52 Hike Challenge - 2019

One of my 2019 resolutions is to complete 52 hikes in the calendar year.  I'm using this page to document each hike towards my goal. 


Hike No. 1 - 1/15/19  - Snowshoe from Barlow Pass to Upper Twin Lake.  7.5 miles

Hike No. 2 - 1/19/19  - PCT from Cascade Locks to Herman Cr. Pinnacles, with a stop at Dry Creek Falls.  9 miles (per my gps)

Hike No. 3 - 1/21/19 - Tilly Jane Ski Trail to the A-frame cabin.  A girl's ski day with my good buddies Catherine and Young.  6 glorious miles.

Hike No. 4 - 1/27/19 - White River Sno-Park to the base of Boy Scout Ridge.  An inversion created glorious, sunny skies on Mt Hood, while the valley remained cloaked in fog.  My hubby and I misjudged conditions and left our snowshoes in the car.  4 tough miles postholing through soft, sun-warmed snow.

Hike No. 5 -  2/10/19 - Hoyt Arboretum in Portland.  The metro area's snowy weekend weather caused me to seek a trail closer to home.  My friend Catherine suggested a portion of the Wildwood Trail that winds through the arboretum.  It turned out to be a perfect quick (albeit icy) romp for a winter morning.  3-ish miles (I think)

Hike No. 6 - 2/17/19 - Snowshoe, June Lake Loop near Mt St Helens.  The area got walloped with snow the prior week and it was a glorious trek through deep fluffy snow.  I think June Lake is even prettier in the winter.  5.5 wonderful miles

Hike No. 7 - 2/18/19 - Hike up Hamilton Mtn in the Columbia River Gorge.  I've hiked this trail many, many times but never in winter.  I discovered that the Columbia River Gorge's snow-dusted slopes are stunning, and also that I really like winter hikes.  It was a new experience climbing the steep switchbacks in icy snow.  I have a new appreciation for microspikes!   6 tough but beautiful miles.

Hike No. 8 - 2/22/19 - Misery Ridge Trail, Smith Rock State Park.  Beautiful sunny Central Oregon day, although the trail was a wee bit icy.  Good thing for microspikes!  Hoped to get photos of Smith Rock's orange cliffs trimmed in snow, but the only white stuff was on the trail.  Oh well, always fun to visit my favorite state park.  4.5 miles

Hike No. 8 - 3/22/19 - Catherine Creek, Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.
After a month hiatus from hiking (skiing took precedence most of March)  I hit this trail on a flex Friday to check out the wildflower bloom.  Lavender grass widows were everywhere!  Plus bonus amazing views of the Gorge and Mt Hood.  A lot of good stuff packed into a short 3-mile romp.

Hike No. 9 - 4/5/19 - Company Lake near Troutdale.  My neighbor Cheri and I strolled around this hidden natural area in search of woodpeckers to photograph.  We managed to find several and logged 4 miles in the process (while mostly avoiding the rain!)

Hike No. 10 - 4/14/19 - Coyote Wall, Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge.  My hubby joined me for an early morning "beat the afternoon rain" hike.  And yes we were successful!   I just love the eastern Gorge in springtime.  The bright green grassy slopes were dotted with blooming wildflowers.  Even the balsamroot were starting to unfurl their yellow petals.  5 miles, 1500' elevation gain.

Hike No. 11 - 4/19/19 - Tumalo Falls, Bend, Oregon.  My conference concluded by noon the final day, and I was itching to get out in the Central Oregon sunshine.  It had been years since I'd been to Tumalo Falls, so decided it was time for a visit.  Due to lingering snow, the road to the falls is closed this time of year.  Most people walk the closed road 2.5 miles, but noticing a trail, I decided to follow it instead.  After post-holing through soft snow for 1.5 miles, I conceded defeat, turned back and walked the road after all.  Ended up logging 8.5 miles!

Hike No. 12 - 4/26/19 - Memaloose Hills, Columbia River Gorge.  The Memaloose Hills are notorious for amazing spring wildflower displays, but this year topped them all.  After a busy Friday doing chores, I headed out of town for a late-afternoon wildflower trek.  I was rewarded with an uncrowded trail, hills carpeted with colorful flowers, and even a nice sunset.  A short but sweet 3 miles.

Lucky Hike No. 13 - 5/5/19 - Cape Sebastian, southern Oregon Coast.  While on my annual spring southern Oregon coast trip I checked off a few "new to me" trails.  One such was the trek to Cape Sebastian from Meyers Creek Beach.  4 miles round-trip to a breathtaking cliff-edge view of the sea!  I also explored three other nearby short trails that day, so I'm declaring the total mileage to be 9.

