Dog Mountain, Carson, WA

Getting There

I took Hwy 84 to Cascade Locks, then crossed the river. I suppose it's a little quicker than going all the way to Hood River and taking Hwy 14 back to Cook. 

This was a WTA trail work party in conjunction with the Mazamas. James and several others were already there when I arrived to the parking lot.

I mentioned to James that I was having "performance anxiety", referring to be unsure how fit I was to hike to the top and then doing trail work. He was surprised and said he was feeling the same thing. It was a relief that I wasn't the only one. We joked about letting the Mazamas cruise to the top with a CL or ACLs. 

The Hike

Length: 6.48 mi
Elev. gain: 2,840 ft
Highest Elevation: 2,948 ft

Before we set out up the trail, we stopped to take a group photo with the park rangers. 

Surprisingly, I was one of the first to reach Puppy Dog Viewpoint with a couple of the Mazamas. I guess I didn't need to be anxious about my fitness.

We planned to work from the top back down to the viewpoint on eastern side of the loop trail which winds through the trees, instead of the wildflower route to the west. Since it took about 2 hours to complete the hike, we decided to have lunch before starting work. We dropped out tools and headed for the summit.

After lunch, we hiked back to the top of the work site.

The trail was in pretty good condition but there were several areas that needed re-benching and widening.

There was one small diameter tree (maple vine?) that was a bit close to the trail, at about eye level. Before this volunteer actually made the cut, I suggested that we cut a big chunk off the top to lighten the branch. I also showed them how to undercut so there wasn't a slab when the weight finally brought the branch down.

A little re-benching project.

We made it back to Puppy Dog Viewpoint. The weather was great and the work wasn't too difficult.

While this wasn't a leisure hike, it was some descent distance and elevation gain. Some work parties are only 1-2 miles and minimal EG so I don't count those. 

Hike: Devil's Rest and Angel's Rest via Wahkeena Creek, Corbett, OR

Getting There

This day was going to be my only opportunity to hike for a couple of weeks. I've got a few trail work days and some training. Plus, the weather forecast was mild temps and dry.

I was headed for Hamilton Mountain even though we are going there on Thursday to work on the stretch between the summit and the Saddle. When I arrived at Beacon Rock, I saw the gate to the Hamilton Mtn trailhead was closed. I parked and got geared up. To my surprise, the note taped to the gate said the trail is closed between the trailhead and Hardy Falls due to multiple landslides. I knew there has been a detour through Hadley Grove to bypass the slide near the trailhead. I was mildly bummed that the only way up was via the Equestrian Trail.

I opted to forge ahead and head over to Multnomah Falls. For a Monday, the parking lot was nearly full but I found an empty near the tunnel.

I geared up and made my way over to the Return Trail to Wahkeena Falls. 

The Hike

Length: 11.35 mi
Elev. gain: 3,074 ft
Moving time: 4:24:03
Avg pace: 23:15
Calories: 2,327
Total time: 4:54:51 

 

 

 

 

It's been difficult to get motivated to hike. I've been feeling out of shape on work parties but it hasn't been enough to get me off my arse. I signed up for a work party in late April at the summit of Dog Mountain (w/ Mazamas). I need to ramp it up and get some training hikes in between now and then.

I wasn't fast but I made continuous progress up to Fairy Falls and beyond. I paused briefly at the junction for Angel's Rest but decided to keep going. I wasn't sure I'd be able to reach Angel's Rest AND Devil's Rest. The hike out to Angel's and back would have been good. At one point, I even thought I'd just hike over to the Larch Mountain Trail and back down via Multnomah Falls.

Nope. I reached the cutoff for Devil's Rest and took it. My new plan was to hike up to DR and then double back or drop down the Angel's Rest Trail. Instead I planned to hike all the way to AR. Immediately after leaving DR, the Foxglove trail drops in elevation quickly. 

I started to doubt if I was fit and conditioned enough to do this whole loop. Anxiety came as I was making my way down when I reached the point of no return, or rather, the point that I really, really, really didn't want to hike back up. I was really committed now. Fuck it.

