I took a chance that today's promise of sun would allow for views from Observation Peak in the Trapper Creek Wilderness. I also wanted to get a gps log of the 192 trail and check out snow conditions in the basin W of the summit. As I left the TH around 7:30am, the sun was beginning to melt the mists that had filled the valley overnight.
Except for the summit, most of this hike is in the forest, where there were still more than a few reasonably fresh mushrooms growing - in mid-November!
The 192 was in generally good condition, except for a short piece (just before the bridge over upper Trapper Ck) where a set of boulders had simply collapsed, taking the trail with them. Easy to get past but sorry to see the trail damaged.
There seemed to be an unusual amount of water in all the creeks and the falls draining the W side of Observation also seemed pretty full for so late in the year.
I'd expected to see some snow, at least in the upper basin, but there was none at all on any of the trails or on Observation itself. What's interesting is that Indian Heaven, just 20 miles or so further E, has a nice blanket of snow. I had lunch on the summit, with a view of Hood and its lenticular,
but not of Adams (Sleeping Beauty (s) was just going into some clouds),
St Helens was half buried,
but I could just see Augspurger (1), Dog (2), Wind (3), and Defiance (4) rising out of the miasmas filling the Gorge.
After lunch it was down Trail 132 to the TH. The only people I saw all day were three hunters about three miles in on the 192. Classic hike (14.5 mi RT / 3,400' EG) on a sunny, warm, wind- and snow-free day.
Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
Nice trip! I still gotta get out there. Hopefully, this weather'll hold for next Friday/weekend. I didn't see a lick of snow, either, from Hamilton today. Not sure where it all went! But that's okay.
Karl
Back on the trail, again...
Back on the trail, again...
Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
No snow?! Thank you for this report! Do you happen to know what 'peak' this is? Bunker Hill perhaps?
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Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
Trout Creek Hill at about 2900' , Bunker Hill is a bit lower at around 2300'...airoff wrote:No snow?! Thank you for this report! Do you happen to know what 'peak' this is? Bunker Hill perhaps?
Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
Thanks man!Eric Peterson wrote:
Trout Creek Hill at about 2900' , Bunker Hill is a bit lower at around 2300'...
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Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
NP, I should have said that was my best guess after looking at NG Topo and some mapsets in Basecamp,airoff wrote:Thanks man!Eric Peterson wrote:
Trout Creek Hill at about 2900' , Bunker Hill is a bit lower at around 2300'...
I bet VM knows for sure since he's the peak identifier master!
Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
He is the master of peak identifications, that is for sure! I love how he does that; I learn stuff each and every time.Eric Peterson wrote:NP, I should have said that was my best guess after looking at NG Topo and some mapsets in Basecamp,airoff wrote:Thanks man!Eric Peterson wrote:
Trout Creek Hill at about 2900' , Bunker Hill is a bit lower at around 2300'...
I bet VM knows for sure since he's the peak identifier master!
Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
VM,
I did this same loop on 11/2. It was the wettest, coldest hike I have ever done. No views, high winds and horizontal sleet at the summit. I was wondering what exactly you can see from the summit. Now I know! Thanks!
I did this same loop on 11/2. It was the wettest, coldest hike I have ever done. No views, high winds and horizontal sleet at the summit. I was wondering what exactly you can see from the summit. Now I know! Thanks!
"The top...is not the top" - Mile...Mile & a Half
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Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
Yep, that's Trout Creek Hill - a 300,000 year old shield volcano who's lava once went so far as to dam the Columbia (but only briefly in gelogical time). Some old logging roads and a little XC will get you to the summit but you have to be careful not to fall into some deep remnant vents up there.Eric Peterson wrote:Trout Creek Hill at about 2900' , Bunker Hill is a bit lower at around 2300'...airoff wrote:No snow?! Thank you for this report! Do you happen to know what 'peak' this is? Bunker Hill perhaps?
Re: Observation Peak (192/132 Loop) 10-Nov-2013
Bummer!miah66 wrote:VM,
I did this same loop on 11/2. It was the wettest, coldest hike I have ever done. No views, high winds and horizontal sleet at the summit. I was wondering what exactly you can see from the summit. Now I know! Thanks!
But Observation is worth another try in good weather, as it's one of the best views in the area. It's kind of special because you spend 95% of the day in the viewless forest and then burst out on the summit with views of all the major peaks.