Justin Wright » Outdoors

Snowshoeing Season Is Back!

Justin Wright — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:44:26 +0000

A few days ago I went out and did my first snowshoe of the year. It’s a great workout and offers a fun alternative to traditional hiking.

Here’s a few photos from the trip up to Mt. Hood in Oregon:

Mt. St. Helens: The Blast Zone

Justin Wright — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 21:55:52 +0000

A few months ago I completed my goal to climb to the top of Mt. St. Helens. It was an amazing experience but the one thing it didn’t do was give me a close up view of the blast zone located on the opposite side of the mountain. So the other day I took a friend up to the Johnston Ridge Observatory and we did a nice 9 mile hike down to Spirit Lake.

Here’s some photos from the hike:

Walking South Towards the Mountain.

View From the Pumice Fields.

A Small Lake Along the Trail.

Spirit Lake with Mt. Rainier in the Background.

Mt. Rainier in the Clouds.

Looking North from the Trail.

The blast zone is such a weird place because it feels like walking around in the desert in Arizona yet it’s located in the Pacific Northwest. Just a few miles down the road the scenery completely changes.

It’s definitely worth a visit if you find yourself in Washington. Highly recommend it!

The Silver Star Grand Tour

Justin Wright — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 20:37:06 +0000

Standing on the Silver Star Summit

The sun decided to come out this weekend so it was the perfect opportunity for some more hiking. I decided to give the Silver Star Grand Tour a shot, which I can easily say is my favorite hike so far. The hike was guided by the Mazamas, which is a Mountaineering organization here in Portland.

Distance: 15 Miles
Elevation Gain: 5,250 Feet

The hike started off at the Starway trailhead, which is not the easiest place to find. It requires driving down dirt roads for about 4 miles. From there, we followed an unofficial trail that’s being developed by the guy who lead the hike.

The trail was a bit rugged but a lot of fun. We crossed a creek by walking across a log with some rope. From there, we had to climb an extremely steep talus field that made my legs burn. Once we finished the climbing, we took a nice break on a cliff overlooking a waterfall.

We eventually hit the main Silver Star parking lot and followed the main trail up to the summit. The snow is still pretty deep in a lot of places but we made it to the top without any issues. There were a lot of people on the summit when we got up there.

Here’s a view looking South towards Mt. Hood:

Mt. Hood from the Silver Star Summit

Once we finished our lunch, we headed down the North side of Silver Star and then connected up with the trail that leads to Little Baldy. This is where we hit the deepest snow of the trip.

Here’s a nice shot of Silver Star behind us as we were heading towards Little Baldy:

Silver Star in the background.

We weren’t able to summit it due to snow but we did make our way to the top of Bluff Mountain, which had a great view of Mt. St Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams:

Mt. St Helens, Mt. Rainier, and Mt. Adams from Bluff Mountain

This is where the hike got really interesting. Since the main trail was snow covered, we decided to make our way down the North Ridge of Bluff Mountain. It was really steep and rocky but a ton of fun at the same time. There were a few spots with some large drop-offs but everyone made it without any issues.

Making our way down the ridge.

Looking back at the ridge we descended.

After making our way down the ridge, we then met up with the main trail that took us to a forest road. We followed the road down to the creek, where we had to do a tough stream crossing. Everyone tried using garbage bags over our shoes but no luck, all of our shoes were soaked. A few people fell in since the current was so strong from the creek being really high due to snow melt.

The last half mile was not much fun since my boots were filled with water but it sure felt great to take them off when we got to the cars.

Overall, it was a great hike with some of the best views I’ve seen so far. It was also one of the toughest I’ve done this year and it left me feeling pretty sore the next day.

You can check out more photos in my Silver Star gallery.

Elk Mountain and King’s Mountain

Justin Wright — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 21:50:17 +0000

I knocked another hike off this year’s to do list! The hike was the Elk and King’s Mountain loop in the Oregon Coast Range. Here’s a quick summary of the hike along with some photos.

Distance: 11 Miles
Elevation Gain: 3,700 Feet

This loop is rated as very difficult, so I was expecting it to be fairly steep and rugged. Turns out that’s exactly what this hike is like. Right off the bat, the climb to Elk Mountain was very steep. It reminded me a lot of Mt Defiance only the climb to the summit is shorter (and half the elevation).

Here’s a quick picture of the summit sign, which is no longer stuck in the ground:

Elk Mountain Summit

Once you hit Elk Mountain, you then have to follow the ridge over to the top of King’s Mountain. This was by far the most rugged part of the hike. The trail is actually an old logging road in some sections. Along the road is the only part I hit any snow.

