Pacific NW Hiking Info

[MattC]

I have an old friend out in Portland, Oregon I may visit one of these days, possibly late summer/early fall, possibly not until next year. Anyhow, I'm interested in some info about hiking out there. I just ordered a book by William Sullivan, "100 Hikes in Northern Oregon and Southern Washington" or something like that, and I have also found a few good sites out there.

So, I'm looking more for personal opinions and input on the area. I'm not looking to summit Hood or do any mountaineering, I would just want to do reasonably challenging hiking about as strenuous as typical Northeast mountain hiking. The area around Hood and the Columbia River Gorge sound like good places, but I know there's much, much more out there as well.

Stuff I'd like to know:
-What the best maps/guides are for the area, especially maps
-Places to potentially car camp or backcountry camp
-Any important backcountry regulations or other concerns
-How the area compares to the Northeast
-The weather/climate, how different seasons are (My friend tells me rainy season is roughly October to May or June)
-What type of clothing/gear is appropriate, etc.

Matt

 

[sardog1]

The best hiking maps for OR and WA are Green Trails Maps.

The best guidebooks are published by The Mountaineers Books.

Your friend is right about the rainy season. Note that hypothermia is a big deal in the Northwest. Rainy weather in the NW mountains will generally be cooler than rainy weather in the NE mountains. (Yes, I know, the Rockpile and its immediate environs are the exception to this generalization.) And if you don't/won't do "it" (i.e., hiking, biking, skiing, etc.) in the rain, you won't being doing "it" very often in the Northwest.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Portland is famous for it's cloudy, rainy weather, but in reality the weather in Burlington, VT is a bit more cloudy than Portland. It's a milder climate, and interestingly enough, Portland itself has very few thunderstorms. Apparently thunderstorms usually form over land/mountains, and Portland is close enough to the coast so they rarely occur. There's often a low marine fog layer that extends in over the Columbia River for many miles, so that can give a distorted sense of what the weather systems are really like. It's rather obvious if you're climbing Hood, Adams, Rainier, etc. Do a Google search on the Portland climate and compare it to your own for the best comparison.

The Pacific Northwest has a parking pass system, so be prepared. If you have the National Park Pass with the extra $15 Eagle Pass stamp you're set, but otherwise plan on buying one.

As for books, maps, etc - personally, I'd wait until I got to Portland and then go to Powell's. Powell's is simply the best bookstore on the planet. It's enormous (like most of a block) with multiple stories, and even has it's own parking garage. It's something to be experienced and treasured. They also have a great used book system, and you can take advantage of it via the internet.

If I were forced to live in a city, Portland is one of the few that I'd choose. It's a great city to walk in, particularly in the NW quadrant. It has a great park of roses, a neat zoo (you can take a mini-train from the rose park to the zoo and it winds around some forests/STEEP hills), and the last time I was there their new electric trolley system was still free. There's also a different view of work. Work seems to be regarded as a means to an end, not the end in itself as it often is in East Coast cities, and I find that refreshing. They also (along with Seattle) regard coffee as a major food group, and much time/energy/money is spent each day acquiring it.

I think you'll enjoy Portland and the Pacific Northwest. As you're touring along the Columbia River Gorge with it's eye-popping scenery, stop in Hood River. It's a neat town built into a hillside, and also has some of the fastest windsurfers you'll ever see. The Gorge narrows there, and the wind is created (in part) by the Bernoulli effect. The best place to watch them in on the Washington side - there's a big parking lot there.

 

[sardog1]

I should probably expand on my climatic description a bit.

There are two sides to the Cascade Mountains -- the "wet" side and the east side. Radically different regimes are experienced by crossing from "wet" to east. Eastern OR and WA even have some near-desert locations.

The "wet" side is indeed wet during much of the year, sometimes for weeks at a time in fall--winter. Note however that it's rarely humid on the "wet" side when it's hot and sunny, because that hot air is coming from the Southwestern U.S.

