Today, I began my 8th and final PCT section through Oregon. Keith dropped me off at the Barlow Pass trailhead (which was still closed by this summer’s wildfire crews), and I set off north toward Mt. Hood. After 4 miles of climbing through the forest, I reached the junction with the Timberline Trail – the 40-mile trail that encircles Mt. Hood. The PCT and Timberline Trail overlapped for the next 12.4 miles northbound, so the rest of my footsteps today were a repeat of my Timberline thru-hike from five years ago. To make it a little more of an adventure this time around, I stopped at Timberline Lodge to wander around the historic lodge and take in the Arts and Crafts-style interior and Cascadian rustic architecture. Then it was back to the trail, where I crossed paths with at least 60 hikers and trail runners on this warm September afternoon. At the end of my day, I made sure to detour onto the 2.3-mile Ramona Falls Trail, just to say hello to the lovely 120-foot cascading waterfall once again.
Picking up the PCT at Barlow Pass. The historic Barlow Road was built in 1846 so Oregon Trail pioneers could avoid floating their wagons down the most treacherous part of the Columbia River (aka The Dallas)Late-season trail magic near the highway crossing below Mt. HoodThe first four miles of the day were uphill through the Hood National Forest with lots of tall (but bare) huckleberry bushes lining the trailMeeting back up with my old friend, the Timberline TrailThe 1.5-mile trek through the soft volcanic snag to Timberline Lodge was slog Wy’East Day Lodge (left, black roof) and the historic Timberline Lodge with its asymmetrical high-pitched roof designed to mimic the slope of Mt. Hood (right)Timberline Lodge was built by the WPA (Works Progress Administration) between 1936-8 using local boulders and timberLocal artisans helped craft the Lodge’s interior as part of the New Deal’s Federal Art Project During my visit, I learned that President Franklin D. Roosevelt was the first person to sign the guest register in September 1937 (85 years ago!), but the Lodge didn’t open to guests until the following February.The Blue Ox Bar wasn’t open during my late morning visit.Rooftop weathervane with Timberline Lodge’s logoStopping in at the Wy’east Day Lodge to refill my water and get a selfie with Smokey BearAs I returned to the trail, I watched as this couple got engaged at the end of the Timberline Trail!Heading clockwise around the Timberline Trail below the ski liftsThere were soooo many day hikers and trail runners between Timberline Lodge and the Zigzag River. I didn’t plan to do this last section on such a busy weekend.Views of Mt. Hood from the westThe Timberline Trail follows the lower slopes of Mt. Hood, sometimes in the forest and other times on exposed boulder slopesLooking up the loose volcanic slopesFall colors on trailMore majestic Mt. Hood viewsCrossing over Sandy Creek Between Sandy Creek and Muddy Fork, I decided to take the detour to Ramona Falls (just as I had back in 2021)The waterfall was named by a USFS employee in 1933, who named it after his late wife, Ramona MillsThe Ramona Falls Trail (#797) is an easy path that parallels the PCT for 2.3 miles. This creekside alternate is 100% worth the detour and adds no extra mileage. After crossing the Muddy Fork on a giant log, I hiked uphill to set up camp on my second-to-last night on the PCT. Only 38 more miles remaining before I reach the Bridge of the Gods
Highlights
I’ve been on Mt. Hood multiple times, including on my Timberline Trail thru-hike in 2021 and my Mt. Hood climb in May 2022, but I never actually toured inside the historic lodge until today.
As I returned to the trail just above Timberline Lodge, I watched a couple get engaged. They’d just finished hiking their circuit on the Timberline Trail and were celebrating with perfect views of Mt. Hood.
Mount Hood was out in all its glory today. The sun shone on the volcano, making it picturesque from just about every angle, plus the red foliage on the mountain was the perfect autumn treat (even though fall is still officially two days away yet).
Challenges
I forgot how tiring it was to hike on the soft volcanic sand between the PCT junction and Timberline Lodge. It was only 1.5 miles long, but it was like hiking on the beach sand with a heavy pack.
It’s amazing how little snow was left on Mt. Hood this season. The glaciers are definitely shrinking, and the low-snow year left the mountain looking awfully bare.
The trail was super busy between Timberline Lodge and the Zigzag River. Not only was it a clear, warm day, but I was out on a Saturday when all the day hikers and trail runners had time to make the short drive from Portland.