There was a rope in one section which made coming down a tad easier but it was actually harder further down where the rope ended.

Here’s a couple photos I took along the ridge:

View Looking South.

Section of trail with a drop off on both sides.

After what seemed like forever, I finally hit the King’s Mountain Summit. Here’s what I found at the top:

Summit Sign and Log on King's Mountain

View from King's Mountain Summit

From there, it was a very steep drop down to the campground (and the car). For the most part, I jogged down the hill since it was actually easier than trying to walk at a slower pace. It always amazes me how much faster it is coming down a mountain than going up.

Overall, this was a great hike and one of my favorites so far. Next up…Table Mountain?

I Kicked Ash On Mt St Helens

Justin Wright — Mon, 23 May 2011 22:31:47 +0000

Standing On the Crater Rim of Mt St Helens

After weeks of anticipation, I finally got to accomplish my goal of climbing to the top of Mt St Helens. At 8,365 ft, it’s the second tallest mountain I’ve ever climbed. The trip was a success and everyone in our group made it up to the top. Here’s a full trip report of the days events:

Distance: 12 Miles
Elevation Gain: 5,622 Feet

We started the day off by meeting at 5AM at the climber registration office (the Lone Fir Resort). We then made the quick drive up to the Marble Mountain Sno-Park, which is where the Worm Flows winter trail begins.

After getting all our gear packed up, we hit the trail around 6:30 and started on our way up. Here’s a picture of the beginning of our hike:

The Climb Begins!

My pack was fairly heavy considering I was carrying a gallon and a half of water, snowshoes, plenty of food, and some extra clothes and gear. Luckily the pack didn’t bother me at all one the way up and became much lighter on the way down.

The first few miles of the trail were fairly gradual. The snow was fairly hard so we didn’t have to wear the snowshoes at all. The sky was overcast and there was a lot of fog so we didn’t see much other than trees on both sides of us.

After hiking roughly 2.5 miles, we hit the tree line and that’s where the real hike began. Here’s a nice shot of where the trees started to fade out:

The Trees Begin to Disappear

The incline of the trail got much, much steeper the further up we got. Luckily the sun started to come out and we were able to get a glimpse of where we were heading.

A Long Way to Go

I never would have guessed that it would be so fricken hot on the side of the mountain. It felt like Phoenix in the middle of summer. Everyone in the group applied sunscreen at least 5 times throughout the hike. I still managed to get some nice sunburn on my neck and face.

People aren’t kidding when they say that snow can blind you. I took my glasses off a few times and couldn’t see anything. Luckily I was wearing some ridiculous looking glacier glasses that make me look like a bug.

As we approached the top, I turned around and realized we had climbed above the clouds. Here’s what the view looked like near the top:

A View Above The Clouds

Mt Adams in the Distance

Right after I took those pictures, a bunch of clouds rolled in and killed the visibility. They got so thick that we could hardly see in any direction and following the foot tracks became very difficult. We ended up having to take turns punching foot holes for everyone to walk in. Luckily the clouds went away as we got close to the top and we could see a group of people standing at the top.

The last 500 feet were the hardest part of the hike, it felt like we were so close yet so far away. Approximately 8 hours after we started, we made it to the very top of the crater rim. This is the view I got as I first stepped foot on the rim:

Looking Down Into the Crater

The clouds eventually moved and we were able to see Mt Rainier off in the distance:

Mt Rainier in the Distance

Here’s a quick video from the top:

Once we finished our lunch, we made our way down the mountain back to the car. Luckily we were able to glissade (slide) for awhile, which really cut down on the time it took to get back down. I wore a garbage bag so I wouldn’t tear my pants and it seemed to work well. Except it kept filling up with snow and looked like a diaper since it was white and I made wholes for my legs.

Overall, it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I’m so glad I did a lot of conditioning otherwise it would of kicked my ass. Now I just need to figure out what mountain to climb next.

For more photos, check out my Mt St Helens photo gallery.

Mount Defiance and Ruckel Ridge

Justin Wright — Tue, 17 May 2011 19:14:19 +0000

As I mentioned in my last post, my main goals this year is to hike a thousand miles. So I plan on posting trip reports here as often as I can. Here’s some quick trip reports from this past weekend:

Ruckel Ridge to Eagle Creek

Distance: 16 Miles
Elevation Gain: 4,000 Feet

Depending on what guidebook or forum you read, Ruckel Ridge is considered to be one of the toughest hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. The trail gains almost 4,000 feet of elevation in less than 5 miles.

