After day 1 filled with surprises and the morning covered in ice, expectations for PCT north were mixed. I knew the trail would be flat and viewless until the Wickiup Planes, but was really looking forward to Mesa meadows. Heading … Read More

Leaving home very early to catch first light on the trail did not prepare me for the early morning moon. The harvest moon was later in the day, and I was ready for that one, but the morning moon surprised … Read More

3 days covering a harvest moon and the fall equinox … what a time to be in the woods. Cascades Lakes highway has much to offer regardless of your activity or gear … I chose Elk Lake for a 3-day … Read More

The winds of change have shifted: the winds were blowing cold (~40 f) bringing smells of rain and weather people put 100% probability of >.5″ of rain on Saturday (one report said no meaningful rain since July 7). What better … Read More

Another 1 day hike on PCT from one of my most frequent TH, Trapper Creek. There was a small window to do 2 day / 1 night to capture longer PCT, but current backpack situation did not work … So, … Read More

A quick 3x to the top and touching both Fox Hollow and Willamette trailheads was the mid-week work out. Put on my Northface 20L day pack, and hit the trail by 6:30am. Smoke was threatening to fill the valley from … Read More

A 4 day PCT Ramble, with 2 nights backpacking and 2 nights at Big Lake Campground (car). The original plan had a 3 day loop through the Jefferson lakes to Pamelia Lake and back to the PCT (starting at Big … Read More

After last week’s Diamond Lake adventure, and to stay loose for next week’s PCT Mt Jefferson ramble (fires & weather pending), I revisited Spencer Butte for an early morning 15 mile warm up. The hike started at S Willamette TH, … Read More

Yep, another year to Diamond Lake, and another year with fires … fires almost everywhere to the west, south, and north. Hwy 58 was deemed too prone to fire delays for the return trip. Temperatures were also >95 in valley … Read More

4 nights and days to ramble the north side of Mt Hood following either PCT or Timberline trail at the same time as last year’s ‘Loop Hike’ … the plan was fairly simple: Timberline Trail full north (east / west) … Read More