Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

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NWRunner
Posts: 6
Joined: July 29th, 2014, 6:53 pm

Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by NWRunner » July 29th, 2014, 7:38 pm

Our group (62 bad ass, 53 on her first overnight but an experienced day hiker and ex-military and me, 52, experienced but not at her strongest) took 3.5 days to circle the mountain. We are light packers but I brought Tevas for stream crossings. With the exception of Sandy, we forded all streams at a wide point and none were above my knees.

http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org ... _Hood_Hike

We benefited from perfect weather and relied on above link for directions. We had the 426S green trail map and carried a book on hiking Mt Hood that was useless as it was for day hikers. We chose to go clockwise based on recommendations that was the more successful direction to cross Eliot.

Day 1 Left Timberline, took the Paradise Loop Trail, and made camp above Ramona Falls with many photo ops and a lunchtime nap. Met 6 PCT thru-hikers and enjoyed asking their trail names and hearing their stories. They were moving fast but friendly. When we got to Sandy someone had created a new crossing out of small logs. One of our group walked across but the cautious two crawled it. Sandy was fast and deep so without the bridge we would have either a) waited for morning to see if it was lower or b) had a PCTer take our rope across and tie it off across so we could have that assistance crossing. At Ramona Falls (10.1 miles) we enjoyed dinner with the Falls to ourselves.

Day 2 Fill up with water as none for miles after Muddy Fork. Left Ramona Falls taking the PCT trail to where it meets with Timberline. This is a busy intersection filled with day hikers and flies. We deviated from the write up here and headed counter-clockwise up the Timberline to catch the views for lunch, rejoining Timberline via the rustic option on the left going up right before the trail livestock barrier. (See the green trail map). Going through the carnage of the Dollar fire is other-worldly. Missed the turn off to Dollar Lake and continue to Elk Cove (21.8 miles). Beautiful pink sunset and a great sunrise to compensate for the unrelenting mosquito attack.

Day 3 Fill up with water at Coe or Compass. We experienced disquiet approaching Eliot but met a counterclockwise ultra-runner who shared his crossing. When you reach Eliot there is an old trail going immediately to the left and down. Don’t take it – proceed up the ridge and the correct trail is marked with an orange ribbon. Drop your packs and continue up the ridge to scout. With effort we were able to see the route down, the white rope, where to cross (upstream from the white rope), and the red rope up the other side to the hillside trail. We had 7 hikers on Eliot with us which was confidence building. The others boulder jumped across the creek but we forded it. Counterclockwise hikers were having trouble. Two went down too early from the ridge and were experiencing falling rocks but we directed them back up and they proceed to the actual trail, two turned around after unsuccessful attempts and then there was the ultra-runner who totally missed the ropes/trail and still successfully scrambled up! After regrouping at the top of the other side, we ridge walked over a mile (just keep going!) to where you take the brief trail to rejoin Timberline. We had lunch with a three peak view, then a long exposed afternoon including many snow fields (soft in the afternoon) then it felt like the trail to Newton Creek was miles too long. We convinced ourselves we were going to emerge at a Hood River Meadows parking lot and call for beer. Extremely relieved to hit the Gnarl Ridge Trail intersection, but then heard a bell and a bear appeared on the trail! Realized how punchy I was since bears don’t wear bells do they? Nice dog. The Three Amigos at Newton Creek were not interested in camp sharing so we proceeded to the “beauteous waterfalls” and found an established camp in the trees. (33 miles)

Day 4 Finished with easy miles across the ski resort, got a little banged up scrambling through White River and enjoyed beers and lunch at Timberline Lodge. (40.2 miles).

Accessible, stunning views, adrenalin moments, and beers at the end … gets no better.

NWRunner
Posts: 6
Joined: July 29th, 2014, 6:53 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic Trip pics

Post by NWRunner » July 29th, 2014, 7:49 pm

Pics were too big so trying snip it to make them small enough.
Attachments
a8 post.JPG
Celebrate!
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a7 lost.JPG
Lost ... on the actual trail
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a6 snow fields.JPG
Crossing snow fields
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a4 Eliot back.JPG
Looking back at Eliot
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a5 Eliot selfie.JPG
Celebrating life after Eliot
a5 Eliot selfie.JPG (17.95 KiB) Viewed 4872 times
a3 Eliot.JPG
Bad Ass coming out of Eliot
a3 Eliot.JPG (17.47 KiB) Viewed 4872 times
a2 Dollar.JPG
Through the Dollar burn
a2 Dollar.JPG (22.98 KiB) Viewed 4872 times
a1 Sandy.JPG
Sandy crossing. You will have to imagine the crawlers
a1 Sandy.JPG (18.8 KiB) Viewed 4872 times

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kmcdade
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Joined: March 31st, 2013, 3:43 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by kmcdade » July 29th, 2014, 8:08 pm

Fabulous! That's some log over the Sandy.
--Kathleen. Or K-Mac. As in KMC, because that's what people have taken to calling me here. :-)

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retired jerry
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Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by retired jerry » July 29th, 2014, 8:11 pm

Sounds like a great trip.

I think, technically, you took the Timberline Trail which is the higher crossing of the Muddy Fork.

The PCT is the lower crossing.

How was the Muddy Fork crossing? I did that last time, going the other direction, and got lost for about an hour.

NWRunner
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Joined: July 29th, 2014, 6:53 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by NWRunner » July 29th, 2014, 10:05 pm

You are right - we were on Timberline, but the friendly bearded men continued to pass us on their way to Cascade Locks.

Muddy Fork had a massive log across it with a rope along the top plus a small one beside it lower so you could hug the large log and walk across the smaller one. Easy to find coming from our direction. Pics on someone else's camera.

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mschratten
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Joined: June 19th, 2013, 1:58 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by mschratten » July 30th, 2014, 6:28 am

Great TR! We saw you initially at the Eliot Crossing where you encouraged us to go ahead of you, then met again ascending out of White River while you rested and ate in the shade. We were camped at Newton and would have welcomed you had we known you were passing through! You wouldn't have been able to see us from the trail-we were camped downstream a bit.
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
~John Muir

NWRunner
Posts: 6
Joined: July 29th, 2014, 6:53 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by NWRunner » July 30th, 2014, 7:45 am

Yes, hello again! We would have liked to have camped with you at Newton but our eventual site worked out. It was great seeing your teens embracing an activity with their parents. I am encouraging my husband and 22 yo to do the trail after Hood to Coast - they can speed hike together!

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mschratten
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Joined: June 19th, 2013, 1:58 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by mschratten » August 1st, 2014, 12:30 pm

That would be a fantastic experience! It was awesome to see you three badasses out there. Strong women! Inspiring. My daughter and boyfriend were certainly the leaders of our pack. They set a pretty mean pace :)
"The mountains are calling and I must go."
~John Muir

tre
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Joined: July 12th, 2014, 3:32 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by tre » August 2nd, 2014, 2:17 pm

Great TR. We passed you as you were finishing and we were starting on the 28th at the White River crossing. We briefly discussed the Eliot and we exchanged info about our respective trails out of the canyon. We'll post out own TR tomorrow when we get home tomorrow. Rather than finish Thursday, we camped at Paradise Park Thursday mid-day and hiked up to Mississippi Head that afternoon from there and finished yesterday morning. Lingered in your beautiful weather and did some snowboarding at Timberline Lodge today before heading back to the heat and humidity of Houston. Thanks for posting the great TR and for the info at the White crossing!

Deniwell
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Joined: August 2nd, 2014, 8:31 pm

Re: Timberline Loop 7/25 - 7/28 Epic

Post by Deniwell » August 2nd, 2014, 8:41 pm

You ladies rock. My husband and I met you resting in the shade beside the trail. We were on our way to McLean Point and the rock shelter. You were telling us about your river crossing and meeting PCTers. We made our destination that day. The views were incredible and the old rock shelter was pretty cool. We aren't getting older, just better! Keep on Hiking....

Jeff & Denise

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