Like Rey in Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker, I called upon my trail work friends who've logged hundred of hikes. "Why am I scared rn?" I got this. I thought about "digging deep" like one might at the gym. Given where I was, I had no choice to hike out. If I was cycling around the city, I would be able to call a cab. Out here, it's just me and my two legs & feet.

When I reached the junction to start heading back to Wahkeena, I considered the time and how much daylight was left. I'd only brought 9 of the 10 essentials.. no flashlight. Argh!! I was too close to AR to skip it. I gave myself from 4:10 to 4:30 before I needed to start my return hike.

I did the loop around AR and immediately started back up the trail. 

I made sure to stay hydrated with electrolytes and forced myself to eat some of my KIND bar. I was tired but I reminded myself I'd done Mt St Helens several times. The fatigue could mostly be remedied by getting the right nutrients.

Getting "under" DR took longer than I remembered. In my mind, DR and AR aren't that far away from each other. From DR to AR, it's actually about 2 miles and 900 feet of elevation loss. To get from AR to the spot on the trail adjacent to DR, it's about 1.5 miles but the net elevation gain and loss cancel each other out. I let out a sigh of relief when I reached the spot where the Primrose Path joins the trail. Time to coast.

From here back to the trailhead was routine. I was glad to have ample daylight left and plenty of energy in reserve. I had another moment of relief when I stepped off the rock trail onto pavement at Lemmons Point. I knew I had more rocky trail on the Return Trail but I enjoyed the smooth(er) surface while I could.

I was floating when I got to Multnomah Falls Lodge. I had a tiny burst of energy to get me the rest of the way.

What a great hike and reminder that I'm in pretty good shape after all. I still need to keep training for the Dog Mtn work party and hikes beyond. Hopefully, I can increase my hike and it'll be easier to get motivated and actually leave the house more often. 

I also expect a tough summer with wild fires and smoke. The end of summer could be a bust.

 

 

Hike: Dog Mountain via Augspurger Trail, Cook, WA

Getting There

The Augspurger and Dog Mountain Trails share the same trailhead parking lot off Hwy 14. 

I took I-84 to Cascade Locks, then crossed the river and continued on WA-14 eastbound. It's 54 miles (87km) from Portland and 6.2 miles (10km) from the Carson turnoff/round-about. Being a mid-week hike, the parking lot was mostly empty, save a few cars. 

I parked by the Discover Pass sign and geared up. After a pit stop, I set out on the trail, remembering my hike from last November.

The Hike

Distance: 6.92 mi
Ascent: 2,743 ft
Total Time: 3h 46m 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was my second hike of the year and my first "real" hike: decent mileage and elevation gain. 

I was settling into my groove but was quickly jolted by something on the trail. It was a dead deer on the trail. Sorry for the graphic details: it was on its back with hind legs in the air. It was just leg bones, the flesh had been eaten off. My mind went from "holy shit, this is gruesome" to "I hope there isn't a cougar or other predator or scavenger watching me, ready to defend its meal." I hestitated, trying to gather the courage to proceed or return to the trailhead and take the Dog Mountain Trail instead. As I stepped over the carcass, hundreds of flies took flight. I tried not to look too closely and burn a horrible image in my mind. I noticed some poop and entrails near the body. 

I cleared the body and quickened my pace. I had to get out of there. When I reached a viewpoint of Wind Mountain about 3-4 mins up the trail, I texted James about who to contact. He got back to me and said to forward to Stasia to message our forest contact. I was just thinking about unsuspecting hikers coming across the scene and possibly having an animal encounter.

 

The weather was great. I kind of hoped to meet a hiker coming down the trail but never saw anyone. Too few people around. I was preparing my spiel about the deer.

 

Snapshots of the trail from when I was there for the WTA work party popped into my mind, helping me gauge my progress. I wasn't terrible energetic, taking more breaks than I'd expected to need. Thank goodness for my electrolytes, they kept me going.

I was having doubts but didn't want to turn back and have to go by the deer again. (shudder). It gave me some motivation to push myself.

I was relieved when I reached Augspurger-Dog Mountain Trail junction. I poked my head around the corner on the Augspurger Trail. I want to check it off the list sometime. It's a long one, 12.3 miles (~19.8km), 4507 feet (1373m), maybe a good conditioning hike for MSH or Mt Adams, etc.

