Tire Mountain Trail via Alpine Trail

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naturallog
Posts: 52
Joined: February 2nd, 2016, 9:07 pm
Location: Portland, OR

Tire Mountain Trail via Alpine Trail

Post by naturallog » June 19th, 2022, 3:17 pm

After being a fair-weathered hiker all spring (as in, having not gone out much at all due to the rain), I decided that I just had to get out and go see something this weekend. If the weather wasn't going to cooperate with views, at least I could hopefully get a glimpse of some beautiful flowers. And I did!

I was the first to arrive at the Alpine Trailhead #3 a little before 10:00 AM. Road 1912 was in very good condition, with just a few pot holes that might sneak up on you. Otherwise a smooth and uneventful drive.

When I started the trail, I noted the sign that showed permitted uses. Going into this, I knew the Alpine Trail was popular with mountain bikes. I was not expecting, however, to see a small sign that showed motorcycles were permitted (a small brown sign, similar to what's shown here: https://staythetrail.org/trail-signs/). I encountered a pair of motorcycle riders on the trail, which I was again not expecting, but it was a fleeting and fine encounter, all things considered. I also ran into a few groups of hikers and one pair of mountain bikers on my way back to the car.

The trail was very muddy throughout the hike. Even the stretches of tread that appeared "ok" were still very saturated and slippery, making it hard to enjoy a nice full stride for much of the hike. Helpful for testing balance and engaging some lesser used muscles.

I am glad I chose this hike for today because the flower display was beautiful. I decided to make flowers my primary objective and did not go for the Tire Mountain summit after reaching the last meadow. Lots of pink, purple, yellow, and white, with some appearances by paintbrush and balsam root. I'd like to come back next season on a clearer day to take everything in, but I felt like I got just what I needed out of this trail today.
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bobcat
Posts: 2764
Joined: August 1st, 2011, 7:51 am
Location: SW Portland

Re: Tire Mountain Trail via Alpine Trail

Post by bobcat » June 21st, 2022, 5:58 am

The flowers indeed look stunning. I didn't realize that was also a motorcycle track.

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