), starting with this view of the forest recovery in the lower part of the 2008 Gnarl Fire burn.

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I also tend the little trail that drops down to Inspiration Point at about the 3-mile mark along the road -- it's in great shape, very little work needed this year. Here's Mount Hood and the Eliot Branch canyon from the view point:

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This is a close-up of the north face and the Coe (right) and Eliot (left) glaciers from Inspiration Point:

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The Tilly Jane connector trail begins at the east end of the Cloud Cap Saddle campground, close to where the Timberline Trail drops into the campground. It's signed, and quickly leaves the dense, unburned forest and heads into a section burned in 2008. From here, you can see what a miracle it was that Cloud Cap Inn was saved from both the Gnarl and Dollar Lake fires!

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Soon the connector trail empties arrives at the Tilly Jane Campground. To visit the historic buildings, jump off the connector here, and walk toward the old guard station...

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...then continue past the guard station to a short trail that crosses a branch of Tilly Jane Creek, then passes the cool, old campfire amphitheater.

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Just past the amphitheater, the Tilly Jane Trail heads off to the right, but if you're interested in more history, the old A-Frame and other structures and interpretive signs are just beyond the Tilly Jane Trail junction.

Heading up the Tilly Jane Trail, there are some really impressive old Mountain Hemlock giants -- while fire is both inevitable and beneficial, it's also true that I'm REALLY glad that some of these old trees survived the burn!

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The trail soon beings to follow the edge of Polallie Canyon, with several viewpoints into the abyss. For old-timers, this is the origin of the huge washout in 1980 that took out a couple miles of Highway 35 between Cold Spring Creek and the Parkdale junction. It took ODOT months to completely rebuild the highway there.

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These Mountain Hemlocks are fighting the good fight, but the Polallie Canyon is still growing... and still winning the fight:

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As you climb steadily along the Tilly Jane Trail, you begin to see Whitebark Pine ghost trees -- and they are being rapidly replaced by Mountain Hemlock in this part of the forest. Tough to see, though further along, there are also young Whitebarks that are doing well -- hopefully, because they've developed resistance to the rust and other diseases that are attacking Whitebarks...

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Classic cluster of young Mountain Hemlock trees getting started near the tree line. Lots of avalanche evidence in this stretch of trail, so these little guys have a rough ride ahead!

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Junction of the Timberline Trail, Tilly Jane Trail and Cooper Spur Trail. From here, I followed the Cooper Spur Trail to a favorite viewpoint about a mile beyond the Cooper Spur Shelter, then returned on the Timberline Trail to Cloud Cap.

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Looking down across the Eliot Glacier moraines the upper Hood River Valley toward Mount Adams:

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My turnaround point -- a favorite vantage point of the Mountain and Eliot Glacier from about the 7,000 foot level. Time for lunch! :D

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I've been hiking on Mount Hood since I was a toddler, but since about 2000, I've been using digital cameras -- and that has given me a really consistent timeline of changes on the mountain. This photo pair shows just how quickly the Eliot Glacier is changing in the face of global climate change:

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It is hard to accept that Mount Hood's mighty glaciers are steadily retreating, but rather than be sad, I try to learn from the growing scientific insight and focus my energy on doing my part to help turn back the climate crisis. I won't live long enough to see Mount Hood's glaciers rebound, but if we all work together, future generations might see that, who knows?

-Tom :-)

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Chip Down
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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by Chip Down » August 29th, 2021, 5:52 pm

Splintercat wrote:
August 29th, 2021, 5:41 pm
... this was actually the first time I'd hiked the Tilly Jane Loop after all this time!
Have you hiked 643 from TJ A-Frame to the seasonal gate on CC Road (or vice versa)? Nice access to the Cooper Spur area in early season when CC Road isn't open yet. Nice trail, and not as arduous as you might think. When you're driving up that road to CC, it seems inconceivable that you could hike a trail instead, but it's manageable.

