June 13, 2008 by annie.

dates hiked:

February 17, 2008
February 23, 2008
March 16, 2008
March 22, 2008
April 12, 2008

distance: 12 miles
highest elevation: 1200 feet
elevation gain: 1200 feet
time: 3.5 hours

Once Eagle Creek opened again in January, I couldn’t wait to vary my winter hiking a bit. I had spent the winter in the Columbia Gorge, specifically around Multnomah Falls. I was looking forward to getting out to Tunnel Falls. The first two tries in February, I didn’t make it. There was too much snow for me. By March, I was able to make it to the falls with YakTrax on.

The interesting thing is…this year we have had record amounts of low elevation snow. It’s now mid-June (I’m really late posting) and you still hit snow around 3000 ft. up the trails. That has also meant there is a ton of water. Along the Eagle Creek trail, there’s a waterfall (below) that I don’t ever remember seeing before.

Many people say Eagle Creek Canyon is nerve-racking because of the steep drops and no-where-to-go cliffs. I find the trail beautiful.

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March 29, 2008 by annie.

dates hiked:

November 10, 2007
December 8, 2007
January 1, 2008
January 13, 2008
January 21, 2008

distance: @7.5 miles
highest elevation: 1600 feet
elevation gain: 1000 feet
time: 4 hours

I have spent all of fall and most of winter in the Columbia Gorge. Mostly on this trail. My other favorite low-elevation Gorge trail , Eagle Creek, was closed so I stayed here. My goal was to keep hiking throughout the winter season and so far…it’s working. It was amazing to watch the trail change with the season and the latest storm. I had to buy YakTrax (we’ve had a snowy season).

The Wahkeena - Multnomah Loop can be completed clockwise or counter-clockwise. I prefer to hike it counter-clockwise. However, I like to park at Multnomah Falls (and end there). So I always begin my hike by taking the return trail from Multnomah Falls to Wahkeena Falls. It’s funny, because no matter how busy Multnomah is…and it can be busy, within a moment the crowds drop away.

Beacon Rock from trail

The trail passes several waterfalls and provides a view of the Columbia River. There are are also many trails leading off of the Wahkeena Trail so you can spend  a lot of time exploring in the area (as I did). As New Year’s Day arrived, the snow levels were dropping and my trail had shown the first sign of winter.

Two weeks later, further along the trail…more snow (but totally hikable).

My last trip to the Wahkeena - Multnomah Trail was on January 21, 2008. I had set out that morning without watching the news or weather….which unfortunately is quite common for me. I had watched the weather reports earlier in the week and I knew it would be cold…in the 20’s. Being the native Floridian, I admit I do not have a good understanding of cold weather. I figured, okay…so I dress warmly. And I did…I headed out. I actually went to Eagle Creek Trail first because it was just reopened after being closed for months. I was excited. I got to the trail (at Eagle Creek) and started out. Within steps I realized the ground underneath me was solid ice. As I continued, chunks of ice and rocks came raining down from the wall above me. As a rock the size of a golf ball hit my pack and I stared as it fell into the canyon below me….I decided to turn around. None of this took very long and I didn’t want to forgo hiking for the day…so I headed to Wahkeena/Multnomah.

Here’s what I found…

I didn’t make it on the entire loop that day. I was able to hike about three miles. Afterwards, I spent some time at Multnomah drinking coffee and watching in amazement.

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March 29, 2008 by annie.

date hiked: September 22, 2007
distance: 8.7 miles
time: 3 hours

I took my friend Tammy to Silver Falls State Park. We hiked together for a short time and then seperated while I hiked the Trail of Ten Falls. It was a nice way to spend a day.

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March 29, 2008 by annie.

date hiked: September 8, 2007
distance: 7.5 miles
highest elevation: 2400 feet
elevation gain: 2100 feet
time: 4.5 hours

This is my second time hiking up Hamilton Mountain. Last time I hiked with a friend, this time I was on my own. I also didn’t take the “loop option” this time, which just takes you on an old road. I stayed on the much more scenic (and more difficult) trail up to the summit and came back down the same way.

Early on, a couple of miles in….Rodney and Hardy Falls give you a place to stop for a brief picture (looking down from the falls).

