"Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Trip recommendations, current conditions, and other trail related Q&A
Post Reply
User avatar
CyrusK.
Posts: 60
Joined: November 27th, 2018, 8:28 pm

"Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by CyrusK. » March 3rd, 2019, 10:27 am

Ok so I usually don't use apple maps out of principle but since Mt. Hood has less snow cover in their satellite view than Google maps, I was using it to try to find that tiny meltwater lake right under Gladd ridge. Anyways, I saw this:
IMG_0427.png
Does anyone know what this might refer to? Is there a "Clear pond" swimming hole on upper Clear branch or something? Is this just mislabeled?

User avatar
teachpdx
Posts: 395
Joined: January 21st, 2014, 4:45 pm
Location: Hillsboro, OR

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by teachpdx » March 5th, 2019, 8:08 am

I've been in the area dozens of times.

It's a classic Apple Maps error. There isn't a pond there.

There is a small camping area just south of there, right around where the trees end on Barrett Spur on the north end of the larger snowfield. It's a little marshy during the earlier summer months, but not nearly enough to be classified as a pond.

Other than that, I don't know where a "Clear Pond" would be on Mt. Hood. Somebody just probably fat-fingered the latitude/longitude so it's some order of magnitude directly N/S or directly E/W, but where is anybody's guess.
instagram: @remyodyssey

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14395
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by retired jerry » March 5th, 2019, 8:21 am

that's on my list, to camp there, that would be a nice spot but very exposed if the weather wasn't perfect

User avatar
CyrusK.
Posts: 60
Joined: November 27th, 2018, 8:28 pm

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by CyrusK. » March 5th, 2019, 2:18 pm

I'd also been around there before, and was wondering if I was missing out on a swimming hole or a tarn I didn't know. Then again, it's Apple Maps, I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up... It's probably just someone messing up with clear branch or clear lake. Thanks for the help, anyway.

User avatar
CyrusK.
Posts: 60
Joined: November 27th, 2018, 8:28 pm

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by CyrusK. » March 5th, 2019, 2:19 pm

Actually, wait a minute... The text appears right where clear branch seems to originate. Is there a spring where the creek starts? That might be what it's referring to.

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14395
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by retired jerry » March 5th, 2019, 2:36 pm

as I remember, like TP said, it's kind of swampy. There might be a pool at times. It's at the foot of a snowfield or glacier as I remember.

User avatar
adamschneider
Posts: 3710
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: SE Portland
Contact:

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by adamschneider » March 5th, 2019, 2:53 pm

retired jerry wrote:
March 5th, 2019, 2:36 pm
as I remember, like TP said, it's kind of swampy. There might be a pool at times. It's at the foot of a snowfield or glacier as I remember.
The "occasionally swampy area" is 200-300 yards SSE of where Apple Maps is putting the "Clear Pond" label. I doubt they're referring to that.

(By the way, Google Earth has 9/3/18 imagery with even less snow cover than the Apple Maps view.)

User avatar
adamschneider
Posts: 3710
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: SE Portland
Contact:

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by adamschneider » March 5th, 2019, 3:58 pm

OK, I searched the National Hydrography Dataset for Oregon, Washington, and California, and there's NOTHING in there called "Clear Pond." Either they mis-typed the longitude for something east of here, or it's a truly random glitch.

User avatar
CyrusK.
Posts: 60
Joined: November 27th, 2018, 8:28 pm

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by CyrusK. » March 5th, 2019, 6:22 pm

Well, even though Apple maps probably screwed up, I'd still like to search the area just to see what I find.

User avatar
retired jerry
Posts: 14395
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: "Clear pond" on Mt. Hood?

Post by retired jerry » March 6th, 2019, 5:54 am

"Well, even though Apple maps probably screwed up, I'd still like to search the area just to see what I find."

That is a great idea. Serendipity.

Post Reply