Difference between revisions of "Mount Mitchell Hike"
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
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m (Mount Mitchell hike moved to Mount Mitchell ike: Fixing Case) |
Revision as of 19:10, 11 February 2007
- Start Point: Mount Mitchell Trailhead
- End point: Mount Mitchell
- Trail Log: Trail Log
- Hike Type: Out and Back
- Distance: 5.0 miles round trip
- Elevation gain: 2025 feet
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Seasons: April through October
- Family Friendly: Older Children (8 and up)
- Backpackable: No
- Crowded: No
Contents |
Description
The hike to the summit of Mount Mitchell is a moderate climb through new forest to a rocky exposed butte with a majestic view. You gain about 2000 feet of elevation in around 2 1/2 miles ...most of this accomplished in the first mile through a series of switchbacks.
The first 1/4 of the hike is muddy and flat, but then gains elevation quickly. You enter a young thin forest with a high canopy. There are a series of switchbacks, alternating between steep and gentle grades and a rocky pathway.
Just before you really start to feel it, the pathway eases up, flattens out and straightens as it heads South along the East side of the mountain. The trail here is soft on the feet and well traveled.
Before long you cross a few small dried up creek crossings, and some short exposed areas. You may see an unmarked side trail off to the left. Disregard this and continue straight. Soon you will hit your first real lookout: a small rocky crag overlooking the Siouxon Valley and an unnamed peak to the East with a large unapologetic clear cut and radio towers at its summit. This is a good place to power up with some water and Cliff's bars.
You'll now start the last leg of the journey, which continues straight for a while. Keep an eye uphill to your right, as hints of the rocky summit will come into view (false summits of course!), but soon your path will back around the southern flank of the mountain and incline quickly through a series of switchbacks (sandwiched between two seasonal creeks). As you ascend, the thick forest begins to give way to meadows and the southern horizon comes into view. On a clear day, you will see Mt Hood to the southeast and a seemingly twin-peaked Silver Star Mountain due South.
Now the trail opens up to a large meadow, and the temperature cools. Seeing the rocky butte at the summit gives you a second life. Keep your eyes to the left (Northward), as you'll see your first hints of the reward for your climb. When you finally get to the outcrop, you'll scramble up the rock a bit until you finally reach the exposed summit with a glorious 360 degree view!
You will be treated to a first-class view of Mount St. Helens. If you are fortunate you may see the stream rising from above it's crater. Mt. Rainier is visible just behind to the right and Swift Reservoir in the foreground. Follow the reservoir out to the East (to the right) and you'll see a stately Mount Adams. Turn around 180 degrees and follow your eyes out past the trail you just took up and see nearby Sugarloaf Mountain. (There is a spur trail out to that lesser peak)
Look for the logbook under the rocks near the benchmark enclosed in a plastic container.
This hike takes about two hours to climb and about an hour to return back. .
Maps
- Maps: Hike Finder
Trip Reports
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Related Conversations / Q&A
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Fees, Regulations, etc.
- No fees or passes required at this trailhead
Guidebooks that cover this destination
- 60 Hikes within 60 Miles of Portland, by Paul Gerald