awilsondc - Jun 18, 2006 1:53 am Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2006
Route Climbed: Main Trail via Bonneville Trailhead
I decided to take this route over the hot springs route to get a little more exercise. I was succesful... the last couple of miles really wore me out, but I've felt worse. I ran into many, many groups between the trailhead and the first lake, but only a couple after that. Not too bad for a Saturday. Lots of slugs on the trail too, (ewwwww!) and I think I steped on a couple while jogging for a couple of miles on the way back. [SLIP---] The views from the summit were pretty good, but a little cloudy. Overall a great hike. I've done this one several times now, and I've got to say that on a clear day this peak has probably the best views of any of the major Gorge peaks along I-84. Truly spectacular.
I've attempted climbing this mountain 4 times now. The first one my sister Julie and I started at the start of the Pacific Crest Trail where is takes off from the Bridge of the Gods. It proved a very long, long hike and we finally gave up and made our way back taking a 9 hour hike without success. The next time my girls and I tried it from the parking lot trailhead near the Bonneville Dam. We mad it to Gillette Lake and turned around. It was 90+ degrees outside and the girls were too tired.
I hiked this again with my girls starting at the Bonneville Hot Springs Lodge, the trail follows the powerlines and then cuts into forest further on meeting up with the Pacific Crest Trail. We made it this day to a lovely meadow and ate lunch and then returned.
My next attempt was with my sister Julie, starting again at the powerlines, we made it up to the part where the rocky slope starts but upon taking a look at how much farther the summit was, and our watches, we didn't think we'd have enough time to do it and get back since it was early spring and daylight would end before we could get back.
My goal is to finally make it to the summit this year! I hope I can do it as I'm not getting any younger!
Route Climbed: South Climb Trail Date Climbed: April 1997
This one was a steep one. There was a tad bit of snow on the summit. Gorgeous view! This may have been more strenuous than St Helens, I still haven't decided!
Route Climbed: West Ridge via Hot Spring Road Date Climbed: 8/7/2004, 7/10/2005
This is one of my favorites in the george. I went solo last year and had views of the entire Gorge and surrounding Mountains. This year I took three other people and was clouded in. Still an excellent day hike in almost any weather.
Route Climbed: PCT/ South Trail Date Climbed: May 8, 2005
We started at the Bonneville dam trailhead, caried overnight gear and camped at 2900 feet on the Southwest ridge. The sky was overcast in the evening with Mt Hood ocasionally peaking thru. After a steady rain all night we summitted in the morning with amazing views of the gorge shrouded in rings of fog.
Route Climbed: southside route. Date Climbed: June 9th, 1985
A great article was published in the Oregonian in May, '85, written by Don and Roberta Lowe, of guidebook fame, describing this climb and including a great photo of it. Had to go up there at my first opportunity and give it a try. Didn't know then about the much shorter powerline trail so got the full 14 miles+ this time. Took my 10 year old and really wore him out, to the aggravation of his mom.
Great views, a real pucker looking down the cliffs, climbed it about 10 times since and it never loses it's appeal.
Parked about 1 mile past Bonneville Hot Springs Resort where the road ends and gravel road begins. About 8 miles Round trip from here. Not much of a view from the top as it was socked in with clouds and kinda windy. Nice trip though, didn't see another person the whole time.
Route Climbed: Pacific Crest Trail Date Climbed: May 1, 2004
Cut out some miles by parking by the lake under the power lines and walking up the road to the trail crossing.
The trail going up the grassy field to the top was closed due to erosion and sensitve plant life, so we had to take the ridge trail to the top. Showed me how out of shape I really am.
Route Climbed: Cross-country on the South Side Date Climbed: January 11, 2004
Starting under the powerlines, the snow was deep and covered with ice from the trailhead to the summit. It was windy with only occassional views on top.
Route Climbed: NW Ridge Date Climbed: April 5, 2003
Great conditioning hike. Very mellow along the PCT, trail to ridge was hard to follow due to unusual amounts of snow. Not much of a view on top with driving snow all around.
Route Climbed: South Trail Date Climbed: May 11th, 2003
Left the bonneville trailhead with mostly sunny skies. as soon as i left the pacific crest trail and it got steep the rain came, which made things a little slippery. needless to say there wasn't much of a view from the top, but the cliffs were still impressive looking. I took the trail down on the north side of the mountain to make a loop. shortly after rejoining the pacific crest trail the rain stopped.
Route Climbed: Variation on the South Trail Date Climbed: April 2001
My wife and I did this with a group of Mazamas. Don't remember the exact details, but we started not at the the "proper" trail head but rather near some power lines. This cut the hiking distance (though not the elevation) considerably. Great steep scramble near the top with excellent views of rock faces.