Hike No. 14 - 5/6/19 - China Beach, southern Oregon Coast.  Covered a lot of extra ground trying to find the right path to this secluded beach (the trail is very much unsigned).  Sadly, cloudy skies made photographing this lovely stretch of coast a challenge.  Approx. 3 miles.

Hike No. 15 - 5/10/19 - Tom McCall Preserve, Columbia River Gorge.  Had to check out this year's prolific wildflower bloom, and both Rowena Crest and Tom McCall Point did not disappoint!  First I hiked a mile out and back on the Rowena plateau and then turned my sights upward with a climb up Tom McCall Point.  Beautiful spring day, tons of colorful wildflowers, and I even saw a bunch of deer.  5.5 miles total

Hike No. 16 - 5/11/19 - Salmon River Trail, near Mt Hood.  The best way to beat an unseasonably hot day is to take a hike along a rushing river in an old growth forest.  Hiked the Old Salmon River Trail and then continued two miles further on the Upper Salmon River Trail.  Lots of spring wildflowers and moss-covered trees.  9.6 wonderful miles

Hike No. 17 - 5/12/19 - Hardy Ridge, Washington side of Columbia River Gorge.  Making up for a hike-less March and April with three hikes in one weekend.  The final trek of this three-day'er was my old standby favorite Hardy Ridge.  Wildflowers were beginning to bloom on the lower trail, and I learned why the very top of this ridge is called Phlox Point.  A great way to spend Mother's Day!  8.5 miles, 2200 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 18 - 5/17/19 - Falls Creek Falls, north of Carson, Washington.  I'd originally planned to hike Dog Mtn but high winds at the trailhead made me change plans.  This short hike packs a lot of scenery into 3.5 miles.  Lovely old growth forests, flowering dogwood trees, and an amazing waterfall at the end.

Hike No. 19 - 5/18/19 - Kings Mountain, Oregon Coast Range.  After a morning of doing chores I snuck this hike into the afternoon.  It's a butt-kicker - 2780 feet elevation gain in a mere 2.7 miles.  The reward - miles of coast range views and blooming wildflowers at the summit.  Got caught in a torrential rainstorm on my way down.  5.4 miles

Hike No. 20 - 5/24/19 - Dog Mountain, Columbia River Gorge (Washington side).  My 52 hike challenge wouldn't be complete without at least one trek up this well-known trail.  Sadly, I just missed peak balsamroot bloom. :(  Also sadly, the weather was the worst I'd ever seen - high winds, fog, and rain.  I managed a couple quick pics, then packed my camera away and hightailed it off the mountain!  I skipped the last 0.1 mile to the true summit- nothing to see today.  6.8 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain

Hike No. 21 - 5/25/19 - Nick Eaton Ridge loop, near Cascade Locks, Oregon.  The challenging trek up Nick Eaton Ridge used to be one of my favorite Gorge conditioning hikes.  Then the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire swept over this area.  Today was my first visit post-fire.  I found lots of devastation, but also amazing fields of colorful wildflowers brightening the charred forest.  And bonus - the blaze cleared away thick underbrush to reveal spectacular Columbia River views.  My timing was perfect as the morning's predicated rain held off until I was in my car heading home.  A fabulous day in the Gorge!  8 miles, 2600 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 22 - 5/26/19 - Riverside Trail, Clackamas River.  A social media post about blooming white iris flowers led me to this lovely trail along the Clackamas River.  An area I hadn't visited in years, I was instantly enchanted by it's mossy, old growth forest.  Accompanied by my old friends Debbie and Barry, it was great to have companions after so many solo hikes.  Oh - and my white iris quest was successful!  5.4 miles.

Hike No. 23 - 6/2/19 - Crazy Horse Volksmarch, Black Hills, South Dakota.  I'd participated in this unique volksmarch about 10 years ago, and had wanted to repeat it ever since.  The stars finally aligned with this year's annual South Dakota trip.  The walk takes visitors to the top of Crazy Horse Mountain, currently being carved into the likeness of Chief Crazy Horse.  I was joined by my dad, two brothers and nephew.  One of my brothers was MIA for this photo, but it was the only opportunity to get a picture without throngs of people in the frame.  Although it was billed as a 10k, my brother's gps watch only measured 4.5 miles, so I'm going with that distance.

