PNW June BPL Meetup

The weekend before sounds good. (11 and 12 i think)

I havent lived here very long so where ever you guys reckon is best sounds good to me.

I think I can work around any of those weekends. I haven't done any hiking in the St. Helens area so that sounds good to me.

I'm game. Depends on location though. I'm in Eugene so distance well be my major issue.

Its sounding like (between these two threads), one of the last two weekends in June is best.

I have a call in to the Gifford Pinchot ranger to see if there is any camping accessible from 504 that would be open to groups larger than 4. Everything in Mt. Margaret Backcountry has a 4 person cap. The other options would be to do something up towards off of Rt. 12, below 4500ft or so. That would keep driving from both Seattle and Portland to below 2.5 hrs. Like the Tatoosh area? (I have no idea.) Anyone that knows that area feel free to chime in.

And we can carpool from either direction, I'm sure.

last weekend in June is probably best for me, definitely out for the 11th or 12th. I'll start doing some research on good locations as well.

oo

At this point, between personal backpacking plans and obligations with family and organizations, my schedule for the next few months is not only full, but "overstuffed."

I would be interested if something were arranged for the fall, though. At least we wouldn't have to contend with the effects of this year's way-above-average snowpack and abnormally late "spring"! Both of those will considerably restrict location options in June this year. That, of course, assumes that at some point this year we have a summer!

"That, of course, assumes that at some point this year we have a summer!"

It was really nice yesterday. It's back to rain today, but I swear it was nice yesterday.

I remember yesterday. I saw the sun. And I worked in my garden. I didn't plant the seeds until today, though, when it was raining. Saved me the bother of watering them. That's a benefit (?) of living in the Pacific Northwet.

Since this doesn't have to be a once in a life-time event, and you'll never match a schedule to everyone's preference, just pick something in June. St. Helens area sounds good. Then we can schedule others later, like in the autumn, as Mary suggests.

So that was the sun?…….the real-life, no-nonsense, genuine article? I remember learning about it in school, but it's been so long since I've seen it.

WOW, I'm impressed. It was so bright I could see for miles.

It was so warm, we almost worked in the yard naked – but we have a state trooper for a neighbor and decided that discretion was the better part of valor. You can't hike when you're in jail.

Alirght let's say the weekend of june 25, so you can put it on your calendar

It'll give us one more week on the snow :)

I'd come but … something tells me that not everyone would be keen on having Lil' Triple B in camp – he will be 14 months in June :-D

The Coldwater area is really nice. Gorgeous in June with flowers.

Sarah – au contraire. I would hope Walker and Ford would be there, and Teresa would bring Maddie, and Doug Johnson would bring Henry and Lily. It would be fun! We could have slug races and seed-spitting contests! I'm such a grandma.

And we need someone to make the taters!

Lol! Well if you all ever have a car campout (they can be a LOT of fun really for big groups) let me know, I'd come and sleep in the sweet sweet mini-van with the kids ;-) And cook. And drag Dicentra along!

And I'm happy to bring the taters! lol.

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Di and I could tell tales of Packwood Lake for hours. Heehee…..

It is actually pretty though and if you leave the bottom of the lake and walk around a bit it is relatively quiet – those on ATV's and bikes stop at the dam/outlet where there are destroyed campsites.

Fair warning: you have to be able to put up with hill-billies and their many versions. And to not leave ANYTHING in your vehicle.

Alright, thats out. Other ideas?

(we can do ridge camp in the coldwater area, but it would be capped at 8)

How about the east slope of the Cascades? I'm thinking of the Bumping Lake area, which has a lot of car campgrounds, some with group sites, and a number of early season hikes close by (American Ridge, Pleasant Valley, Fife's Peaks, possibly Mt. Aix). However, if you're planning on early June, Chinook Pass may not be open, which means a long drive around from US 12 at Naches (a few miles west of Yakima). WSDOT just announced that Chinook pass will definitely not be open by Memorial Day and they can't predict when it will open. It's still avalanching up there!

Another possibility is the Teanaway Valley area, which also melts out earlier than the west slope and has a lot of good June hikes. This would be off I-90. A bit far from Portland, though.

Teannaways are always awesome.

Sar, what was the name of that camp on Rainier… American River? The NWhikers trip. The one with the pink and blue privies. THAT would be an awesome base camp as well.

ETA: later in the year. :)

Coastal trip perhaps??

Di is right, there is a really COOL place out via Bumping River. It is this awesome old ski "lodge" that the FS rents out (it really is a wood house) with the coolest multi person privy, which sadly they repainted. Used to be pink for the ladies, blue for the gents. It has a private road with gate, etc.

I have gone to 2 functions there – last one was my husband's 4 wheeling group and before that with Di for a NWHikers annual Memorial Day weekend blast.

Teanaways after meltout are gorgeous and the camping is e-z-y.

I can hear the Californians chuckling.

That American River lodge is booked as are all the cabins in the area for the weekends around then.

Teanaways are about 4 hrs from Portland.

Could also do a dosewallips/starecase/duckabush trip, but doesnt ONP have caps as well? And they're getting to be 3 hours from Portland

Getting tired of looking at the WTA map. Might post something on nwhikers…

Hey! What about some of us from out of the general area….???? I would love to join the group, and coming from Idaho is realistic, not to bad for mileage… please keep me in the loop! Love to see some new country, and you all are welcome to head this way and I'd be glad to direct or organize a trip… have room for plenty here! LOL