Sunny, hot October on Ridgeline Trail

A couple of days to hike later in October than normal with hot and sunny weather … the decision on where to hike and in what order had to comprehend all the wildfires still burning in both the Willamette and McKenzie River watersheds.

Without too much thought, I headed to Ridgeline Trail for the first of 3 days to both stay close (burn less carbon) and to get a view of what the Cascade foothills looked like.

Looking east before sunrise

As I was getting set to leave the car, a chorus of Barred Owls welcomed me; there were at least 3 on the west slope of Baldy (not from the Cascade Raptor Center). Starting out just before sunrise with headlamp on found me atop Baldy predawn and over it just as the sun started to crest the ridge lines.

Once the sun was higher from the west side of Baldy, even electric wires couldn’t diminish the magic.

The Fires

Starting these 3 days of hiking at Ridgline and atop Spencer Butte gave me a good idea about air quality (fire smoke) to the east in the Central Cascades. Needless to say, the smoke clogged both McKenzie and Willamette valleys and my hiking plans will focus elsewhere for better air.

The big view

Looking up the Willamette Valley

Looking up the McKenzie Valley

Data Geek Corner

The route started at Spring Blvd TH then to Spencer top; down to S. Willamette TH and back to Spencer top; down to Blanton Ridge TH and back to top of stone stairs near Spencer top; back down to Spring Blvd TH.

• Carbon Karma: 30 minutes driving = 1.5 hours hiking objective
  • Actual: 7 hours moving
  • Bank: +6.5 hours
  • Cumulative 2024 Bank = +81.4 hours
• Hike times: start 6:30 end 2:00 (rounded)
• Length: 19.9 miles
• Elevation gain: 3,941
• Pace: 21:03 min / mile, stopped time 7m:26s
• Weather: Sunny, 55-70 degrees
• Description: trekking poles, fast hike, smallest gear kit in smallest pack – mesh lower trail runners

The map