This year, that pattern changed! The bug may have bit on my 50th, a few years ago, when we went up Silver Star. And it was really starting to itch now!
I had bought a new pair of hiking boots over the winter, and come late spring it was time to put them to use. I was overweight and not in the best of shape. My ultimate goal was to crack 26 miles in a day, so I could go do a hike in the North Cascades that I'd always wanted to do. Plans changed, of course. I did get within spitting distance of that goal if not quite there. Had the time of my life working on it, though! In searching out trails to try, Google again and again pointed me to PortlandHikers.org for the details. Within a month or so, it was clearly time to sign on. Far too much knowledge here to not dive right in! Finding this community, to help out in my new pursuits, to share the results with, even to meet out on the trail, has been a blessing and a joy! Thanks to all of you, and I hope to cross trails with many more over the coming year. The following is a recap of my "cover photos" for 2012. I hope you'll pardon the indulgence...
Click any photo for a full-screen enlargement.
May 18: Hamilton Mountain, 9.4 miles, 2650' EG
May 18: Beacon Rock, 1.6 miles, 600' EG
May 26: Eagle Creek to Wahtum Lake Jct, 18.7 miles, 2200' EG*
June 3: Franklin Ridge Loop - Multnomah to Oneonta, 14.6 miles, 3200' EG*
June 10: Devil's Rest Loop - Multnomah to Wahkeena, 13.2 miles, 3000' EG*
June 15: Silver Star Mtn Loop from Grouse Vista, 12.6 miles, 4200' EG, trip report
June 23: Hardy Ridge, 9.2 miles, 2830' EG, trip report
June 29: Nesmith Point, 11.6 miles, 5180' EG
July 4: Grassy Knoll to Big Huckleberry, 12.2 miles, 3625' EG, trip report
July 10: Angel's Rest - Devil's Rest Loop, 11.6 miles, 4050' EG, trip report
July 13: Ramona Falls, 8.3 miles, 1975' EG
July 14: Burnt Lake and East Zigzag Mtn, 14.1 miles, 4175' EG, trip report
July 15: Castle Canyon, 2.7 miles, 1150' EG, trip report
July 15: Timberline to Silcox Hut, 2.7 miles, 1200' EG, trip report
July 16: Devil's Peak via Cool Creek, 7.6 miles, 3500' EG
July 16: Salmon River, 5.0 miles, 250' EG*
July 21: Cape Horn Loop, 7.7 miles, 2125' EG, trip report
July 28: Coldwater Peak and beyond, 18.7 miles, 4750' EG, trip report
August 2: Hamilton Mountain, 8.0 miles, 2550' EG
August 10: Cooper Spur and Gnarl Ridge, 11.9 miles, 4630' EG, trip report
August 19: Ape Canyon to Loowit Falls, 21.8 miles, 5075' EG, trip report
August 25: Mississippi Head via Paradise Park, 12.1 miles, 4575' EG, trip report
September 8: Silver Star and Little Baldy via Ed's Trail, 10.6 miles, 3140' EG
(Month-long hiatus for roadtrip!)
October 13: Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, 6.8 miles, 200' EG*
October 19: Eagle Creek to 7.5 Mile Camp, 15.6 miles, 1800' EG*, trip report
October 25: Larch Mountain, 19.8 miles, 4650' EG, trip report
November 2: Coldwater MegaLoop, 22.1 miles, 4380' EG, trip report
November 16: Starvation-Defiance Loop, 13.7 miles, 5280' EG, trip report
November 25: Nick Eaton Ridge - Gorton Creek Loop, 14.2 miles, 4600' EG, trip report
December 2: Multnomah Basin, 9.3 miles, 2330' EG, trip report
December 8: Table Mountain - Cedar Mountain Loop, 12.1 miles, 4300' EG, trip report
December 15: Bell Creek Loop, 16.4 miles, 4250' EG, trip report
December 27: Eagle Creek to Twister Falls, 14.1 miles, 1680' EG
December 30: Astoria Riverwalk, 5.3 miles, 250' EG*
December 30: Fort Stevens State Park, 4-to-5-ish miles, 250'-ish EG
* Totally crazy EG numbers in track, so best guesstimate offered. Stats above (mostly) calculated by gpsfly. All tracks available here.
In all, nearly 400 miles. I will not try to offer a best guess on total elevation gain. I rarely repeated any trail, Eagle Creek being the main exception, but that was during different seasons. Also went up Hamilton twice, but once was at night to test a new headlamp.
In the process, I seem to have left about 30 pounds of fat along the trail! What a bonus.
Of course, this forum also offered the opportunity to make many new TFFs!
Me chatting about Table Mountain (climbed earlier that day) with Don Lowe. Roberta Lowe to his left.
First time I climbed Table Mountain, in 1986, we were guided by one of their columns.
The culmination being the 2012 Winter Meet & Deet, where I met so many of you, as well as a pair of authors I admired from many decades ago! I only wish I could've had more time to touch base with everyone there.
What a great year in the woods!!!
