Mt. Hood in a day

[pete7898]

Hello all,

I have a planned trip to circumnavigate Mt. hood (CCW) next month and any info/tips is greatly appreciated. I'm an ultra-runner by nature so I intend to complete the 40 mile route in one push via the PCT and TT #600 (hopefully sub 12 hours).

Below is what I intend to have with me:

(2) paper maps with hand notes and estimated distances
A GPX file on my phone
Raincoat (forecast dependent)
(2) 500 mL soft flasks (this lasts about 10 miles on hot days)
Water filter
Around 2,000 calories
Extra socks
sunglasses and baseball cap

I've done quite a bit of research and read loads of trip reports but I still feel like there's a lot more to learn.

Thanks in advance!

[retired jerry]

start before sunrise

you probably only need one 500 ml water bottle, lots of water sources along the way

flashlight

[pete7898]

Thanks for the tips.

I'll have to stick with two bottles, one for water and the other for tailwind.

I'm thinking starting 30 mins before sunrise which gives me roughly 14 hours before sunset, but I'll add a flashlight just in case.

[drm]

Do you bring any kind of first aid gear?

[pete7898]

Usually no first aid. Other than slapping a band-aid on, my first aid skills are non-existent. However, I will have bodyglide with to address any chafing. Are there any technical sections where a fall is likely? All that I've ever seen is the river crossings can be tricky in the afternoons or after a rainstorm.

[poppacouch]

I did just this about 10 days ago. Happy to answer any specific questions you may have. We walked it and finished in 15:40.

Timberline Trail Loop in a day - July 17, 2020

Did it CCW as you planned. First 30 miles went quick and fairly-easy, but the final push from Sandy to Timberline Lodge is a (couple) rough climb(s) at the end of a long day. Someone suggested to me (and I agree in principle), that starting from Ramona Falls, and going CCW would be a VERY favorable route. Get all the hard stuff out of the way in the first half of the day and finish on a long, gentle decline back to Ramona. This requires a bit more logistics of camping at Ramona OR adding an extra 3.5 miles from Ramona TH.

You may consider adding trekking poles, especially for the climbs.

[walrus]

Ditto headlamp - you probably won't need it, but better to have it than not.

If you already do mountain running and know this, I apologize....

• When I run at/above timberline, I carry 1500 ML - the backup a soft flask I only fill before a long stretch with no water. The altitude and the sun wring me out. If you're going CCW, there is not a lot of water between Newton Creek and the Eliot crossing. (But I don't carry a filter and am therefore more picky about streams)

• My trail first aid kid fits into a snack-sized ziploc: two wet wipe packages, hydration tabs, ibuprofen, benadryl, blister bandaids, big bandaid, tegaderm patch)

• I also carry cheap/light emergency blanket that I hope I'll never have to use, but there are enough remote and cell-service-less parts of the mountain that I'd rather carry the negligible weight

• Sunscreen and lip balm

• The trail doesn't have terribly technical sections in good weather, but it is rocky and rooty in places and there is a lot of sand, hence the tegaderm in the first aid kit to address road rash. Learned that one the hard way. In a pinch, though, coat your road rash in chapstick until you can provide better first aid...

• I know you've got a time goal, but HUCKLEBERRIES! Snag some if you can. Likewise, take the time to bop up to the Cooper Spur shelter and Paradise Park if you feel like you can. Or come back later and do a more leisurely trip!

Have fun. If all goes well, I'm headed around on Sunday

EDIT: my laissez faire attitude towards filtration is specific to trails and water sources I know well and across seasons/years.

[pete7898]

I did just this about 10 days ago. Happy to answer any specific questions you may have. We walked it and finished in 15:40.

Timberline Trail Loop in a day - July 17, 2020

Did it CCW as you planned. First 30 miles went quick and fairly-easy, but the final push from Sandy to Timberline Lodge is a (couple) rough climb(s) at the end of a long day. Someone suggested to me (and I agree in principle), that starting from Ramona Falls, and going CCW would be a VERY favorable route. Get all the hard stuff out of the way in the first half of the day and finish on a long, gentle decline back to Ramona. This requires a bit more logistics of camping at Ramona OR adding an extra 3.5 miles from Ramona TH.

You may consider adding trekking poles, especially for the climbs.

Found your well written, entertaining, and informative report yesterday! Thanks for sharing. I've always envied those who can articulate an adventure and feel bad that I can't do the same. I was very happy to hear keeping dry at the river crossings is doable, and that this route can be fast hiked in under 16 hours.

Since this is my first time, the traditional Timberline start/finish seemed fitting, but I'll look into starting at Ramona. I thought about getting poles, but I've never used them so I figured now isn't an ideal time to try and learn how.

Did you take the shortcut near bald mountain? I saw you had over 40 miles, but haven't seen any reports on how much longer the new Elliot trail is.

[pete7898]

Ditto headlamp - you probably won't need it, but better to have it than not.

If you already do mountain running and know this, I apologize....

• When I run at/above timberline, I carry 1500 ML - the backup a soft flask I only fill before a long stretch with no water. The altitude and the sun wring me out. If you're going CCW, there is not a lot of water between Newton Creek and the Eliot crossing. (But I don't carry a filter and am therefore more picky about streams)

• My trail first aid kid fits into a snack-sized ziploc: two wet wipe packages, hydration tabs, ibuprofen, benadryl, blister bandaids, big bandaid, tegaderm patch)

• I also carry cheap/light emergency blanket that I hope I'll never have to use, but there are enough remote and cell-service-less parts of the mountain that I'd rather carry the negligible weight

• Sunscreen and lip balm

• The trail doesn't have terribly technical sections in good weather, but it is rocky and rooty in places and there is a lot of sand, hence the tegaderm in the first aid kit to address road rash. Learned that one the hard way. In a pinch, though, coat your road rash in chapstick until you can provide better first aid...

• I know you've got a time goal, but HUCKLEBERRIES! Snag some if you can. Likewise, take the time to bop up to the Cooper Spur shelter and Paradise Park if you feel like you can. Or come back later and do a more leisurely trip!

Have fun. If all goes well, I'm headed around on Sunday

Good Luck on Sunday! I have some mountain running experience, but mostly below 5,000 ft elevation (from the land of corn fields). I choose CCW to get the high point done early in case I don't acclimate well. The paradise park section is dependent on how I feel at that point since it adds more climbing and this will already be the most vert I've ever done. There will be lots of stopping to take pictures and soak in the views. If I was willing to run this at a race effort, I think 10 hours is doable. Right now I have a 50 miler a few weeks later (somehow hasn't been canceled yet) so this is realistically a final long training run.

[Schrauf]

Since you're not used to altitude, a few points.

The 7k high point on the east side would rarely be high enough for one to get actual "altitude sickness", but you'll definitely feel out of breath and slower than normal, possibly even at 6k or 5k (which is much of the loop).

Assuming it's sunny, add 10 degrees to the actual temperature to determine the "feels like" temp, especially in regard to expected water consumption. Besides the stronger UV rays that feel hotter, it's also drier at altitude. On a related note, plan on more electrolytes than you normally need for a flatter 40-mile route at low elevation, due to both the altitude and constant up and down.

Given the 40 mile actual distance, but with the altitude and climbs you're not used to, I would plan on a time closer to a 50-mile effort, and when you're done it will feel more like having completed a 60-mile effort (compared to an easy route). If you begin the climb out of the Sandy River already bonked, it's a long trek back to Timberline (the climb is long and feels even longer, plus the last up and down into Zigzag Canyon).