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January 6, 2008 by annie.

date hiked: August 25, 2007
distance: 12 miles
highest elevation: unknown
elevation gain: 1000 ft
time: 4.5 hours

Hiking to Tunnel Falls is now one of my all time favorite hikes. The only down-side…it is an out and back hike, not a loop (and we all know I love loops). My friend Jen and I hiked to the falls, scheming, plotting, and hatching plans along the way. The coolest thing about the falls, of course, is that (as the name implies) the trail tunnels behind them. And if you choose (as I did) you can get soaked by really cold water. People who act more like adults (like Jen), can stay dry. 

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January 6, 2008 by annie.

date hiked: August 15, 2007
distance: 3.8 miles
highest elevation: approx. 6000
elevation gain: 2160 ft
time: 1.5 hours

This was a killer hike for me. Two thousand feet up in one and a half mile. It was steep. At least for me. Because I’m a crappy hiker. Yet, I still love it. This was also a weird hike for me internally. I chose the hike to see Comet Falls, one of the tallest in the park. Along the hike you are supposed to be able to glimpse the falls several times. At each switchback, I could hear the thundering water become louder but could never see anything. Not one drop of water, anywhere. The overgrowth of greenery and brush had blocked everything. It became somewhat odd. Hearing all indications of a massive, plunging, waterfall but not even seeing the riverbed that it feeds into. I was enclosed in a forest. I never saw water or Mt. Rainier. Then, all of a sudden, the forest opened up and Mt. Rainier was standing there. The water fall came soon after. I loved that moment.

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January 6, 2008 by annie.

date hiked: August 15, 2007
distance: 1 miles
highest elevation: unknown
elevation gain: unknown
time: unknown

A completely paved trail imbedded in the network of trails surrounding the vistor center at Paradise in Mt. Rainier NP. Somewhat of a spur trail off the Paradise Glacier trail (which used to lead to ice caves that have since melted), this little juant is a spectacular view of the mountain and falls. However, it is packed with people.

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January 6, 2008 by annie.

date hiked: August 14, 2007
distance: 2.7 miles
highest elevation: approx. 4867 ft
elevation gain: unknown
time: unknown

This easy hike explores the area around Reflection Lakes, which some consider the most photograghed spot on Mt. Rainier.

There are amazing views of Mt. Rainier along the trail, some reflecting in the waters of the lakes. But I loved hiking along Mazama Ridge and looking back to this view of the Tatoosh Range. I think it made it seem like I had come so much farther than I really had.

It was nice to have Tyler come along this hike. Everything was so green and bright. There were also plenty of bugs!

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November 10, 2007 by annie.

date hiked: August 14, 2007
distance: 4.5 miles
highest elevation: unknown
elevation loss: 2044 feet
time: 1 hour 39 minutes

In November 2006, two days of steady rain in the northwest caused flooding that closed Mt. Rainier National Park for six months. Campgrounds, trails, and roads were washed away. The damage was most evident on this hike from Narada Falls to Longmire Historic District.

Narada Falls is a beautiful cascading falls just off the road in the park. It is a very popular attraction, as it is so easily accessible. Below the falls, a trail connects to the Wonderland Trail (the 93 mile trail that circles Rainier). This section of Wonderland travels downhill along the Paradise River. There are two other waterfalls along the trail, Madcap Falls and Carter Falls.

About 3 miles into the hike you enter the Nisqually River Valley. A bridge takes you across the Nisqually River. After crossing the river, you enter a forest. It was here along the Nisqually where the trail disappeared. Flood damage signs were posted and trail workers were rerouting the trail. I climbed trees, followed flags, and made my way to Longmire.

Longmire Historic District is the site where James Longmire built a Medical Springs in 1888. The Park Headquarters was established there in 1899. Currently, there is a museum, hotel, ranger station, and exhibits there.

After finishing the hike, I returned to the campground and took Tyler to the Nisqually River crossing. The picture says it all.

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November 10, 2007 by annie.

date hiked: August 13, 2007
distance: 5.2 miles
highest elevation: approx. 6400 feet
elevation gain: 1400 feet
time: 2 hours

I’m so far behind on posting. I haven’t stopped hiking though. I’m going to try to catch up…yet again.

After returning from Alaska, I stayed home for about a week then went camping and hiking for four days in Mt. Rainier National Park. Immediately after setting up camp in Cougar Rock campground, Tyler and I headed up to the Skyline Trail. The trail is mostly paved and amazingly populated. You feel so close to the mountain from here. It has that reach-out-and-touch-it feeling. Tyler and I spent a lot of time talking about mountain climbing. Mountaineers access the summit from this trail so we would see them with all of their gear heading out or having already reached the top, heading in.

On the way back in we came across a group of hoary marmots.

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