Snow-Hiking McNeil Point 4 Oct 2013

Three weeks of no hikes!  Friday's forecast was lots of sun so I headed to Mt Hood's McNeil Point.  I had been out of town the previous weekend and did not realize the extent of the snow on the mountain.  I was prepared to be chilly, but not especially prepared for 14 + inches of snow.  It was a beautiful day and there were four people ahead of me blazing the trail.  I made it to the McNeil Point turn off sign and turned around.  It took 5 hours to hike 7 miles - snow hiking is way more labor intensive and takes a lot more focus!

the snow begins after about a half mile

second view of Mt Hood

the snow was deep in drifts

I was glad these ladies were ahead of me

one of the tarns

fewer trail footprints

I am on my own now

you could see the depression that was the path

this is what I was aiming for...the view

my turn around point

decided to have lunch here, perched on a rock

a few mushrooms were trying to make it in the cold

a huge tree lying smack in the middle of the path