Planning 2-3 night trip in Cascades near Portland, OR – Need ideas

I'm sure you've considered it: Mt. Hood is the obvious classic close to Portland. Officially part of Timberline is closed (Elliot Crossing), but if you're not attached to a loop, it's still all great, with various side trips.

But is it hammockable? Most of the western half seems doable to me. I don't know the east side as well. Finding trees might require you to head down side trails. I'm intending to try my hammock on Hood this summer.

I think parking at the Top Spur trailhead is a good place to start, as it's almost right on the trail, lower that the Timberline Lodge or Tilly Jane/Cloud Cap, and less rep for car vandals than Ramona Falls.

Could do one night as far as you can go counterclockwise, then the next clockwise.

It'll be crowded, but for good reason. And hammocking you won't be vying for the same sorts of campsites.

Mt Hood area is thick with hikes– and trees :)

Check WTA.org and NWhikers.net for stuff on the Washington side.

Indian Heaven Wilderness (in Southern Washington) —

http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/giffordpinchot/recarea/?recid=79410

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/giffordpinchot/specialplaces/?cid=fsbdev3_004969

http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Category:Indian_Heaven_Wilderness

About 2 hours from Portland, lots of trails, lots of trees, lots of lakes, lots of blueberries (at certain times), lots of mosquitos (at certain times), lots of people (at certain times).

Perfect (at certain times)!!!

1. A classic loop from Portland is Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake and back on the PCT. This can be done as an overnight but there are enough things to do and see that you could stretch it to a leisurely 2-3 night trip. The PCT and Eagle Creek trails are worth their accolades, but they will be crowded in places (especially the first 3-5 miles of the Eagle Creek), parking can be difficult on the weekends and I wouldn't leave anything in my car because of numerous break-ins.

2. Jefferson Park is a beautiful part of the state and fairly easy to get to from Portland. I haven't been to Breitenbush, but I think the most-accessible TH from Portland is past Detroit Lake (follow Hwy 22 out of Salem). Search for "Whitewater Creek Trail Head" on Google Maps. It's only about 5-6 miles to Jefferson Park from there and its really worth spending a night there; in good weather, you can just sit and stare at massive Mt. Jefferson looming above you. From there, you could head north on the PCT for another night, but you'd have to be content with a out-and-back as it would be tricky to make a loop without another car.

I'm getting distracted by kids but I'm going to think about other options, too.

The Eagle Creek/Wahtum Lake thing is probably your closest option, and the waterfalls on EC are certainly spectacular. Couple of suggestions for that one: First, avoid camping on the Eagle Creek part–highest concentration of TP flowers I've ever seen. Second, if you're feeling your oats, you might prefer to do a Ruckel Ridge to Wahtum to Eagle Creek loop. Ruckel Ridge is a steep, narrow ridge of moss covered basalt pillars that is reputed to be among the more challenging hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. It's also among the most fun. See:

http://texasbb.net/files/Ruckel-Ridge-2012/
http://texasbb.net/files/Ruckel-Ruckel-2014/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oou_A8UaRtc

Another possibility: The Goat Rocks are a bit farther, but still in range from Portland. Through the years up there I've encountered a number of PCT thru hikers who gasped that the view along the knife edge rivaled anything they'd seen since Mexico. Highly recommended. See:

http://texasbb.net/files/Goat-Rocks-2012/
http://texasbb.net/files/Goat-Rocks-2013/

Edit: Meant to mention that the Goat Rocks are in Washington and you don't go there to fish.

I just got back from Goat Rocks. Holy Crap! I would definitely recommend that.

Benson Plateau is a bummer. Eagle Creek and Whatum are cool. Really nice.. Eagle Creek makes Backpacker all the time. We are just tired of it so it gets mentioned but nobody raves cause its played out. But for us to be tired of it is bad on us… its really beautiful.

But Goat Rocks… oh, man.

Thanks to Retired Jerry for some info on Goat Rocks.

We did two nights. Marmots, Probably 14 Goats at Goat lake + 20 Elk down in the valley below. We could see them all from our campsite. For my wife's birthday I got her a day and night at Goal Lake alone… just us and the dog… Magic!

Slight drift, but I really recommend the Rocks.

Katherine & Dale, thanks. The first place I thought of was Mount Hood. The Timberline trail or part of it are definitely an option. I was even looking at booking a chalet bunk at the Lodge for the night before and night after. It would be nice to end the hike by settling into a hot tub instead of the drivers seat of a rental car. If the lodge was the starting point, does a route stick out? Am I going to be fighting the worst of the crowds by starting at the lodge? I just realized that I could potentially leave Portland on Thursday afternoon when the conference ends. So that could mean hiking 4 days. I could probably do the whole thing in that time. Are there detours around the closed portion?

