Yesterday I got a reprieve from the constant rain and dreariness {I was one raindrop away from hurling myself off our balcony} and was blessed with some beautiful, 50-degree sunshine. We pulled out our 60 in 60 hiking book and headed west toward Saddle Mountain. It was glorious! The trail was 5.5 miles round-trip and not for the out-of-shape sofa dweller. It was a rough climb but our efforts were greatly rewarded with spectacular views in every direction. From the top we could see five volcanoes (Mt Rainer, St Helen's, Adams, Hood, and Jefferson) and the Pacific Ocean, including where the Columbia River flows into it. This view is extremely unusual, especially in January. It was our lucky day.
Conducting a sunshine symphony
The second-half of the trail is covered in wire fencing to provide a bit of stability and some sound footing. It was steep! I consider myself to be in fairly decent shape but was tuckered by the time we reached the top.
The volcanoes don't show up too well in pictures but are breathtaking in person. I really appreciate the fact that this view requires a bit of effort. I'm not sure how many spots there are where you can see so much...assuming it's not overcast, which is all the time.
Seeing as to how Saddle Mountain is only 15 miles from the ocean, we headed toward Cannon Beach {our favorite little town} afterward for dinner and a sunset...then it was back to Portland.
And now, a day later, it's overcast again. Don't be surprised if we move to the desert next. Sunshine, I miss you already.
2 comments:
It's cool to see where you were when we talked on the phone. So beautiful.
These pictures are incredible! What a gorgeous hike!
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