Oregon

"Red morning, sailor's warning; red night, sailor's delight." This turned out to be true: the red sunrise was followed by nasty weather all day long.

Strong winter winds blow the snow off the ridge, causing it to collect heavily on the leeward side.

The snow I encountered in Oregon and Washington made hiking considerably more difficult than did the snow in the High Sierra. This picture helps to explain why: in OR and WA the trail is often below treeline, and often benched into (sometimes extremely steep) mountainous slopes; I had no choice but to follow the trail, as bushwhacking would have even been slower. In contrast, in the High Sierra the snow was mostly above treeline and therefore offered more route options.

The majestic Mt. Jefferson, which at 10,497 feet is the second highest peak in Oregon behind Mt. Hood.

Iconic features of the northern Cascades -- including bright green moss, banana slugs, and fir needle-covered trails -- started to become present around Mt. Jefferson.

Another telltale sign of the Cascades.

Mt. Hood, Oregon's highest peak at 11,249.

The mountain's southeast slopes consist of pyroclastic flows (a mixture of hot gas, rock, and anything that stands in the way, like trees), which is highly erodible.

Who is crazier? Skiers getting in a few more runs in late-June, or the thru-hiker who dodges them while crossing the ski slopes?

My day on Mt. Hood

A beautiful cascading waterfall

After a wet day on Mt. Hood, the morning was blessed with clear skies and a warm sun.

Tunnel Falls, a popular alternate route along the PCT just south of Cascade Locks. Notice where the trail goes: behind the waterfall!

Let's do Tunnel Falls together!

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