Difference between revisions of "Mount Defiance-Starvation Ridge Loop Hike"
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
m (Bobcat moved page Defiance-Starvation Loop Hike to Mount Defiance-Starvation Ridge Loop Hike: Correct nomenclature) |
(Revise descriptions) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| + | [[Category:Northwest Oregon]] | ||
[[Category:Columbia River Gorge]] | [[Category:Columbia River Gorge]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Mt Hood National Forest]] | ||
[[Category:State Parks]] | [[Category:State Parks]] | ||
[[Category:Difficult Hikes]] | [[Category:Difficult Hikes]] | ||
[[Category:Waterfall Hikes]] | [[Category:Waterfall Hikes]] | ||
[[Category:Lake Hikes]] | [[Category:Lake Hikes]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Loop Hikes]] | ||
[[Category:Viewpoint Hikes]] | [[Category:Viewpoint Hikes]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Backpackable Hikes]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Wilderness Hikes]] | ||
[[Category:Hikes]] | [[Category:Hikes]] | ||
| Line 19: | Line 24: | ||
{{Distance|11.6 miles}} | {{Distance|11.6 miles}} | ||
{{Elevation gain|4940 feet}} | {{Elevation gain|4940 feet}} | ||
| − | {{Difficulty|Difficult}} | + | * High point: 4,959 feet |
| − | * Seasons: | + | {{Difficulty|Difficult}} |
| + | * Seasons: Mid-May through October | ||
* Family Friendly: No | * Family Friendly: No | ||
* Backpackable: Yes | * Backpackable: Yes | ||
| − | * Crowded: | + | * Crowded: Yes, on weekends |
=== Hike Description === | === Hike Description === | ||
This is the mother of all day hikes in the [[Columbia River Gorge]]. It starts out flat, paved and populated and then seems to pride itself on changing all of that. You'll go up here. The climb is nearly 5000 feet, no matter how you slice it. | This is the mother of all day hikes in the [[Columbia River Gorge]]. It starts out flat, paved and populated and then seems to pride itself on changing all of that. You'll go up here. The climb is nearly 5000 feet, no matter how you slice it. | ||
| − | + | You'll start by heading westward on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, which runs alongside I-84 from the [[Starvation Creek Trailhead]]. Get views to the the twin microdioritic intrusions of [[Shellrock Mountain (Columbia Gorge)|Shellrock Mountain]] and [[Wind Mountain]] as well as [[Dog Mountain]] right across the river. Enter shady maple woods, and look down to see markers dedicating this restored section of the Historic Columbia River Highway. Then pass the [[Historic Columbia River Highway-Starvation Ridge Cutoff Trail Junction]]. In spring, candy flower blooms profusely alongside the paved surface. Reach two-tiered, 220-foot [[Cabin Creek Falls]], where a huge fallen basalt boulder creates an almost hidden amphitheater. The waterfall sprays directly into this hidden area. The Historic Columbia River Highway heads back out to the freeway under a Douglas-fir/big-leaf maple canopy. | |
| − | + | At an open area, arrive at the [[Historic Columbia River Highway-Mount Defiance Trail Junction]]. Go left on a paved trail that passes through a circular picnic area. The Mount Defiance Trail picks up its normal tread here, and 95-foot [[Hole in the Wall Falls]] can be viewed from the picnic circle. This waterfall is an unusual manmade affair. Highway crews drilled a tunnel through the rock and diverted Warren Creek here in 1938 to resolve issues with the creek undermining the highway. The water emerges from a lengthy tunnel and immediately falls, creating the waterfall. From here, you'll take the footbridge below [[Hole in the Wall Falls]]. The trail begins a modest climb, gaining about 140 feet in elevation. You'll reach the powerline corridor, where there's another trail junction, this time with the [[Mount Defiance-Starvation Ridge Trail Junction|Starvation Ridge Trail]]. Honeysuckle, snowberry, stonecrop, and white spiraea bloom here in the spring. Stay to the right. | |
| − | + | Soon the trail reaches Wonder Creek and the lower tier of [[Lancaster Falls]]. The waterfall seems small at first glance, but from the right angle, the tall 250-foot upper tier is visible through the trees (The best place to get an accurate impression of [[Lancaster Falls]] is by traveling the freeway westbound and pulling off at the weigh station west of the [[Starvation Creek Trailhead]]. From late fall to the beginning of spring, before the maples leaf out, you'll get a clear view of the waterfall above. You should only attempt this stop when the weigh station is closed, usually on weekends.). Continue hiking west through the brushy power line corridor, where serviceberry, vine maple, thimbleberry, hazel, snowberry, and poison oak abound. Round a bend, and the rugged profile of [[Shellrock Mountain (Columbia Gorge)|Shellrock Mountain]] hoves into view. You'll also note a grassy abandoned trail bench coming up from the woods below: this is a former track of the Mt. Defiance Trail when it came up from a trailhead near Lindsey Creek. Make two switchbacks up, and before entering the slope forest get good views of [[Wind Mountain]], [[Dog Mountain]], and [[Cook Hill]]. | |
