I caught a Ridgeline Trail fast-hike as weather turned from cold clear mornings to Oregon winter’s rain, fog, mist and grey sky. After two weeks of cold, clear weather (the last real rain was 11-07, a tiny rain on 11-12), weather bots promised winter rains in the afternoon. The morning temperature was a muggy 40 something and no fog. A great day to enjoy Ridgeline Tr and Spencer Butte. Ridgeline Tr Route The hike IKeep Reading …
A 28 degree Spencer Butte fast-hike yesterday (Nov 15) like cross country skiing on hiking boots. Fast up the butte to catch a sunrise. With the cold, staying on highly traveled routes with deicer put the fast-hike start at Ridgeline Trail Fox Hollow trailhead. At trailhead, ice / frost remained on top of car; no question about how cold the air. The Route Catching the sunrise Fast-hike from Fox Hollow to Spencer Butte top takesKeep Reading …
A cold Ridgeline Trail ramble over Spencer Butte with snow covering the cascade foothills and fog filling the valleys hit the mark. After internally debating another 90 minute drive to Mary’s Peak, Ridgeline Trail proved the better choice to avoid winter driving risks and additionally being unprepared for winter hiking. Ridgeline in my experience offers more wildlife encounters, too. The rambling route Start at Blanton St trailhead (TH), to Spencer then to S Willamette TH,Keep Reading …
November morning above the fog on Ridgeline Trail and atop Spencer Butte. Cedar Creek fire skies almost completely gone. First morning light increasingly orangish-pink rather than fire-red but the fire continues to burn – update page (the news is old, but the map current). Selecting yet another Ridgeline hike did not come easy. Both Marys Peak and Silver Falls St Part considered but the hike time vs drive time could not balance out – carbonKeep Reading …
The first fall 2022 Ridgeline Trail hike planned as a ‘fast hike’ end to end started at 36 degrees, clear skies, and a dry trail. Willamette Valley Fall starts once a multi-day rain storm clears the dust and smoke after the fall equinox. Two side-trips up / down Spencer Butte added both photo vistas and elevation gain. The Route Spring Blvd trailhead to Spencer Butte top; down to Blanton St trailhead; repeat opposite direction (EastKeep Reading …
Hiking Mary’s Peak in October, perfect. The weather machines saw rain coming from the west in a few days. Just enough time to get in one more good hike on ‘summer sun dried trails’ before the winter rains start. With over-drawn carbon karma from recent driving, I needed a close-in hike but the Cedar Creek fire eliminated going east to the Cascade foothills. Off to the northwest, Mary’s Peak offered a smoke-free option. Previous Mary’sKeep Reading …
With a short time window for a day hike (7:00 – 11:00) and a delivery on the way to make, I made for Spring Blvd trailhead on the Ridgeline Trail – objective was to touch the top of Spencer Butte 3x and cover at least 10 miles. Fast hiking (thru-hike style) with a camera on Ridgeline Trail! The Spring Blvd trailhead is 15 minute drive with a stop, and remains the safest Ridgeline TH inKeep Reading …
For an early October hike with smoke from Cedar Creek Fire filling the valley, the Ridgeline trail offered a fast hike treat. The hike started at Spring Blvd then to Spencer Butte, then to Willamette Blvd, back to Spencer and then back to the car – with 3x touching the top of Spencer Butte. Starting off and even at Fox Hollow there were no other hikers and the smoke / fog was thick. At theKeep Reading …
Reminder – clicking on pic will open 90% quality resolution – it’s worth it! For possibly the last Central Cascades wilderness (Friends of Central Cascades) hike of the 2022 season, Broken Top surfaced as the preferred destination. After visiting No Name Lake in July this year with it 2/3 covered in ice (review), a return in Fall without all the ice seemed like a good idea. While a good idea for the hike, the tripKeep Reading …
With great luck, my sister and I found ourselves with free time, a Santiam Pass hiking permit and both of us at Santiam Pass. She was kind enough to start the hiking at my hour (first light as if we camped at the trailhead), if the hike fit her free time slot – about 3 hours. A two-part hike was planned; part A together going from Santiam Pass to Summit Lake on the west sideKeep Reading …
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