Timberline Trail
Encyclopedia
Timberline Trail is a hiking trail around Mount Hood
in the U.S. state
of Oregon
. It is in mostly wilderness
but also goes near Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Meadows ski area.
. Sections of the trail have changed due to damage caused by landslides and washouts since then.
The hike is typically completed in three to five days, but some ambitious hikers complete it in one or two days.
, falling, and drowning. Areas of special concern are the Sandy River
crossing, which caused a hiker death in 2004,
the Eliot Creek, which washed out and closed a section of the trail in 2007,
and the Muddy Fork section, which washed out in 2007 and has deteriorated in the past year to a point where it is "barely passable" according to a US Forest Service sign. The Sandy River can be (as of August 2008) crossed on a makeshift log bridge made of three logs tied together with twine. The Eliot Creek section is technically closed, however, some hikers disregard this and scramble on the loose soil and scree despite the risk of a great fall or landslide. Other hikers choose to cross the Eliot Creek much lower by going off trail (and adding hours to their hiking time) or higher (onto the Eliot Glacier). The Muddy Fork section can be avoided by taking the Pacific Crest Trail
(trail 2000) from Bald Mountain to trail 797 to Ramona Falls
. This not only makes the hike much safer, but also shortens the total hike by 2.4 miles (3.9 km). A common problem with this shortcut is that the signs at the Bald Mountain crossroads mislabel the PCT due to a re-routing of the PCT several years ago.
Mount Hood
Mount Hood, called Wy'east by the Multnomah tribe, is a stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc of northern Oregon. It was formed by a subduction zone and rests in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. It is in mostly wilderness
Wilderness Act
The Wilderness Act of 1964 was written by Howard Zahniser of The Wilderness Society. It created the legal definition of wilderness in the United States, and protected some 9 million acres of federal land. The result of a long effort to protect federal wilderness, the Wilderness Act was signed...
but also goes near Timberline Lodge and Mount Hood Meadows ski area.
History
The Timberline Trail was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation CorpsCivilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
. Sections of the trail have changed due to damage caused by landslides and washouts since then.
Hiking the trail
The trail, Forest Service trail #600, shares eleven miles (18 km) with the Pacific Crest Trail and alternates above and below the timberline. The trail is rerouted periodically due to washouts and to avoid sensitive high altitude and alpine meadows. It has a handful of informal campsites for backpackers, although camping is permitted anywhere outside the meadows and at least 200 feet (61 m) from water bodies. There are several hazardous stream crossings, especially on the west side and at landslide-prone Eliot Branch near Cloud Cap which closed the trail there in 2007. The trail has several significant vertical ascents and descents totaling 9000 feet (2,743.2 m), mostly at canyon crossings. The trail is accessible from Timberline Lodge, which has free parking for backpackers, and numerous connecting trails.The hike is typically completed in three to five days, but some ambitious hikers complete it in one or two days.
Hazards
Several dangers to hikers are present: hypothermiaHypothermia
Hypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
, falling, and drowning. Areas of special concern are the Sandy River
Sandy River (Oregon)
The Sandy River is a tributary of the Columbia River in northwestern Oregon in the United States. Measured by a United States Geological Survey gauge downstream of the Sandy's confluence with the Bull Run River, from the mouth, the river's average discharge is . The maximum daily recorded flow...
crossing, which caused a hiker death in 2004,
the Eliot Creek, which washed out and closed a section of the trail in 2007,
and the Muddy Fork section, which washed out in 2007 and has deteriorated in the past year to a point where it is "barely passable" according to a US Forest Service sign. The Sandy River can be (as of August 2008) crossed on a makeshift log bridge made of three logs tied together with twine. The Eliot Creek section is technically closed, however, some hikers disregard this and scramble on the loose soil and scree despite the risk of a great fall or landslide. Other hikers choose to cross the Eliot Creek much lower by going off trail (and adding hours to their hiking time) or higher (onto the Eliot Glacier). The Muddy Fork section can be avoided by taking the Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail is a long-distance mountain hiking and equestrian trail on the Western Seaboard of the United States. The southern terminus is at the California border with Mexico...
(trail 2000) from Bald Mountain to trail 797 to Ramona Falls
Ramona Falls (Oregon)
Ramona Falls is a waterfall on the upper Sandy River on the west side of Mount Hood, Oregon, United States. It is located in forest along the Pacific Crest Trail at an elevation of . The falls are about tall overall, consisting of a wall of cascades....
. This not only makes the hike much safer, but also shortens the total hike by 2.4 miles (3.9 km). A common problem with this shortcut is that the signs at the Bald Mountain crossroads mislabel the PCT due to a re-routing of the PCT several years ago.