MOUNT HOOD NATIONAL FOREST

Activity: Multi Day Backpacking Trip

42 miles, 10,630’ elevation gain, 4 days out, rated HARD

Date: 9/7-10/22

The first night on the mountain was awesome after a tough, but satisfying dance with nature all day on the Timberline Trail DAY 1. I always wanted to experience what I have seen in advertisements and that is pull back my tent flap and there before me is this outstanding view that just takes you aback. That is the experience I had on this morning.

Day 2

9.7 Miles with 1965’ Elevation Gain

Thursday Sept 8th.  Another beautiful day Anthony and I hiked mostly above the timber, soaking up the sun, and the magnificent views not only of our mountain, but majestic Mt Rainer, stately Mt Adams, and once the most perfectly shaped mountain, the infamous Mt Saint Helens. We took our break at an awesome rock shelter at Cooper Spur. 

Really sketchy water crossing at Elliot Glacier Stream…  Wading in thigh deep fast moving cold water can be a bit unnerving with a water fall drop just 15 yards away.  The thought goes through your mind it should be fine, but what if it’s not?  What if your feet get swept by the fast moving current and slippery rocks? The other thing is you are going to have soaked boots for as long as it takes for them to dry out, which ended up a long time.  It turned out that it was fine.  Except for the wet boots part… Then it was a crazy steep scramble out where everything was moving including chest size boulders.  I cut my knee and shin on the scramble, so I either looked bad-ass or like a ding-dong with blood running down the length of my lower leg.  

Then it was wildflowers, trees, and streams finishing up another 10 mile day with about 2,000’ elevation gain. We camped at Elk Cove with a sweet view of the mountain top beside a babbling brook. 

My Through Hiker friend, Anthony, and I appreciate you tagging along as we found ourselves ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ on our epic adventure circumnavigating this wonderful mountain. You know everything gets ramped up a couple degrees when you have a heavy pack on. Of course the hiking, and climbing up a steep ravine with a big pack is difficult and is a given, but what I am referring in particular is hoping rocks, or a maneuvering across a log, or in the case of this day, slogging through Elliott Glacier Stream. What would have been no big deal with out a pack is totally different wading through the frosty water across slippery rocks with the power of the water pushing you as you fight to balance the heavy pack. But pushing yourself is a big part of what this adventure was about and is a big part of what ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ is. Getting outside of your comfort zone, finding out what you can do is important and it sure helps balance things out. Nature, Adventure, self discovery… it is what it is all about. Stay with us. We are only half way through this journey around this iconic mountain. COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE. The menu above will take you to spots I cherish all across this great West of ours. It just might give you some inspiration and some ideas for your next outing in Nature. You can purchase some wonderful Adventure Wear for your outing at my SHOP APPAREL.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure