Tom's Hiking and Backpacking Page

Prusik Peak from the upper Enchantment Lakes basin. Basin elevation: about 7500'. Click here for a full sceen view.

Hiking and Backpacking Links Recent Trips
Below I include pictures from some of my most recent hikes, backbacks, or campouts. This section I plan to update frequently with pictures from some of my most recent trips. But a computer virus, some subsequent software problems, and a wait of several months for my son (the computer expert in the family) to solve my problems for me has prevented me from updating some of my winter hikes. But the pictures of Dog Mountain below make up for a lot!
August 22, 2001: Jefferson Park via Park Ridge:
 
Because of a mix-up, my writeups for the August edition of The Chemekeden did not get into the bulletin. So my brother-in-law and nephew decided to do this hike anyway. But as luck would have it, the entire Breitenbush Lake area was closed on account of the the August fires we had in the area. So we went up the Whitewater Trail into Jefferson Park instead and talked to a number of backpackers who were stranded on account of the fires. Here are a couple of pictures:
 
  • Peter and Jason Schmurrwith Mt. Jefferson in the background.
  • Mt. Jefferson from Scout Lake. Note how smoke from the many fires obscures the view.

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    July 26, 2001: Cathedral Rocks/Hunts Cove Loop
     
    This 18 mile loop, which I do every year as a day hike, takes you to the rim of a giant "fishbowl" at the bottom of which lies a pair of magical lakes surrounded by lush green meadows. Unfortunately, no picture can do full justice to the spacious beauty of this enchanted place called Hunts Cove.
     
  • Larry Peterson, Sue Nelson, and Phil Scherry with Mt. Jefferson in the background.
  • The southwestern face of Mt. Jefferson from the Pacific Crest Trail.
  • Goat Peak from Shale Lake.
  • Hunts Cove and Hanks Lake
  • Hunts Lake
  • Meadow near Hunts Cove
  • Some flowers in the meadow
  • Mt. Jefferson from Hanks Lake


    • July 15-19: Mt. Rainier and Rimrock Lake

     
    While Cathy and I vacationed in the Mt. Rainier area, an upper level low kept the weather unsettled. Rain on the 16th and 17th sent us scurrying east, where we explored the area around Rimrock Lake off of Highway 12 and discovered some great hikes to do in the future. We returned to Mt. Rainier on the evening of the 17th with a hope for some better weather. And the thick fog did lift enough one morning for a few pictures.
     
  • Rimrock Lake
  • Mt. Rainier from the Wonderland Trail between White River and Sunrise. Believe me, I had to hike up this steep trail at a frantic pace early in the morning to get this and the following three pictures before the clouds once again closed in on the mountain.
  • Partially obscured by a mist rising from the White River Valley, the mountain could still be seen clearly from a higher elevation. But even as I frantically climbed higher and got above the rising mist, clouds began condensing all around the mountain, as the next picture illustrates.
  • Clouds begin closing in.
  • Closeup of Little Tahoma just before the clouds close in around it.
  • You name the purple flower
  • View East from the Borroughs Mountain Trail.
  • Mt. Fremont Lookout from the Borroughs Mountain Trail.
  • Emmons Glacier Basin from the Borroughs Mountain Trail.
  • Tamanos Mountain.  I thought I knew all the good hikes around Mt. Rainier.  But while at Sunrise, I spotted this pyramid towering over the surrounding countryside with a clear view of Mt. Rainier's northeast face. In checking with a ranger, I discovered that one can scramble up the backside from the Owyhigh Lakes area. So I guess that will be my next hike at Mt. Rainier--only on a clear day, of course!

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    July 1, 2001:  Jefferson Park via Whitewater
     
    Providing the shortest and the easiest route into Jefferson Park (five miles one way with an elevation gain of 1800'), the popular Whitewater Trail offers a magnificent close-up view of the northwestern face of Mt. Jefferson from the opposite side of a deep canyon. But though the weather cooperated this year with a cloudless sky, my memory did not. I brought my camera all right, only to discover on the trail that I had left the pc-card in my computer.  So on a perfect day for pictures, I again came away with none.  Aaarrrrggghhh!!
    June 21 and June 23, 2001: Triangulation Peak via Cheat Creek
     
    A favorite of mine in late Spring, this 12.9 mile hike begins with a steep ascent up the Cheat Creek drainage and through a magnificent old growth forest. About 700 feet below the ridge, the trail suddenly flattens out and passes through a small but lush meadow before re-entering the forest and climbing to the ridge, where the real treat begins: a two mile stroll along a ridge crest that features wonderful views of Mt. Jefferson and some of the loveliest rock gardens I have ever seen. And yes, Mr. Flew, there is indeed a Gardener tending these plots: invisible and intangible, to be sure, but by no means eternally elusive. After gaining one's first view of Triangulation Peak and of Boca Cave high up on its face, one then contours around the northeast side of the peak, where deep snow typically obscures the trail at this time of year; and finally, one ascends another 700 feet or so to the top, where Mt Jefferson, with her arms stretched wide, seems as inviting as she is majestic.
     
