Dry Creek Falls & Herman Creek Pinnacles - Mt. Hood National Forest

This was the first hike of 2016 for most of us. Last year our hiking season never ended much in part to El Nino & the warm air throughout the Pacific Northwest. This past winter, we were fortunate to have rain and snow all the way through March. It has warmed considerably since then and I am somewhat anxious that we are in for another dry, hot summer. Back to this hike, Dry Creek Falls is a nice icebreaker back in to the swing of things. Roughly 8 miles roundtrip, this hike is not too grueling and if you hit the trail early enough, you won't see any crowds. The trek up to the waterfall is a little over 2 miles, once you've seen it, I recommend continuing onward to the Herman Creek Pinnacles. Heather was a big fan of these rock formations that give off a foreign vibe surrounded by tall pines. Total travel time for this journey was close to 3 hours. To access the trail, take I-84 toward Hood River and park at the Bridge of the Gods parking lot, cross the road before the toll booth and you will be on your way. As always, enjoy!

Mt. Defiance - Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness

Holy crap. This is one of those hikes you do once and you never do it again. Or some psychos do it every year...but for me, it's a one and done. For this hike you gain 5,000 feet of elevation in 6 miles. It took Val & I about 5.5 hours, we did hit a foot of snow near the summit which slowed us down quite a bit. I've heard that this hike is a good strength trainer for climbing Mt. Hood or Mt. Adams...I'm good on that. The views were beautiful, crowds bleak and my body hated me for days following. To access this hike, take I-84 toward Hood River and park at the Starvation Creek Trailhead. There was quite a bit of construction near the parking lot, it looks as though they may be adding a road to the bridge where the Starvation Ridge/Mt. Defiance trail begin. If for whatever reason you should be punished, this is the hike for you and your sinful ways. Enjoy!

Mount Hebo - Siuslaw National Forest

The first week of May we headed to Hebo Lake campground to check out some uncharted territory in the Siuslaw National Forest. Hebo Lake is a popular destination for fishermen/women, so if you plan on spending the weekend there, try to arrive early on Friday. With only 15 sites, this campground fills up quickly. At 8:00AM we embarked down the Pioneer-Indian Trail and trekked 3.5 miles upward toward glorious Mount Hebo. Mike and I got turned around on this hike, we crossed Road 14 and instead on taking a trail to the right for .3 to the summit...we continued straight. We reached a plateau about a mile later, turned around and sure enough, we saw the microwave towers behind us on a much taller mountain. So, we maneuvered back and found our way to the top. This was a peaceful hike, definitely bring your bug spray in the spring/summertime, I had more than a few tonsil ringers.

The trail departs from Hebo Lake Campground, to get there take 101 South of Tillamook 19 miles to Hebo and turn east to Highway 22 for .3 miles. Take a left at the sign for Hebo Lake, follow Road 14 for 4.7 miles to the campground entrance. Enjoy!

Cape Falcon Part Trois - Oswald West State Park

Mike and I ventured to the Oregon Coast with the family back in April. Cape Falcon is a relatively flat hike that can be completed in 2.5 hours. The 5 mile out & back trail takes you along the Oregon coast up above the Pacific Ocean. The trail is mostly hidden among spruce trees with occasional glimpses of Short Sands beach below.  It is a popular trail on weekends, so best to get an early start. The view at the end is one worth seeing. To get to the trailhead take Highway 26 to Highway 101 S toward Cannon Beach. Drive 13.1 miles (to Oswald West State Park) on 101 and park in the first turnout on the right before the beach access parking lot. As always, enjoy the pictures!

Tory