Summer at Mt. Hood Meadows

As many of you know, I plan my spring and summer hikes around locations where wildflowers are blooming.  This summer I hit many of the well-known wildflower trails near home.  Surprisingly one of the best color shows I encountered was on the slopes of my local ski resort. 

Hike No. 1 - Wildflowers brighten the ski slopes

Every winter, I spend many happy days days zipping down the ski runs at Mt. Hood Meadows.  But in the past, when summer rolled around, it wasn't a place I visited much.  Although the Timberline Trail cut through the middle of this resort, I'd never explored much beyond it.  Then a few years ago, Mt. Hood Meadows management decided to build a network of hiking trails within its permit area and open the resort for summer recreation.

No. 1 - Recently bloomed asters

Now every summer I try to plan some hikes through the "familiar-to-me" ski trails of Mt. Hood Meadows.  Most people probably think ski runs are dull, barren wastelands during summer months.  While that may be true of some ski resorts, it certainly isn't at Meadows.

No. 1 - Wonderful color spot

There's a reason this resort is named "Mt. Hood Meadows."  During summer months its ski runs transform into lovely wildflower meadows.  The wildflower show here normally starts about mid-July and lasts throughout the summer until early September.  This year I took three hikes at Mt. Hood Meadows, and each visit was just as stunning.  I really want to share some of the wonderful color I found.  So I've compiled the best photos from each hike and put them together in one mega-blog post just for you readers.

No. 1 - Mt Hood was lookin' good too

My first Meadows hike was on July 26th.  Good friends Debbie and Barry came along and we did a loop that encompassed trails on both the east and west sides, linked together by a jaunt on the Timberline Trail.

No. 1 - Flowers just starting to bloom under the Stadium lift

Although we could tell there were lots of wildflowers yet to bloom, the orange Indian paintbrush, lupine, and Western Pasque flower seed heads were prolific and lovely.  My friends and I had a wonderful time walking through several technicolor meadows.  Goldenrod, asters, fireweed, and a few other species were nearly ready to pop open.  I made a mental note to plan a return trip very soon.

No. 1 - Fireweed just getting started

As it turned out, I was back a week later with my buddy Kim.  Accompanying me for many of my winter ski trips she was eager to see what our local resort looked like sans snow.

Hike No. 2 - One week later and lots of wildflowers in bloom!

And boy what a difference a week can make!  For hike number two, there were tons of wildflowers in full, colorful bloom.  I think we caught things at peak.

No. 2 - The fireweed was thick!

A field of fireweed that wasn't quite ready the week prior was now in a full, dazzling pink frenzy.

No. 2 - Pink blast of color

Not only the fireweed, there were many more Western pasque flower seed heads dotting the ski slopes.  I love these mop-headed flowers.  They have many nicknames, but my favorite is "hippy on a stick."

No. 2 - Western Pasque flower seed head

Walking under the main chairlift, Kim and I were treated to fields upon fields of orange Indian paintbrush and purple lupine all in maximum bloom stage.

No. 2 - Mariposa lilies

Another great thing about the day we were there, a thin layer of clouds kept things a bit cooler and provided nice even light, perfect for photography.  

No. 2 - Orange Indian paintbrush was prolific!

Enjoy the next few photos of the flowerful meadows at Mt. Hood Meadows.

No. 2 - Paintbrush and lupine

No. 2 - Lotsa lupine

No.2 - A butterfly enjoying the bloom

I've been trying to get Kim interested in hiking with me, and after that day I think I made a convert!  

No. 2 - Purple streaks in this meadow

Not only did Meadows open their restrooms and cafeteria, serving food and drink to hungry hikers, they also ran one of their ski lifts, taking hikers straight to the higher elevation trails.  For a price, people could get up to the alpine areas without a lot of effort.  

Riding the ski lift back down

For season pass holders, the lift ride was free.  Since Kim and I have had seasons passes for like forever, we took advantage of this perk and rode the lift back down when we were finished with our hike.

Look ma, no skis!

We both agreed it was weird to be riding a ski lift downhill without skis strapped to our feet!  

Hike No. 3 - End of August and wildflowers were still blooming up high

My final visit of the summer season was about two weeks ago, on August 26th.  Debbie and Barry wanted to check out the bloom higher up on the mountain, and I was curious to try some of the upper trails that I'd never before hiked.  So back I went to Mt. Hood Meadows for a third time.

No. 3 - Flower-filled gully

Although the lower meadow flowers were just about finished, my friends and I found lots of wildflowers still blooming above the Timberline Trail.