Hike No. 24 - 6/8/19 - Mt. Sentinel Trail, Missoula, Montana.  A late Mother's Day hike with my son, we traversed up the back of Mt. Sentinel and then down the front side, past the famous University of Montana "M."  Wildflowers were blooming profusely and although clouds threatened, we just missed the day's heavy rain.  I forgot my gps, and my son's phone didn't record the distance, so I'm guessing 7 miles.

Hike No. 25 - 6/14/19 - Burnt Lake to East Zigzag Mountain, Mt Hood.  My search for blooming rhododendrons led me to Mt Hood and this lovely trail that passed a mountain lake and climbed to a ridge with Cascade views.  Rhodies were not quite ready yet, but I found other wildflowers to fill my camera's memory card.  10.5 miles, 2400 feet elevation gain.  My longest hike so far this year!

Hike No. 26 - 6/16/19 - Silver Star Mountain, SW Washington.  Guess what, I'm HALFWAY TO 52!  Yeah!  And for this special occasion I chose one of my favorite wildflower hikes, the lovely journey up and around Silver Star Mountain.  Wildflowers weren't as good as in years past, but the mountain views and foggy valleys were outstanding.  10 gorgeous miles.

Hike No. 27 - 6/21/19 - Mirror Lake to Tom, Dick and Harry Mtn, Mt Hood area.  How do you get this uber-popular trail to yourself?  Start crazy early and pick a crummy weather day.  An afternoon commitment forced me to squeeze this hike into the morning hours.  The top of Harry Mtn is known for great views, but today there were none.  I encountered cold, foggy, drizzly weather.  And this was supposed to be the first day of summer?  Oh well, at least the rhodies were in bloom.  8 quick miles.

Hike No. 28 - 6/22/19 - Boundary Trail to Devils Elbow, Mt St Helens.  After giving my friend and photography mentor Cheri glowing descriptions of the amazing wildflower bloom at Mt St Helens, I finally got to show her in person.  The morning clouds parted on our arrival and the mountain showed herself in full glory the entire time.  Cheri got this great shot of me trying to capture it all.  4 miles

Hike No. 29 - 6/30/19 - Hardy Ridge again.  The Tiger Lilies were blooming and I felt the need to photograph some of these beauties.  I satisfied my quest with a quick trek up one of my favorite Gorge trails.  The Hardy Ridge Trail really is a hidden gem - tons of blooming wildflowers and very few people, even for a sunny Sunday in June.  8.5 miles and lots of Tiger Lily photos!

Hike No. 30 - 7/4/19 - Suttle Lake shoreline trail.  While camping with family over the holiday, I managed to fit in a quick romp around this lovely Central Oregon lake.  A very flat, easy 3.7 mile path circled the entire lake with bonus Mt. Washington views.

Hike No. 31 - 7/7/19 - Devils Peak Lookout via Cool Creek Trail, Mt Hood National Forest.  I picked this butt-kicking hike as conditioning for my fall Grand Canyon adventure.  Lovely rhodie blooms distracted me from the grueling climb and visiting the cool lookout tower on top was my incentive to keep going.  Luckily it was a cool, cloudy day - perfect weather to scale a mountain.  8.2 miles, 3200 feet elevation gain.  Whew!

Hike No. 32 - 7/12/19 - Coffin Mtn, Central Oregon Cascades.  After seeing copious online photos of the massive beargrass bloom here, I got up early and made the long drive to check things out.  Yes, it was definitely worth the journey to get here!   It took me nearly 3 1/2 hours to cover the measly 3 mile round-trip trail.  (Oh - and here's my "Sound of Music" photo op)

Hike No. 33 - 7/12/19 - Bachelor Mountain (Coffin Mtn's next-door neighbor!)  Yep it was a hiking two-fer day.  After spending all morning photographing beargrass, I drove up the road and climbed nearby Bachelor Mtn.  Although the flower show wasn't near as good, the in-your-face view of Mt Jefferson was worth the steep, hot summit climb.  4.5 miles

Hike No. 34 - 7/19/19 - Boundary Trail about 1 mile past Coldwater Peak junction, Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument.  I've always been intrigued by the trail that continued past Coldwater Peak towards the Mt Margaret Backcountry.  Today's quest was to scout a little bit of this area.  I discovered incredible views of the Mt St Helens blast zone with nary another hiker.  Although the long distance made me turn around sooner that I wanted, I'll be back for more!  13 miles round-trip equals one pair of tired feet!