| − | From here, it's up, and we mean | + | From here, it's up, and we mean "up". The trail begins switchbacking up the side of the Gorge almost immediately. You'll gain over 3,000 feet in elevation over the next three miles! Make five switchbacks up, crossing the expanded (2009) boundary of the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness (There's no sign to proclaim this, though). At the 6th switchback, you'll encounter the lower reaches of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire: burn damage, here mainly a ground fire, will accompany you for the next three and a half miles. Use a chopped step to go over a charred log, and make three switchbacks to the rim overlooking Lindsey Creek. Cross an old logging track, and note the green plants that have returned after the fire, including pathfinder, sword fern, wood fern, trailing blackberry, sandwort, thread-leaf phacelia, solomon plume, Oregon grape, and snowberry. At a contorted Douglas-fir, a grassy slope fringed with oaks blooms with balsamroot in mid-spring. Make eleven more switchbacks, crossing the nose of the ridge, and reach a viewpoint to [[Shellrock Mountain (Columbia Gorge)|Shellrock Mountain]], [[Wind Mountain]], [[Greenleaf Peak]], and [[Table Mountain]]. Switchback over to the west side of the ridge, and reach a section of the 2017 burn where there was a crown fire and all the trees were killed. Make three more switchbacks to a gentler grade of the trail in an area less severely burned. |
| + | |||
| + | Pass an unscorched vine maple thicket on the left, and head up an old logging track between low ridges of vegetated talus. In this area, the trail served as a firebreak. However, you'll soon wind up into another section of forest that was killed by a crown fire. The ascent deepens again as you rise under a Douglas-fir canopy. Now you're seeing low scorch marks on trees from a slow-burning ground fire. Hike up through a leafy carpet of bear-grass, arnica, and vanilla leaf to reach a wilderness sign at the pre-2009 boundary. You've only about 1,000 feet in elevation to go from here! Soon reach the outer limit of the Eagle Creek Fire in a stunted forest of Douglas-fir, mountain hemlock, and noble fir. A spur to the right leads to a view of andesite bluffs and an expansive talus slope. The trail passes up through huckleberry, Sitka alder, boxwood, and mountain ash to a vista over the Washington side of the [[Columbia River Gorge]] and on to [[Mount Saint Helens]], [[Mount Rainier]], and [[Mount Adams]]. Make a rocky traverse, getting more views of [[Mount Adams]]. Come to the [[Mount Defiance-Mitchell Point Trail Junction]], and go right. | ||
| + | |||
| + | You'll continue up for less than a quarter mile to reach [[Mount Defiance-Mount Defiance Cutoff Trail North Junction|another junction]], this one (in 2018) marked with only temporary signs. Make a right here for a slightly longer but more scenic route to the summit of [[Mount Defiance]]. Cross a talus slope to get another view of the snow-capped Washington volcanoes. Between the river and [[Mount Adams]], you can make out the top of [[Dog Mountain]], [[Augspurger Mountain]], [[Big Huckleberry Mountain]], and the spine of Indian Heaven. Wind up in a shady montane forest, and begin a traverse of a lengthy talus slope. Look down on [[Bear Lake (near Mt Defiance)|Bear Lake]] and across to [[Green Point Mountain]]. [[Mount Saint Helens]] can be seen to the northwest. Reach the [[Mount Defiance-Mount Defiance Cutoff Trail South Junction]], with its broken sign down on the ground, and go left. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Hike up the talus slope, getting a magnificent view of [[Mount Hood]] to the south. Clumps of common juniper and Cardwell's penstemon have found purchase on the jumbled andesite. The trail reenters the woods and arrives at the summit with its radio tower and fenced compound. To your right, you can find a perch above a slope of large boulders. Gawk at the expansive vista towards [[Mount Hood]] and east to the Hood River Valley for as long as you like. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Now for the return section of the loop. Hike around the communication compound, and find the Mt. Defiance Trail leading down into the trees. Reach the maintenance road, and resume the trail at a High Voltage sign. Continue descending through a huckleberry understory under a canopy of mountain hemlock, noble fir, and silver fir. Cross the maintenance road again, pass a wilderness sign, and keep dropping on a rocky tread. When you reach the [[Mount Defiance-Mount Defiance Cutoff Trail North Junction]], stay left and descend the quarter mile to the well-marked [[Mount Defiance-Mitchell Point Trail Junction]] in an area of lodgepole pines. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Make a right here on the Mitchell Point Trail for [[Warren Lake]]. The trail offers glimpses of [[Mount Saint Helens]], [[Mount Rainier]], and [[Mount Adams]] as it traverses through the trees. Then drop steeply down a talus slope where the trail is marked by several large cairns. Before you reenter the trees, you can go to the right across the talus to get a view down to [[Warren Lake]]. Descend steeply again to reach the bottom of the talus with its skirt of vine maple. The trail enters a shady Douglas-fir forest and passes above the shore of [[Warren Lake]] with its several campsites. Then rise through a lush understory of huckleberry, arnica, and Oregon grape to pass another campsite. Make a level traverse through vanilla leaf, bunchberry, and arnica to exit the wilderness and reach the [[Mount Mitchell-Warren Lake Trail Junction]]. To your right, you can see the bollards for the old trailhead for [[Warren Lake]]; the new trailhead is about 1/4 mile south of the junction. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Keep left here, and rise gently | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
The rocky Warren Lake Trail goes among dwarf trees with occasional views for a while without losing much elevation, then it comes to a rock field with a good view of [[Warren Lake]] and the mountains to the north. From the rock field, the trail goes down steeply, and passes by the lake about 2 1/2 miles from the last junction. There are some good campsites near the shore, and this nice, shallow lake is the only water source on this hike when there's no snow around (if you don't count waterfalls down near the freeway). From Warren Lake, there'll be another flat stretch for a mile or so (ignore the trail going to the right), and then you'll hike down the steep Starvation Ridge Trail almost 3 miles to a junction with the [[Starvation Ridge-Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction|Starvation Cutoff Trail]]. There is another scenic rock field along the way, and then a couple of nice viewpoints of Columbia River. Hang a right at [[Starvation Ridge-Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction|Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction]] and head down 0.4 miles of even steeper [[Mount Defiance-Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction|Starvation Cutoff Trail #414B]] to the old highway near Cabin Creek Falls. Only 2/10 of a mile of pavement is between you and your car. | The rocky Warren Lake Trail goes among dwarf trees with occasional views for a while without losing much elevation, then it comes to a rock field with a good view of [[Warren Lake]] and the mountains to the north. From the rock field, the trail goes down steeply, and passes by the lake about 2 1/2 miles from the last junction. There are some good campsites near the shore, and this nice, shallow lake is the only water source on this hike when there's no snow around (if you don't count waterfalls down near the freeway). From Warren Lake, there'll be another flat stretch for a mile or so (ignore the trail going to the right), and then you'll hike down the steep Starvation Ridge Trail almost 3 miles to a junction with the [[Starvation Ridge-Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction|Starvation Cutoff Trail]]. There is another scenic rock field along the way, and then a couple of nice viewpoints of Columbia River. Hang a right at [[Starvation Ridge-Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction|Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction]] and head down 0.4 miles of even steeper [[Mount Defiance-Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction|Starvation Cutoff Trail #414B]] to the old highway near Cabin Creek Falls. Only 2/10 of a mile of pavement is between you and your car. | ||
Revision as of 23:24, 14 June 2018
- Start point: Starvation Creek Trailhead
- End point: Mount Defiance
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Loop
- Distance: 11.6 miles
- Elevation gain: 4940 feet
- High point: 4,959 feet
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Seasons: Mid-May through October
- Family Friendly: No
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: Yes, on weekends
Contents |
Hike Description
This is the mother of all day hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. It starts out flat, paved and populated and then seems to pride itself on changing all of that. You'll go up here. The climb is nearly 5000 feet, no matter how you slice it.
