From Ramona Falls TH, McNeil Point is a tough hike from 2,300 ft elevation to 6,800 in less than 10 miles. This hike I did before, yet this week I hiked the point twice: first straight up from Ramona Falls and second after visiting Cairn Basin (didn’t go above upper meadow). This hike was part of the Rambling Mt Hood’s west side adventure.
There are two trails up to McNeil Point from Timberline Trail. The one closest to Top Spur is unsigned and should be avoided – it’s a straight up scramble in places and both years I told myself to avoid this trail. The second trail is much further along Timberline, but so worth that extra (especially on way down). These trails join at McNeil hut. Both times on the point I saw a total of less than 10 hikers and 3 of them camped different nights atop.
This is looking up the ridge after leaving Timberline Trail.
Heading up further there are two scree scrambles and two meadows with a final ridge walk to Ho Rock. Looking back down to the hut …
McNeil Point Trail had the only snow I had to walk across, and it wasn’t much.
From the top, well the views are wide …
Data Geek Corner
- Hike start times: Tues = 5:05 | Thursday = 5:00
- Length: Tuesday = 24 miles | Thursday = 24.3 miles
- Elevation gain: Tuesday = 6,041 | Thursday = 5,013
- Pace: Tuesday 2.4 mph | Thursday = 2.3 mph
- Weather: Tuesday = Sunny and low 80s | Thursday = Fire haze and low 80s
- Description: Thru hiking mental model – hike as much as possible and see as much as possible – very few humans on trail
- Carbon karma captured at ‘Trip Level’
Tuesday – McNeil Point Only
Thursday – Cairn Basin and McNeil Point (not all way to top)
[…] I think this was the third time up McNeil Point. There are two paths up – don’t take the one closest to Top Spur junction! – the first is way steep and like a scramble up; the second is the one most people take up and down. From Ramona Falls Th this was quite a climb up … I was beat at the top, and I met a guy coming down the hill who had spent the night on the lower meadow. McNeil Point has great, great views. But, don’t forget from Ramona Falls, one must climb up the north side of Muddy Fork Sandy River – not a trivial uphill. (Detailed hike review). […]