Cast Creek Trail, 10/2/2019

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Aimless
Posts: 1922
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lake Oswego

Cast Creek Trail, 10/2/2019

Post by Aimless » October 5th, 2019, 12:15 pm

I hiked up the Cast Creek trail in Mt. Hood Wilderness last Wednesday, October 2nd. After significant snow fell the previous weekend, down to 3000 ft or even lower down, Monday and Tuesday were sunny, so I expected much of that snow had melted by Wednesday. I was right.

Wednesday was gray, with a high overcast, but not especially cold. I had no thermometer, but estimated that it was never colder than 45 degrees, even at my highest point, and I had no trouble staying comfortable. The trail was in fine shape. It has no views for the first 5 miles, unless you count a few glimpses of neighboring ridges through the tree cover, but it is a pleasant forested hike. I saw the first tiny remnant of snow at 4000 ft. By the time I had ascended to 4600 feet and my stopping point at the junction with Zigzag Mt. trail there were about 2 inches of snow covering any part of the trail not sheltered under big trees, but also small puddles of snowmelt here and there. I saw no one all day long and had a wonderful time. It was quiet and beautiful everywhere, except for the distant gunfire from the target shooters. :(

Aimless
Posts: 1922
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: Lake Oswego

Re: Cast Creek Trail, 10/2/2019

Post by Aimless » October 5th, 2019, 1:17 pm

Just as you reach the 5 mile mark, the trail does break out into the open for a short stretch, with a view of Mt Hood.
DSCF2251.JPG
Mt. Hood and E. Zigzag Mt.

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