Dog Mountain Loop 9/11/10
Posted: September 12th, 2010, 8:16 am
Oh my god, not another Dog Mountain Trip Report...
And, from such an unexpected source! In fact, this 7 mile, nearly 3000 feet of elevation gain loop was perfect on my road to recovery from fracturing my heel bone about 3 months ago. I've got my mind set on climbing South Sister in October, so I could justify hiking such a popular trail as a "training" hike.
My friend Sue and I left Portland early to try and get a head start on the crowds. When we rolled into the parking lot at 8:45 we were surprised to see a group of about 20 rambunctious boys and their adult chaperones just getting ready to go. Hooray. Lucky for us, they took an extended break at the restrooms just a few yards from the trailhead. We never heard or saw them again for the rest of the hike!
At the first junction, we decided to head up the "Less Difficult" route (something I never thought I'd do) in order to be nice to my foot and ankle. The trail went up and up through a lovely, open forest blanketed by Oregon Grape. Oh, how I wished those "grapes" were blueberries ready to eat! Near the top of the forest we passed two separate guys on their way back down from the summit. Early risers...
Within an hour we exited the forest and entered Dog Mountain's famous meadows. Here we stopped to cast our eyes out over the Gorge. As we approached the nondescript summit we admired the few autumn blooms hanging on to life and the wind-sculpted, scraggly trees. The weather was spectacular; the sun was warm and the breeze was cool. We enjoyed 20 minutes of sitting on the summit by ourselves before taking off towards the Augsperger Trail. Shortly after we left we passed a couple of folks with dog on their way up. Perfect timing!
The Augsperger Trail winds down the west side of Dog Mountain at a more mellow grade. It's a bit longer but it is scenic and passes through a variety of flora. Parts of the trail are very wet and densely vegetated with trees and shrubs. Other parts are dry, infested with poison oak, and lined with grass. Here is where the trail crosses one talus slope after another. This became rather difficult for my ankle, since weighting it at any angle other than flush with the ground is painful. I slowed my pace and relied more heavily on my hiking poles to get me through the last mile or so back to the car. Fortunately I had a hiking partner who was happy to keep my pace and be patient with me! When we arrived at the parking lot, it was jam-packed with cars. We did an amazing job of avoiding the throng and appreciated the peace and quiet we experienced on these very well-traveled trails. All-in-all, we maintained a respectable pace. We finished in 3:45, with a 20 minute summit-savoring break. Next week I'm upping the mileage and elevation gain. I'm accepting suggestions
And, from such an unexpected source! In fact, this 7 mile, nearly 3000 feet of elevation gain loop was perfect on my road to recovery from fracturing my heel bone about 3 months ago. I've got my mind set on climbing South Sister in October, so I could justify hiking such a popular trail as a "training" hike.
My friend Sue and I left Portland early to try and get a head start on the crowds. When we rolled into the parking lot at 8:45 we were surprised to see a group of about 20 rambunctious boys and their adult chaperones just getting ready to go. Hooray. Lucky for us, they took an extended break at the restrooms just a few yards from the trailhead. We never heard or saw them again for the rest of the hike!
At the first junction, we decided to head up the "Less Difficult" route (something I never thought I'd do) in order to be nice to my foot and ankle. The trail went up and up through a lovely, open forest blanketed by Oregon Grape. Oh, how I wished those "grapes" were blueberries ready to eat! Near the top of the forest we passed two separate guys on their way back down from the summit. Early risers...
Within an hour we exited the forest and entered Dog Mountain's famous meadows. Here we stopped to cast our eyes out over the Gorge. As we approached the nondescript summit we admired the few autumn blooms hanging on to life and the wind-sculpted, scraggly trees. The weather was spectacular; the sun was warm and the breeze was cool. We enjoyed 20 minutes of sitting on the summit by ourselves before taking off towards the Augsperger Trail. Shortly after we left we passed a couple of folks with dog on their way up. Perfect timing!
The Augsperger Trail winds down the west side of Dog Mountain at a more mellow grade. It's a bit longer but it is scenic and passes through a variety of flora. Parts of the trail are very wet and densely vegetated with trees and shrubs. Other parts are dry, infested with poison oak, and lined with grass. Here is where the trail crosses one talus slope after another. This became rather difficult for my ankle, since weighting it at any angle other than flush with the ground is painful. I slowed my pace and relied more heavily on my hiking poles to get me through the last mile or so back to the car. Fortunately I had a hiking partner who was happy to keep my pace and be patient with me! When we arrived at the parking lot, it was jam-packed with cars. We did an amazing job of avoiding the throng and appreciated the peace and quiet we experienced on these very well-traveled trails. All-in-all, we maintained a respectable pace. We finished in 3:45, with a 20 minute summit-savoring break. Next week I'm upping the mileage and elevation gain. I'm accepting suggestions