Changes to My Hiking Tours

Due to the heavy snowpack (see post just below) and the continuous unseasonably cold weather, I'm forced to change the destination for the first tour in the Cascade Mountains. The original location tops out at 4900 feet (1500 meters) and according to the SNOTEL sites there is as of yesterday eight to nine feet of snow still lurking about at that elevation. As the sites display a weeks worth of data, we know that only 18 inches melted off in that period.


After reviewing several options, I've settled on a 2.5 mile (4 km) loop trail at Clackamas Lake. Though this will be early in the season flower-wise, this hike offers open water, wetlands, springs, old growth fir and some historic Forest Service structures. Elevation change is perhaps 70 feet (21 m).


As an optional longer tour, those wishing more time on the trails will continue on to Timothy Lake, following the northeast side of the Oak Grove Fork of the Clackamas River, returning along the other bank. This is a 6.2 mile (10 km) loop with only 100 feet (30 m) elevation change. Included is a mile and a quarter (2 km) along the lakeshore of Timothy, skirting two campgrounds.

Meeting time and place remain the same, 9 AM at the Estacada Ranger Station.





Clackamas Lake






And what about the following two tours? If too much snow still lies on the ground, I will push the earlier hikes to the next date. So the Right Angle tour will replace Bull of the Woods, which will replace Olallie Highlands. No matter how this falls out, any missed tour will be on the list for next year.