I can honestly say this was by far the hardest hike I’ve ever done in my entire life. The total distance came out around 16 miles and my legs were pretty sore when we got back to the car. Snowshoeing along the Benson Plateau was also a challenge, especially since it was difficult to find the trail.

Here’s a few photos from the hike:

View of the Columbia River Gorge

Walking over the Catwalk

Snow on the Benson Plateau.

Mount Defiance

Distance: 14 Miles
Elevation Gain: 5,000 Feet

Despite being sore from the Ruckel Ridge hike, I went out and tackled Mount Defiance on Sunday. Mount Defiance is the highest elevation in the Gorge and tops out at 4,960 feet. The total elevation gain for the hike is just under 5,000 feet and the distance was roughly 14 miles.

Once we hit 4,000 feet the snow started to get pretty deep so we switched to snowshoes. It was also tough to find the trail in the snow but luckily we found some footprints and the GPS came in handy.

The last 500 feet of elevation gain were the toughest since it was cold, windy, and snowing a bit. The visibility was not good at all so there weren’t any views at the top other than the radio facility. I’m amazed that the snow is still up to the fence in May.

Few photos from the hike:

Making our way to the top.

Snow up to the fence on the summit.

Warren Lake

These two hikes definitely kicked my ass. It’s Tuesday now and I’m still a bit sore, especially my feet. I’ve got Mt St Helens planned for this Sunday (depending on the weather) so hopefully I’ll be ready to go by then.

The Oregon Coast

Justin Wright — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 19:35:01 +0000

Here are a few photos from a weekend camping trip along the Oregon coast:

Cape Lookout State Park

A View from Cape Lookout

A Few Waterfalls Along the Coast

Nehalem Bay State Park

Another View of Cannon Beach, Oregon

Cannon Beach, Oregon

The Dog Mountain Trail

Justin Wright — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:05:05 +0000

Distance: 7 Miles
Elevation Gain: 2,800 Feet

I’ve been really anxious to get out and hike now that we live near mountains so we tried out the Dog Mountain trail. It’s located in Washington within the Columbia River Gorge. The total distance up and down is just over 7 miles and has an elevation gain of 2800 feet. It’s a really good workout and well worth the climb.

The top of the mountain is covered in snow right now but we were able to make it to the top without any issues (though it was a tad slippery in spots).

Here’s some photos from the hike:

The first view heading up the mountain.

Our dog enjoyed the hike as much as we did.

The snow starts towards the top of the mountain.

View from the summit of Dog Mountain.

A great view of Mount St. Helens in the distance.

Overall, it’s a great hike and offers some amazing views. We plan on going back in the spring when the wild flowers are in full bloom.

You can check out more of the photos in the Dog Mountain photo gallery.

Beacon Rock State Park

Justin Wright — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 21:55:22 +0000

One of the first places my girlfriend and I wanted to check out in the Pacific Northwest was the Columbia River Gorge. It’s a canyon of the Columbia River that stretches for over 80 miles.

So we decided to check out Beacon Rock State Park, which features an 850 foot rock that sits right along the river. You can climb the rock year-round thanks to a very steep trail that leads to the top. Here’s what it looks like:

Looking Down At the Trail

Looking Up at the Trail Ahead

The good news is the trail is only 3/4 of a mile so the steep hike doesn’t take very long. Once you get to the top you get a great view of the Columbia River Gorge.

Here’s a few photos from the top of Beacon Rock:

View from the Top

Another View from the Top

If you’re ever in the Portland area, I highly recommend stopping by this park since it’s a great place to see the Columbia River Gorge. For more photos, check out my Beacon Rock photo gallery.

The Best Hikes In Portland, Oregon

Justin Wright — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 19:29:23 +0000

View of Portland and Mt. Hood (Photo: Martin Bravenboer)

Since I’m growing overly excited to move to Portland in a few weeks, here is a guest post that covers some of the best hikes in Portland, Oregon.

Portland is quickly become a popular destination for many people. It’s an urban wonderland scattered with forests, mountains and rivers. Students in travel and tourism schools and seasoned travel agents around the world are putting Portland on their list of “must sees.”. Portland has been said to be one of the most “green” or environmentally friendly cities in the world. The Willamette river runs right through the center of the city and Mount Tabor rises on it’s east side. Views of St Helen and Mount Hood make Portland’s cityscape one of the prettiest in the world. Portland is known for preserving it’s land, over 8,000 acres of natural land are protected from development. The weather is described as “Marine West Coast,” having warm dry summers and mild winters makes Portland a perfect place for hiking.