Hike No. 35 - 7/26/19 - Paradise Park Loop, Mt Hood.  This trail is well known for its spectacular summer wildflower display.  I was a wee bit too early for peak bloom, but still found lots of wildflowers just begging for their close up.  A beastly hot day, I was more than ready for that post-hike beer!  14 long, sweltering miles, 2300 feet of climbing

Hike No. 36 - 7/28/19 - Timberline Trail Loop through Mt Hood Meadows.  There's no better wildflower show on Mt Hood than the Timberline Trail through Mt Hood Meadows ski area.  This 10-mile loop is one of my summer favorites.  I recruited Young to accompany me on this year's trek, and we had a fabulous time trying to capture all the colorful beauty with our cameras.  As always, the Heather Canyon Creek crossing was tricky, but we survived to tell the story!

Hike No. 37 - 8/1/19 - Skyline Loop, Mt Rainier National Park.  This spectacular trail above Mt Rainier's Paradise Lodge packs a lot of scenery into a mere 6 miles.  Stunning mountain views, huge wildflower fields, and friendly critters.  Oh yeah, and Mt Rainier is always front and center.  There was so much to photograph it took Young and I nearly all day to traverse the loop.  But scenery like this was meant to be sauntered through.  6 miles

Hike No. 38 - 8/2/19 - Comet Falls and Snow/Bench Lakes, Mt Rainier National Park.  I'm combining these two short hikes into one entry.  But that doesn't in any way diminish their grandeur.  Young and I hiked to Comet Falls in drizzly conditions, only the find the falls fogged in.  Later that afternoon, the weather cooperated providing dazzling views of Unicorn Peak from the shores of beautiful Snow Lake.  Total day's mileage - a mere 6, but both trail's notoriously tough climbs made it feel much longer!

Hike No. 39 - 8/3/19 - Indian Henrys Hunting Ground via the Wonderland Trail, Mt Rainier National Park.  The third trek in my extended Mt Rainier weekend was a long hike into the fabulous wildflower meadows of Indian Henrys Hunting Ground.  A long, tough climb, complete with aggressive mosquitoes, at first I wasn't sure if this was going to be worth it.  But - oh it most definitely was!  Some of the most spectacular scenery I've seen so far at MRNP.  The Indian Henrys Backcountry Ranger Station made a nice lunch stop before Young and I began the long journey back to my car.  14 long miles, 3300 feet elevation gain.  We definitely earned our beer!

Hike No. 40 - 8/10/19 - Killen Creek Trail, north side of Mt Adams, Washington.  Camped at nearby Takhlakh Lake the night before, my hubby and I endured a massive thunderstorm that kept us awake half the night.  Seeing clouds building again and knowing the trail would take us above treeline on Mt Adams, my hubby and I stopped just short of the PCT junction and headed back down.  It wasn't all for naught - the wildflowers were in top bloom and the trees covered with a cool lichen that looked like green, shaggy beards.  7 miles, 1400 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 41 - 8/24/19 - Ramona Falls Trail, Mt Hood National Forest.  Showing new hiking friends Mike and Sara a favorite trail, we completed the lovely forested loop to Ramona Falls and back.  It was a gorgeous hot summer's day and there were tons of people out enjoying the woods.  7.5 miles

Hike No. 42 - 8/25/19 - Vista Ridge Trail to Elk Cove, Mt Hood.  I just can't get enough of Mt Hood in the late summer.  I passed through an old burn zone, packed with fireweed and pearly everlasting, got blue-sky views of the adjacent Cascade peaks, arrived to a wildflower-packed Elk Cove, and saw pikas and butterflies.  Totally worth the incredibly long drive over windy Forest Service roads.  9 miles

Hike No. 43 - 9/1/19 - McNeil Point, Mt Hood.  What was I thinking?  I picked the absolute busiest weekend to hike this uber-popular trail.  And, surprise, it was socked in a foggy cloud!  No views for me today.  I also missed the wildflower show and was too early for fall colors.  Oh well, at least it was a good workout.  After meeting half of Portland on the trail, by the time I returned to my car I was peopled out.   9 miles, 2200 feet elevation gain

Hike No. 44 - 9/10/19 - University Falls Trail, Oregon Coast range.  A rainy day hike through the always-beautiful Oregon Coast range.  My son joined me for this ramble.  Although the wildflowers were long gone, we spotted the first hints of fall color.  8 miles, 1200 feet elevation gain

Hike No. 45 - 9/13/19 - PCT, Barlow Pass to almost Timberline Lodge.  I waited out the morning rain and got an unusual (for me) late start.  But my patience paid off - I reached timberline just as Mt Hood began emerging from the clouds.  Amazing mountain views and the beginnings of fall color.  A portion of the PCT I'd never hiked before - another segment checked off my list.  10 miles, 1800' elevation gain.

Hike No. 46 - 9/14/19 - Red Mountain Lookout - Indian Heaven Wilderness, Washington.  One of the many hikes on my "to-do" list, my friend Catherine and her daughter helped me put this trail in the "completed" column.  A lovely ramble along the PCT (where we met three thru-hikers), followed by a steep trudge up Red Mtn proper.  Although cloudy, the views were still amazing!  We were entertained by a trio of friendly chipmunks before shouldering our packs and heading back.  Great day in the woods.  9 miles, 1500 feet gain

Hike No. 47 - 9/20/19 - Thomas Lake Trail, Indian Heaven Wilderness.  Yep, in the fall I'm an autumn colors junkie.  Although colors are just getting started, I loved last week's hike into the Indian Heaven Wilderness so much I had to go back.  After chores consumed most of my morning, I hit the trail at a very late 1 pm.  Golds, yellows and reds were going strong at higher elevations.  Sadly this year's early rain meant water-covered trails, forcing me to turn around short of my goal.  But the fall colors and abundant mushrooms made for a top-notch afternoon stroll.  6 miles, 1000' elevation gain.

Hike No. 48 - 9/27/19 - South Coldwater Trail to (almost) St Helens Lake, Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument.  I decided to try and beat the afternoon's predicted rain with a trip up one of my favorite fall colors trail.  The colorful leaves didn't disappoint, I posed on some logging equipment destroyed in the blast, and even saw a herd of elk!  I lost the rain gamble and my return trip was, um, very wet.  Despite the deluge, it was still a great day's ramble in one of my favorite places.  11 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 49 - 9/29/19 - Skyline Trail, Nisqually Vista Trail, Lakes Trail, Mt Rainier National Park.  I'd planned to visit MRNP in late September to catch it's fabulous fall colors.  Funny, someone forgot to tell the weather that it was still only September!  An early season snowfall turned Rainier's colorful slopes white.  Having traveled so far, I wasn't about to give up, so I stitched together three short trails for the day's adventure.  Total mileage was about 9.

Hike No. 50 - 10/6/19 - Lakes Loop, Mt Margaret Backcountry, Mt St Helens, WA.  This one was a doozy!  A place I'd always wanted to explore, a work friend invited me on a trek through the bleak but beautiful Mt Margaret Backcountry.  Fall colors were out in force, with colorful bushes decorating treeless hillsides. We conquered the treacherous Whittier Ridge Trail in the snow, taking 2 1/2 hours to travel 2 miles, while clinging to steep, rocky cliffs for dear life (I may have said a few "Hail Marys")  Ran out of daylight, and ended up hiking the last two miles in the dark with headlamps.  A true adventure - 15 miles, 3500 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 51 - 10/11/19 - Old Summit Trail to Square Lake and Metolius River Trail, near Santiam Pass, Central Oregon.  Enroute to Central Oregon for the weekend, I squeezed in two quick hikes.  The first was a quick 5-mile romp to a scenic lake below Three Fingered Jack Mountain and the other a lovely stroll along the Metolius River.  Not much fall color on the first trail, but the second was astonishingly beautiful (next fall I'm skipping straight to the Metolius!).  8 total miles for the day.

Hike No. 52!! - 10/18/19 - Hamilton Mountain, Columbia River Gorge, Washington.  I made it to 52!  And I completed my goal a month and half early.  For this special occasion, I chose an old favorite.  Taking advantage of predicted dry weather window, I made a quick ascent up Hamilton Mtn to check out the fall colors.  I had a mostly dry hike and the fall colors were going strong.  8 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain.

BUT.....I'm not done yet!  The challenge continues.  Let's see how many hikes I can get in this year.  I'll keep posting my hikes until December 31st, 2019.  