Again, thanks. I'm looking at all the suggestions.

Craig.

It's Oregon, so plenty of people still do it….

http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Eliot_Creek_Crossing

if you do want to attempt the full loop, the upside of starting at Tilley Jane/Cloud Cap would be that you could start with that crossing and not do it If it turns out to be too sketchy. Downside is: long, slow, depressing (burn area) drive up to those trailheads.

one downside of starting at the lodge is you have a big uphill at the end. But that may well be offset by the timing factors and luxuries! Check on parking issues — I believe there are a limited number on non-lodge visitor overnight spots (e.g. maybe it gets full on weekends?)

Yes, Goat Rocks are absolutely lovely too. Cispus pass is majestic. (but a further drive, though depends which Hood TH you're comparing it to)

Jeffs Eleven wrote, "Benson Plateau is a bummer."

I beg to differ! It's one of the most beautifully creepy (or maybe it's creepily beautiful places I know of. Heavily forested, sparse understory, lush moss on everything, …beautiful. Goat Rocks is way better, though. :-)

^ True about Benson Plateau. "Creepily beautiful" can be a good description!

Goat Rocks is fantastic, but the drive from Portland to one of the west side trailheads can be 3 hours. Not a deterrent, but something to consider for a tight long-weekend timeline. But if you think you have time, it is beautiful!

good ideas

it changed names from portlandhikers.org to oregonhikers.org by the way, but it gets automatically re-directed

If you did Goat Rocks, you could go past Snowgrass over towards Cispus River. Campsites in trees. Should be able to find hammock locations? Hike up past Old Snowy and the knife ridge for the day. No trees anywhere there. Trees between Goat Lake and Snowgrass Flat.

If you did Mt Hood, maybe start at Timberline Lodge and check it out. You could stay the night or just walk through it. Backpack over to Paradise Park. Hammockable places.

I just got back from Three Sisters. I might start at McKenzie Pass, hike over to Minnie Scott Springs. Stay there for two nights and day hike to Obsidian area.

Benson is ok but I was expecting some open plateau or something… it is essentially a flat forest on the top of a hill. cool but… IDK I was expecting more. Especially after humping up Ruckel ridge lol

The Eliot washout on timberline is fairly easy… well theres a rope you gotta hand-over-hand your way up, but ya know… pretty easy. The route is visible and stuff… Go to where the bridge WAS- go upstream a bit and rock hop across, scramble up to the rope and go up it. It take 5 minutes…

I haven't been in a year but the rope should be there still… 2 million folks live within an hour or so… it should be there.

All told Timberline is probably your best bet.

I like Gnarl ridge, cooper spur, Eden Park, and Paradise Park for campsites.

From Portland, OR – I want to do a Goat Rocks overnight or two..help me!

Jerry / Jeffs,

I've read the thread and want to do something like what you did. Also open to other suggestions for this time of year.

My girlfriend and I are flying into Portland July 15th for a Wedding near Cascade Locks, and then have some free days until I fly out on the 22nd (late at night).

She is obsessed with going to an area that is beautiful and seeing mountain goats!

When I went through the Goat Rocks it was during a typhoon driven blizzard in late August and I was postholeing around the knife's edge using my umbrella as an ice ax to anchor in the 40 mph winds and 2-3 foot snow drifts – with no winter gear !

Needless to say I'm excited to contemplate trying to get back to do the Knifes Edge and see some freakin Mountain Goats!

Any help on Trip / Routes / Good trail head and doable mileage to get in and out again ?

We are both in very good shape and can do a 20 mile day with a pack if needed (depending on the elevation gain).

Any info or thoughts you have would be much appreciated.

Feel free to email me direct at: sethbrew(AT)gmail(DOT)com

Thank in advance for your help –

Seth "Naturally Caffeinated" Brewer, AT'11, LT'12, NET'12, PCT'13

Jerry is Definitely the authority… I just got back from my first trip there two days ago, so I'm totally a noob.

But its really easy to have a killer view and campsite. And if you can do 20 miles you'll crush out here.

Its so easy I'm recommending this to my old-ass dad. He's 69 and still alive!?! well… they say he is anyway. Some say he never will be…

More Goat Rocks info:

http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/cispus-basin-cispus-pass

http://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Southwest_Washington_Hikes

towards the bottom, a couple hikes described. Goat Lake Loop is good. Do as much as you wish of Goat Rocks traverse in addition.