You'll start by heading westward on the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail, which runs alongside I-84 from the Starvation Creek Trailhead. Get views to the the twin microdioritic intrusions of Shellrock Mountain and Wind Mountain as well as Dog Mountain right across the river. Enter shady maple woods, and look down to see markers dedicating this restored section of the Historic Columbia River Highway. Then pass the Historic Columbia River Highway-Starvation Ridge Cutoff Trail Junction. In spring, candy flower blooms profusely alongside the paved surface. Reach two-tiered, 220-foot Cabin Creek Falls, where a huge fallen basalt boulder creates an almost hidden amphitheater. The waterfall sprays directly into this hidden area. The Historic Columbia River Highway heads back out to the freeway under a Douglas-fir/big-leaf maple canopy.
At an open area, arrive at the Historic Columbia River Highway-Mount Defiance Trail Junction. Go left on a paved trail that passes through a circular picnic area. The Mount Defiance Trail picks up its normal tread here, and 95-foot Hole in the Wall Falls can be viewed from the picnic circle. This waterfall is an unusual manmade affair. Highway crews drilled a tunnel through the rock and diverted Warren Creek here in 1938 to resolve issues with the creek undermining the highway. The water emerges from a lengthy tunnel and immediately falls, creating the waterfall. From here, you'll take the footbridge below Hole in the Wall Falls. The trail begins a modest climb, gaining about 140 feet in elevation. You'll reach the powerline corridor, where there's another trail junction, this time with the Starvation Ridge Trail. Honeysuckle, snowberry, stonecrop, and white spiraea bloom here in the spring. Stay to the right.
Soon the trail reaches Wonder Creek and the lower tier of Lancaster Falls. The waterfall seems small at first glance, but from the right angle, the tall 250-foot upper tier is visible through the trees (The best place to get an accurate impression of Lancaster Falls is by traveling the freeway westbound and pulling off at the weigh station west of the Starvation Creek Trailhead. From late fall to the beginning of spring, before the maples leaf out, you'll get a clear view of the waterfall above. You should only attempt this stop when the weigh station is closed, usually on weekends.). Continue hiking west through the brushy power line corridor, where serviceberry, vine maple, thimbleberry, hazel, snowberry, and poison oak abound. Round a bend, and the rugged profile of Shellrock Mountain hoves into view. You'll also note a grassy abandoned trail bench coming up from the woods below: this is a former track of the Mt. Defiance Trail when it came up from a trailhead near Lindsey Creek. Make two switchbacks up, and before entering the slope forest get good views of Wind Mountain, Dog Mountain, and Cook Hill.
From here, it's up, and we mean "up". The trail begins switchbacking up the side of the Gorge almost immediately. You'll gain over 3,000 feet in elevation over the next three miles! Make five switchbacks up, crossing the expanded (2009) boundary of the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness (There's no sign to proclaim this, though). At the 6th switchback, you'll encounter the lower reaches of the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire: burn damage, here mainly a ground fire, will accompany you for the next three and a half miles. Use a chopped step to go over a charred log, and make three switchbacks to the rim overlooking Lindsey Creek. Cross an old logging track, and note the green plants that have returned after the fire, including pathfinder, sword fern, wood fern, trailing blackberry, sandwort, thread-leaf phacelia, solomon plume, Oregon grape, and snowberry. At a contorted Douglas-fir, a grassy slope fringed with oaks blooms with balsamroot in mid-spring. Make eleven more switchbacks, crossing the nose of the ridge, and reach a viewpoint to Shellrock Mountain, Wind Mountain, Greenleaf Peak, and Table Mountain. Switchback over to the west side of the ridge, and reach a section of the 2017 burn where there was a crown fire and all the trees were killed. Make three more switchbacks to a gentler grade of the trail in an area less severely burned.
Pass an unscorched vine maple thicket on the left, and head up an old logging track between low ridges of vegetated talus. In this area, the trail served as a firebreak. However, you'll soon wind up into another section of forest that was killed by a crown fire. The ascent deepens again as you rise under a Douglas-fir canopy. Now you're seeing low scorch marks on trees from a slow-burning ground fire. Hike up through a leafy carpet of bear-grass, arnica, and vanilla leaf to reach a wilderness sign at the pre-2009 boundary. You've only about 1,000 feet in elevation to go from here! Soon reach the outer limit of the Eagle Creek Fire in a stunted forest of Douglas-fir, mountain hemlock, and noble fir. A spur to the right leads to a view of andesite bluffs and an expansive talus slope. The trail passes up through huckleberry, Sitka alder, boxwood, and mountain ash to a vista over the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge and on to Mount Saint Helens, Mount Rainier, and Mount Adams. Make a rocky traverse, getting more views of Mount Adams. Come to the Mount Defiance-Mitchell Point Trail Junction, and go right.
