I don't have any hiking goals for 2024 as of yet. I just wanted to create this page to record the hike I took on January 1st, before I forget everything. I'll be back later to fill in the goals (if I have any this year!)
Update --- I've decided to continue this page with the same format at in 2023. It was kind of nice not to have the pressure of hitting a certain number of hikes, so on this page I'll be recording every hike I take this year, nothing more.
Hike No. 1 - 1/1/24 - Ecola Point to Indian Beach and Tillamook Head, Ecola State Park, Oregon coast. First day of a new year and what better way to celebrate than with a hike! I couldn't get any friends to join me so I covered the trail solo. Although the skies were sunny when I began, they clouded up and conditions were foggy upon my return. The trail was super muddy and I made quite a mess of myself. But it was great to reacquaint myself with the area - it had been many years since I'd hiked both trails. After a slothful December, I discovered I need to get myself back into shape - this hike totally whupped me! 7.5 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain.
P.S. - I drove by a herd of elk right next to the road on my way out of the park. So cool!
Hike No. 2 - 1/11/24 - Hares Canyon, Williams Creek Horseshoe, and Bark Spud Trails, Stub Stewart State Park, Oregon. I didn't feel like driving very far today, so Stub Stewart SP to the rescue! This place is always good for a quick romp. It's been cold, but I was surprised to find a good three inches of snow on the ground at the parking area. Hiking through slushy snow got my boots wet, and then it started raining! Not the greatest day to be outside, but I got some miles in and survived to tell the story. Now to dry out all of my soaking wet gear. 6 miles, 800 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 3 - 2/3/24 - Wilson River Trail, Jones Cr. TH to Wilson River Falls, Oregon Coast Range. It had been too long between hikes! Finally some sunny, dry weather prompted me to reunite with good friend Catherine for a catch up hike. We struck out with our first two trailhead options - one trail was closed and the other trailhead was swarming with ATV's. So I drove to my standby coast range hike, the Wilson River Trail. We had a lovely time romping through the mossy forests, following the beautiful blue Wilson River. Taking a lunch break on the river bank, we were entertained by two kayakers paddling through the rapids. It was wonderful to be back on the trail again. 5.75 miles, 600 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 4 - 2/19/24 - Lewis River Trail, from Hantwick Trailhead to Moulton Falls Regional Park, Washington. I've been skiing too much and hiking too little! However I got outside today to revisit a favorite area in SW Washington. My friend Catherine joined me on this stroll. After oohing and aahing over the beautiful wooden bridge over the Lewis River in Moulton Falls Regional Park, I embarked on a mission to check out nearby Yacolt Falls. The waterfall was found and it was absolutely worth the side trip. The day started out rainy but ended up sunny and nice. 6.6 miles, 300 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 5 - 3/18/24 - Catherine Creek Loop, Columbia River Gorge, Washington. It's been a slow hiking season thus far, because I've been skiing a lot. But today's beautiful weather gave me a good reason to check out the eastern gorge wildflower bloom. Debbie and Barry joined me for this trek, and it was good to catch up on the past couple of months. The grass widows were in full bloom and they were stunning. Debbie also spotted a few Lewis woodpeckers - definitely a highlight! Nice to be back out in the Gorge. A short hike, because I spent too much time taking pictures! 5 miles, 1100 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 6 - 4/1/24 - Labyrinth Trail to Catherine Creek and back, Columbia River Gorge, Washington. No foolin' it was only my 6th hike of the year! Too much time spent skiing I guess. But it was another windy, but lovely day in the Gorge exploring one of my favorite trails in the area. The wildflowers were blooming everywhere and the views were spectacular as usual. Debbie and Barry accompanied me for this latest trek and the company was most welcome. 7.5 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 7 - 4/7/24 - Dalles Mtn Ranch Loop from Crawford Oaks TH, Columbia River Gorge, Washington. The wildflowers are bloomin' and it was time for me to start visiting all my favorite Gorge wildflower meadows. The Dalles Mtn Ranch is one of my favorite springtime hikes. Catherine joined me for a tiptoe through the flowers. The balsamroot was going strong, with lupine just getting started. I was sad to see someone had picked a bunch of the balsamroot and left the wilted blooms on the trail. People - NEVER pick wildflowers!! Other than that, another great spring hike in the gorge! 