Quiet Alpine Trail

The valley was to have late morning fog, but the foothills warmer and fog-free earlier. Logical good hike -> Alpine Trail from the best Willmatte National Forest TH @ Westfir Covered Bridge park. Driving from Hwy 58 to Westfir, frost was everywhere in the hill’s shadow sparkling in headlamps, and on the park lawn too. I started from the park at 7:00 when just light enough without headlamp. Immediately up from the TH, sunrise started its magic show.

A bit further, the fog started lifting from the river around the town.

Diamond Peak needs snow. Hopefully the rains predicted this weekend will blanket the cascades with feet of snow.

The forest along this section of Alpine ranges from young pine <20 years to middle age Douglas Fir (~75 years) and in smaller areas very old western red cedar. Most of the trail just wanders thru the woods like this mixed age stand.

I continued on Alpine Trail past Tire Mt junction, and just past the junction is a great cascades foothills meadow – all the meadows on both Alpine and Tire Mt are very steep.

Around the edge of one meadow, these were the birds

The Route

Started at the Covered Bridge TH and straight up Alpine Trail to past TH #3. I turned around there (at start of long descent) and then took a short detour on Tire Mt trail before retracing back to the covered bridge.

Oddly 2 miles down the hill from Tire Mt junction is a shelter – Buckhead Shelter. I can’t figure out who uses it but it’s in good condition.

Trail conditions were perfect! Soft ground, no mud and not 1 blowdown to even step over. MTB people keep the foothills trails in pristine condition. Not 1 human until the very last 0.5m when a MTB rider slipped down the hill to the park. When I left the TH, mine was the only car; when I returned there were two Sprinters w/ MTBs and another couple MTB riders – but only that 1 on the trail.

Data Geek Cellar

• Shoes: Altra Lone TIMP
• Pack: Gossamer Gear GRIT (Full foothills day hike kit)
• Upper Layers: Light-weight base layer, SkyGOAT fleece (first 2 hours only)
• Upper shell: none
• Trekking Poles: Gossamer Gear
• Approximate Times: 07:00 – 14:00
• Carbon ratio: 2 hours (5 hours driving: 7.00 hours hiking); YTD = 24.75 hours banked
• Miles hiked YTD: 118
• Notes:
  • Photos: moderate
  • Speed: moderate-fast
  • Difficulty: difficult w/ elevation and distance
  • Weather: 38-60 fog early with frost, then sun and warm

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