After last week’s drive to Mary’s Peak, burning less carbon this week and getting an earlier start hiking had me back on Ridgeline Trail. The air inversion had lessened and a clear fog-less sky early as I drove to Spring Blvd trailhead. After such a cold dry spell, the roads were mostly clear. The coldest…
Inversion (Wikipedia): “In meteorology, an inversion (or temperature inversion) is a phenomenon in which a layer of warmer air overlies cooler air. Normally, air temperature gradually decreases as altitude increases, but this relationship is reversed in an inversion” After looking at the weather for a hike on the way to PDX, I decided that William Finley or Mary’s Peak would suffice – decide…
The night before plans were set to drive to Westfir to hike North Fork of Middle Fork; of all the idea hikes, Marys Peak, Silver Falls, and Ridgeline, North Fork was the only one forecasted to have sun without fog. Then morning of the hike while checking weather one last time and finding no changes,…
Weather report was foggy and low 30s – no chance of rain. Sounded like one of those days with valley fog and sunshine above. The northern valley was colder with possible freezing fog that ruled out a longer drive to Marys Peak. Time for a Ridgeline Trail hike with as much time above the fog…
Weather forecast was ‘foggy’ and temperatures in low 30s. Driving anywhere far was not in the cards, so why not Mt. Pisgah? There was 1 car in the parking lot when I left at 7:00am with headlamp on in the thick, thick fog on valley floor. Foggy days are perfect for Mt Pisgah – the…
For the last day of 2024, a good cold, foggy Ridgeline Hike – without rain! The morning started quite cold with ice on the road overpasses, and thick fog on the east side of Ridgeline trail. But once above the fog, the sites were amazing. The route Started around 7:00 at Spring Blvd TH with…
The Willamette Valley was socked in with cold fog but just outside in Westfir there was no fog, sun and a wonderful frost. Hiking with another human this time, we chose North Fork of the Middle Fork of the Willamette River (say that 3 times fast!) over another more ‘valley’ oriented hikes that remained in…
Weather looked like it was going to break … sort of. Not as cold in the southern valley but further north could be freezing. I looked to maximize time outdoors with greatest probability of sun breaks but really wanted hills. Marys Peak might have freezing fog; Hardesty had snow before summit; Goodman Creek has a…
Original plan was North Fork Middle Fork Willamette out of Westfir. Weather was sketchy and degrading … checked early in the morning and temperatures <40, rain until noon. A solo hike (with serious mud) with 2 hours car time in cold rain? No. Pulled the contingency plan. Ridgeline Trail from early am with 20 miles…
After yesterday’s atmospheric river and cyclone bomb in PNW, today’s weather only had micro-climate type rain showers and possible sun. Time to hike …. The upper foothills (Marys Peak and Hardesty) had more snow. Hardesty has less snow than before Mary’s Peak remains snowed After a quick weather re-check – confirming little, no rain for…
