2025 Hikes

 I've created a new page for the new year to record all my hikes for 2025.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hike No. 1 - 1/8/25 - Gales Creek and Storey Burn Trails, Oregon Coast range.  First hike of 2025!  I joined friends Debbie and Barry for a nice stroll on a favorite loop trail that I hadn't hiked for a couple of years.  It was a dry, partly sunny day - welcome weather after so many rainy days.  We encountered some blow-down but it wasn't insurmountable.  We were surprised to see the last segment of our loop, the Gravelle Brothers trail, had been rerouted to higher ground.  More climbing at the end of a hike that wasn't welcome at all!  But we survived.  8.6 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 2 - 1/19/25 - Hamilton Mtn loop, Columbia River Gorge, Washington.  It was a sunny, but cold day.  Taking advantage of the dry weather, I convinced my hubby to join me for a trek up Hamilton Mtn.  Despite the cold, the uphill slog soon warmed us both!  There were some great views from the saddle, even saw the tip of Mt. Hood.  Great exercise, and it felt good to be outdoors.  8 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 3 - 1/26/25 - Wilson River Trail, from Jones Creek Trailhead to Wilson Falls, Oregon Coast range.  My friend Catherine invited me to join her family on a hike along this lovely riverside trail.  It was a chilly but sunny day as we set out from the trailhead.  The mossy coast range forest is always a treat to hike through.  And the blue-green waters of the Wilson River make a nice place to sit beside for a lunch break.  5.5 miles, 600 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 4 - 1/29/25 - Various trails in Stub Stewart State Park, Oregon Coast range.  After over 2 weeks of cold, sunny weather (unheard of in January!) today was supposed to be the last day of this break from the usual gloom.  Taking advantage of this final sunny day, I decided to get in a quick hike at the closest state park to home.  I discovered there's a lot of logging (thinning, they claim) of trees going on right now, so there was hardly anyone in the park.  But I had a nice romp through frosty forests and frozen mud, past an icy Boomscooter pond.  6 miles, 1000 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 5 - 3/1/25 - Gnat Creek Trail, Oregon Coast Range.  Yeah, it's been over a month since I've hiked....been too busy skiing.  But today's beautiful warm weather was perfect for a romp in the woods.  I introduced friends Debbie and Barry to this lovely trail that winds through moss-covered forests following a charming creek.  This time we made it all the way to the trail's end (two years ago a landslide prevented access to the terminus.)  Birds were singing and the air felt almost muggy.  Spring is on its way.  8.1 miles, 1000 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 6 - 3/7/25 - Catherine Creek, Columbia River Gorge, Washington.  When the grass widow flowers begin to bloom, I know it's time to start my spring wildflower hikes.  And this year's crop at Catherine Creek were plentiful.  I made a visit to the paved path adjacent to the river, and then crossed the road and climbed uphill for a quick loop.  It was a lovely sunny day, perfect for wildflower viewing.  4 miles, 900 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 7 - 3/24/25 - The Labyrinth trail, Columbia River Gorge, Washington.  Wildflower season is underway in the eastern gorge, and friends Debbie and Barry invited me to join them to check out the bloom.  The Labyrinth is one of my favorite spring wildflower trails and today it didn't disappoint!  However, we encountered some unexpected rainy and foggy weather for the first two hours of the morning before the skies cleared to lovely sunshine.  Grass widows and desert parsley were prolific, and I spotted my first balsamroot blooms of the year!  7.4 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 8 - 4/16/25 - Memaloose Hills, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.  I've been logging lots of ski days this year, but when I heard the Gorge wildflowers were blooming, I took a break from the slopes to check things out.  This area is one of my favorites for spring wildflowers, and lucky me I hit it at peak bloom!  Chatfield Hill was absolutely stunning, and I arrived early enough in the morning to have the place to myself the entire time.  Marsh Hill was nice too, and I stumbled upon a "new to me" loop trail wandering through lovely oak woods from its summit.  I think it's time to stow the skis for my hiking boots and camera!  3.5 miles, 500 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 9 - 4/18/25 - Tom McCall Point and Mosier Plateau, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.  I just couldn't get enough of the Gorge spring wildflowers, so two days later I was back with friends Debbie and Barry.  We hiked up Tom McCall Point and soaked in the colorful beauty of its slopes.  Then, after a quick lunch at Mosier's famous taco truck, we did a quick climb up to Mosier Plateau.  It was a warm day and the afternoon climb in the heat wasn't fun.  But our reward was more lovely wildflower meadows and killer Gorge views.  About 5 miles between the two trails and at least 1000 feet of elevation gain.  

