Rachel DavidsonExplorer
When I'm not embarking on human-powered adventures, I'm writing about them. Say hi to me the next time you're in Seattle!
The Potala Palace is MASSIVE. While walking the Kora, you'll be staring up 13 floors that seem like 100, since the palace was built on top of a hill and reaches almost 1,400 ft. above the valley floor. Also, while you're in Lhasa, you've got to try authentic Tibetan food. There are a few places who offer English menus - but you'll also be served English-style dishes. Venture into a local shop with a translator-dictionary in hand and try the thukpa, yak dishes, and momos.
5.0
Even with the lottery system, this hike draws in people from around the country (and even internationally). A great way to avoid the crowds is to climb in the off season using ice climbing gear, or taking the Mountaineer's Route. This second route branches off from the main trail just 0.8 miles in, after crossing Lone Pine Creek, and involves some cross-country navigation and class 3 scrambling towards the top. Totally worth the extra effort!
5.0
As the other two reviewers have mentioned, it's easy to get off-trail at times. The first time we attempted the summit it was mid-April and we were walking through 6-12 inches of snow, and eventually had to turn around because the cairns were completely covered. We returned in August and practically ran up to the top, legs screaming, heads dizzying from lack of oxygen - it was awesome!
5.0
The Herman Creek trail is wide and smooth, unlike so many of the rocky trails typical to the Gorge. You can run forever, too - past the Pinnacles, Indian Point, Rainy Lake, and even all the way to Wahtum Lake. The long-distance options make this one of the best trails for endurance athletes and marathon training.
5.0
Something like 10,000 people attempt to climb Mt. Hood every year, and in fact this mountain is the second-most climbed mountain in the entire world (after Mt. Fuji in Japan). No matter the day of the week, if you attempt this during the summer you will face plenty of crowds. Be sure you get an early start and stay on-pace to avoid bottlenecking near the summit.
5.0
Plan your trip during the first half of October to experience the Enchantments Golden Week (Google images of "Enchantments Golden Week" to see what I mean), and see how these spectacular alpine larches light up in autumn. The weather in October will also be more mild and make hiking much more bearable compared to the searing summer temps.
5.0
The Enchantments are one of my favorite wilderness areas in the entire country, and I can't wait to go back to do this challenge - only running instead of hiking. The Enchantments Traverse (same trail + route as described here) is one of Washington's most famous and popular trail runs, and sounds like an awesome way to pack in all of the beauty of this area into one challenging day. The Trail Run Project has a ton of great info on this run, too: https://www.trailrunproject.com/trail/7005246
5.0
My friend and I completed the R3 trail run on Halloween of last year. As a first-timer to the canyon, my breath was truly taken away (and not just from covering that insane amount of distance + elevation in under 15 hours). The very first Story I published on The Outbound is "5 Things I Learned Trail Running The Grand Canyon Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim," check it out if you're thinking of picking up the pace on your next visit!
5.0
This is a great training hike (or trail run) for folks coming from Portland looking to pack in as much distance + elevation gain in as short a time as possible. I've completed this route twice - once in January and once in September. Both times I was slowed to a tiptoe over the rocky areas passing some of the waterfalls. These areas are incredibly slippery regardless of footwear and I have seen people fall on both of my trips, one nearly off the cliff and into the river. Be careful and take your time!
5.0
I just completed this as a one-day trail run. Only variation to my route is I skipped the meadow section and continued on Summit Trail #4014 around Wasco Lake, connecting with the PCT, to make one full circumnavigation of the mountain. The section of PCT leading up to Porcupine Peak (mile 12-13) gives you truly vertigo-inducing views and is what I would definitely call the highlight of this route - it’s also your highpoint of the day, at 6,510 ft. It’s too bad to hear that some folks avoid this forest because it’s a serious burn area. Central OR trails need traffic and tourism in order to be maintained, and the 13-year old B&B wildfire that affected this trail gave us one benefit at least - it’s so much easier to see the mountains & appreciate the views now!
5.0
When the author says it gets crowded, it gets CROWDED. Mid-March there were a couple hundred people on the summit for sunrise. Probably because lots of people visit Poon Hill as the crux of their trek by doing a shorter 4-5 day trip in and out of Nayapul. Even though most people will do this hike as one of their last days as part of the Annapurna Circuit, it's by far one of the most beautiful. Just goes to show they're not kidding when they say it'll keep getting better. Make sure you walk up to the top of the watch tower on the summit to get even more spectacular views!