7.4 miles, 1400 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 8 - 4/12/24 - Memaloose Hills and Rowena Crest, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. The balsamroot was in full bloom, and I needed to catch it. So I woke up early and headed to the Memaloose Hills, a great place to see high concentrations of wildflowers. Chatfield Hill didn't disappoint, and the early hour meant great morning light on the flower fields. I finished up with a quick trek through nearby Rowena Crest, but truthfully Chatfield Hill was much better. Good to get outside and have my flower fix. 5 miles total between the two places, and 850 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 9 - 4/14/24 - Step Creek Loop, Oregon Coast Range. On this gorgeous spring day, I checked out this "new to me" trail a mere 30 minutes from home. Lots of trilliums and yellow violets blooming, birds were singing, and the forest was beautiful with all the new green vegetation. Hardly any hikers, but I did hear someone shooting guns (a drawback to hiking in the coast range.) A good trail for a quick hike when I don't feel like driving far. 6.2 miles, 900 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 10 - 4/22/24 - Lyle Cherry Orchard, Columbia River Gorge, Washington. A pulled back muscle kept me out of action for most of a week. But my back was feeling better, so today I ventured to the eastern Gorge to check out a wildflower hike that had been all over social media. It had been a few years since I'd hiked this trail and Friends of the Gorge had added a new trail loop that I wanted to explore. The wildflowers were plentiful in some spots, but there weren't the huge fields that some online photos seemed to depict. Balsamroot was starting to fade, but the lupine was going strong. However, the new loop trail was fantastic, with some great Mt. Hood and Gorge views. After completing the new loop, I decided to head over and do the old Cherry Orchard Loop. It was nice but not as good as the other trail. I took a wrong turn on my way back and ended up traveling at least a half mile out of direction before I realized my mistake. Oh well, at least my back held up and I had a wonderful day enjoying the sunny, warm weather. 9.5 miles, 2350 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 11 - 4/26/24 - Latourell Falls and Elowah Falls, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. Today's rainy weather was perfect for waterfall photography. So I decided to visit two of my favorite Gorge cascades. Latourell was flowing mightily, and the spray and the rain kept me busy wiping my camera lens. Then I visited Elowah Falls for the first time since the 2017 fire swept over the area. This poor waterfall didn't get a break, not only the fire, but then a landslide took out the wooden bridge at it's base. Last night's rainfall had it flowing so hard, the massive amount of spray instantly drenched me and my camera. The only photos I got of Elowah were from far away. Not a huge amount of distance covered today, but always great to witness springtime in the Gorge. 3 miles, 300 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 12 - 4/27/24 - Tom McCall Point, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. My wildflower quest continued today, with an early trip up another classic Gorge trail. Being a weekend, I got an early start to beat the crowds. I also got a bit of sunshine, before the skies clouded over for good. The flowers were off-the-charts incredible! It took me over three hours to hike this short trail, there was so much beauty to capture. It was super windy on top, so no individual blossom close-ups today. I finished before the rain blew in, so that was a win. Spring wildflower trails are my happy place, and this hike put a smile on my face. 3.8 miles, 1070 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 13 - 5/1/24 - Secret Beach, Southern Oregon Coast. Playing catch-up for the month, I visited this stunning beach on a trip to the southern Oregon Coast. When I first arrived, there was a bride and groom down on the beach with their photographers taking wedding photos. To my surprise, the bride hiked out wearing her wedding dress! I'd originally planned to stay for sunset but was a bit apprehensive about hiking out in the dark by myself. Luckily, I met a wonderful young couple from North Carolina that wanted to see the sunset also. We sat and chatted about National Parks (they were NP junkies like me!) Sadly about 15 minutes before sunset, the sky clouded over and we got skunked. But the nice people walked out with me and gave me a ride back to my car (I parked at a different trailhead farther away.) Still it was a beautiful place and I'm glad I went. 1.8 miles, 400 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 14 - 5/2/24 - Redwood Nature Trail, near Brookings, Southern Oregon Coast. A rainy morning meant no beach views. So I headed inland to a short trail amongst giant redwood trees. These giants are most impressive when you're standing next to them. It was a short, but sweet excursion, and the sun came out towards the end. 1.2 miles, 300 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 15 - 5/10/24 - Crimson Bluffs Trail, Townsend, Montana. While visiting my son, he suggested we take a short hike along the nearby Missouri River. This trail was short, but interesting. We climbed down the steep bluffs overlooking the Missouri River and followed a narrow path perched above its waters. We walked to a viewpoint that showcased a portion of the riverbank that was stained red from iron ore. Apparently, Lewis and Clark passed by here and made note of the phenomenon so it is an area of historical significance. It wasn't a long trail, maybe a mile at most.
Hike No. 16 - 5/12/24 - Spring Creek Trail, Black Hills, South Dakota. On Mother's Day my sister invited me to hike a portion of this beautiful trail through the Black Hills. It was a lovely, sunny day and I always enjoy a walk in "the hills" when I'm back visiting family. We made it to the shores of Sheridan Lake and turned around. Nice to catch up with my sis and a good way to celebrate Mother's Day. 2 miles, 300 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 17 - 5/24/24 - Various trails in Stub Stewart State Park, Oregon coast range. I needed a quick hike and didn't want to drive very far, so back I went to my friendly neighborhood (almost!) state park. Although the skies threatened rain, it never materialized. I spent my time looking for birds and pygmy owls. No owls and very little birds. But I still managed to cover 4.5 miles and 600 feet of elevation gain. Better than sitting at home!
