Mt Hood loop Aug 26 - Sept 1, 2022

[JBG]

Thanks for the report and updates. I'm hoping to get one more circuit in before September ends. I was hoping to make it more than one, but my weekends keep getting taken over.

Getting something reliable up above that waterfall on the bedrock would be welcome, though this year I found the Coe (first week of August or so) a much more treacherous crossing. I'm wondering how it is now?

[texasbb]

...this year I found the Coe (first week of August or so) a much more treacherous crossing. I'm wondering how it is now?

When I did it Aug 22-25, I was able to rock hop all the crossings, including Coe. And when I say "hop," I mean "step"...I gave up leaving my feet for crossings years ago. (Edit: I used a log over Muddy Fork.) Eliot was the deepest/fastest at the time and really the only one with hydraulics that would even give me pause for fording (and it wasn't that bad). Here's my buddy crossing Eliot on Aug 22:


And here he is getting ready to rock hop the Coe:

[retired jerry]

flow will be less in September. It cools down so there isn't as much snow (glacier) melt.

I crossed Coe Aug 27 and I could not find rocks to hop, so I just walked across.

I used to be more capable at hopping rocks. Maybe one of these years I'll quit going around Mt Hood. I am 68 years old. Do people still backpack in their 70s?

[retired jerry]

The Muddy Fork was the worst. There's no way I'm going to walk across that log. Although I could have just sat on it and scooted across...

[texasbb]

The Muddy Fork was the worst. There's no way I'm going to walk across that log. Although I could have just sat on it and scooted across...

Good point, Jerry; I forgot about Muddy Fk because I didn't rock hop it but used that log. My log tolerance ain't what it used to be, but that one's big enough to still be within my 62-yo boundaries.

And I expect to keep seeing reports and field guides from you well past 70, Jerry!

Here's the log, way in the back of the photo:


And just before crossing (I did the trail counter-clockwise):

[JBG]

Although I could have just sat on it and scooted across...

Saw a few people doing that crossing the Sandy down from Ramona Falls. Losing that other log across the Muddy Fork makes it more harrowing, though I seem to remember it was harder to "dismount" in the past.

Thanks for the extra information. Last year I did a day hike the last week of September (Cloud Cap to Timberline). Bright, sunny day but there was a one or two day weather system that went through earlier in the week, pushed all the haze and smoke out and left a slight dusting of snow above 6500' or so. Was the most beautiful hike I did that year.

[retired jerry]

yeah, the Muddy Fork used to have that upper log to hold onto. Much better. Although it "pushed you off" the lower log as you got to the east end. If you really leaned over it you could get your center of mass stable.

but, alas, it rotted and fell

What we need is a long log to go where that upper log was. Wouldn't need to be real big.