Portland Hiking Trails:

Hoyt Arboretum Loop

This trail travels through 185 acres of Portland Hoyt Arboretum tree museum. The trails takes you through a variety of forested land. Including a ponderosa pine forest, redwoods, a large grove of bamboo and an oak woodland. If you are looking to get in touch with nature this trail would be perfect for you. The trail is 1.8 miles long with an elevation level of 75ft. The trail is a loop and brings you back to your starting point. Walking the length of the trail takes roughly around one hour. This trail is open year round from 6:ooam to 10:00pm daily. The skill level for this trail is easy making this trail great for a relaxed stroll. Leashed dogs are welcome.

Lower Macleay Park to Pittock Mansion

This trail is a hilly forested trail taking you from Macleay park, through Balch Creek Canyon and then uphill in a forested wonderland to the historic Pittock Mansion. From the yard of the mansion you have a clear and breathtaking view of Mount St. Helen’s Mount Hood and downtown Portland. The trail is 3.8 miles long and has an elevation of 850ft. This is an out and back trail meaning you must turn around and walk back. Walking the length of the trail takes around three hours. The skill level is easy and leashed dogs are welcome.

Marquam Nature Park to Council Crest

This trail takes you through the Marquam Nature Park’s fern filled forest, down beneath a forested canyon, to the summit of Council Crest. From the top of the canyon you will have an amazing view of downtown Portland and the Cascade Volcanoes. The trail is approximately 3.2 miles long and the elevation gain is around 745ft. The skill level for this trail is easy. This is an out and back trail meaning you must turn around and walk back. Walking the trail in it’s entirety takes around 2 hours. This trail is open year round and leashed dogs are permitted.

Mount Tabor

This hike takes you to the top of a three-million-year-old volcano. The volcano is covered with a douglas fir and conifer forest. This is a 200 acre park covered with hiking trails, and breathtaking views. This park allows you to take an adventurous hike just outside of the city.. The trail to the top of Mount Tabor around 3 miles long. Walking the trail in its entirety takes a little over one hour and the highest elevation is 643ft. The trail is a loop and returns you to your starting point. The skill level for this trail is easy and leashed dogs are permitted. This park and it’s trails are open year-round.

Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls (Photo: neth_ra)

This hike takes you on Oregon’s tallest waterfall. It is one of Oregon’s most popular trails. Climbing up this beautiful waterfall to it’s two tiered plume. There is a 2.2 mile moderate hike with 700 ft of elevation and there is also a difficult 5.4 mile loop to Wahkeena Falls with an elevation gain of 1,600 ft. The trail is open year-round and requires no fees to hike. When you finish the two mile hike and just aren’t quite ready to turn back, continue on the five mile loop. This loop takes you to see the area’s other waterfalls. You will follow the Larch Mountain Trail up to Multnomah Creek. From there the trail continues on to the Wahkeena Trail and then descends to the beautiful Fairy Falls, and continues down to a beautiful bridge beneath Wahkeena falls. Remember this trail goes from moderate to difficult in skill level. These breathtaking trails make for an amazing hike only about 30 miles out of Portland.

Triple Falls

This is another beautiful hike with views of Middle Oneonta Falls, Horse Tail Falls, Triple Falls and Upper Oneonta falls.. This trail begins on Oneonta Trailhead and continues on to Triple Falls. This is an out and back trail with a length of around three miles round trip. The trail takes you up steep hills and down flats across the Oneonta Creek Bridge. The skill level for this hike is moderate and has an elevation gain of 610 ft. The trail has steep drop-offs but is a fairly wide trail. Triple Falls is a great turn around point however, the trail continues on for about a mile next to the creek. This is a more scenic than the upper trails and continues up to Larch Mountain. This trail is scenic and moderate in difficulty making it a wonderful trail for the family.

Each of these trails gives you a glimpse of the beauty within Oregon. This is only a very, very short list of the trails that zig-zag across Portland’s beautiful forests, volcanoes, waterfalls, canyons, mountains and protected parks. If you are looking for a place to hike Portland, Oregon is the place to be.

This is a guest post by Peter Puckett. He is a journalist hailing from Florida. When he is not traveling and writing, he is working for online universities, and spending time with his family.