Hike No. 18 - 5/26/24 - Cape Horn Trail to overlook and back, Columbia River Gorge, Washington. The larkspur flowers bloom profusely here in springtime. Seeing as it had been a few years since I'd witnessed this flower show, I decided I was due. The bloom was as wonderful as remembered, and I spent lots of happy time trying to capture it all (took me over an hour to cover a half mile!) Since the lower trail was closed for peregrine falcon nesting I turned around at the viewpoint and retraced my steps back through the magnificent flower show. Not a high amount of miles, but a high amount of smiles. 5.5 miles, 1100 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 19 - 5/27/24 - Boundary Trail from Hummocks TH to Johnston Ridge Observatory, Mt. St. Helens, Washington. For a couple months, I'd been seeing photos on the hiking sites of mountain goats at Mt. St. Helens. Catching goat fever, I wanted to see these animals for myself. The weather finally showed a non-rainy day, so I woke early for the two-hour drive. At the trailhead, a lady asked if she could hike with me. Turned out to be another Linda who also loved to hike. It was nice to have a companion and the distance passed quickly as we chatted about our lives and shared interests. Approaching the observatory, although the goats weren't close, we did spot several on a slope below the trail, just barely close enough to capture with my zoom lens. And there were babies! Although the day began in a thick fog bank, it soon cleared to reveal great views of MSH. I just love hiking here, and it's always worth the long drive. 9.7 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 20 - 5/30/24 - Saddle Mountain, Oregon Coast Range. A nice day was forecast, so I invited my friends Debbie and Barry to join me for a trek up Saddle Mountain. The highest point on the northern coast range (3,288') it also known for its spring wildflower show and stunning summit views. The trail had been closed for nearly three years, so it was nice to reacquaint myself again. And, boy the wildflower show delivered! It was off the charts amazing! I've never seen so much monkeyflower in one place. Although the final summit climb never gets any easier, the view was still worth the effort. 5.1 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 21 - 6/5/24 - Wahkeena Trail to Devils Rest, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon. Waterfalls and wildflowers, who could ask for anything more? The Wahkeena Trail is one of my favorite Gorge trails and it was dressed up in spring greens today. I made the trek all the way up to Devils Rest - first time I've been up there since before the 2017 wildfire. I was happy to see some of the forest untouched, but where the fire burned has opened up new views. Wildflowers were plentiful everywhere, with my favorite being the wild iris. I had to navigate two trail washouts, the second was a bit gnarly. But it was a perfect day to get outside! 7.8 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 22 - 6/6/24 - Cape Falcon, Oregon Coast. My friends Debbie and Barry were scheduled to observe Short Sands Beach for birds and invited me to come along. They sweetened the deal with a hike to nearby Cape Falcon after their birding duties were done. It was a perfect day, with blue skies and mild temperatures. I warned my friends that this trail was muddy and oh boy was it ever! There was no keeping your boots clean that's for sure. We hung out at Cape Falcon and watched brown pelicans and other birds frolic in the surf below. Despite the mucky trail it was another great day to be outside. 5 miles, 800 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 23 - 6/13/24 - Upper Salmon River Trail, Mt. Hood NF, Oregon. Today I was on a rhodie-hunting mission. It's about this time of year these lovely pink flowers begin blooming in forests around Mt. Hood. The best way to describe this lovely old-growth forest walk is "sanctuary." (In the words of a man I met on the trail) A few wildflowers blooming in open areas but mostly it was a trek through huge trees, moss, and ferns. I found a few rhodie blooms on the Upper Salmon River Trail but I had to walk nearly 4 miles to see them. Oh well, it was a good hike and I'll be back up in the area next week for more. 7.25 miles, 1200 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 25 - 6/19/24 - Silver Star Mountain, NW Washington. Last year I hiked this trail a bit late, and missed some of the wildflower bloom. Well, this year I came too early! Hardly any flowers were blooming yet, just a few nice patches of Indian paintbrush. Oh well. I did spot two pikes this morning in a talus slope about 1.5 miles from the trailhead and that was awesome. (Even got a photo of one!) And it was a sunny day so I got to see all four Cascade peaks, which was great. The mountains were all obscured by clouds during last year's visit. Otherwise, it was a steep slog on a mostly rocky trail. And I realized I need to work on my cardio more - this hike kicked my butt! But it was a beautiful day to be outside. 10 miles, 3000 feet elevation gain (whew!)
