DAY 138: MT. HOOD NATIONAL FOREST

miles: 30

We made it to Timberline Lodge.

The motivation to get there as soon as possible was so strong we went at top speed.

Feels like home.

!!!!

This sign.

Timothy Lake.

This has been the weirdest mountain approach we've had. Usually when we approach a mountain (Jefferson, Washington, Sisters, Shasta, etc.) we are able to see them coming for miles. We get increasingly spectacular views of them and they start showing themselves days before we are actually on them.

Mt. Hood is different.

We literally did not see Mt. Hood once until we were literally on top of it. There was no creep up, there was no build up, no photos snapped, until we were up on the Timberline Trail. This is partially because of the clouds and weather, but also due to tree cover. The trail just IS that way.

We ran into some southbound backpackers and they were climbing up to the point where we took our first (and only) photo of Mt. Hood (until we were up on it) and they said it was their first view of it as well! So we knew we were in for a surprise. We dipped down into the trees and stayed low all day. Eventually we crossed highway 26, then highway 35 and were left with 5 gentle uphill miles to the Timberline Trail.

This is home territory. We've backpacked, snowshoed and hiked many of the trails around here including parts of the PCT. We've done the section from Frog Lake to the Yellow jacket trail and we've done Barlow Pass. It was cool to see these areas without snow.

There you are. Finally.

A deer stares at me.

The most gorgeous section of all was the lead up to Timberline Lodge. Since we are a tad bit behind schedule and late in the season, we missed the brilliant wildflower displays. It was still a sight to see...

The final miles to Timberline Lodge are sand. Uphill sand. So for each step up, you take half a step backwards. It is really irritating. Both of us had also been starving ourselves for no reason other than the fact that we just didn't want to eat our food. It was no longer appetizing.

It's funny - when we get close to a town or a place with a restaurant, we can no longer stand the thought of our trail food. We simply can't eat it. I would rather starve and arrive famished than eat a granola bar. Also - we were just moving too fast to warrant the time it takes to stop and eat a meal/snack.

It's as if our food becomes garbage.

But once back out on the trail, we find it palatable again.



Oh - got stung by a yellow jacket today. I promptly took 2 Benadryl to fight any allergic reaction that could happen (I'm slightly allergic to stings). I don't remember it hurting so much. Do they get more painful as you grow older? After stopping to take care of the sting, we realized we were parked right outside of a yellow jacket freeway penetrating a nest in some dead wood. Left a note for the hikers behind us, but then realized there were many nests on this particular trail as we moved forward.

Is it yellow jacket season?

A few minutes later we noticed a trail sign: "Yellow Jacket Trail". How fitting. Is this intentional?

Heading toward the Timberline Trail.

Timberline Lodge across the canyon. 

Jefferson's tip peaking.

Timberline!

Can you spot the tip of Jefferson?

The clouds were dramatic as we walked up the trail and they could not bode well for the future. Tomorrow there was obviously going to be a storm of some sort.

I dreaded the thought.

We got a room on a whim and were put in bunk beds, which was actually quite endearing. Timberline Lodge is an amazing place. We felt lucky to have snagged a room in such a fancy, cozy, paradise.

Sleepy from the Benadryl, dinner was a difficult task for me. The setting was unmatched by anything in this world: front row seat to Mt. Hood drenched in alpenglow, the shimmering of our candlelight reflecting in the windows, a cold IPA in our hands, a pile of butter on our food, the twinkling of stars, like... seriously guys. This was quite the scene. But I couldn't keep my droopy eyes open. I couldn't even imagine sitting in the hot tub I had been talking about all day. Bed was the only thing I could think of, and man, did we both crash hard.

The promise of a warm meal and warm bed.