Rainy/North/Bear Lakes + Mt. Defiance 07-July-2010
Posted: July 7th, 2010, 6:50 pm
Did something a little different today – was after scenery more so than mileage or gain. So I drove to the Rainy Lake TH – 10 miles of pretty good gravel/dirt road out of Hood River. After the road becomes dirt, signage is non-existent – just turn left at the only real T-junction and look for two huge logs on either side of a spur road – that spur goes to the Rainy Lake TH. Once at the TH, it was a very short hike on Tr 423A to the lake, with Green Point Mountain as a backdrop,
and some great reflections in the wonderfully clear water.
I then took Tr 423 over to North Lake, which I had last seen in March. Things were different now.
Another nice little lake with clear waters and interesting reflections.
From North, I followed Tr 411 almost back to the road but then took Tr 413 toward Mt. Defiance. In less than ½ mile, Tr 413C (no sign) branches off to Bear Lake. I’d seen this lake more than a few times from the Mt. Defiance trail,
but this is the first time I made an effort to actually visit it. Another nice little pocket lake,
with a view up a seemingly endless scree/boulder slope toward Mt. Defiance.
I backtracked from Bear Lake and headed up to Defiance for lunch with a view. Once again, the view was all about Mt. Hood.
From Defiance, I head back to the car at Rainy Lake. This was a short hike – 7.8 mi and about 1800’ gain – but getting to visit all three of these beautiful little lakes and Mt. Defiance more than compensated for distance & gain. It was breezy most of the day and temperatures seemed mild (at ~4000’), but I could tell by the amount of water I was gulping that it was warmer than it seemed. This became evident when I dropped down to Hood River and the thermometer went into the high 90’s.
and some great reflections in the wonderfully clear water.
I then took Tr 423 over to North Lake, which I had last seen in March. Things were different now.
Another nice little lake with clear waters and interesting reflections.
From North, I followed Tr 411 almost back to the road but then took Tr 413 toward Mt. Defiance. In less than ½ mile, Tr 413C (no sign) branches off to Bear Lake. I’d seen this lake more than a few times from the Mt. Defiance trail,
but this is the first time I made an effort to actually visit it. Another nice little pocket lake,
with a view up a seemingly endless scree/boulder slope toward Mt. Defiance.
I backtracked from Bear Lake and headed up to Defiance for lunch with a view. Once again, the view was all about Mt. Hood.
From Defiance, I head back to the car at Rainy Lake. This was a short hike – 7.8 mi and about 1800’ gain – but getting to visit all three of these beautiful little lakes and Mt. Defiance more than compensated for distance & gain. It was breezy most of the day and temperatures seemed mild (at ~4000’), but I could tell by the amount of water I was gulping that it was warmer than it seemed. This became evident when I dropped down to Hood River and the thermometer went into the high 90’s.
