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Jake Robinson · Member Joined: 02 Aug 2016 Posts: 390 | TRs

Attempted Big Snow Mountain today. Middle Fork Road snow free until the Dingford gate. Snow line around 2000'. Getting up to Lower Hardscrabble Lake was miserable, snowy bushwhacking and sketchy slippery snow covered talus. Many broken poles and bruised knees. Bailed a little before the lower lake. It took us 2.5 hours to cover the last mile before we turned around.

Sky Hiker · Sat Nov 30, 2019 7:45 am

Not a surprise

Nancyann · Sat Nov 30, 2019 8:59 pm

Had a super fun Thanksgiving Day hiking up to Lake Valhalla. Arrived at the lake viewpoint about 1:30, the same time as a couple with two dogs, no one else there on a bright sunny day. The trail had just recently been broken, so there was very little ice to walk on, but the most amazing icicles were hanging from the trees!

Valhalla 11/28/19

No trail had been broken down to the lake and we were too lazy to trudge through two feet of unbroken snow, so we headed up Mt. McCausland instead, on someone else’s bootpath.

Valhalla 11/28/19

That went well until we stopped for lunch. A breeze picked up and the wind chill quickly dropped below freezing. I had taken my fingers out of my mitts to eat, and they froze immediately. I could barely put my mitts back on, or even zip my pack closed. So, we high-tailed it off McCausland and headed back to the truck, enjoying gorgeous alpenglow as the sun went down.
I had been planning on getting home in time to throw a turkey in the oven, (even made a pie the night before) but due to the lure of the snow, sun and blue skies, that went out the window. Instead we had a special Thanksgiving dinner of chili, hot dogs and some high-end ramen I borrowed from my backpacking stash. But we topped it off with homemade pumpkin pie, and everyone was happy.

Kat · Turtle Hiker Joined: 05 Oct 2003 Posts: 2530 | TRs

yukon222 · Member Joined: 12 Mar 2007 Posts: 1859 | TRs

Quick hike into Snow Lake last Friday morning. Not much snow at the parking lot, maybe 5" or so. Only about 10" at the actual lake.

Sky Hiker · Tue Dec 03, 2019 11:42 am

Thanks for that trip report I always wanted to go up there and check that out. Hopefully the light is good so I can get a good selfie!!

olderthanIusedtobe · Wed Dec 04, 2019 12:05 pm

Belated Black Friday TR. Was at my parents' house east of Portland in The Gorge. It had been cloudy but cleared up on Friday. It was cold though. Decided I definitely wanted to do something on the Washington side so I could soak up some rays (if you do much hiking in the area you know many of the hikes on the Oregon side are on the shady end of the spectrum). Tried something new for me, ended up just about perfect. Did the Labyrinth/Coyote Wall loop, started on the Rowland Lake end. Lots of oak trees, don't see those usually on hikes. Wind you way thru some interesting basalt formations. Walking the edge of Coyote Wall in the middle is pretty cool. Saw several ravens. That area is multiuse, saw several mountain bikers. No conflicts between user groups to report.

Went on Saturday as well. I was purposely avoiding hiking near Multnomah Falls, figured it would be just a madhouse over the holiday weekend. Tried something else new. I've driven past Mitchell Point hundreds if not thousands of times. It's kind of a beacon, lets me know I'm almost to Hood River, but I've never once stopped there. Short, steep trail to the top of Mitchell. From the parking area I then headed the opposite direction on the Wygant Trail. Both hikes never really get out of range of hearing traffic on I-84. Wygant was interesting in a few places along creeks, but I got bored with this one. I got to a viewpoint (Adams was just poking out) about a mile or so from the top of Wygant Peak and called it good. Coyote Wall I would do again but this one is probably on the Do Not Repeat List. Although with Coyote I wouldn't try it in July or August probably, you would get roasted by the south exposure, not much shade and usually high temps in the area that time of year. Supposed to be a good spring hike with flowers. I did see a bunch of shriveled up balsam root near the top. I realized I've never seen the plants before in late fall/winter, looked kind of skeletal.

RichP · Thu Dec 05, 2019 4:00 pm

Headed over to Anatone in the southeast corner of Wa today for a visit of Big Butte Lookout. I wonder what the plans are for this structure? Seems like it would make a nice nightly rental along with the others in the area but seems to be temporarily on the ground after the tower was damaged.

Big Butte, 5010,' on the eastern end of the Blue Mtns of Washington.

Headed up the slope.

The Wallowas are visible in the distance.

Flattening out near the summit.

The lookout was on a tower but has been lowered. I heard the tower was damage by a fallen tree. It's good that they saved it before it collapsed.

OK.

Big Butte Lookout.

Even the loo is in good shape.

Could be a nice nightly rental.

The Blues in the distance.

Anatone Butte on the right and the Wallowas in the distance.

Barely enough snow for snowshoes.

The Blues.

Anatone Butte.

Looking east over the Snake River into Idaho. I believe the peak in the foreground is Wilson Butte on The Wa side and the forested bump below is Puffer Butte.