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Marc Machin

Hiker. Camper. Outsider.

Making a loop of this hike adds to the interest. Going up the route described does indeed provide many spectacular views. Once at the summit, try going down via the ski run area. The ski lifts and supporting infrastructure remain, and in one spot an abandoned Caterpillar Bulldozer makes for a unique photo op!

While the hiking was great, the fact that the parking along Foothill Blvd is extremely prone to break-ins make this a "never go here again". Broken glass along the parking shoulder, and yes, my car was broken into when I hiked it.

This was my first 14er. I took advantage of Open Gate Day where the Bancroft Research Station opens the locked gate to allow hikers/mountain bikers to park at the research station. Saves 2 miles each way. And on this Labor Day weekend, the weather couldn't have been better. Crazy that there was cell service at the peak so I could send pics to friends "guess where I am?!"

After hiking/summiting nearby White Mountain Peak, I stopped by the Shulman Visitors center, and did the Discovery loop which is easy and about 1 mile long. The Bristlecones are utterly amazing! Some over 4,000 years old! Hard to fathom that some of these guys were mere saplings while the Egyptians were building the great pyramids! Many look like they were straight out of a Harry Potter movie! Had I more time, I would have taken the longer hike loops. Definitely want to go back again and also visit the Patriarch Grove further to the north.

great views of the inland empire once you're past the Saddle. And I was bummed I forgot about the bottle opener screwed to the tree at the summit! Oh, and I swear the bottom 2(ish) miles were rockier on the way down than they were on the way up.

did this hike the morning after daylight savings kicked in, so there went a much-needed hour of sleep out the window! Get there EARLY as parking fills up fast. I parked around 6:20 and it was nearly full. I spoke with another hiker later who said he arrived shortly before 7:00am and they were closing the gates behind him as parking was at capacity. I chose to summit via the Stuartevant trail and back down the Wilson trail (opposite from this post). A lot of nice waterfall features with the rain we've had thus far this year. Past Stuartevant Camp, the final 3-ish miles are a butt-kicker as the grade increases quite a bit (I calculated approx. 18%!!). But once at the top, it was a nice walk through the grounds, with a much needed rest at the Cosmic Café (still closed; opens on April 1) and ate lunch. Then down! This was my first of the #SixPackofPeaks. 5 more to go.

Spectacular views of Mt Hood, which makes especially good photo ops with the lake in the foreground. Nice short hike to start/end!

Absolutely stunning views, especially when you can catch the lake ripple-free in the morning. Even my iPhone was able to take an awesome pic!