October 24-25, 2015
I was recently elected Secretary of ALDHA-West (American Long Distance Hiking Association – West) and soon thereafter invited on a weekend hike of the Timberline Trail with several other board members. What better way to discuss the future of a hiking organization than over 40 miles of trail!
We got to Timberline Lodge on Friday night in the dark, walked up the mountain a short ways and set up camp before returning to the lodge and enjoying some food and drinks from the bar.
In the morning we got on our way, hiking clockwise around the mountain. This was a nice change since last time I hiked it counter-clockwise…and in an entirely different season! The craziest thing for me to see was just how low all the rivers were. I know it’s late fall, but even the Sandy and White Rivers were merely trickles, simple rock-hops to cross. Really hoping we have a good winter this year.
Saturday’s weather was cool but nice for hiking. The days are short in late October, and the lighting with the sun at such a low angle was beautiful.
Sunday morning the weather turned and we got snow/rained on from late morning-on. Allgood was not feeling well and moving somewhat slowly, and poor Karluk was pretty cold. Allgood decided they should bail at Cloud Cap, on the north side of the mountain. Naomi went with them so that no one was hiking alone.
Snorkel and I continued on through the crappy weather, hiking as fast as possible back to Timberline Lodge. We would’ve had no breaks at all, but a few miles from the end I just couldn’t wait any longer and had to stop and dig a hole.
We got back to Timberline Lodge by late afternoon and then picked up Allgood and Naomi and the Cooper Spur Mountain Resort – a great spot to grab a beer and warm up after a hike.
Digging a hole just before the end of a backpack just sucks!