Mt Hood Express lift without snow

After climbing past trails we'd already hiked, Debbie, Barry and I started climbing up a trail called "Wizards Way" which took us up an amazing flower-filled gully.

Barren, rocky slope under the lift

Then we passed by the top of the Mt. Hood Express lift.  I'd never before seen this lift not surrounded by snow.  At a much higher elevation, was a bit bleak up here.  Lots of rocky slopes and not many wildflowers.

No. 3 - Goldenrod still blooming well

My friends and I ended up climbing a bit higher than Mt. Hood Express.  However, the trail wound through an extremely rocky area and it was hard to find our path.  A few areas were so steep we had to use our hands to climb.  There was no shade, and with the sun beating down upon our heads everyone was tiring fast.  We finally turned back near the 7000 foot elevation mark.

No matter, the flowers were much better below 6500 feet anyway.  Goldenrod, fireweed, asters, and pearly everlasting were the stars on this day.

No. 3 - Fireweed is hanging on

Many ski areas open their slopes to mountain biking during the summer months.  I'm so grateful that Mt. Hood Meadows has instead catered their summer activities towards hikers.  I couldn't bear to see these beautiful slopes torn up by bikers.  Stopping back at the lodge after our hike, I thanked one of the workers for creating such a wonderful place for hiking.  Each time I've visited, I made sure to buy some food and drink from their snack bar - I want to support the ski area and ensure these summer activities continue!

No. 3 - Lots of color under the lift now!

It's been a great summer and I have many more wildflower hike photos to share.  Hopefully I'll have time to post a few more of them before I get busy with fall color hikes.

The Marvelous McNeil Point

One of my top summer trails, I've been hauling myself up to Mt Hood's McNeil Point for many years.  Introduced to me by one of my hiking friends, its stunning wildflower meadows and mountain views kept me coming back each summer.  Multiple notes in an old hiking book show visits dating back to 2000, and nearly every year in the decade and half since then.  However sometime around 2020, thanks to social media, this lovely slice of paradise was "found."  The trail and parking area became so crowded, I decided to forego my annual trek for awhile. 

But last year I started missing McNeil's summer flower show.  It was time to go back!  Trying to avoid the crowds, I hiked there via lower elevation, longer trail.  It was such a slog, this year I decided to suck it up and return to the usual route.

A new sign!

I recruited my friend Catherine to join me for my McNeil Point revisit.  Since she's a teacher and has summers off, we decided upon a late July weekday in hopes of encountering less people.  That, coupled with a fairly early start, ensured us a spot at the small trailhead parking area.

Heading up the ridge

It was a beautiful day!  The sun was out, the temps moderate, and the bugs few and far between.  Catherine and I headed up the first steep climb before junctioning with the Timberline Trail.  We then ascended up this trail, taking in occasional mountain views, wildflowers, and butterflies before coming to a sign pointing the way towards McNeil Point.  I was surprised to see the old, weather-beaten wooden sign that had been here for years replaced with a brand-new version.  To memorialize the occasion, I had Catherine pose beside it for a few pics.

Avalanche lily

After the obligatory sign photos, we began climbing again, this time following the spine of a rocky ridge.  Ducking in and out of scrubby fir forests Catherine and I finally came to a clearing with amazing views of Mt Hood and the adjacent Cascade peaks.

Orange Indian paintbrush highlight this colorful meadow

Past an old trail junction, we contoured along a slope into an alpine wonderland.  Wildflowers bloomed in the meadows here - orange Indian paintbrush, purple penstemon, pale purple asters, white avalanche lilies - and many others.  A few patches of snow lingered nearby.  Our trail even crossed a small snowfield, a bit slippery but doable.

Our goal is in sight

The alpine meadows directly below McNeil Point erupt into a kaleidoscope of colorful wildflowers in July.  Some years are better than others - rainfall, heat, and amount of winter snow all affect the vibrancy and timing of the bloom.  Back in 2013 I witnessed the absolute best wildflower show I've ever seen on this trail.  The pink heather and magenta Indian paintbrush was so prolific - the entire area was absolutely stunning!  (I blogged about it in this post.)  Since that year I've never seen it as good.

We came upon this most excellent meadow

I thought maybe we'd be too late to catch peak bloom.  After several years of either just missing it, or having a less-than-stellar wildflower show, I'd set the bar low.  So imagine my surprise and delight when I came around a bend in the trail to an entire meadow filled with pink heather and magenta Indian paintbrush, all in full, colorful bloom.

Heather and magenta paintbrush as far as the eye could see

As you can imagine, forward progress ground to a screeching halt, as cameras came out and photos were taken.  Many, many, photos!

