I decided to hike up to Mirror Lake yesterday, and possibly continue on to Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain. When I got to the trailhead about 11:20, the parking area was pretty full with cars! On a Friday morning! (I later encountered a big organized hiking group that probably accounted for about half those cars.)
The trail was, as always, a pleasant walk. The rhododendrons are just starting to bloom. They’re going to look really great in a few weeks. And although it seems a bit early for beargrass, there were a few who didn’t get the memo and were already starting to bloom.
The lake was beautiful, but buggy. Oh, the bugs were bad! I scarfed down my lunch, eating more than a few bugs, I’m sure, then threw on my mosquito head net. The clouds had mostly burned off and the remaining snow on Mt. Hood practically glowed in the sunshine. For a time the lake was still enough to reflect the mountain, but a group of guys on the other shore had set up for the day to fish and they also had an inflatable raft, so all their activity kept disturbing the lake surface.
I hiked a short ways up the Tom, Dick, and Harry trail, but just far enough to get that great view of Mt. Hood from the rock slide area. I decided that there were probably too many clouds on the horizon to make the climb up to the top worthwhile. I didn’t think I’d be able to see any mountains other than Hood and Jefferson. Besides, I’d like to save that hike for a few weeks from now when the wildflowers bust out.
All in all, a beautiful day up there. I encountered no snow at all on or off the trail, and the snow on the mountain looks like it’s melting fast. Let the hiking begin!
That beautiful reflection of Mt. Hood in Mirror Lake, complete with guys fishing
Paintbrush was starting to bloom along the trail between Mirror Lake and TDH Mountain
A great view of Mt. Hood from the trail up to TDH Mountain
Anyone know about this? This trail was heading up the hill from the top leg of the zig-zag, just a few minutes before reaching the lake. I’d guess that if this keeps going, it’d intersect with the trail up to Tom, Dick, and Harry. I’ve never noticed it before, and it looks “built” not just a trail created by tramping through the woods.
Here’s another mysterious path, what looks like an old road through the woods. This is just off the trail towards the bottom of the hill, just a little ways above the spot where the trail zig-zags twice across that rock slide.
One of the more ambitious rhododendrons. They’ll all be blooming like crazy in a few weeks!