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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by Splintercat » August 29th, 2021, 7:31 pm

No, I haven't Chip -- always assumed it was a trudge, though from the photos I've see the Gnarl Fire opened up the views a lot. Your description moved it off my "ugh, never" list over to my "well, I might have to think about that..." list. Thanks!

-Tom :-)

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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by pinecone » August 30th, 2021, 3:33 pm

I also tend the little trail that drops down to Inspiration Point at about the 3-mile mark along the road -- it's in great shape, very little work needed this year. Here's Mount Hood and the Eliot Branch canyon from the view point
I need to check this out next time I'm up that way. I'm always too set on getting up the hill!

I was up on the moraine last week for a sunrise and absolutely lucked into a moonset over the glacier at the same time. Image Then I explored all around Tilly Jane. Shame about the campground, but at least there's a near unlimited downed firewood supply for the A-frame, and campers.
Nice access to the Cooper Spur area in early season when CC Road isn't open yet. Nice trail, and not as arduous as you might think


It's a lovely mellow uphill, and since it goes straight feels like it takes about as long to hike up as it does drive. I'm quite fond of the one large tree on the ridge that managed to escape the fire. I don't recommend coming up or down 643A Pollalie Ridge in July to try and make a loop with it, at least as of a couple years ago the trail was dense chest-high overgrown. Better a snowshow.

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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by Splintercat » August 30th, 2021, 5:36 pm

Thanks Pinecone -- and what a great photo! :o

Tom

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Chip Down
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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by Chip Down » August 31st, 2021, 5:54 am

I'm quite fond of the one large tree on the ridge that managed to escape the fire.
Yes, anybody who has hiked that trail knows and loves the dramatic enigmatic survivor tree.
I don't recommend coming up or down 643A Pollalie Ridge in July to try and make a loop with it, at least as of a couple years ago the trail was dense chest-high overgrown. Better a snowshow.
Indeed. It starts out nice, around the Cooper Spur ski area, but it gets to be a hassle, and not worth the trouble.

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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by bobcat » August 31st, 2021, 7:07 am

Took a couple of boys up above Tie-in Rock last week. We descended via the moraine trail. Unfortunately, their benchmark for glacier withdrawal will be your 2021 photo.

IMGP7037.jpg

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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by PatrickL » August 31st, 2021, 11:26 am

Great report, my favorite Mt. Hood area.

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BurnsideBob
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Will the Real Tie-In Rock Please Stand Up?

Post by BurnsideBob » September 2nd, 2021, 7:13 am

Thanks for another great and well illustrated report, Splintercat.
bobcat wrote:
August 31st, 2021, 7:07 am
Took a couple of boys up above Tie-in Rock last week.
Bobcat, which is the real Tie-In Rock? The large rock in the saddle just above Cooper Spur is described by some hiking book authors, like Sullivan, or the large, dome-like rock at the 9,000 foot level described by others and climbing sites. Both appear in this photo:

CooperSpurWithBothTieInRocks.jpg

Here's the lower one (45.37627,-121.67690):
IMG_0892.JPG


And the upper one:
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View of Cooper Spur Climbing Route from the upper rock:
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View of Tilly Jane from the upper rock--lower rock visible in saddle above Cooper Spur's point:
IMG_0900.JPG

I know, easily confused. ;)

Burnside
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Re: Eliot Moraine/Tilly Jane Loop (July 26)

Post by bobcat » September 3rd, 2021, 10:20 am

BurnsideBob wrote:
September 2nd, 2021, 7:13 am
Bobcat, which is the real Tie-In Rock?
I didn't even know there was a controversy. The big boulder sitting on the ridge beyond Hiroshima Rock is what every source I look at calls Tie-in Rock. I know the reddish outcropping you're describing, basically the beginning of the climb proper, but I've never seen a name for it. Could be a painful spot this time of year: I've watched melon-sized rocks come down and bounce off of it.

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