Absolutely gorgeous!

The wildflower bloom was so amazing it nearly rivaled the fantastic 2013 show.  It certainly was the best I'd seen up here since.

A distant Mt. Adams anchors the skyline

Catherine and I lingered in this wonderful meadow for quite a long time.  (We probably would've gotten going sooner if not for me and my "just one more photo" mentality.)  But finally I decided I had enough images, and we still had a bit of distance and climbing to reach our final destination on McNeil Point.  Onward!  

Lots of wildflowers in this meadow!

The wildflower show wasn't over yet.  We passed by an area of lupine so lush and purple, we nick-named it "lupine alley."  And once upon McNeil Point's plateau, I ran into more flower fields, each as colorful as the next (but not quite as good as that heather/paintbrush meadow below.)

Catherine playing in the snow

Seeing a large snowfield above the trail, Catherine couldn't resist hiking up to it and sliding around.  

Poor McNeil Point stone shelter has seen better days

Despite all our dilly-dallying we did finally reach McNeil Point proper, defined by its old stone shelter.  Built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corp, the poor structure was looking pretty dilapidated.  A blue tarp covered the roof, anchored by rocks.  With its stability in question, I chose not to go inside.

Flower field and Mt. Hood view

Usually the meadows directly above this stone shelter host a wide variety of wildflowers.  Most noteable are the Western Pasque flower seed-heads, whose wild-haired poofs look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.  (I've affectionately nick-named them "Hippy on a stick.")  This year's meadow show wasn't nearly as good as in years past.  I really haven't seen a spectacular bloom here since that wonderful day in 2013.  Since 2020, this area has been horribly overused and I suspect the wildflowers have suffered as a result (people - this is why you should stay on the trail!)

We dubbed this spot "lupine alley"

Catherine and I found an unused campsite near the shelter and perched on the rocks for lunch with a view.  Our vantage high above the Sandy River gave us panoramic vistas of the terrain below as well as Mt. Hood's craggy west face with her shrinking glaciers.

So lovely!

Catherine and I returned the way we came, retracing our steps across the McNeil plateau, down through lupine alley, and once again past the wonderful heather and paintbrush meadow.  More photos may have been taken here!

A plethora of paintbrush

From high on the ridge, we spotted the nearby Cascade peaks of Mt. Adams, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. St. Helens.  In addition, smoke from a large wildfire burning in the Columbia River Gorge could be seen.  This one a human-caused wildfire, it's always sad to see more of the forest burning.

Beautiful mountain stream

On the way down, Catherine and I stopped by a lovely mountain stream, fed by snowmelt high on the mountain.  It wound through a patch of green vegetation, highlighted by bright spots of wildflowers, most notably purple lupine.

And there were butterflies!

The warm afternoon temps had brought out the butterflies and as we trekked downhill, I tried to capture a few as they settled onto the wildflowers.  I didn't have the best luck - usually as soon as I pointed my camera on these winged beauties, they nearly always flew away.

Two butterflies caught in a not-so-private moment

However, I was fortunate enough to capture two butterflies busy in a (ahem!) not-so-private moment.  I think they were too busy with each other to notice my camera.

Enjoying the views

It was so good to be back at McNeil Point again for the summer wildflowers.  And although we saw a few hikers, the meadows and shelter area weren't very busy at all.  My overcrowding fears didn't materialize.  Sometime you just have to say "what the heck" and go anyway.  I've found I'm always glad that I did!

Western Larches of Mt. Hood

In my quest to photograph the fall colors of NW Oregon, there's one tree species that always rises to the top of the list.  Described as a unique coniferous variety, in autumn its needles turn a lovely hue of yellow and drop to the forest floor.  Come early October, people in the Pacific NW become obsessed with seeing the stunning golden larch.

My friends are all smiles!

This "larch madness" is more prevalent in neighboring Washington state, where larches are much more plentiful.  Home to both the Western larch and the more showy subapline larch, people flock to trails featuring forests full of these golden beauties.  I can always tell when larches there are peaking - my Facebook feed is crammed with breathtaking photos.

Golden goodness

Someday I'll make it up to Washington to see the larch show for myself.  But in the meantime, the eastern slopes of Mt. Hood put on a performance of their own - and it's a much shorter drive.

Larch trees everywhere!

The forests directly east of Mt. Hood are home to the Western larch tree.  In the past, I've hiked the Divide Trail (see my post from this hike and also this post from 2020) to Flag Point Lookout where there's a scattered bunch of larches.  But two years ago I stumbled upon a nice grove on the slopes of nearby Five Mile Butte.  At the time, the trees were just beginning their autumn transition, so I made a mental note to return later in October for peak color.  However, life got in the way, and it took me two more years to fulfill that promise.

