That Seductive Little Loop Trail

As my son and I fought our way out of the White River Basin on a twisting, bone-dry trail, it occurred to me that maybe next time we should do the Timberline Trail in counterclockwise fashion. Going in that direction, we'd be doing this torturous stretch of the 47-mile trail on the first day--not the last.

On the other hand, I consoled myself, the beer I knew awaited me at Timberline Lodge would probably be the best tasting beer I would ever have in my life--if we ever made it to the lodge.

The Timberline Trail beckons serious hikers and backpackers from around the world. Describing, as it does, a loop around stunning Mount Hood in the Cascade Range in Oregon, it offers a tempting combination of gorgeous views, varied flora and fauna, challenging stream crossings and just enough ice and snow to test your skill traversing the white stuff.

It's not the toughest trek on the globe, nor even in Oregon. But the western hiker who doesn't have a notch on the belt for the Timberline Trail will always be a second class citizen on the trail.

That was the argument that led my son and me to that last stretch of trail on a blistering hot day in late August. Our friend, Tom Balmer, decided I needed to get the Timberline Trail loop onto my hiking resume. His son and mine, both 14, were pals. Why not make it a father-son? expedition?

Why not indeed? Plans we made, and on the appointed launch morning, the judge nosed his Chevy into a parking space at the Timberline Lodge lot. We hoisted our gear, and, with a jaunt to our steps, we set out to add that notch to our belts.
For those who pay close attention to elevation gains and losses, the Timberline Trail will prove especially rewarding. On a map, the dotted line of the trail looks more or less like a lazy loop around the summit. But when you're hefting a 45-pound pack over the trail, you come to appreciate all the ups and downs that await the hiker.

The first day (when taking the clockwise course) begins with a pleasurable "flat" (there being no such thing as a flat trail in the mountains) couple of miles. Then, without warning, the path plunges downward. A series of switchbacks leads to the roaring (and dangerous to cross) Sandy River. One follows the uphill sloping trail to beautiful Ramona Falls. But why camp here when there's another campground just a couple of miles on?

Oops! That couple of miles is straight uphill! As dusk approaches and packs sag heavily, we finally find the primitive campground. Oh, to drop our loads and never move again! As we learn, elevation gain and loss is a signature characteristic of the Timberline Trail.

But in the end, we did battle our way up and out of the White River Canyon. Tom and I savored our beers, the boys their root beers, and we toasted our feat.
Today, the trek offers a new degree of difficulty: A key section of the trail was obliterated by a landslide shortly after our triumph. A Herculean effort is now required of hikers to cross the washed-out section.
Yet the belt-notchers are still out there every summer, intent on conquering this seductive beast of a hike. I'll do it again, soon, I'm sure. And probably drag along someone who has yet to claim this particular notch on their hiking belt.