I mentioned these earlier (both are Snowgrass-to-Berry Patch loops with side trips):
http://texasbb.net/files/Goat-Rocks-2012/
http://texasbb.net/files/Goat-Rocks-2013/

This one was Snowgrass to Walupt Lake:
http://texasbb.net/files/Goat-Rocks-2010/

And here's one to the "other side":
http://texasbb.net/files/Conrad-Basin-2014/

I never tire of the place.

I've been looking at Goat Rocks some more. I found this trip report:

http://www.oregonhikers.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=16698

That looks like Todd's 2012 trip without long side trips. I think this looks like a good hike for 2 nights out. Going the opposite direction one could camp off the Snowgrass trail (Todd has a good picture of a campsite there). Or between there and the lake. That would be a 7 or 8 mile day. The second night would be above Jordan Basin somewhere. It looks like there are plenty of trees there. Then a quick hike out in the morning. I suppose if I want to stretch it into a 3-night trip, that could mean spending two nights at snowgrass and hiking north on the PCT for a day.

Next question: I'm thinking I would drive out of Portland on Thursday afternoon, and stay somewhere along the way. Any notable towns in that part of WA that I should look at that would leave me with less than an hour to drive to the trailhead the next AM?

And another important question. I know that mountain weather is unpredictable, but I'm currently equipped for about 40* low temps. I can't find much in the way of weather reporting. Should that be about what I might expect at the intermediate elevations on this hike in mid August? The weather report for Paradise shows current nighttime temps in the middle 50s. That's 5200'.

Thanks for all your input so far.

Craig.

For the Snowgrass TH, you'll head north on I-5 and east on Hwy 12. On I-5 you could stay in Kelso (exit 39) but that doesn't really get you that much farther than Portland. Same for Castle Rock (only 10 miles further, exit 49). The largest reasonably close city on I-5 would be Centralia or Chehalis but the requires going past the turn-off for Hwy 12.

Once on Hwy 12, there really isn't much until Packwood (I don't know if Morton or Randle even have motels). I would imagine there's some kind of small motel in Packwood.

I think mid-30s to 40s as a low is a reasonable guess for planning. Being able to get to low 30s with rain would be the outlier but something to keep in mind (knowing where your exit trails are, etc).

There's lots to look at in the Rocks, but if you've got limited time, I'd prefer the viewpoint north on the PCT to Goat Lake. But with two nights to work with, I don't see why you can't do both. I'd suggest:

Day 1: Hike in to Alpine Camp (what most people call Snowgrass Flat, but it's not…you can't camp in Snowgrass Flat).

Day 2: Get up on day two and hike up to the PCT for the north view and, if you're feeling your oats, south to view Cispus Basin. Then go back and move camp to one of the sites in the trees toward Goat Lake.

Day 3: Break camp, head up to Goat Lake, then hike out Goat Ridge and back to your car.

As for the temperatures, you can get just about anything. It snowed on me in August, 2010, and I've had other times when I was too warm in my bag. Waking up to high 30s or low 40s in the tent is pretty common. As your dates approach, check the NWS's point forecast:

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lat=46.51461098312509&lon=-121.45602973876953

(Edited for spelling and such.)

http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.46550&lat=46.49699#.VZKv9vlViko

NOAA weather forecast. You can scroll around and get it for any location. Might go below 40 F. Maybe 32 F would be more of an absolute lowest possible. I was just on Three Sisters and it got down to 32 F one night.

There's an old Forest Service campground at the trailhead. Chambers Lake. About 1 mile West of Snowgrass trailhead. Turn left rather than right to Snowgrass. Outhouse, sites, no picnic tables. At least that's what it was several years ago.

Todd and Jerry, Thanks for all the great advice.

I'm settled on this trip. I'll have quilts to get me down to 40* and will carry some wearable insulation in case it gets really cold. Hotel Packwood looks like a decent place. Or I may try Whittaker's Bunkhouse in Ashford. That's out of the way, but looks like a scenic drive to the base of Rainier.

Both of your links look like they give temp forecasts for Packwood (elev. 1290') so I'm guessing that's not going to tell me much about what's going on at 7K, but should warn of possible storms. I'll be keeping an eye on it.

Thanks again to everyone for their input.

You can scroll around on my link and get forecast for your location at 7K

It's a model, so only as accurate as it is, but it gives a good idea.

Oh, the link I provided was for 7057 feet elevation so that should be pretty close.