I had a permit and plan to hike Mt Jefferson Wilderness yesterday, but the are was closed due to the Bingham Fire and a refund returned for permit. Tuesday’s Ridgeline hike showed all the smoke in Cascade foothills, and a drive up valley to Marys Peak felt like too much time in a car. I returned to Ridgeline, but this time starting from Blanton Ridge. With each time atop Spencer Butte, I was reminded that Fall has returned.
Layer cake fog
Fog was thick – so thick that it was dripping from the trees. The fog was layered however – when I started, the valley floor was clear, above the valley thick fog, and the top was clear.
Things changed on the second time to Spencer Top with fog and mist taking over – the mists of Fall arrived.
Hunting over the meadow
A Northern Harrier hunted over the meadow on west side of Baldy. It soared across the meadow without circling and made it hard to photo – several blurry photos were needed to ID the bird. This was a first on Ridgeline; this meadow was hunted by Kestrels last year.
Data Geek Corner
The route started at Blanton Ridge TH with headlamp to Spencer Top; down to S. Willamette TH and back to Spencer top; down to Baldy Top; back to the Elder Grove bench on the way to Spencer Top; and finally back down to Blanton.
- Carbon Karma: 30 minutes driving = 1.5 hours hiking objective
- Actual: 6.25 hours moving
- Bank: +5.75 hours
- Cumulative 2024 Bank = +87.1 hours
- Hike times: start 6:30 end 2:00 (rounded)
- Length: 18.2 miles
- Elevation gain: 3,628
- Pace: 21:05 min / mile, stopped time 1m:09s
- Weather: Foggy, 50-65 degrees
- Description: trekking poles, fast hike, smallest gear kit in smallest pack – mesh lower trail runners
The map