Last weekend, I stashed my bike in the woods near the lower trailhead for the Old Salmon River Trail and then drove back to the Zigzag Ranger Station to engage the Hunchback Mountain Trail in lush Douglas-fir, cedar, hemlock and maple woods. This path, now fully surrounded by the newer, bigger version of the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness, rises steeply in a series of switchbacks to Hunchback’s crest. There are several viewpoints once on the crest. One of the most unique is where the trail runs along the edge of breccia cliffs, but the views were very limited on Sunday.
It was snowing lightly for most of my hike along the ridge but, except for the morning’s dusting, the trail was mostly bare in its northern section. Other viewpoints include the Rockpile and Helispot 260, both signposted. From all of these, Mt. Hood would normally be visible, but with a cloud ceiling of about 3,500’, views of any distance were non-existent. Most of the way, I was following in the tracks of a prowling coyote. Eventually, my coyote met another coyote, they pranced around a bit, and then continued their foraging in tandem. While I have happened upon trail coyotes several times in the past, these two eluded me although they could never have been that far ahead.
A mossy andesite catwalk leads through stunted Douglas-firs to the final viewpoint on the mountain, Great Pyramid. One can scramble along a spur that leads out onto this promontory, but again the views were minimal.
Back on the Hunchback Mountain Trail, I continued south. After the Great Pyramid, the path plunges steeply down through rhododendron thickets and then undulates along the ridge, becoming rather indistinct as it passes by overhanging boulders and rocky outcroppings. The forest becomes more montane, with silver fir and noble fir now in the mix. The temperature was well below freezing and an icy one-foot crust of snow, all that remained of the previous months’ accumulations, exhibited the tracks of deer, elk, coyote, snowshoe hare, and (probably) marten, but no humans.
I reached the junction with the Green Canyon Way Trail at about 4,100’ and headed down in silver/noble fir forest. Humans had come up this way and continued on to Devil’s Peak. Since the tracks were one-way, they may have been overnighters at the lookout there.
The trail switchbacks many times in a three-mile descent, passing from montane forest to lush lowland woods with massive Douglas-firs and cedars. At ridge openings, there would normally be views of the Salmon River Canyon. Also, several grassy clearings support little copses of oak and an array of wildflowers in the late spring. Despite the low temperatures, fungi were still fruiting on the forest floor.
Reaching the trailhead for Green Canyon Way, I crossed the Salmon River Road and passed through the closed Green Canyon Campground to access the Old Salmon River Trail. This last of my three trails keeps close to the river with numerous spurs leading to cobbled beaches and overlooks. The Salmon was running clear and low; usually at this time of year, there is a lot of water on the trail, but it was a dry passage. At one point, you can cross an overflow channel and visit a forested island. Again, there are several huge Douglas-firs and cedars by the trail.
Eventually, I headed up to the Salmon River Road, retrieved my concealed bicycle, and zoomed back to Zigzag.
About 11 ½ miles (the hiking part); total elevation gain: about 3,800’
