Oregon Hikers

I took a backpacking trip up that way last weekend. I started at the Cultus Crk. campground and headed SSW on IH trail # 33 (?, too lazy to look at my maps right now). The trail was almost totally snow free to about 4700' depending on exposure, of course. Above the snow line there were many drifts w...

I vote for wildflowers AND exercise! I was up there yesterday and the trail was in good shape. There was only one other hiker up on the Nesmith trail, despite all of the cars at the TH (heading to Elowah, I think). The trail is getting a little overgrown (devil's club mostly) near the steepest switc...

Take a look at the PCT south from the crest horse camp in WA (RD 60? in GPNF near Goose Lake). If you head south from the TH on the PCT you get to walk along the edge of the Big Lava Bed (one of the coolest places in WA IMHO). There are many nice campsites along the trail and there is a fantastic cr...

I was backpacking in the area June 15th - 17th. I headed south from the crest horse camp along the Big Lava Bed down to Hemlock. I spoke with a few guys who were day hiking in the area. They had been up in IH the day before we met and informed me that several feet of snow remain in the IH area. The ...

I was up there in early June. The gate to Cloud Cap was closed near the Tilly Jane TH (near Cooper Spur ski resort). The trail was snow free almost all of the way up to the the Tilly Jane A frame. Above Tilly Jane the snow was deep and continuous. If you really want to get up to Cloud Cap, I recomme...

Nice photos. You were both right. That bug is in the order Plecoptera. Identifying your stonefly to family requires very close examination of the structure of the veins in both sets of wings. If you look really closely next time you are out near a cold high gradient streams you should be able to see...

Like Granny, I too have a dog which usually keeps me out of the NP. My favorite area near south of the park is the Tatoosh Wilderness. It offers some truly excellent views once you gain the ridge, but I would bet that there's still a fair bit of snow on the trail. There's no better spot to get a bet...

I did a shuttle hike of roughly the same area 5/26 to 5/28. We started up at the FR43/PCT intersection near Stabler/Hemlock and hiked south to the Aldrich Butte TH. I agree that the trail is in great shape. Many people overlook the area, but Sedum Pt (north of 3 corner rock) is a great place to camp...

I went for a hike there in mid April. There was a ton of tedious blow down to navigate. We didn't summit, but instead left the trail and hiked closer to the Dog creek drainage. Before we left the trail, we met a group of Mazamas who were out late due to having to navigate endless blow down. Last win...

The access roads to Grassy Knoll TH are all in rough shape. The west side access would probably be a better bet than coming up from the east side, but not much better. I worked near Willard until 2011 and used to take the Triangle pass to Bear Creek Rd. route home when I was in the mood for a slow a...