hikes OR coast range

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 …

Hiking season started today with a quick trip to Mary’s Peak for another test of the new backpack. Weather was suggesting temperatures above 70. Driving toward the trailhead, the sunrise over the valley farms and hills … Past this farm and much nearer to the foothills of the coast range, per my car, outdoor temperature was 35. At the trailhead (around 2500 ft elevation), the temp was 50. The air was perfectly layered by temperature,Keep Reading …

Both to catch a sunrise and to test out a new backpack (Osprey Exos 58) headed out to Mary’s Peak Conners Camp / East Ridge TH (All Trails). The trip to TH passed thru agricultural land pitch-black; stopped to look at the stars with the car telling me 37 degrees – when I left TH, 41 degrees. An associated pic gallery of the sunrise is published here At TH, the sun, clouds and wind wereKeep Reading …

The best plans sometimes work out. Without too much concern of the weather, I headed up to Mary’s Peak with 30l day pack. The plan was to leave very early to arrive at the East Ridge (Conner’s Camp) TH in time to catch the sunrise (the TH is an open flat space w/ view to the east). I arrived in time and while waiting to take these there were a couple of Barred Owls singingKeep Reading …