 

[AntlerPeak]

I have an old friend out in Portland, Oregon I may visit one of these days, possibly late summer/early fall, possibly not until next year. Anyhow, I'm interested in some info about hiking out there. I just ordered a book by William Sullivan, "100 Hikes in Northern Oregon and Southern Washington" or something like that, and I have also found a few good sites out there.

So, I'm looking more for personal opinions and input on the area. I'm not looking to summit Hood or do any mountaineering, I would just want to do reasonably challenging hiking about as strenuous as typical Northeast mountain hiking. The area around Hood and the Columbia River Gorge sound like good places, but I know there's much, much more out there as well.

Stuff I'd like to know:
-What the best maps/guides are for the area, especially maps
-Places to potentially car camp or backcountry camp
-Any important backcountry regulations or other concerns
-How the area compares to the Northeast
-The weather/climate, how different seasons are (My friend tells me rainy season is roughly October to May or June)
-What type of clothing/gear is appropriate, etc.

Matt

Matt the suggestions on the WTA and Mountaineers are good ones the WTA site is excellent. WTA
Not only do they have an online hiking guide, trail conditions etc they also sell the Mountaineers guide books and trail passes.

Also check out NW Hiking Net
Similar to VTFF lots of trip reports, pics and general advice.
The Green Trails maps are the most accurate with all the trails and distances on them. Green Trails The maps for St Helens are not up to date as no map had been redesigned after the big blow. Most maps show trails that do not exist and new trails are not on the old maps. I spoke with a ranger from St Helens in '04 and that was the case. I have heard of nothing new but there may be one. Check the Gifford Pinchot web site for any St Helens info. They are opening this up to hike to the crater later this month not sure of the date. I am told you can get permits on the websiteGifford Pinchot

I've done over two hundred peaks mostly in the South Cascades and there are many gems not too far from Portland. US 12 leads from I-5 south of Chehales to Packwood many hikes you describe can be accessed from there. A few awesome choices, Old Snowy in the Goat Rocks Wilderness. Hike is through stands of huge Dug firs to open meadows with miles of wild flowers. 7900' plus peak five miles or so one way you start at 4000 plus feet in the parking area. Nothing you can't handle. It is a long logging road approach but it is a good road.

Check out Goat Peak at Ryan Lake on paved fs road 26 east side of St Helens fantastic views of spirit Lake and into the crater. The mountain ridge is similar to the ADK high peaks mostly meadows dry path no mud etc. views of Rainier St Helens Adams Hood. Again around 3k ascent with a few high lakes.

Further south Council Bluff close to Mt Adams is an easy climb with fantastic views and the trail is no more difficult than Mt Jo.

My best guess is that in over ten years I spent 240 plus days on the trail in the south Cascades and we only had rain three times.

The best guide I have seen for that area is the mountaineer's 100 Hikes in the South Cascades and Olympics by Ira Spring and Harvey Manning. There are a few others the the driving directions in this are quite accurate and detailed. The trail descriptions are very good.
I have almost worn out my copy and having used it extensively can safely say it is a good one.

Any questions just ask, pm or here. I can give you a list of lots of great trails if you want.

 

[AntlerPeak]

Oh yeah I almost forgot, Sun block and lots of it. As someone said it does not get humid, if you can believe. The suns rays do not get refracted by humid air making them more intense and you can burn easily. With that the sky is far bluer. you don't need a polarizer as a matter of fact my first trip out there out of habit I used my polarizer on all my shots. I came out with a bunch of photos with the sky almost black. Like you see in those everest Photos. It seems the rain stops in april and begins again in November. usually the southern counties of Wa have burning bans and don't water your lawn regulations in effect.

From Rainier Ntl Pk there are awesome views and from a few summits you can look north toward Seattle and see what looks like a permanent cloud over the bowl Seattle sits in. Where everyplace else is sunny.

 

[MattC]

Thanks for the replies, all of you. I look forward to getting out there. One more question-how about gear stores in and around Portland?

Matt

 

[AntlerPeak]

There is an REI in Portland better yet there is no sales tax in Oregon.