Oregon Hikers

I'm thinking of hiking on Fri to Devil's Peak Lookout (from the Cool Creek TH) near Mt Hood. Does anyone know if there is still snow at the top (5000')? and are the rhodies in bloom yet? I have typically gone two weeks earlier than this, but am assuming that the bloom is later this year. Thanks for advice!

The rhodies are blooming everywhere, so I assume they would be in flower along the Cool Creek Trail as well. As for snow, the snow map shows a little snow at the top, but I'll bet there's some on the trail too since it's on a north facing slope under a dense canopy.

Did you end up going on Friday? What did you see? Would love to hear a report.

My husband hiked up to Mirror Lake and Tom, Dick, and Harry yesterday (6/25) and didn't see a single rhododendron in bloom yet.

Blooming everywhere? I guess the PCT between Wapinita Pass and Twin Lakes is nowhere, then. I was quite surprised by the lack of both blooms and even buds. As of June 25th, these plants had not got the memo that it's summer. Not much on flowers on this section of pathway, even half of the trilliums were still white. In my front yard, the blooms have long since bloomed out, so elevation is an important factor in what you will find.

Salmon Butte, at about 3100' the Rhodies are blooming.

If you're still looking to get out to enjoy the rhodies, as of Monday, July 4, the Boulder Ridge trail to Huckleberry Mountain had several areas in bloom.

The rhodies were blooming on the way up to the viewpoint on the Salmon River Trail last weekend, but still no rhodies in the Barlow Pass area. Even the cascade lilies are only in bud form (2 plants only on Saturday). Slow year for beargrass as well with two small blooms on the PCT in the Ghost Ridge area.

The big surprise: no candy stripe this year, and it usually comes out after an above-average snow year. I had really been looking forward to that colorful heath plant.

On Palmateer Point, the sulfur buckwheat and yellow groundsel are making a good showing while the penstemon are just getting started, and the phlox has already bloomed itself out.