Saddle Mountain, Oregon coast range, end of May
Josh is training for a European hiking trip and was anxious to get some elevation and miles in, but it was in the high 80s in Portland this week. So I suggested heading to the coast range, where temps would be cooler. Saddle Mountain (Swallala-oost) is a 1800 climb over 2.4ish miles, so less than 5 miles total.
It's my favorite hike in Oregon probably, at least in terms of beauty. I enjoy Dog Mountain more for different reasons. But Dog is east in the Gorge, too hot and dry in this weather.
At the top of Swallala-oost, one can see several mountains: Rainier (Tahoma), Helens (Loowit), Adams (Pahto), Hood (Wy'East), and Jefferson (Seekseekqua), as well as the pacific ocean.
This climb requires some tenacity - it is very steep and rocky at the top, there is a metal grate over the rocks for about the last mile of the trail to help keep humans from slipping. It would be excessively difficult to traverse without those grates. It's hard enough with the extra help.
This is a very special and sacred place. There are rare endangered flowers and butterflies that flourish here and only a handful of other nearby secret protected places. My beloved shooting star flowers are here, a very individualized rare type that cannot be seen anywhere else.
Josh loved all the flowers.
We did this after work, he was able to sneak out early at 3pm for the drive. We hit zero traffic, perhaps it was light because we just had a holiday? We were on the trail and already climbing by 4:45pm and done by a little after 8, after spending a good half hour relaxing on the summit, and stopping for a few photos.
When I do this hike alone I usually head to the beach afterward to dip my hot tired feet in the ocean, but we wanted to go straight home this time (he still had a little bit of work to finish before bed), which was nice because I didn't have to drive in the dark - when we're this close to summer solstice, it doesn't get dark until close to 10pm. It's really nice.




Josh napping on the bench lol


shooting star flower

shooting stars

wood sorrel

fawn lily

western bleeding heart

curly cute ferns

Our native iris

inside-out flower, one of my absolute favorites, it's just so cute!
Josh was bemused that the people he invited said the drive would be too treacherous, complaining of dirt/gravel logging roads, but the windy one-lane road off the highway is entirely paved and quite pleasant, actually. Or they said it would be too steep and dangerous. But Josh decided when we had the summit to ourselves for half an hour, that it was better that people were afraid, just means we get the place to ourselves. :)
.......
Unrelated: the Big Bear Valley eaglets are doing great. It will be bittersweet to see them fledge.
It's my favorite hike in Oregon probably, at least in terms of beauty. I enjoy Dog Mountain more for different reasons. But Dog is east in the Gorge, too hot and dry in this weather.
At the top of Swallala-oost, one can see several mountains: Rainier (Tahoma), Helens (Loowit), Adams (Pahto), Hood (Wy'East), and Jefferson (Seekseekqua), as well as the pacific ocean.
This climb requires some tenacity - it is very steep and rocky at the top, there is a metal grate over the rocks for about the last mile of the trail to help keep humans from slipping. It would be excessively difficult to traverse without those grates. It's hard enough with the extra help.
This is a very special and sacred place. There are rare endangered flowers and butterflies that flourish here and only a handful of other nearby secret protected places. My beloved shooting star flowers are here, a very individualized rare type that cannot be seen anywhere else.
Josh loved all the flowers.
We did this after work, he was able to sneak out early at 3pm for the drive. We hit zero traffic, perhaps it was light because we just had a holiday? We were on the trail and already climbing by 4:45pm and done by a little after 8, after spending a good half hour relaxing on the summit, and stopping for a few photos.
When I do this hike alone I usually head to the beach afterward to dip my hot tired feet in the ocean, but we wanted to go straight home this time (he still had a little bit of work to finish before bed), which was nice because I didn't have to drive in the dark - when we're this close to summer solstice, it doesn't get dark until close to 10pm. It's really nice.




Josh napping on the bench lol


shooting star flower

shooting stars

wood sorrel

fawn lily

western bleeding heart

curly cute ferns

Our native iris

inside-out flower, one of my absolute favorites, it's just so cute!
Josh was bemused that the people he invited said the drive would be too treacherous, complaining of dirt/gravel logging roads, but the windy one-lane road off the highway is entirely paved and quite pleasant, actually. Or they said it would be too steep and dangerous. But Josh decided when we had the summit to ourselves for half an hour, that it was better that people were afraid, just means we get the place to ourselves. :)
.......
Unrelated: the Big Bear Valley eaglets are doing great. It will be bittersweet to see them fledge.