 

As with other hikes I've done, I've compressed the next section in my mind. It's longer than I remembered and a little more elevation gain. I encountered a few downed trees over the trail.

 

I finally emerged from the trees and I could see to the Dog Mountain Trail. I was almost to the apex of my hike. The views were spectacular. The sun was still a bit high in the sky, the lighting still a bit bright. Someday I'll hike here when the wildflower are in bloom.

 

On my descent, I passed a hiker coming up to the summit.

 

I made sure to enjoy the views after the difficult ascent and trace of doubt. 

After Puppy Dog Point, I passed another solo hiker. I passed another couple in the trees, and a pair of hikers past the Hard/Very Hard routes. I thought about folks that hike late in the day. I wondered if they had the 10 essentials including a light source. 

I took a picture of the Mitchell Point. Awesome to see it from this side of the river. 

 

I was elated to have made it to the top and I was making good progress down (knees intact). 

I finally reached the lower section, the switchbacks. I inspected our trail work from last year. I tried to find that section that were excavated and filled in. It was invisible :)

  

Back at the parking lot, I counted the cars and matched them in my mind with the hikers I'd seen.

A successful day. I'm still pretty fit for the terrain and difficulty. It it motivation to resume my hiking frequency, balancing trail work with personal hikes.

Hike: Mitchell Point, Hood River, OR

Getting There

From Portland, it's about 57 miles (92km) east on I-84, about 5 miles (8 km) from Hood River. You have to take exit 58 from the eastbound lanes: there is no exit from the westbound lanes. 

The trailhead/tunnel parking lot is just up the hill. Parking is limited. When I went there on a weekend (or holiday), cars were parked illegally on the shoulder - please don't do that. Come back during the week or when early or late in the day. 

I waited until mid-afternoon to decide to go somewhere. I knew I didn't have time for any of my usual hikes. The weather was great in town and I hoped it would be like that all the way to Hood River. When I was getting close (I was parallel with Wind Mountain across the river), the cloud cover was pretty thick. The sunset was going to be nice but it was a bit chilly.

Fortunately, the parking lot was only about 1/2 full (5-6 cars). I didn't have any gear, just a jacket, fanny pack, hiking poles. No water, or snacks. Raw dogging. 

The Hike

Distance: 1.85 mi
Ascent: 892 ft
Total Time: 1h 27m 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was my first hike of 2026 but not my first outdoor excursion. I've done a bunch of work parties with WTA and TKO but was finding motivation was still a bit elusive, a feeling that has lingered for several months.

Last time I stopped here, I didn't even have proper hiking boots and found my footwear was not appropriate for the steep terrain. This time I had a singular goal in mind: make it to the top!

Given the lack of cars in the parking lot, I figured I'd have the place to myself. I had just an hour or 1.5 hrs left before sunset.

The trail climbs about 900 feet (275m) in just under a mile (1.4km). I grinded up the switchback, crossed a couple of scree fields which lead me to the saddle. The trail climbs up to the service road for the power lines, before turning sharply back towards the river (north). The climb up the spine is kinda steep but not bad.

As I was ascending the last stretch I saw two people near the top. They disappeared out of view. I guessed they were enjoying the views. I continued upwards but wanted to give those folks some space. I peeked around the corner and saw them sitting. I backed up a bit and took some pictures.

After a few minutes I saw them coming back down. I pretended I was a bit surprised. I said hello and made a cringy (dad joke) comment: "What goes up must come down".. (ewwww, why?). LOL

I climbed up to where they were sitting and took a look. Not much further to go on the point before getting too sketchy. I was ready to start my descent but wanted those people to get a little further along so I wasn't crowding them.

I saw them stop to put on jackets so I hurried so I could pass. Unfortunately, they saw me coming down the hill and quickly started hiking again.. argh!

I stalled and walked really slowly but they kept stopping so I eventually caught up again.

As I crossed the last scree field, a bunch of softball to bowling ball sized rocks started to slide down right above were I was. Only my legs & ankles stopped them but they kind of piled up against me. Yikes. More rocks might have made me lose my footing and swept me down the scree field, or if they'd had started sliding higher up and picked up speed, it could have been more dangerous. Oof.