  • Irving Dayton, Bob Goetz, Lark Abrahamson, and Pam Ewing in Wild Cheat Meadow
  • Larkspur and a few Indian Paintbrush
  • Mt. Jefferson from the rock gardens
  • Trianulation Peak and Boca Cavefrom the ridge crest
  • Mike Gabe Sr. and Jr. at the top of Triangulation Peak
  • Mike finds a use for his umbrella
  • Mt. Jefferson from Boca Cave

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    May 20 and May 28, 2001: The Glories of Dog Mountain.
     
    One of the most spectacular wildflower displays in the entire world--that's right, in the entire world--occurs in the middle of May on Dog Mountain, which is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge. If you don't believe me, take a look at some of these pictures. Not even a photographer as amateurish as I can fail to capture such beaties as these.
     
  • The Columbia River Gorge from the lower part of the Dog Mountain trail
  • Balsamroot, as we call it, is the large yellow lily for which Dog mountain is famous
  • John Saltenberger (left) and Jim Northrop were my two compatriots on this hike
  • Wind Mountain and the Columbia River Gorge from the Dog Mounatian meadows
  • More Wind Mountain and more flowers
  • The Flowering Interno!
  • More flowers and the steep hillside meadow
  • More of the steep hillside meadow. Can you believe this?
  • Trail to the top
  • View from the top
  • A wider angle view

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    May 9, 2001: Eagle Creek Gorge (again!). No new pictures; see below.

    April 8 & 18, 2001: Saddle Mountain. Rain and fog; no pictures.

    March 11 & 29, 2001: Hamilton Mountain

    March 4, 2001: Cascade Head

    January 7, 2001: Eagle Creek Gorge. No new pictures.

    December 17, 2000: Cascade Head

    November 18, 2000: Eagle Creek Gorge
     

    Located in the Columbia River Gorge off Highway 84 at the 41 mile mark, the Eagle Creek hike features a rugged gorge, sheer cliffs, and many waterfalls, including spectacular Tunnel Falls, some 6.25 miles up the trail, where the trail tunnels behind the falls.
     
  • At the Trailhead
  • Punchbowl Falls
  • Makita Falls
  • Approaching High Bridge
  • High Bridge: a Closer Look
  • Looking Down from High Bridge
  • Sheer Cliff
  • Tunnel Falls
  • Treading Carefully on the icy trail
  • A Treacherous Trail in the Winter
  • Tunnel Falls Basin
  • Heading Back along the top of a spectacular falls and cliff
  • A Closer Look at the sheer cliff and the trail
    • 2000 Chemeketan outing: Wind River Mountains, Wyoming
     
    Last year's annual Chemeketan Outing took place in the Wind river Mountains near Pinedale, Wyoming, between July 29th and August 12th. Here are some pictures from two of the most spectacular areas.
     
    Green Lakes Area
     
  • Squaretop Mountain from Lower Green Lake.
  • Squaretop Mountain from above upper Green Lake. Is it any wonder that this is the most photographed peak in the Wind River Range?
  • Squaretop and more.
  • Squaretop one more time.
  • Flattop Mountain.
  • Pinnacles near Flattop Mountain.
  • Slide Lake.
  • George Susbauer at Slide Lake.
  • Susan Watkins in the Slide Lake area.
  • Moose.

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    Big Sandy Lake Area
     
  • Big Sandy Lake.
  • Clear Lake and Haystack Mountain.
  • Clear Lake and Steeple Peak.
  • Austere granite peaks near Jackass Pass
  • Lonesome Lake in the Cirque of the Towers from Jackass Pass.
  • Watchtower.
  • The view north from Jackass pass.
  • The view northeast.
  • The view south in the direction of the Deep Lake area
  • Arrowhead Lake near Jackass Pass.

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    A Few Additional Pictures
     
  • New Fork Park.
  • Looking for a place to swim.
  • Found it.

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    Three Great Hiking Areas Close to My Home
     
    The Jefferson Wilderness: Located in the Cascade Mountains adjacent to highway 22 just east of my home town of Salem, Oregon, this is my most convenient area for day hikes into the high country. Imagine having such beauties as these almost at your doorstep!
    The Columbia River Gorge:
     
    Mt. Hood:
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