Hike No. 53 - 10/26/19 - Kings Mountain, Oregon Coast Range.  In need of a good conditioning climb for an upcoming bucket list trip, (to be revealed soon) I snuck this short but strenuous hike into a Saturday afternoon.  As many times as I've hiked this trail, it never gets any easier.  At least the elevation signs along the way provide some measure of progress.  5.4 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 54 - 10/27/19 - Multnomah-Wahkeena Loop, Columbia River Gorge.  Showed new hiking friends Mike and Sara the beauty of fall in the Gorge with this favorite trail.  Despite fire damage still present there were lots of colored leaves, waterfalls, and beautiful streams to soften the blackened forest.  Another wonderful day in the Gorge!  5.5 miles, 1600 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 55 - 11/2/19 - Cape Horn Trail, Columbia River Gorge, Washington.  My hubby joined me for a jaunt on this lovely trail at the west end of the Gorge.  We were surprised to see most of the leaves already off the trees.  A super windy day, but the sunshine felt good and at least it wasn't raining!  7 miles, 1300 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 56 - 11/10/19 - Hugh Norris Trail, Saguaro National Park, Arizona.  Being a National Parks junkie, my sister-in-law helped me check this park off the list.  Located near Tuscon, it featured acres of saguaro cactus.  I absolutely loved the tall cacti with their wacky arms.  We made up lots of names for the different saguaros, but my favorite was the one we dubbed "carnival ride cactus."  3 miles and about 800 feet elevation gain on a beastly hot day.

Hike No. 57 - 11/11/19 - Morman Trail, South Mountain Park, Phoenix, AZ.  Another steep trek in the desert, this trail offered big views of the entire Phoenix metro area.  Oh yeah, and more saguaros too.   And yes, it was hot again.  3 miles, 1000 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 58 - 11/13/19 - South Kaibab Trail, Grand Canyon National Park.  Bucket list hike!  My sister and I scored rooms at Phantom Ranch so we made the steep, but beautiful downhill journey from the rim to the Colorado River.  It was every bit as amazing as I thought it would be.  8 miles, 4800 feet elevation loss.

Hike No. 59 - 11/14/19 - Bright Angel Trail, Grand Canyon National Park.  After spending the night at Phantom Ranch, my sister and I made the uphill trek back to the rim via the Bright Angel Trail.  And oh, this trail was even more gorgeous than the South Kaibab.  We enjoyed brilliant yellow fall leaf colors near Indian Garden.  And although the final miles had lots of switchbacks, we both thought it was easier than the South Kaibab's punishing downhill grade.  13 miles, 4800 feet uphill.  A memorable experience!

Hike No. 60 - 11/16/19 - Granite Dells, Prescott, AZ.  I met up with blogging friends Hans and Lisa at their new home and they took me hiking on one of their favorite trails.  A huge network of paths winding through fantastic granite formations, it was a fun way to explore the area.  6 miles, not much elevation gain.  And beer afterwards!

Hike No. 61 - 11/23/19 - PCT to Gillette Lake, Washington.  A late start and two full trailhead parking areas led my hubby and I to the Bonneville Trailhead.  It had been years since I'd done the hike to Gillette Lake and after traveling on this uninteresting portion of the PCT, I remembered why.  Still, I enjoyed the unusually sunny and dry November weather and post-hike pint at the Walking Man Brewery in nearby Stevenson.  5 miles, 300 feet elevation gain.

Hike No. 62 - 12/6/19 - Devils Rest from the Wahkeena Trail, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.  Not enough snow for skiing yet, so I headed to the Gorge on my Friday off to hike instead.  I hadn't visited Devils Rest for many years, and decided to see what it looked like post-Eagle Creek fire.  A good climb for a dreary winter's day.  7 miles, 2400 feet elevation gain.  And once again I beat the rain!

Hike No. 63 - 12/8/19 - Herman Creek Trail, Columbia River Gorge, Oregon.  Reunited with my hiking buddy Catherine it was fun catching up while we explored this lovely trail.  Although heavily damaged in the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, life was beginning to return to the forest.  And we discovered a surprise unnamed waterfall - 100 feet tall!   8 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain.  Great day to be out in the woods.

Hike No. 64 - 12/30/19 - Trillium Lake Loop, Mt Hood.  My final hike of 2019!  I'd hoped to snowshoe the trail around Trillium Lake, but finding it hard-packed snow, opted to hoof it on foot instead.  Clouds obscured the mountain, so I had to settle for photos of snowmen on the lake (and there were many to choose from!)  Still, as always, great to be outside and a good way to end the year.  5 miles, probably 500 feet elevation gain (that last hill to the parking lot is a doozy).

So there you have it, one full year of  hikes!  Sadly, I probably won't follow up many of these with a full blog post (too many trails, not enough time).  But stay tuned for my "year in review" recap where I'll list my top 12 hikes of 2019, favorite photos, and much more.

AND.....see what I have in store for 2020 - (hint, hint, another hiking challenge?)