Our group of six rendezvoused at the trailhead around 8:30 a.m. to get an early start to return in time for sports - specifically a late afternoon Timbers road game and Blazers playoff bout. Oddly, as we waited for the group to arrive, a peacock with full plumage strutted around the Bonneville Hot Springs parking lot.
By 9am, we were well on our way through the woods under a slightly hazy blue sky. The trail increased at a gradual rate, offering no warning of the upward onslaught to follow. An hour later after several forks in the road, the path intersected with the Pacific Crest Trail for a short stretch before the start of a brutal route to the summit known as the "Heartbreak Ridge" Trail (with no relation to the Clint Eastwood movie).
We then dug in and pushed up one of the steepest maintained stretches in the Gorge. Within a half mile we had gained a great deal of elevation and could start to see Mt. Hood and more of the Columbia. Although the sky was clear, the extent of the haze - rumored to be from fires in Siberia - became more apparent as we gained vertical feet.
After the brutal push at the start of Heartbreak, we reached a narrow ridge with views in both directions before going back into the forest up a series of switchbacks. We then popped out onto a rock slide extending hundreds of feet up toward the top. As we scrambled upward, most of the rocks held firm, but we had to watch our footing to avoid sending smaller boulders back down the slope.
Once at the top of the rock slide, it was a quick dash to the finish and the summit marker. The "Sound of Music"-esque scene at the top was stunning. We counted four volcanoes (Hood, Rainier, Adams and St. Helens), but couldn't see Jefferson because of the haze. After walking out to peer over the edge of the rock face on Table's eastern side, we settled down to eat lunch and stare down on Bonneville Dam. Looking east to west, we could see from the Portland area to the mountains around The Dalles.
With the Timbers kickoff on our minds, we quickly descended after looping across the top of the table-like summit plateau of Table. The hike back to the trailhead went well, but several patches on the backside of the Heartbreak trail required caution because of overall steepness and loose rock. Once in the woods again, we rejoined the PCT and we retraced our steps from earlier in the day. The rest of the hike was uneventful, but still fulfilling as we reminisced about challenges from earlier in the day and looked forward to getting home in time to watch the games.
I'm convinced you can't do much better in the Gorge than Table on a clear day with a good group of hiking companions. The day was my first opportunity to hike with some of the members on the team, and I hope to again. And we were successful at getting back in time for Timbers kickoff!
Here's a link to more pictures from the hike.
By 9am, we were well on our way through the woods under a slightly hazy blue sky. The trail increased at a gradual rate, offering no warning of the upward onslaught to follow. An hour later after several forks in the road, the path intersected with the Pacific Crest Trail for a short stretch before the start of a brutal route to the summit known as the "Heartbreak Ridge" Trail (with no relation to the Clint Eastwood movie).
 |
| Looking down the rock slide on the Heartbreak Ridge trail |
After the brutal push at the start of Heartbreak, we reached a narrow ridge with views in both directions before going back into the forest up a series of switchbacks. We then popped out onto a rock slide extending hundreds of feet up toward the top. As we scrambled upward, most of the rocks held firm, but we had to watch our footing to avoid sending smaller boulders back down the slope.
 |
| Team selfie with Mt. Adams in the background |
With the Timbers kickoff on our minds, we quickly descended after looping across the top of the table-like summit plateau of Table. The hike back to the trailhead went well, but several patches on the backside of the Heartbreak trail required caution because of overall steepness and loose rock. Once in the woods again, we rejoined the PCT and we retraced our steps from earlier in the day. The rest of the hike was uneventful, but still fulfilling as we reminisced about challenges from earlier in the day and looked forward to getting home in time to watch the games.
I'm convinced you can't do much better in the Gorge than Table on a clear day with a good group of hiking companions. The day was my first opportunity to hike with some of the members on the team, and I hope to again. And we were successful at getting back in time for Timbers kickoff!
Here's a link to more pictures from the hike.
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