The group convened in the trailhead parking lot just off I-84's Bridal Veil exit at 8:30 a.m. On the drive out from Portland, Mt. Hood's silhouette loomed large over the landscape as whitecaps rippled across the Columbia. Conditions were clear in all directions, but the wind was howling. I later learned nearby Crown Point experienced a 75 mph gust at about the same time we were hiking.
Our group started with six as we headed up the trail before meeting another three friends plus a Rhodesian Ridgeback near the summit. At the crossing of Coopey Creek, the surrounding foliage was encrusted in ice as a result of an extended cold stretch in the Gorge. This ice, along with the wind gusts and and fantastic post-sunrise winter light, defined the day. Across the river, sheets of frozen water on the cliffs around Cape Horn glowed as the sun continued to rise.
After an hour we reached the summit. At this point the wind reached an entirely different level of intensity, claiming one of our hat's as a prize. But it was a casualty worth taking for such a view! From the top, the crisp, clear conditions allowed for a haze-free glance of the Portland skyline with OHSU, Wells Fargo and Big Pink all recognizable. To the north, Silver Star and Hamilton looked sharp, and to the northeast, Mt. Adams radiated arctic white. We quickly snapped a few pictures, took a video of the wind blowing us around, and returned to a more sheltered area.
After a snack and sip of celebratory whiskey, we headed down the mountain to get back in time for football. Overall it was a great day for the nine of us, and an epic way to kick off 2015.
Here are some pics from the hike.
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