5.0
My dad and I drove this loop earlier this summer and I was shocked that Steens isn't considered one of the 7 Wonders of Oregon. There’s a bunch of camping, backpacking, and opportunities to hike into the gorges of the landscape here. We spent well over 3 hours completing the entire drive. I highly recommend one extra stop on this loop, at the Steens Summit/Wildhorse Lake parking lot. Ambitious hikers can head down 1,100 ft. to the beautiful Wildhorse Lake, but everyone else should definitely make the half-mile trip up to the 9,733 ft. summit of Steens Mountain. The summit itself is adorned with cell towers where you’ll find your only reception out here - but the views are spectacular.
5.0
One thing to add to this packing list: An alpine helmet should be considered mandatory on this climb at any time of the year. I completed this climb August 13 and there was very little snow present, but most climbers chose to use their crampons and ice axe on one 500-ft high snow field towards the false summit. Climbers should be comfortable with rock/boulder travel and have experience on similar class 3-4 climbs. Also, the Esmeralda Basin Trailhead does require a NW Forest Pass or America the Beautiful Pass, so plan accordingly, or be prepared to fill out a parking permit 3 miles before you reach the trailhead - bring cash!
5.0
This is one of my favorite trail runs in the Gorge. Path is nice and wide, even when it gets exposed on the cliff side. There are some rocky bits that will (or should) slow you down - be extra careful on these when it's damp or rainy. If the weather's nice, even mid-week, expect to see a lot of people on the path. Camping is possible past High Bridge and there are designated campsites closer to the waterfall, so you may run into backpackers as well. At mile 5 you'll enter the Hatfield Wilderness area where filling out a free permit is required to continue on to Tunnel Falls.
5.0
This can also be done as a *long* day hike (took us 15 hours). We left Salt Lake City at 1am and were at the trailhead and walking by 4am. The trail is clearly marked and easy to follow up to Gunsight Pass. After that, it branches off in a few different directions. You can head straight down to Upper Painter Basin and lose 500 feet of elevation (like the author did here), or you can turn right up a “shortcut” over Anderson Pass (also the base of Gunsight Peak) that’s marked by cairns and a narrow climber’s trail. Once on top of the pass, you’ll be able to see the main path ahead of you and the notch where people start off on the North Ridge Route. On both the shortcut and on King’s Peak itself, there are cairns virtually everywhere, which makes it difficult to decide which markers to follow. Big note: Lots of scrambling involved towards the summit, not dog-friendly. Rocks will get very slippery in precipitation. Weather forecast for our day was hot and sunny, but we ended up getting caught in a 3-hr hail + lightning storm. Bring storm gear, plenty of food, and have fun!
5.0
I completed this run on Oct 31 of last year and encountered a couple of problems, most important being water shut-offs. To anyone trying this as their first ultra (like me), I recommend purchasing a shuttle ticket from the North Rim just as insurance. At that time of the year shuttles only ran once a day, and even though I didn’t use it, I’m glad I had a ticket - you need to purchase in advance. Also, exactly one week to the day after we completed this, I saw people posting photos of the trail completely covered in ice towards the North Rim. Be sure to check weather & NP updates! This FB group is a great resource too: https://www.facebook.com/groups/grandcanyonr2r2rrun/ P.S. Try the lemonade at Phantom Ranch! It’s the best!
5.0
Bravo, Drew - you really captured a lot in this write-up. I just completed this trek in July, also going counterclockwise. One important detail for beginner-level hikers would be the transportation options (bus, chairlift) on each day in case of injury, a shorter timeline, or weather. If you go through a tour guide - whether you hiked independently or not - you can also arrange to have all of your gear shuttled to your accommodation each night (we met a few honeymooners who did this, and I don't blame them). Also, one super important detail, the estimated hiking time on signs is for a FAST pace. Of course, that's why most older hikers spend between 10-12 days on this adventure :)
5.0
Awesome write-up! This is one of my top hikes in Central Oregon, hands down. The various trailheads make it easy to lengthen or shorten this hike depending on a user's experience. Also, I'd like to add that when the trail is clear of snow, it's actually very easy to follow and not difficult at all to navigate. It might be clearer to title this adventure "Hike Broken Top Crater," since the summit climb of this mountain is a completely different endeavor - typically from the west side of the mountain instead (+ ropes required, not "hiker-only").
5.0
A challenging and rewarding day hike for both winter and summer. Start as early as possible - it'll warm up pretty quick and be difficult to hike in the extreme afternoon temps.
5.0
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