Hike No. 10 - 4/21/25 - Crawford Oaks Loop, Columbia Hills State Park, Washington.  Back to the Eastern Gorge I went for the third time in a week.  When it's wildflower season, I go!  This time it was to take in the spectacular wildflower bloom at the Dalles Mtn Ranch (ie Columbia Hills State Park.)  My hubby joined me for the trek and it was fun to show him this outstanding wildflower paradise.  We started our hike super early, and enjoyed being serenaded by several meadowlarks.  Not many people at this early hour and it was nice to have a usually busy trail mostly to ourselves.  And the lupine bloom was the best I've seen.  It was really windy and cold but better than hot temps in my book.  7.5 miles, 1050 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 11 - 4/24/25 - Sliding Sands Trail, Haleakalā National Park, Hawaii.  I've just returned from a fabulous trip to Maui (blog posts coming!)  While visiting my hubby and I took two short hikes in Haleakalā National Park.  The first was a 2 mile out-and-back down the sliding sands trail into the volcano crater.  The second was a bird watching loop around Hosmer Grove.  We saw the beautiful bright red 'I'iwi bird and one greenish Kiwikiu bird.  I'd hoped to also spot a Hawaiian short-eared owl (one volunteer said there were "tons of them in the parking lot") but they must've taken that day off because I didn't see any.  Still it was a great day and I got to check another National Park off my list!

Hike No. 12 - 4/30/25 - Boundary Trail, Hummocks Trailhead to just below Johnston Ridge, Mt. St. Helens NVM, Washington.  Ugh, this hike is really hard to write about......I'd been wanting to get up to MSH in hopes of photographing the mountain goats that live there.  So I made the long drive and hiked the 4 uphill miles to where they hang out.  It was a foggy morning, but the clouds soon lifted.  Just below Johnston Ridge Observatory the trail traverses a steep slope.  It was here I spotted a herd of goats running.  Excited, I took off my backpack, placed it on the trail, and dug out my zoom lens.  I'd no sooner taken my lens out when my backpack tipped over and began rolling down the steep slope below the trail.  I had my hands full of camera and lens and wasn't able to grab it.  I watched in horror as my backpack hit a large rock and disappeared from sight.  My wallet, cell phone, prescription sunglasses, and expensive Garmin GPS were in this backpack.  What to do?  I considered climbing down the slope to look for it, but the slope was full of loose soil and rock.  It didn't look safe at all - and I was by myself.  I sat there for a long time in shock before realizing there was nothing I could do.  I sadly hiked all the way back to my car (luckily the keys were in my pants pocket!)  9-ish miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. The worst hike of my life....

Hike No. 13 - 5/1/25 - Boundary Trail again in search of my lost backpack.  When he learned what happened, my hubby wanted to go back and look for my backpack.  So the very next day we drove all the way back out to MSH and hiked the 4 uphill miles to the place where it rolled down into the steep ravine.  Since it was way too steep to climb down where the backpack was lost, my hubby tried accessing the ravine via a gentler slope a quarter mile away.  He was gone for 2 long, anxious hours before returning, totally exhausted.  Although not successful, returning to the scene of the incident did bring some closure and made me realize I'd done the right thing by not going after my backpack.  No photographs from this hike, I didn't even bring my camera.  (Side note - replacing everything I lost was a total nightmare!)

Hike No. 14 - 5/22/25 - Stub Stewart State Park, Oregon Coast Range.  After a trip back east to visit my parents I was more than ready for a hike.  It was also a shakedown to try out all the new gear I had to purchase to replace what was lost when my backpack tumbled into a ravine.  I saw no other hikers the entire time, but I did see a pygmy owl!  After so much strife and bad luck recently, this sighting really made my day.  5 miles, probably 800 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 15 - 5/24/25 - Bayocean Spit, Oregon Coast.  I joined friends Debbie and Barry for a jaunt around lovely Bayocean Spit, located between the Pacific Ocean and Tillamook Bay.  We spotted lots of sparrows, shorebirds, orange-crowned warblers and a rufous hummingbird.  Sadly, work on the jetty meant we had to cut our hike a bit short.  It was a beautiful day, sunny but not too hot or windy.  5.2 miles, 200 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 16 - 5/26/25 - Hardy Ridge, to Upper Trail junction, Columbia River Gorge, Washington.  Time for another hike!  This time I recruited Catherine to join me for a close to home ramble.  Wildflowers were blooming and the forest was a bright shade of new leaf green.  It was great to catch up with my friend, and test out my new Garmin inreach mini (I still miss my old 66i Garmin!)  We were both in the rebuilding stages of our fitness, so turned around at the upper trail junction.  Logged about 7 miles and 1900 feet elevation gain (I think - still getting used to my new gps!)

