We hiked the forested area pretty fast and without making many stops. We did admire and comment about the gigantic ferns covering the forest floor. After the PCT section, we got to our junction with the Heartbreak trail. Just looking up from the junction you get the idea that you’ll have to work to get up there. After regrouping, we started our climb. In past hikes I’ve done here, I usually make some stops along the way to catch my breath and to let people catch up. This time Mary, a fellow hiker, was leading the pace and she was not stopping. I made a point to keep pace and try to make it without stopping. If for nothing else, just to test my endurance given that this hike was the last before my big trip. I got pleasantly surprised when we reached the junction at the top of the climb signaling the end of the grueling torture. It felt good to be up there. Aside from that, there was a gentle breeze keeping us cool and the mountains were all showing their glorious white cover.
We hiked to the view point facing the river where we stopped for lunch enjoying the early flowers and views of Mt Hood
After a good rest, we hiked the summit trail to the north end of the mountain where we made a quick stop at the second view point. We then hiked back down on the west side of the mountain creating a loop. This trail is not necessarily easy even when going down as it’s covered with loose rock and scree. Even with trekking poles, it’s easy to miss a step and slide. Having to keep you balance on the steep incline is tiring. On this route though, we did make a couple of stops just to admire the flowers and the views before getting back down to the PCT. Once there and after recharging a bit with water and trail food, we hiked our way out at a steady pace.
