Best hiking in Oregon or southern Washington right now?

[Ralph Burgess]

I find myself in Bend, Oregon with an unexpected 10 days free to hike, but at perhaps not an ideal time of year.   Anywhere in Oregon or southern Washington is within range.   I’d like to get above treeline, but it’s a bit early for that – I do have crampons and ice axe, patchy snow or crossing snowy passes would be fine, but I don’t want to go into difficult fully snow-covered terrain on my own in unknown country.    I also have a fancy new camera to play with, so going to intermediate elevations with wildflowers would be attractive.

Any good ideas?   Anything from overnighters to a 4-5 nights.

[Lester Moore]

The Loowit trail around Mt. Saint Helens – it’s a moderate 2 day or casual 3 day UL loop, a large portion is above treeline and it’s mostly melted out according to recent WTA.org trip reports:

https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/tripreport_search?title=loowit+&region=8a977ce4bf0528f4f833743e22acae5d&subregion=17dcd22410be73abfd45d2703e123a35&searchabletext=&author=&startdate=&_submit=&enddate=&_submit=&month=all&hiketypes%3Alist=day-hike&hiketypes%3Alist=overnight&hiketypes%3Alist=multi-night-backpack&hiketypes%3Alist=snowshoe-xc-ski&format=list&filter=Search

[Jerry Adams]

Probably east side of Three Sisters is okay.  Maybe go around Broken Top.  Still some snow though.  But if you have ice axe.

Look at http://adamschneider.net/hiking/snow_depth.html

Pan to Three Sisters (or wherever), zoom, click “usgs topo”

[Ralph Burgess]

Thanks guys.   Yes, it looks like the snow around the Sisters is manageable.   I’m planning first to go to Green Lakes and probably South Sister summit – I’m seeing reports of people doing it in microspikes, so I figure I’m more than adequately equipped.

Then Lester’s suggestion of the Loowit loop looks ideal for next week.   From a quick bit of research it looks like the June Lake TH is easiest to reach in my low clearance rental car?    And no permits required…  but apparently I need a parking permit?    I see reports that I need this NW Forest Pass to park at FS trailheads in Oregon and Washington?   How does this work – annual pass for $30, but only two license plates allowed, which isn’t much use over a year if I’ll be in rental cars.    But I don’t see any other option for 10 days or so, I guess I should still pick one up.

 

[BlackHatGuy]

” I see reports that I need this NW Forest Pass to park at FS trailheads in Oregon and Washington?”

For Washington, you’ll need either the NW Forest Pass or the Discover Pass, depending on whether you want to backpack on state or federal land. If federal, then the America the Beautiful pass, if you have one, will work in lieu of the NW Forest Pass. Here’s a page that helps explain the differences.

Other hikes in the area: Wehana-Tuccanon Wilderness in the Blue Mountains, SE Washington (I’m headed there Tuesday for a 5-day loop) and Eagle Cap Wilderness in the Wallowa Wilderness in NE Oregon (headed there from the Blue Mountains for an additional 5-day loop).

[Ralph Burgess]

I’m still confused.   I don’t think I’ll be on any state-managed land.   And I have the $80 America The Beautiful pass, so the NW Forest Pass is a subset of that and I don’t need it.  So it sounds like I’m good.   But if I’m parking at a FS trailhead (e.g. Mt St Helen’s) where a fee is usually required, how do I display that I have the pass?   Is there a payment envelope where I write my pass number in lieu of leaving cash or something?

[BlackHatGuy]

From the page I linked to:

<b>Q. What’s the deal with Mount St. Helens? Is it per person or per car? Will my Northwest Forest Pass work there?
</b>A. Mount St. Helens National Monument is a bit of a wild card in the whole pass system. Folks that plan to make one or more visits there may find that the America the Beautiful pass is the way to go, especially if they are planning to go to a national park and do other hiking in the national forests. The U.S. Forest Service manages Mount St. Helens and charges on a per-person fee basis. Entry to the Coldwater or Johnson Ridge sites are $8 per person for those 16 and older (free for kids). The Monument honors the America the Beautiful and Senior passes for named pass-holders and 3 adults, and a Northwest Forest Pass will gain entry for one person.

[Ralph Burgess]

Right, I saw that.   But what I don’t understand is that the NW Forest Pass looks like it’s specifically a parking pass that you would leave on your dash when parked at a Forest Service TH.   If my America The Beautiful pass covers that, how does it work in practice – presumably I’m not supposed to leave my $80 pass on the dash.

[BlackHatGuy]

Actually, yes. They usually give you a ‘hanging’ tag with your ATB pass, and that hangs from your rear view mirror. If you don’t have the tag with you, I imagine you’d leave it on your dash.

[Ralph Burgess]

I must be on my 5th or 6th ATB pass, and I have never been given a hanging tav with it.

[BlackHatGuy]

Weird. I’m on my fourth or so I think, and have always been given a hanging tag with it. I guess it all depends on where you get it. I’ve got a couple of them from REI, and always get a hanging tag there.

[Ralph Burgess]

I think I’ve always bought them at NP entrance stations.   Anyway, thanks v much for the info.   I don’t think they’d ever do anything crazy like tow your car from a remote trailhead and leave you stranded, but it’s always nice to know you’re not coming back to a ticket.    I was just at REI in Bend, and the guys there said in Oregon they do the same, exactly as you suggest – leave the ATB card visible on the dash.

[Ralph Burgess]

I guess this is now a post-trip report, but for continuity I’ll put it here…  I got up South Sister easily a few days ago, spikes are helpful but it can be done without, it’s a completely non-technical walk-up route.   I also got to the subalpine Browder Ridge where the wildflowers are in full bloom:

 

[Author]

Posts