Dog Mountain - April 3

Dog Mountain is one of the most popular hikes in the Columbia River Gorge. The elevation gain (2650') is just enough to keep things interesting for the serious hikers, and the scenic vistas and spring wildflowers tend to draw crowds of all skill levels.

Jared and I headed out on Saturday, April 3 to overcast, rainy conditions. Despite the weather, I was still expecting a decent showing of hikers on the trail. Usually by early April the parking lot at the trailhead is overflowing with cars, but on this Saturday, we were one of only a half-dozen vehicles.

For the first mile, we experienced a light drizzle and muddy conditions. Soon thereafter, the rain turned to snow and the trail became whiter with each step. When we emerged from the "more difficult" spur of the trail, the snow became increasingly deep.

By the time the trail left the forest and reached the exposed part of the mountain, the wind and howling snow made for blizzard-like conditions. We both had to gear up and increase the number of layers we were wearing. For the first time outside of one of the glaciated Cascade peaks, I had to put on my balaclava mask. About this time, we met two guys preparing for an expedition to the Everest base camp in Nepal. I didn't catch their names, but we all commiserated about the craptastic weather.

We kept powering through as the wind became more intense and the snow depth on the trail increased. When we finally reached the top, the trees on the summit provided welcome shelter from the inclement conditions.

Here's a video I shot of Jared on the summit.

The snowy conditions persisted on the way down. We opted to take the Augspurger Mountain loop from the summit to avoid hitting the same part of the trail twice. After two miles of slogging, the mud returned to the trail as the snow dissipated.

After such a difficult hike, we decided at the car that our only option before going home was to hit up the Full Sail Brewery in Hood River and watch one of the NCAA tournament games. The beer sampler with halibut fish and chips was a welcome meal after spending a day in the hills.

Key lesson learned for the day: trekking poles are your friend. When in doubt, bring them anyway. I'm not sure either one of us could have kept going without them.