This one was practically glowing

But one sunny Saturday in late October, the planets finally aligned.  I invited my hiking buddies Debbie and Barry to join me on a larch reconnaissance mission.  My objective was a trek on the Eightmile Loop trail to hopefully catch the Western larches in their fall finery.

A baby larch

Parking at the Eightmile Campground day use area, my friends and I shouldered our backpacks and headed up the steep, switchback-y trail that would take us to the top of Fivemile Butte.  It didn't take long before we began to notice the golden conifers standing out prominently from the forest's green firs.

Mixed in with the firs

Climbing higher, I came upon dozens of bright yellow trees surrounding the trail.  We'd hit the larches at their peak!  I was so excited!  Forward progress ground to a screeching halt as my camera came out, and lots of photography ensued.  Good thing my friends are so patient and understanding of my hobby.

This entire hillside was golden

Western larch is the only species of larch trees found in Oregon.  It's among the largest of the larches, able to grow up to 200 feet high with trunk widths as wide as 5 feet in diameter.  It has a narrow, tapered shape that allows closely-spaced groves of these trees to thrive.  Larch trees can survive extreme cold and hot, dry summers.

More yellow needles

I slowly inched up the trail, taking dozens of photographs as I went.  The amount of larches increased in number until the forest was nearly dominated by their golden needles.

Sun breaking through

I noticed lots of short larch trees just starting to rise from the forest floor.  If all these baby larches survive, it won't take long for a nice forest to develop here.  It will be interesting to visit this trail in the coming years and see the changes.

Happy hikers

Debbie and Barry are avid birders, so while I was busy taking photographs of the larch trees, they were scanning the forest for birds.  Not seeing any recent reports from this area, Debbie decided she'd compile a list of feathered friends she spotted for the ebird website.

I loved the close-ups

Upward my friends and I climbed, me clicking my camera shutter profusely, and Debbie and Barry listening for bird calls.

We hit peak color

The brilliant yellow needles of the larches practically glowed in the late morning sunshine.

My friends looking for birds

Towards the top of our climb, the number larches began to decline, and the forest opened up to views looking north.  At one point, I spotted Mt. Adam's white summit framed between the trees.

A tiny bit of red

Reaching the top of our climb, we took a side trail to the Fivemile Butte Fire Lookout.  Not only did I love visiting fire lookouts, the amazing view from its base made a nice lunch spot.

Mt. Adams was our lunchtime view

We walked to an open area a short distance from the lookout.  My friends and I sat in the sunshine, filled our bellies, and enjoyed a fine view of the forest below and Mt. Adams front and center.  The warm temperatures and blue skies were much appreciated!

Five Mile Butte lookout

Finished with lunch, we wandered back to check out the fire tower and take a few photos.  While exploring the area, a mountain biker happened by.  He pointed towards the entrance road and told us there was a great view of Mt. Hood not far down the road.

Excellent Mt Hood view on the lookout road

Well of course we had to check it out!  True to his word, the biker was right.  About a quarter mile away from the fire lookout Mt. Hood rose prominently above the trees.  A few scattered larches stood out amongst the green.  An amazing view - many more photos were taken.

Fire lookout peek-a-boo

Then we retraced our steps back to the lookout and rejoined the Eightmile trail to complete our loop. 

Larch trees speckled throughout the forest

Our trail contoured along an open ridge, giving us nice views of the forest below.  The green Douglas fir forest was speckled with yellow from the turning larch needles.  A beautiful sight!

Nice views on top of Five Mile Butte

The rest of the trail didn't have nearly as many larches, so my camera mostly stayed in its bag for the remainder of the hike.  (I'd taken more than enough the first mile and a half!)  But one area had a huge concentration of mushrooms, so I tried my hand at a bit of macro photography, capturing some colorful fungi on the forest floor.

Mushrooms in the forest

Debbie was able to identify a grand total of 10 different bird species for her list.  The highlight was hearing a woodpecker's familiar tap-tapping, and being able to spot a hairy woodpecker high on one of the nearby trees.

Debbie poses on a log bridge

On the drive home down windy Forest Service road 44, I admired the brilliant larch trees lining its roadway.  I came around a bend, and there was Mt. Hood framed by some of these golden beauties.  Such a beautiful scene, I immediately pulled over and snapped a few parting shots.  A great end to what had been an amazing day!

Mt Hood view on the way home

After missing the peak larch color two years ago, I was thrilled to hit both the height of the larch seasonal change, and do it on a sunny day.