I hiked this spectacular trail with two cherished friends and their two dogs. It’s the closest you can hike to Mount Hood without beginning to climb a rock face.
When you begin the hike, the mountain rises like a shield over you above the wooded approach. Then as you plod up the sandy, rocky trail, you lose track of Mount Hood and it suddenly stands out boldly.
It’s accumulating snow right now and looks barren dark gray. The snowpack will feed the mountain dells in the spring.
Everything is bleak and clear out there. I watched a hawk swoop down a rocky waste. I had several moments like that, where I perceived a natural event with clarity that expanded beyond the moment.
Astonishingly my friends got tired out toward the end of the trail and stayed behind sipping bourbon and snacking while I got to the end.
It’s not ideal for a day trip from Portland. It’s better to camp there and take it all in as much as you like. But my friend drove and I napped with the dog in the back on the way home.
pseudoisaac 