Route Climbed: South Trail Date Climbed: April 27, 2003
Did this as a training and conditioning hike. Long approach trail and for the first mile or so I had to keep stepping around groups of fire-bellied newts on the trail. They looked like they were circling each other for a fight. Then on the middle part of the trail I had to sidestep groups of big green slugs doing the same thing. Looked like a Slug Battle Royale. Title fight was Mucous Toe Miller vs Phil the Phlegm-inator (see picture) but each round takes two days so I decided to keep on hiking. Hmmm, I wonder if they were really fighting though. This IS Spring and maybe I was just witnessing Nature's porn.
At the 6 mile mark the climb begins and it got steep real quick but wasn't that bad. Surely not enough to warrant the big red DANGER tape at the turnoff for the summit trail.
Made the summit and was sitting on the cliffedge enjoying the sun and tranquility when a large group of Mazamas suddenly converged on me. One of them even said "So much for your solitude." I walked the summit ridge to the north side through the last remaining patches of snow and then headed back down the loop trail. Unfortunately, a lot of the big slugs didn't survive the Mazamas group and there were lots of globs of green goo on the trail on the way back. Nice, eh?
Long day but had great weather and views of the Gorge, Hood, Adams and St. Helens, and, got in some good training.
-- 11/20/04 -- went hiking on the south side, a really neat waterfall is down there and we hiked up to the base of the cliffs at the crack in the right side. No canyon found though, it is a dead end unless you can find a way to protect a crackless wet dripping overhung groove. Very steep scree too and slippery.
Did this one time, probably about 2009 or 2010 with Ian and Luna.
Did again a couple years later, up the old east route but it's blocked off and overgrowing now.
Then 4/5/15 did solo, up and down in 4 hrs 17 minutes, up the old east route, very overgrown and not worth it anymore to do. Trail disappears a few times and you are crawling through tunnels of saplings. Only good thing about it was a group of about 8 kids followed me. I lost them quickly as they didn't know what they had gotten into. I feel confident that I taught them a valuable lesson about not following somebody else just because you think they know what they are doing. ;- )
awilsondc - Jun 18, 2006 1:53 am Date Climbed: Jun 17, 2006
Route Climbed: Main Trail via Bonneville TrailheadI decided to take this route over the hot springs route to get a little more exercise. I was succesful... the last couple of miles really wore me out, but I've felt worse. I ran into many, many groups between the trailhead and the first lake, but only a couple after that. Not too bad for a Saturday. Lots of slugs on the trail too, (ewwwww!) and I think I steped on a couple while jogging for a couple of miles on the way back.[SLIP---] The views from the summit were pretty good, but a little cloudy. Overall a great hike. I've done this one several times now, and I've got to say that on a clear day this peak has probably the best views of any of the major Gorge peaks along I-84. Truly spectacular.
LCannon - Feb 27, 2006 1:59 am
Route Attempted: South Side Date: VariousI've attempted climbing this mountain 4 times now. The first one my sister Julie and I started at the start of the Pacific Crest Trail where is takes off from the Bridge of the Gods. It proved a very long, long hike and we finally gave up and made our way back taking a 9 hour hike without success. The next time my girls and I tried it from the parking lot trailhead near the Bonneville Dam. We mad it to Gillette Lake and turned around. It was 90+ degrees outside and the girls were too tired.
I hiked this again with my girls starting at the Bonneville Hot Springs Lodge, the trail follows the powerlines and then cuts into forest further on meeting up with the Pacific Crest Trail. We made it this day to a lovely meadow and ate lunch and then returned.
My next attempt was with my sister Julie, starting again at the powerlines, we made it up to the part where the rocky slope starts but upon taking a look at how much farther the summit was, and our watches, we didn't think we'd have enough time to do it and get back since it was early spring and daylight would end before we could get back.
My goal is to finally make it to the summit this year! I hope I can do it as I'm not getting any younger!
Tnarg - Jan 15, 2006 10:48 am
Route Climbed: South Climb Trail Date Climbed: April 1997This one was a steep one. There was a tad bit of snow on the summit. Gorgeous view! This may have been more strenuous than St Helens, I still haven't decided!
jdstrong - Jul 12, 2005 12:42 am
Route Climbed: West Ridge via Hot Spring Road Date Climbed: 8/7/2004, 7/10/2005This is one of my favorites in the george. I went solo last year and had views of the entire Gorge and surrounding Mountains. This year I took three other people and was clouded in. Still an excellent day hike in almost any weather.
sauron93 - May 10, 2005 1:44 am
Route Climbed: PCT/ South Trail Date Climbed: May 8, 2005We started at the Bonneville dam trailhead, caried overnight gear and camped at 2900 feet on the Southwest ridge. The sky was overcast in the evening with Mt Hood ocasionally peaking thru. After a steady rain all night we summitted in the morning with amazing views of the gorge shrouded in rings of fog.