Hike No. 17 - 6/18/25 - PCT north and south from Lolo Pass, Mt. Hood NF, Oregon.  Home from over two weeks in Scandinavia, I hurried out to capture the peak beargrass bloom on Mt. Hood before it was over.  The rhodies were also flowering, so I chose to hike from Lolo Pass to capture the abundance of both.  It was a fine choice - first I took the PCT heading south, knowing from past years that the rhododendrons bloomed prolifically in the first mile.  Then I did an about-face and headed northbound to capture an insane beargrass bloom under a clearing for some large electrical transmission towers.  3.2 miles, 700 feet elevation gain, a short but sweet hike!

Hike No. 18 - 6/20/25 - Wolf Tree and River Trails, Smith Rock State Park, Oregon.  Hubby and I made a trip over the mountains to visit our daughter in Central Oregon.  While she was at work, we took a hike in nearby Smith Rock State Park.  First, Hubby and I explored the Wolf Tree Trail.  Some wildflowers were still blooming, and we spotted a couple of deer.  Then we followed the Crooked River in the opposite direction along the River Trail.  It was a thankfully cooler day, and the strong winds, although annoying, kept the temperature comfortable.  4.2 miles, 700 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 19 - 6/24/25 - Mirror Lake to Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain, Mt. Hood NF, Oregon.  I'd heard the rhododendron bloom was going strong along this trail, so still fighting a bit of jet lag, I rose early and decided to see it for myself.  The rumors were true - this trail was lined with lots of lovely pink blossoms.  The beargrass was also putting on a show.  I encountered a large group of firefighters who'd just completed their training, both on the way up and down, and also at the top of Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain.  On the way back I stopped by Mirror Lake to capture the money shot of Mt. Hood reflected in its waters.  A good day to tromp around in the mountains!  8.3 miles, 2,200 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 20 - 6/26/25 - Larch Mountain Crater Loop, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.  I reconnected with friends Debbie and Barry for a trek around this beautiful, but surprisingly not busy, trail in the Gorge.  The morning began overcast and a bit foggy at the trailhead.  But that was okay, as it kept temperatures delightfully cool.  Rhododendrons and beargrass were still blooming, and I was happy to see more of these unique early summer blooms.  This trail passed through some gorgeous old growth forest and the vine maple leaves were a dazzling shade of new spring green.  7 miles, 1300 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 21 - 6/28/25 - Boundary Trail, from Hummocks TH to Johnston Ridge Observatory, Mt. St. Helen, NVM, Washington.  Yes....I returned to the trail of infamy......the trail where I'd lost my backpack two months earlier.  It wasn't my idea.  Hubby wanted one more try to scan the slopes below for any sign of my belongings.  So, reluctantly I agreed to go along (mostly to keep my hubby from doing anything dangerous.)  It was a foggy, cool morning and although the conditions kept us from seeing the mountain, it did make the steep climb much more bearable.  A huge bright spot - wildflowers were blooming.  Hubby took his binoculars and thoroughly looked over the area my backpack went down but no luck.  However, we had a nice lunch at JRO, and the mountain eventually emerged from her foggy curtain.  I think this hike gave both of us closure on the loss of my stuff.  Time to move on.  10 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 22 - 7/1/25 - Iron Mountain/Cone Peak Loop, Willamette National Forest, Central Oregon.  Hubby and I were camping at nearby Clear Lake, and I wanted to revisit this wildflower-rich trail.  It had been awhile since my last hike here.  The wildflowers were just past peak, but we still found lots of yellow Oregon sunshine and stonecrop blooming.  And the butterflies were out in force, so I had fun trying to photograph them.  We opted to take the side trip to the top of Iron Mountain and I'd forgotten what a steep slog it is!  Oh, and did I mention the weather was brutally hot that day?  We survived and were rewarded with an amazing wildflower show near the top for our efforts.  7 miles, 1700 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 23 - 7/5/25 - Various trails around Mt. Hood Meadows, Mt. Hood NF, Oregon.  It was stop number four in the summer beargrass superbloom tour!  I'd heard the Umbrella Falls trail had beargrass blooming in abundance so had to check it out.  The rumors were true!  Not only beargrass, but other wildflowers were also adding color to the surroundings.  After hiking the Umbrella Falls loop, I headed to Mt. Hood Meadows and hiked a bit of the trails in the resort.  I found lots more beargrass and other wildflowers.  It was a great day of wildflower photography and I'll be back to see more!  7 miles total between the two trails and 1750 feet elevation gain.