Snow Camp Mountain

Saturday, June 15, 2024

In 2014 I rented the Snow Camp Mountain lookout and drove rough roads to get there. Today I hiked to the lookout.

I parked at the Snow Camp Trailhead on Road 3680:

Snow Camp Trailhead

Snow Camp Trail

There was a strange half-circle stone wall thing where many a campfire had been built (and trash left):

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

The trail heads south, descending through the forest:

Snow Camp Trail

Iris in bloom:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Signs of recent trail maintenance!

Snow Camp Trail

There was a homemade sign pointing to a water source, but I didn’t check it out:

Snow Camp Trail

These trees got singed in a wildfire, but still live:

Snow Camp Trail

Wild rhododendron:

Snow Camp Trail

Check out that enormous rhododendron bush:

Snow Camp Trail

I started seeing forest wildflowers:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Then I left behind the forest and entered the burn area:

Snow Camp Trail

I could see Snow Camp Mountain and its lookout ahead:

Snow Camp Trail

More nice wildflowers:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

The trail skirts Snow Camp Meadow:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

At the far end of the meadow the trail crosses a creek. There is no bridge but it’s easy to use rocks to get across:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Now the trail began a long traverse along the slope of Snow Camp Mountain. This burned in the 2002 Biscuit Fire and again in the 2017 Chetco Bar Fire:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

I reached a junction where the trail continues to a trailhead over on Road 1376. I turned left and headed for the summit:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

I reached Road 590, the lookout access road. It’s marked only by a signless signpost:

Snow Camp Trail

There’s a parking area here for renters who can’t quite get their cars up the final steep section of road:

Snow Camp Trail

I turned left and headed up the road:

Snow Camp Trail

It looked like it had recently been graded:

Snow Camp Trail

The lookout was being rented, but the renters were out for the day:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

The clouds were starting burn off and the views were pretty nice. Plus, there was NO WIND! North:

Snow Camp Trail

Northeast:

Snow Camp Trail

East:

Snow Camp Trail

South:

Snow Camp Trail

West:

Snow Camp Trail

I walked out to the repeater station on the north end of the summit:

Snow Camp Trail

View from the north end of the summit:

Snow Camp Trail

Looking down on Snow Camp Meadow:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Heading back:

Snow Camp Trail

I took some time to check out the meadow on my hike back. There was a lot of bistort in bloom, along with some camas:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Sun-dappled forest and a HUGE tree:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

In the unburned forest I noticed something I mad missed the first time: the rusty remains of a car that had been here for a very long time:

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Snow Camp Trail

Back at the car I decided to drive down Road 361 to see if I could find the trailhead down near Panther Lake. I didn’t make it very far, though, as 361 was damaged:

Road 361

Road 361

It looked like vehicles had managed to drive past it, but I wasn’t going to try it.

Gaia stats: 6.3 miles, 1,660′ elevation gain