Timberline Hike Details

Mt Hood Oregon, USA

September 2004

When we were planning this hike, we thought that we could easily do 2 miles per hour. But, by the time you include snack, photo and foot inspection stops, we only covered 1.7 miles per hour. Downhill of course goes faster, but uphill is slower. The distances are from the Mount Hood Wilderness map and the times are calculated using the 1.7 miles per hour at the top of the spreadsheet. The lunch break isn't included.

Speed (mph)	1.7	Day 1
Time	Distance	Watch For
4	0.1	Start east above Timberline lodge on trail #798. Turn right on Pacific Crest Trail #2000 (also Timberline Trail #600).
67	1.9	2x Salmon River crossing. Down 600 ft. Turn left on UNMARKED Timberline Trail #600 (before entering forest; elevation 5280).
85	2.4	2x White River crossing #677 crosses (gravel road)
56	1.6	Cross Mitchell Creek Mt. Hood Meadows ski area: Red Chair, creek, Daisy Chair, creek, Blue Chair, Mt Hood Express, creek, above HRM char.
56	1.6	Clark creek, Shooting Star lift, Heather canyon, 2x Clark creek. Climb out of Heather canyon and into Newton canyon. Trail 646 branches off to right. (Elevation 5760)
39	1.1	Newton Creek (difficult) Last water for 4.6 miles. Gnarl Ridge trail #652 branches off to right.
64	1.8	Climb 1280 feet. Shelter ruins on left. Newton glacier valley on left.
64	1.8	Climb to 7300 feet. Newton Clark Glacier on left Cooper Spur shelter on left at #600a (Tilly Jane trail) crossing.
35	1.0	Trail goes down below timberline to Cloud Cap Campground.
7.76	13.2
		Day 2
Time	Distance	Watch For
7	0.2	Leave Cloud Cap Campground on TT #600. Follow temporary detour to higher bridge over Elliot Creek.
71	2.0	Climb out of Elliot Creek Valley 2x minor creek crossings.
42	1.2	Coe creek crossing. To overview of major branch of Coe Creek.
49	1.4	Down 300 feet to Coe creek crossing (difficult) Up 550 feet. #631 joins from left.
28	0.8	Trail #631 leaves off to right. Elk Cove Meadow, creek crossing. Trail 600c branches off to left.
14	0.4	Pinnacle Ridge Trail branches off to right.
11	0.3	2x creek crossing #600H branches off to right (1.8mi) before rejoining #600. Stay on #600 (left turn) to Cairn Basin Shelter.
39	1.1	Up past Cairn Basin Shelter. Just past shelter, #600H rejoins #600. Turn left on #600 (Sign: PCT 4 miles).
25	0.7	#600M branches left to McNiel Shelter. McGee Creek crossing. #625 (Mazama trail) branches off to right.
85	2.4	3 small lakes McGee Creek waterfall (last chance for water) Down 1000 ft. Muddy Fork canyon on left.
21	0.6	Wilderness boundary. Trail 627 branches off to right. #600 joins PCT (#2000).
18	0.5	Turn right onto PCT. Campsite immediately on right. Turn left on trail 784a (Top Spur) goes down to road 118.
6.71	11.4
		Day 3
Time	Distance	Watch For
78	2.2	Start at TT/PCT junction. Take PCT on right to Ramona falls (used to be #784). Note left trail is now #600 (used to be PCT) Down 850 feet to log bridge over Muddy fork
64	1.8	Left on #797 to Ramona falls (PCT turns right) Wilderness boundary. #600 joins on left just before Ramona Falls.
18	0.5	Through horse barrier PCT (#797 Ramona falls loop) joins on right. Turn left on PCT, down to Sandy River.
127	3.6	Sandy River crossing. Last water for 4.5 miles. Up 2000ft Turn left on Paradise park trail (#757).
49	1.4	Paradise park. Lots of small creeks, nice campsites. #778 goes down to right.
35	1.0	#757 rejoins #600/2000. Turn left.
81	2.3	Zigzag River crossing (difficult) #779 (Hidden lake Tr.) off on right.
21	0.6	3x creek crossings. #798 crosses. Turn right on 798 (ignore sign to Timberline Lodge)
25	0.7	Under StorminÕ Norman ski lift, Magic Mile and above Pucci to Timberline Lodge.
8.29	14.1
	38.7	Total Miles

Last update: June 2006 by Gerd Hoeren
Contact: Hoeren at Comcast dot net