I was on my own yesterday since Greg and a friend headed off to Tanner Butte. I really wanted to see the beargrass display up there, but I know my limitations and I know I cannot do that many miles in one day. My legs and feet get VERY sore after about 10 miles.
So I went in search of beargrass elsewhere. Remembering that we had just missed the peak of beargrass at Hawk Mountain on July 14 two years ago, and knowing that everything is 3-4 weeks early this year, I headed there today with my fingers crossed.
I went there via Detroit and came home via Estacada. I stopped to gawk at the alarmingly-low level of Detroit Lake. I heard a boater describe this as sad. I think it’s not sad, but scary, and a sign of the very dry summer we have ahead of us.
Once I hit the trail it was immediately apparent that this is NOT a good beargrass year up there. Here is 2013:
This year:
When I got home I looked it up and beargrass blooms in 5-7 year cycles, so I was three years too early. However the pentstemon were doing their best to make up for the lack of beargrass:
The trail leaves the meadows and meanders through the trees for awhile before launching up to Hawk Mountain. I actually saw signs of recent trail maintenance. Thanks, trail crew!
At the summit there were four guys packing up and heading out, so I ended up having the place to myself. I sure enjoyed the in-your-face views of Mt. Jefferson:
From this angle the mountains to the south are all bunched together (Three Fingered Jack, the Three Sisters, and Mt. Washington):
There were plenty of wildflowers blooming on the summit, including lupine, paintbrush, Oregon sunshine, cat’s ears, and sedum.
The obligatory garbage-in-the-fire-ring shot:
The cabin here is the old living quarters for the fire lookout that once stood here and is now gone. I love before and after shots. Here is Hawk Mountain in 1936:
And in 2015:
I lingered on the the summit for over an hour, enjoying the sunshine, views, and wildflowers. Such a gorgeous day! There are no north-facing views from the summit, but from the trail you can sort of see north a bit and I took a peek on the way back down:
I love this hike. It has a great mix of views and wildflowers. It’s unfortunate that it’s a two-hour drive from Portland because you end up spending more time in the car than on the on the trail. But it’s definitely worth the trip.
