Maple Ridge, BC
Canada
780 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2007 : 1:32 PM
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Myself (David) and photographer Don Geyer just returned from hiking the northern section of the Timberline Trail. It was our first time in this area so this was primarily a scouting mission; we tried to cover as much ground as possible the first day in order to determine the best places to photograph at dawn & dusk.
We embarked from the Top Spur trailhead for the simple reason that is was the first one off SR26. At the junction with the PCT there is a posted notice of a washout on the trail that traverses the slopes of Bald Mountain. Fortunately we ignored it and were rewarded with fabulous views of Mt. Hood and a unique vertical meadow studded with flowers.
We stopped once for a quick break and were mildly accosted by flies, however once we reached the Timberline Trail the bugs were a non-issue. We set up camp in delightful Cairn Basin ande made it as far as Elk Cove before turning back. After a few false starts finally found Dollar Lake, but by then it was getting late and we had to get back for sunset on McNeil Point.
We were up at 4am the next morning and treaded over to Dollar Lake for sunrise, while Don waited for his 'shot' I started the climb up to the top of the Barrett Spur. The guidebook listed the hike as 1.3 miles but it was actually much longer than that. Further reading revealed that this is what the author considered the 'safe' distance to go without climbing gear. It was a long tedious slog but I never once had to deal with exposure. Only the last 50ft beyond the false summit would be what I would call scrambling and even that was on large relatively stable talus.
On the way back down I encountered Don resting at a col, while waiting for me he had scouted out a 'shortcut' back to our camp. Unfortunately it was across several talus fields and considering what I had just climbed my feet were not all that pleased (I presently sport a blister the size of a lima bean on my big toe). .
We both returned home very tired (16 hours of driving for me, countless miles hiked over two days) but also very satisfied with our adventure. In fact you could say it was spurific!
  
 
  
 
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Edited by - David and Karen on 07/29/2007 2:56 PM
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 Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13598 Posts |
Posted - 07/29/2007 : 1:43 PM
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For all that driving and hiking, that area is so much ample reward for all that. That is one heck of a beautiful mountain with glaciers covering it like that.
Regards |
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Timberline North, Mt.. Hood