Don Nelsen - Oct 25, 2004 8:48 pm
Route Climbed: southside route. Date Climbed: June 9th, 1985A great article was published in the Oregonian in May, '85, written by Don and Roberta Lowe, of guidebook fame, describing this climb and including a great photo of it. Had to go up there at my first opportunity and give it a try. Didn't know then about the much shorter powerline trail so got the full 14 miles+ this time. Took my 10 year old and really wore him out, to the aggravation of his mom.
Great views, a real pucker looking down the cliffs, climbed it about 10 times since and it never loses it's appeal.
jamminjman - Sep 21, 2004 12:15 am
Route Climbed: standard Date Climbed: 9/20/04Parked about 1 mile past Bonneville Hot Springs Resort where the road ends and gravel road begins. About 8 miles Round trip from here. Not much of a view from the top as it was socked in with clouds and kinda windy. Nice trip though, didn't see another person the whole time.
gacland - May 4, 2004 6:00 pm
Route Climbed: Pacific Crest Trail Date Climbed: May 1, 2004Cut out some miles by parking by the lake under the power lines and walking up the road to the trail crossing.
The trail going up the grassy field to the top was closed due to erosion and sensitve plant life, so we had to take the ridge trail to the top. Showed me how out of shape I really am.
The bugs sucked.
dkantola - Jan 13, 2004 6:09 pm
Route Climbed: Cross-country on the South Side Date Climbed: January 11, 2004Starting under the powerlines, the snow was deep and covered with ice from the trailhead to the summit. It was windy with only occassional views on top.
jhalz - Jun 10, 2003 7:07 am
Route Climbed: NW Ridge Date Climbed: April 5, 2003Great conditioning hike. Very mellow along the PCT, trail to ridge was hard to follow due to unusual amounts of snow. Not much of a view on top with driving snow all around.
cmc56789 - May 12, 2003 12:00 am
Route Climbed: South Trail Date Climbed: May 11th, 2003Left the bonneville trailhead with mostly sunny skies. as soon as i left the pacific crest trail and it got steep the rain came, which made things a little slippery. needless to say there wasn't much of a view from the top, but the cliffs were still impressive looking. I took the trail down on the north side of the mountain to make a loop. shortly after rejoining the pacific crest trail the rain stopped.
rpc - Apr 29, 2003 9:49 am
Route Climbed: Variation on the South Trail Date Climbed: April 2001My wife and I did this with a group of Mazamas. Don't remember the exact details, but we started not at the the "proper" trail head but rather near some power lines. This cut the hiking distance (though not the elevation) considerably. Great steep scramble near the top with excellent views of rock faces.
Brian Jenkins - Apr 28, 2003 7:44 pm
Route Climbed: South Trail Date Climbed: April 27, 2003Did this as a training and conditioning hike. Long approach trail and for the first mile or so I had to keep stepping around groups of fire-bellied newts on the trail. They looked like they were circling each other for a fight. Then on the middle part of the trail I had to sidestep groups of big green slugs doing the same thing. Looked like a Slug Battle Royale. Title fight was Mucous Toe Miller vs Phil the Phlegm-inator (see picture) but each round takes two days so I decided to keep on hiking. Hmmm, I wonder if they were really fighting though. This IS Spring and maybe I was just witnessing Nature's porn.
At the 6 mile mark the climb begins and it got steep real quick but wasn't that bad. Surely not enough to warrant the big red DANGER tape at the turnoff for the summit trail.
Made the summit and was sitting on the cliffedge enjoying the sun and tranquility when a large group of Mazamas suddenly converged on me. One of them even said "So much for your solitude." I walked the summit ridge to the north side through the last remaining patches of snow and then headed back down the loop trail. Unfortunately, a lot of the big slugs didn't survive the Mazamas group and there were lots of globs of green goo on the trail on the way back. Nice, eh?
Long day but had great weather and views of the Gorge, Hood, Adams and St. Helens, and, got in some good training.
-- 11/20/04 -- went hiking on the south side, a really neat waterfall is down there and we hiked up to the base of the cliffs at the crack in the right side. No canyon found though, it is a dead end unless you can find a way to protect a crackless wet dripping overhung groove. Very steep scree too and slippery.
Did this one time, probably about 2009 or 2010 with Ian and Luna.
Did again a couple years later, up the old east route but it's blocked off and overgrowing now.
Then 4/5/15 did solo, up and down in 4 hrs 17 minutes, up the old east route, very overgrown and not worth it anymore to do. Trail disappears a few times and you are crawling through tunnels of saplings. Only good thing about it was a group of about 8 kids followed me. I lost them quickly as they didn't know what they had gotten into. I feel confident that I taught them a valuable lesson about not following somebody else just because you think they know what they are doing. ;- )