I made a noise in surprise then relief when nothing more happened. I looked up and noticed the couple had stopped. In fact, they'd stopped to make sure I was okay. I brushed off the danger and said "well, that was a bit spicy!" but thanked them.

Again, I adopted a slow pace so I wasn't right behind them on the trail. Back at the parking lot, one of them headed to the loo and the other putting their gear away. I should have thanked them again for waiting after the rock slide. 

 

Snowshoe: White River Canyon, Government Camp, OR

Getting There

It was the last day of the year. Being behind on my hiking goals, I wanted to squeeze in one more outing. I saw the weather was looking favorable in the Gorge and around Mt Hood. 

A couple people posted amazing pictures from Silver Star. One person on AllTrails reported the road (L-1200) was in terrible shape while another said the road was fine. As I was driving on Hwy 30/N Killingsworth toward the I-205 turn, I considered hiking Silver Star but my decision was made when I turned right onto the southbound lanes towards Troutdale. I was going to Mt Hood like I said I was, stick to the plan). 

White River Sno-Park, an old favorite, was my destination. I passed the Mirror Lake parking lot: full, as expected. I still go a late start but figured I'd still have plenty of time for my usual route to the end of the trail. I stopped at Government Camp for a pitstop. 

The road were pretty clear to the Hwy 35 turn and to White River. The parking lot was less than half full. I wondered how much snow there actually was on the ground up in the canyon. No matter, I wasn't going anywhere else. (Trillium Lake didn't look promising, too crowded, flat loop.)

The Hike

Length: 5.53 mi
Elev. gain: 1,640 ft
Moving time: 2:38:41
Avg pace: 28:43
Calories: 1,398
Total time: 3:14:42 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got suited up with my snow boots and snowshoes, and powder baskets on my poles. The snow on the ground was well packed and there weren't any post holes. Despite the clear skies, the sno-park wasn't very busy compared to other times I've been here. 

Once I got passed that last sledding hill, I veered off into the middle of the canyon, to the right (north) of the trees. I crossed the creek before putting on my snow shoes. 

 

The clouds were amazing when I started the hike. I only encountered one other snow shoer on the trail. He had a light pack, no poles and looked like a cotton sweatshirt. ಠ_ಠ

The end of the trail was in sight but also looked far away. I was feeling good and had plenty of time (i.e. daylight). I made a mental note that I wanted to start heading back down by 2:30p. I had one hour to reach the end of the road.

I heard some voices far away. I could see the Palmer chairlift moving on the ridge but probably too far. I thought there might be some people looking from the rim near Timberline Lodge. Nope, it was at least one person (probably two having a conversation). on the a steep hillside to my left (southwest). They were probably climbing up to have some fresh turns on skis or snowboard. Short but sweet section. 

The clouds had moved out by the time I reached this point, 2pm. In fact, the air seemed "warm". I guessed it was around low 40s. The snow was getting pretty mushy in spots. I don't know what my packed weighed but played a factor. I saw some snow shoe tracks that were on the top of the snow, probably made when it was a lot cooler.

I also noted that the snow coverage was pretty minimal compared to previous visits, lots of rocks showing. 

I made it to my destination. The end of the road. This looks like an ancient glacial valley.

Here is my last picture of Mt Hood as I was winding my way back to the car. 3pm. 

I couldn't find a suitable route to climb into the trees for my descent so I returned the way I'd come. I'd seen a few sets of human-made tracks lower down coming from the trees. My biggest concern was creeks next to the small cliff. 

I saw a short section that looked promising. I was able to climb my way up and over the berm. The snow in the trees was softer than I'd expected. I thought the shade would have slowed the thaw. I found a couple of ski tracks. I followed some other snow-shoe tracks for awhile but ended up leaving the trees before that last sledding hill. I took my snow-shoes off where I'd put them on earlier, just before a creek crossing.

The direct sun was gone, just the blue light over everything. There were still lots of sledders having fun.

A little kid on a saucer zoomed by and skidded to a stop. They looked up and stared for a few beats before I waved and said "howdy". I'm sure I was a bit of a sight: sunglasses, trucker hat, big backpack with Garmin InReach & red MSHI patch. S&R? Mountain man? Astronaut? LOL.