Timberline Trail conditions

[dixhuit]

I'm planning to take my grandson on his first backpack trip starting July 17. We would camp near Cairn Basin via Top Spur and Timberline trails. If there were as many downed trees on the trail as I saw today on the Elk Meadows Trail, that might be his last backpack trip. Has anyone been up that way recently? How's the trail?

[drm]

It was in good shape last year, and most places did not have a bad winter for blowdown. I came in from the east though.

But July 17 is fairly early for the north side of the mountain. Your challenge will be snow and possibly water crossings, especially if you have warm weather. Bugs could be very bad too - nothing like a swarm of mosquitoes or biting flies to ruin your day.

Usually when taking somebody on their first backpack, I would recommend a sure thing experience, unless you know the person to be adventurous. Herman or Trapper Creeks would be examples of sure things, or the Lewis River.

[pinecone]

I've communicated with and gone through reports from a bunch of folks that have completed the trail over the last week. Overall, still currently good amounts of snow, but much less now than there was this time last year, and many are still out enjoying the trail with a bit extra precautions and slow moving. The most complicated sections are focused on the north section, where the slopes along the trail when covered by even just a bit of snow make for steep bits. Mid July there will likely be still patches of snow, but much less continuous stretches (other than the higher east side, which isn't much of a navigation or steepness hazard, just are more vast). At the moments reports describe the conditions as at the point where snow is thinning enough to create the type of snow bridges that put in hazards at the tight drainages with water flows below. Lots of reported extra blowdown on the north side between Elk Cove and Eliot. Eliot the most challenging waterflow, from multiple folks. The trail along Yocum Ridge that was destroyed by the windstorm is technically open, but still a hassle and challenge with some steep, narrow bits and lots of logs down to navigate. Some users went and said they wished they hadn't, others turned back for the reroute, still others persevered through. I'd probably take the reroute, but I love Ramona Creek too, and wouldn't recommend taking a first time backpacker through.

I'll probably try my first loop of the year sometime around then, mid-late July. If you want to keep updated on trail conditions, and see current satellite snow imagery, check out my site https://elevationchanges.com/timberlinetrail/ and if you want to teach your grandson any of the lessons of navigation by taking along an updated, accurate paper field map, think about picking up one of my maps while there

[dixhuit]

Thank you both for your thoughtful replies. I may go up and scope it out myself this week.

[Pick-a-Pika]

Lookout Mountain might work for a first time backpack. The High Prairie trail has a campsite with a nice view of the east side of Mt. Hood, right in your face, at the top of the gentle climb from the trailhead,. It's an easy 1 1/4 miles from there. Might make a decent base camp for further explorations heading east on the Divide Trail, which connects with the HP trail. There are views of the Badger Creek Wilderness, Three Sisters, Central Oregon, and rocky outcroppings to explore. There are campsites near the Divide Trail via a short hop to Oval Lake.

This past Sunday morning, no one was camped up there.

[ChrisA]

The Timberline Trail through Mount Hood Meadows will be closed Thursday, Sunday and Monday - 7-27, 7-30 and 7-31. There is a detour.

https://www.skihood.com/en/about-us/mea ... ft-project