100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon (Second Edition) [Paperback]

William L. Sullivan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 20, 2000

This up-to-date guide covers Oregon's most popular hiking region -- the trails within a two-hour drive of the Portland area. The new second editon features a dozen new or dramatically changed paths in the Columbia Gorge, Mount Hood, and Mount St. Helens areas. Also new are tips for mountain bikers and equestrians.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

A finalist for the Oregon Book Award, William L. Sullivan is the author of eight books about the Oregon Country, with more than 150,000 copies in print. His other books include "Hiking Oregon's History," "Listening for Coyote," "A Deeper Wild," "Exploring Oregon's Wild Areas," and several titles in his popular series of "100 Hikes" guidebooks for Oregon.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Hike #23, Mt. St. Helens Crater

Moderate (to Loowit Falls) 8.8 miles round-trip 800 feet elevation gain Open late June through October Map: Mt. St. Helens NW (Green Trails)

Difficult (to Plains of Abraham) 11.7-mile loop 1400 feet elevation gain

Now that Mt. St. Helens has quieted, the National Monument has opened a trail to the ragged mouth of the new crater, where steaming, 200-foot Loowit Falls tumbles through a badlands chasm. Pioneer wildflowers struggle from the ash at oasis-like springs. Log-jammed Spirit Lake stretches to the north.

Because this route crosses a restricted zone under scientific study, hikers must stay within 10 feet of the trail and camping is banned. If you'd like to return on a slightly longer loop, however, you can hike beyond the restricted zone to the breathtakingly desolate Plains of Abraham and a view-packed ridge ablaze with wildflowers. No trails access the lava dome inside the volcano's crater because of rockfall and eruption danger. You'll need a Monument Pass to park at the trailhead. These permits cost $8 per adult for 3 days or $24 for a year, and can be bought at the Pine Creek Information Center or at businesses in Cougar.

Drive Interstate 5 to Woodland exit 21 (north of Portland 25 miles), turn right, and follow signs for Mt. St. Helens for a total of 88 paved miles. Along the way, you'll follow Highway 503 through the town of Cougar, continue straight on what becomes Road 90 to the Pine Creek Information Station, go straight on Road 25 for 25 miles, and turn left on Road 99 for 16 miles to its end.

Park at the Windy Ridge Viewpoint and walk up the gated gravel road ahead. Since the 1980 blast, only scattered trees have taken root on this ridge, but wildflowers have flourished. Look for tall red fireweed, pearly everlasting, purple daisy-shaped asters, and clumps of big purple penstemons. National Monument rules forbid disturbing plants or rocks, so don't take samples of the pumice littering the road.

After 1.8 miles the Abraham Trail joins on the left -- return route of the optional loop. Continue to road's end and take the Windy Trail, which follows big cairns across a barren pumice plain and climbs a mile to the round-the-mountain Loowit Trail. Turn right across a creek gully, contour 1.3 miles to the crater's mouth, and take a 0.2-mile side path up to the Loowit Falls viewpoint. While this ridgecrest is dramatic, it's a bit bleak for lunch. So go back down to the Loowit Trail and turn left a few hundred yards to a cozier canyon where the path crosses the crater's cascading outlet creek. The lava dome, out of sight in the crater above, heats this creek to a steamy 96 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you'd like to make a loop on your return trip, hike back along the Loowit Trail and continue straight, climbing over Windy Pass to the eerily barren Plains of Abraham. The mountain rises like a wall from this rock-strewn desert. Camping is permitted, but the only water is a weird creek of what looks like chocolate milk oozing from the decapitated Nelson Glacier. Turn left at a well-marked junction, recross the sludgy creek, and traverse a glorious ridge packed with July wildflowers and views of Mt. Adams before descending 2 sets of steps to join the road back to the car. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Navillus Pr; 2nd edition (March 20, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0961815280
• ISBN-13: 978-0961815288
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,163,342 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Accurate Hiking Book Ever, August 29, 2000

By 

Debbie Stover (Warminster, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon (Second Edition) (Paperback)

I bought this book prior to a trip to Oregon in hopes of finding some beautiful hikes. This book was a valuable tool in my search. Every hike was accurately described from details on finding the trailhead to distances traveled including the level of difficulty and points of interest along the way.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If you live in Portland, you should own this book, January 17, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon (Second Edition) (Paperback)

I bought this book two years ago to add to the many guide books in my library. After two years of hiking many weekends in northwestern OR and southwestern WA, it's become clear that this is the book that get's used the most. Most of the trails are suitable for the whole family. We've hiked into the crater of Mount St. Helens, eaten wild huckle berries in Indian Heaven Wilderness, hiked every slope of Mt. Hood, visited water falls in the Columbia river Gorge that we didn't know existed and more.

Many of the trails are suitable for the occasional dry weekend in the winter months as well. Sullivan provides many low elevation trails which extend the hiking season year round.

If you live in southwestern Washington or northwestern Oregon, you should own this book.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best hiking book I've ever owned..., May 27, 2003

By 

Don Davies (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon (Second Edition) (Paperback)

Over the last several years, I've hiked most of the trails described in "100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon." Sullivan's diving directions, trail descriptions and maps have always been perfect and immensely helpful.

The trail descriptions are both concise and crystal clear. Sullivan does not meticulously describe each detail, which leaves much to discover on your own and allows for a more personal hiking experience. He writes eloquently, and often includes great tidbits of scientific and historical information that add context to your hike. For example, he might briefly describe how a specific area was geologically formed, and point out some evidence that you'll find along trail.

Sullivan's practical advice is invaluable. If he tells you that a trail passes poison oak, you better wear long pants! If he tells you that a trail is open from July to October, don't show up without snowshoes in March! Clearly, he knows these trails well. Readers should not overlook the preface, where he provides an equipment checklist, low impact camping guidelines, contacts for trail conditions, and other useful information.

The one downside of this guide is that so many people use it. If a hike is within an hour of Portland, and is featured in this book, you can count on a crowded trailhead on a nice weekend. Plenty of the featured hikes are off the beaten path, and still consistently provide solitude. Just plan on driving for awhile.

Anybody who hikes in Oregon should consult "100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon," or one of Sullivan's other books. I also frequently use his Oregon Coast and Central Oregon guides, and they too are first rate.

Just a quick additional note: When you do hike, always leave no trace! If you see trash, pick it up! Always be respectful of our Earth, and all of its creatures.