Yocum Ridge Hike
From Oregon Hikers Field Guide
- Start point: Ramona Falls Trailhead
- End point: Yocum Meadow
- Trail Log: Yocum Ridge Hike/Log
- Distance: 18.3 miles
- Elevation gain: 3880 feet
- High point:
- Difficulty: Difficult
- Seasons: July through October
- Family Friendly: No
- Backpackable: Yes
- Crowded: as fas as Ramona Falls
Contents |
Hike Description
What's nice about Yocum Ridge is that it's so remote. There aren't any other alpine areas on Mount Hood as far away from a trailhead. The early sections of this hike are among the busiest around the mountain, but after four miles, you'll start on the Yocum Ridge Trail, and you'll enjoy some of the best solitude the region can offer! Start the hike early, and you can get Ramona Falls to yourself. Also, the early brisk air helps you up all those switchbacks to Yocum Ridge. Here you'll enjoy an alpine panorama unmatched on the mountain. A couple of benches off the ridge offer campsites.
Take the wide, sandy trail leading up from the southeast corner of the parking area. You will be hiking among stunted mountain hemlock, Douglas-fir, and lodgepole pine on a carpet of moss, pinemat manzanita, and reindeer lichen. Beginning in about 1780, pyroclastic flows from Mount Hood buried the Sandy River, which continues to change its course as it carves through the soft strata. Pass the first of at least three glacial river crossing signs warning about safe passage when waters are high. (There has been more than one drowning death in the area). Come to the Sandy River-Ramona Falls Trailhead Trail Junction, and proceed past a large boulder to a stop sign, where you’ll need to fill out a free wilderness permit.
Hike onward through the trees, where the trail has been moved back away from the river after sections that were too close to the riverbank washed away. At 1.1 miles reach the bank of the river and then descend to the Sandy River Crossing. A bridge is no longer provided here, so you’ll need to pick one of the logs strewn across the water or attempt a ford (see Tips for Crossing Streams). This crossing is easiest from mid-summer to early fall. The trail picks up on the opposite bank and winds through an alder-colonized debris fan. Drop in and out of a gully, and head up parallel to the river in shady woods. Come to the Pacific Crest-Sandy River Trail Junction, and go left. The trail soon reaches a footbridge over Ramona Creek and heads up the bank of the creek. At the well-signed Ramona Falls-Pacific Crest Trail Junction, keep right.
Pass through a stile (no horses are permitted on the Ramona Falls Trail) and head up through the shady woodland that has revegetated the pyroclastic flows. Cross a log footbridge, and hike up along lovely, burbling Ramona Creek, which flows through the duff carpet and mossy stones. Look left to note the wonderful pink and sandy andesite cliffs across the creek. Leave the stream to pass above a gully, and keep rising through mountain hemlock, western hemlock, Douglas-fir, western red-cedar, lodgepole pine, rhododendron, and Sitka alder. Reach the junction with the Timberline Trail, and stay right to admire Ramona Falls' splashing veil from the footbridge that spans the creek here. There are plenty of places to sit and contemplate a while under the shady canopy although on a summer weekend, there may be throngs that have the same idea.
Then return to the Timberline Trail, and begin an ascending traverse in a shady old-growth forest of cedar, Douglas-fir and western hemlock. Numerous seeps and springs drip from the mossy, maidenhair fir-draped andesite rock faces. Cross a footbridge over a boggy spring. Mature noble firs and silver firs enter the mix in lush woods with deer fern, huckleberry, devil’s club, and bunchberry forming the understory. At the nose of the ridge, the Yocum Ridge Trail #771 heads up to the right, four miles from the trailhead.
At mile 5.0 (4480'), just before the first switchback that goes left, watch for a faint trail heading right. You'll discover a great viewpoint overlooking Mount Hood, the Sandy River, and the Zigzag Ridge. There is a small flat area here, just big enough for a tent.
Return back to the main trail, and start up the switchbacks - gaining elevation moderately for the next two miles. At mile 6.3 (5180') is a small pond. It's too dirty for drinking water or anything. You might see some wildlife.
At mile 6.7 (5370') keep your eyes open for a creek just to the right. This is your last reliable year-round water source. There are some campsite possibilities to the left of the trail at this point. There is another water source about a mile beyond this one, about 10 feet downhill from the trail -- but it tends to dry up by late summer.
Continue climbing another mile or so until you reach the 6000' mark (8.0 miles). The trail opens up to a nice meadow. Here you are treated to a fabulous viewpoint - with Mount Hood and the Zigzag Ridge in front of you. Turn around looking westward, and you can see as far out at Portland - and on a clear day - the mountains of the coast range. A good eye can spot Elk Mountain and Saddle Mountain.
Look for a possible spot for a campsite to the right of the trail.
This is where this "Yocum Ridge Hike" ends, but if you still have energy you can continue a little further. The trail reaches Yocum Ridge at mile 8.5 (6150'). The trail gets a little more primitive and continues up the ridgeline and gains elevation. At mile 8.7 (6290') the trail finally levels out and crosses another meadow. There is a nice campsite right near the trail, and you likely can find a good spot to make camp in the meadow itself further to the right. There's another possible campsite to the north, down the slope, about 0.1 mile and 300 feet lower.
There is a stream for drinking water about 1/4 mile to the East, in the direction of Mt Hood. You have to go down a slope, and then cross a boulder field. This stream may dry up late in the summer.
Above here the "trail" traverses a rocky slope. There's no obvious trail. The rocks are unstable at places. Continue up to the top of the ridge, where the trail can be found again. This spot melts out very late in the summer. There is a slope of steep snow with rocks and a clif below it. I think someone was on this snow and slid into the rocks, breaking their leg.
An alternate is to go down a little bit, and go up the gentler snow slope to the left. Go up this 0.1 or 0.2 mile until you can find a better place to get onto Yocum Ridge proper. The advantage here, is if you slide on the snow, it runs out to a gentle slope rather than into rocks and a cliff.
The highest I've gone is mile 9.7 and 7400 feet elevation. You have to go to the right of the ridge and up a snow slope.
Maps
Fees, Regulations, etc.
- Northwest Forest Pass (or America the Beautiful Pass) required at trailhead. Pass must be acquired beforehand as they are not sold at the trailhead.
- Free self-issued wilderness permit
- Wilderness rules apply
Trip Reports
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Related Discussions / Q&A
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Guidebooks that cover this hike
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Contributors
- User:retiredjerry (creator)