I wandered up to Elk Mountain for a view across to Lookout Mountain,
to mirror the view I had from Lookout back toward Elk and Hood in July of this year.
Then I spent some time in the meadows, enjoying the warm sunshine, Fall colors, and gentle breeze flowing across the grasses.
After far too short of a visit, I headed down, catching a last look at Hood from the trail into Newton Creek Canyon.
I wasn’t surprised to find the TH parking lot nearly full when I got back – why wouldn’t you want to be in the wilderness on a perfect Fall day? It had been sunny when I left Portland, but I returned to find it blanketed in a gloom of stubborn low clouds. I would have lingered longer on the Mountain had I known.