Hike No. 26 - 6/21/24 - Cascade Head, Oregon Coast. A photo from a calendar I'd had two years ago was the rationale for hiking this trail last year. The calendar image depicted a view down to Cascade Head and the Pacific Ocean. The slopes surrounding this headland were full of pink checkermallow blooms. Wanting to recreate this shot, I'd hiked up Cascade Head early last June, only to discover the flowers weren't yet blooming. So this year I went a bit later in the month. The flowers were blooming alright, but the weather was foggy. I got occasional peek-a-boo scenery views when the fog parted but that's about it. Oh well, climbing that super steep trail was a good workout! 5 miles, 1300 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 27 - 6/21/24 - Drift Creek Falls, Oregon Coast Range. After climbing Cascade Head, I still had an afternoon to kill so I decided to drive over and check out Drift Creek Falls, a short distance away. The trail wound through lush, coastal forest and was pleasant. The highlight of this hike is traveling over a high suspension bridge with views of the waterfall down below. The bridge was as amazing as advertised. A short, sweet add-on trek to round out the day. 3 miles, 500 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 28 - 7/14/24 - Hardy Ridge, Columbia River Gorge Washington. I didn't intend to let nearly 3 weeks lapse between hikes. But we've had company visit for most of this time, and coupled with sizzling temperatures, it hasn't encouraged me to get on the trail. But seeing temps in the 90s lined up for the next week and beyond, I decided to suck it up and get out there. I started out early, loaded up on water and took it slow. Oh - and I chose a shady trail! It was nice to revisit Hardy Ridge - it had been awhile since I'd hiked here. The wildflowers were on their way out, but the butterflies were not. I had fun photographing these winged beauties. I survived the sweaty climb - I guess if I hike enough in the heat maybe I'll get used to it? 8.5 miles, 2100 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 29 - 7/15/24 - Fret Creek and Divide Trails to Lookout Mtn, Mt. Hood National Forest, Oregon. I teamed up with friends Debbie and Barry for this hike. They had heard the wildflowers and butterflies were at peak atop Lookout Mtn, so wanted to check it out. We climbed up the sometimes steep Fret Creek trail for 2 miles before intersecting with the Divide Trail. We only had 2 more miles on the Divide Trail to reach our destination, but the midday heat and some really steep, rocky sections made it seem much longer. But all the toil was worth it when we finally sat on Lookout Mtn's summit. We enjoyed colorful wildflowers, copious butterflies and killer mountain views, the best being Mt. Hood of course. On the return trip, a blue butterfly landed on my hand and wouldn't leave. I hope that means good luck for me! A hot, but fun day in the great outdoors - 8 miles, 2100 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 30 - 7/18/24 - PCT, Twin Lakes Trail to Palmateer Point and Upper and Lower Twin Lakes, Mt. Hood NF, Oregon. I reunited with my buddy Catherine for a hike and catch up on our lives. It was another hot day, but shady trails and a slight breeze helped. Ran into a bunch of lovely Cascade lilies along the PCT. After admiring a nice view of Mt. Hood from Palmateer Point, we had lunch at serene Upper Twin Lake. A large group of older people (mostly ladies) happened by and I took their group photo. Then we visited Lower Twin Lake, where we caught the same older group skinny dipping! Catherine took a swim in Lower Twin (in a swimsuit) and then we hiked the PCT back to the trailhead. Although toasty, it was good to get out in the forest yet again. 10.25 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 31 - 7/23/24 - McNeil Point, Mt. Hood NF, Oregon. A fave hike, I've been making the trek up to McNeil Point for over 20 years. However, it had been a couple of years since I'd accessed it via the Top Spur Trail. So I recruited Catherine to join me. It was a lovely day, and the wildflowers were blooming. When we hit the meadows just below McNeil Pt, we ran into a huge field of heather and red paintbrush. Outstanding! McNeil Point was as scenic as ever and we found a nice lunch spot overlooking the Sandy River, far below. A long day but a good one, 10.4 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain.
Hike No. 32 - 7/25/24 - Ape Canyon Trail to Plains of Abraham, Mt. St. Helens, Washington. I'd heard wildflowers were blooming on the Plains of Abraham so I got my buddy Young to join me for today's adventure. We had to negotiate a washout in the road to the trailhead, but once there we headed uphill for 5 miles to reach the good stuff. Luckily, the day started out cloudy and cool - great if you're doing a steep climb. It was cold and windy on the Plains of Abraham, and sadly we discovered we'd missed the big bloom. But Young and I ran into our good friend John on the way down! Still a great day with lovely scenery. 13 miles (whew!), 2570 feet elevation gain.
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