You'll continue up for less than a quarter mile to reach another junction, this one (in 2018) marked with only temporary signs. Make a right here for a slightly longer but more scenic route to the summit of Mount Defiance. Cross a talus slope to get another view of the snow-capped Washington volcanoes. Between the river and Mount Adams, you can make out the top of Dog Mountain, Augspurger Mountain, Big Huckleberry Mountain, and the spine of Indian Heaven. Wind up in a shady montane forest, and begin a traverse of a lengthy talus slope. Look down on Bear Lake and across to Green Point Mountain. Mount Saint Helens can be seen to the northwest. Reach the Mount Defiance-Mount Defiance Cutoff Trail South Junction, with its broken sign down on the ground, and go left.
Hike up the talus slope, getting a magnificent view of Mount Hood to the south. Clumps of common juniper and Cardwell's penstemon have found purchase on the jumbled andesite. The trail reenters the woods and arrives at the summit with its radio tower and fenced compound. To your right, you can find a perch above a slope of large boulders. Gawk at the expansive vista towards Mount Hood and east to the Hood River Valley for as long as you like.
Now for the return section of the loop. Hike around the communication compound, and find the Mt. Defiance Trail leading down into the trees. Reach the maintenance road, and resume the trail at a High Voltage sign. Continue descending through a huckleberry understory under a canopy of mountain hemlock, noble fir, and silver fir. Cross the maintenance road again, pass a wilderness sign, and keep dropping on a rocky tread. When you reach the Mount Defiance-Mount Defiance Cutoff Trail North Junction, stay left and descend the quarter mile to the well-marked Mount Defiance-Mitchell Point Trail Junction in an area of lodgepole pines.
Make a right here on the Mitchell Point Trail for Warren Lake. The trail offers glimpses of Mount Saint Helens, Mount Rainier, and Mount Adams as it traverses through the trees. Then drop steeply down a talus slope where the trail is marked by several large cairns. Before you reenter the trees, you can go to the right across the talus to get a view down to Warren Lake. Descend steeply again to reach the bottom of the talus with its skirt of vine maple. The trail enters a shady Douglas-fir forest and passes above the shore of Warren Lake with its several campsites. Then rise through a lush understory of huckleberry, arnica, and Oregon grape to pass another campsite. Make a level traverse through vanilla leaf, bunchberry, and arnica to exit the wilderness and reach the Mount Mitchell-Warren Lake Trail Junction. To your right, you can see the bollards for the old trailhead for Warren Lake; the new trailhead is about 1/4 mile south of the junction.
Keep left here, and rise gently
The rocky Warren Lake Trail goes among dwarf trees with occasional views for a while without losing much elevation, then it comes to a rock field with a good view of Warren Lake and the mountains to the north. From the rock field, the trail goes down steeply, and passes by the lake about 2 1/2 miles from the last junction. There are some good campsites near the shore, and this nice, shallow lake is the only water source on this hike when there's no snow around (if you don't count waterfalls down near the freeway). From Warren Lake, there'll be another flat stretch for a mile or so (ignore the trail going to the right), and then you'll hike down the steep Starvation Ridge Trail almost 3 miles to a junction with the Starvation Cutoff Trail. There is another scenic rock field along the way, and then a couple of nice viewpoints of Columbia River. Hang a right at Starvation Cutoff Trail Junction and head down 0.4 miles of even steeper Starvation Cutoff Trail #414B to the old highway near Cabin Creek Falls. Only 2/10 of a mile of pavement is between you and your car.
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
Regulations or restrictions, etc
- NW Forest Pass required at Starvation Creek State Park
Trip Reports
- Search Trip Reports for Defiance
Related Discussions / Q&A
- Search Trail Q&A for Defiance
Guidebooks that cover this hike
- Columbia Gorge Hikes (42 Scenic Hikes), by Don and Roberta Lowe
More Links
Contributors
- Stevefromdodge (creator)
- Fallsfreak
- romann