Ice hiking to Mirror Lake and Tom, Dick & Harry Mtn 26 Dec 2013

The final hike of 2013 was with Eric to Mirror Lake/Tom, Dick, and Harry Mtn near Mt Hood.  It was super foggy in the valley but by the time we reached Sandy, we were beginning to get out of it.  We made good time through the dark woods to the lake, no snow or ice until we got to the loop junction.  After that the trail was pretty much ice covered except for a few open spots.  And the ice was slippery.  I had my Yaktrax but Eric only had his stellar balancing abilities and the resilience of youth. We hiked to the left, then turned left to head up the mountain.  Right away the trail got worse and didn't let up.  Lots of slippery ice.  Some of the trail was on a pretty steep slope drop-off and that was a little hairy.  I especially was concerned for the trip back!  But we persevered and made it to the top at around 1p.  Hiking on ice is slow work.  We enjoyed a wonderful 360 degree view, clear skies, 6 volcanoes, and fog low in the valley.  We had it all to ourselves too.

Great end to a great year of hiking :-)

our destination

Mt Hood and Mirror Lake

ice covered trail

Olallie Butte, Mt Jefferson, Three Fingered Jack

Lunch spot

coming down was easier with a low center of gravity

Mt St Helens, Mt Rainier, Mt Adams, and Mt Hood

Little North Santiam River 14 December 2013

Katrina and I left Shopko parking lot at 9a and arrived at a slightly foggy trailhead an hour later.  Wow!  That was a nice short drive!  The road was a little icy but no traffic, so we could go slowly.  One car was at the Elkhorn trailhead but we think they were doing a shuttle as we never saw them and the car was gone on our return.  There was fog initially but it cleared up and the sun shown obliquely on the opposite shore including Henline Mountain.  It was a beautiful day, crisp 30's, snow-free trail (few icy spots) and glorious frozen waterfalls and blue green clear pools.  The rocks were dicey but we made it out to a few to see the pools.  It took us 4 hours to make it to three pools which is only a 3.3 mile hike.  What was up with that?  I think we stopped and took so many side-trips down to the water that it consumed our time.  We lunched at three pools overlook, checked out the path to get down (too icy on the rocks), then headed back (2 hr).  We were back to the car by 3 and to Shopko at 4p!  Sunset is around 4:30p so I was home by then.

starting out

Little North Santiam

looked like tree lettuce

our first side trip

climbing on the rocks to get this photo was a little risky

getting to the high point

there were 5 bridges, one rock crossing and one log crossing of streams

three pools/lunch view

interesting rocks at three pools

different lighting at high point on the way back

moss covered deciduous trees - spooky

Frozen Gorge Falls 7 December 2013

The temperatures had been quite cold for a week, accompanied by some snow on Friday.  So, Saturday morning around 10:30a I headed over to the Gorge to do a waterfall circuit.  The temps were in the teens - 20's but there was no wind.  I started by exiting at Bridal Veil Falls exit and turning west to go back to Latourell Falls.  I had never visited this falls.  The old highway in this section is narrow and was snow/ice covered.  But the parking lot was evidence that other people had the same thought as me - to see the frozen falls.  The short walk to the lower falls was ice free until the last bit.  I had my yaktrax on, so it was no problem.  The photographers took turns standing at the end and snapping the photo.

Latourell Falls

 Next up was a brief stop at Wakena, but I knew the hike up there was paved and steep and probably icy.  I didn't risk it.

Found a parking spot right away at Multnomah Falls even though the upper parking lot was already full of visitors.  Everyone was out enjoying the sun and the ice.  It was other-worldly!

upper Multnomah Falls

people viewing the falls

Horsetail falls was next on the circuit.  It was beautiful!  I probably could have hiked up to Ponytail falls and beyond to Triple falls, but I hadn't planned on it and I really wanted to see Elowah.  So Horsetail had to suffice at this stop.

Horsetail Falls

I headed east on the old highway but instead of veering right like I should have, I veered left and ended back on Hwy 84.  Oh well.  I figured that I might as well visit Wahclella Falls since I was going that direction.  Wahclella is a 2 mi rt hike.  The trail was pretty clear of ice.

Wahclella Falls

Wahclella Falls pano

I headed west again to Elowah Falls.  The lot was full of cars but some people were taking off gear and getting ready to leave.  Apparently they had just hiked to Nesmith Point!  That is 10 mi 3800 ft gain hike, in the snow.  They were tough.  They pulled out a car so I could park.  Elowah is a 1.6 mi RT hike.  No problems on the trail.  And the waterfall bowl was amazing, the most beautiful of all.

Everything was encased in ice.  The wind usually howls in this "bowl" but not today, fortunately.  Or I would have been covered in ice too!

the path

plant stems

A beautiful day!  I thank God I was able to enjoy it!

Marion Lake snow hike 26 November 2013

Jean and I left her home around 8a on a day with milky sunshine.  We had an inversion layer in the valley.  The air was pretty crisp - 20's.  We arrived at Marion lake around 10:30-ish to a big ice pool around the restroom and giant hoarfrost covering the ground.  We were the only ones there.  We hiked to Ann Lake then on to Marion Lake.  As we came up to Ann Lake we heard a noise that sounded like it could be a large animal, and both of us preferred not to think it was bear.  We had Reggie with us and he wasn't alarmed.  We put our yaktrax on when we got to Marion Lake and we continued on the little loop that is supposed to take you to the falls.  No luck finding the falls trail, but we did try by going back again are really looking.  We followed something we thought was a trail for a bit, then cross country, dragging our poles in the snow, but nothing.  We circled back to the lake and had lunch.  Tracks:  bear, cougar, fox, and deer.  But no actual sightings besides an old tent that someone left behind.
Back by 3:45p.

Ann Lake

three fingered Jack in Marion Lake

Cougar print crossing the Marion Creek bridge

Bear tracks too

looking for the falls trail

lunch spot

cool sheet of ice on the trail

hoarfrost