Timberland trail?

[sketchfest]

Does anyone have any info on this trail. I would guess that right now, what with the mtn being so completely melted out, that if you made this journey you could do it without ever setting foot on snow. But I'm curious to know how high and how low the trail goes or if the elevation stays fairly constant.

Thanks for whatever info yous gots.

[iain]

If you are referring to the Timberline trail, yeah there wouldn't be any snow. It peaks at about 7300 and drops all the way down to 3200, and is about 40 miles long.

 

Steve Boyer did it in 6 hours and change. Unbelievable!

[iain]

I think the lowest point is Ramona Falls area, and the highest is just past Cooper Spur.

[sketchfest]

Yeah, that's the one. Thanks Iain I should have know you would be the first one to answer

Boyer was an animal...6hrs, that's pretty impressive!

[iain]

Pete's run it, he should have some better info for you.

[rbw1966]

Timberline Trail is closer to 36 miles but I'm splitting hairs. Still 6 hours is pretty unbelievable.

 

Its rolling terrain with nary a patch of snow on it. It sees a lot of traffic, especially on the west side. I camped out at Paradise Park a couple weeks ago and counted 75 people on the trail on the way back to Timberline the next day. I imagine the north side is a bit less populated.

 

Its a great hike. Have fun!

[b-rock]

ask funguy, he did it last year in one push. i think his knees were a little beat up at the end

[sketchfest]

I'd like to ask funguy, but that beyotch is still in Europe and he won't be back until two days before we head for olympus, guess I'll have to go alone hoo,hoo

[Ursa_Eagle]

I did it in 14.5 hours 1.5 weeks ago. I got caught by darkness around Meadows and had to slow down because I had brought a really lightweight light; the wrong turn didn't help either. According to all the maps and info I have, it's over 40 miles. My altimeter clocked in 8,000 feet of gain and loss, but I think it's closer to 9,000 (it didn't catch all the high and low points.) There's water at Timberline and Cloud Cap. I made it from Timberline clockwise to Cloud Cap with 2 L of water, then filled up there for the 13 miles that I had left (no filtering or iodine needed, although I certainly had iodine with me.) The majority of it is in the trees, although there are some stretches above treeline. The trail is well graded, I don't remember any overly steep sections. I wore trail runners and didn't really get my feet wet on any of the stream crossings. If you're planning on doing it in a day, I'd recommend starting significantly earlier than 8:30 am, or at least bring a real headlamp (such as a Tikka or Aurora), rather than a keychain LED.

And yeah, it's hell on your knees.

[bunglehead]

Bummer about the knees. I was kinda thinking about doing a 2-3? day trip in a few weeks. Sounds like it'd be reasonable for an overnighter or two, or three, or four?

Knees. Ouch.

[iain]

just be careful if you bring a dog thru the zigzag area unleashed. there have now been 3 (count 'em, 3) dog/owner "rescues" off that sharp switchback with the overlook descending into zigzag canyon. the EXACT same spot every time. Guess the thirsty dogs hear the water running down in the canyon and take off under the wood barricade on the old trail at that spot.

[bunglehead]

How'd you know I have a dog?

 

[Ursa_Eagle]

It's not really THAT bad on your knees, it just sucks in the short term. My knees hurt for about two days, so I thought that it wasn't that bad, but then it started acting up a little after this past weekend. They should be fine soon enough. I just really enjoyed carrying an 8 lb pack instead of a 20-30 lb pack. If I were to do it in two days, I may stash gear at Cloud Cap so I could still carry just a daypack (with a 27.5 mile day and a 13 mile day.)

[bunglehead]

I hear that. The first time I was on part of that trail was when I hiked from the Gorge to Sisters. I remember being very hot and unhappy busting my huge pack up Zigzag. Gear cache...hmmm that's a not a bad idea.

[hikerbiker]

Timberline trail stays in treeline too much with no solitude. Good side trails are barrett spur on the n.side,mcneil ridge on the w.side, copper spur on the e.side. Barrett spur gives the best subalpine views of glaciers, cliffs,etc and has some solitude. Unfortunately, tline trail doesn't go to any of these views. Stay on that trail and you'll miss all the good stuff.

[Thrashador]

hikerbiker said:

Unfortunately, tline trail doesn't go to any of these views. Stay on that trail and you'll miss all the good stuff.

 

Huh????

Last time I was barefoot on the timberline trail 'tween the Spur and Cloud Cap the views were pretty freakin' tasty. Elk Cove is so suck! And, in terms of the other side, so is Paradise Park.

Granted, getting up close and personal with Hood at the top of the Spur is hard to beat. I just can't concur that the trail is THAT suck. My only wish is that the FS would do away with the temporary bridges altogether and that the snow would start falling already.

[nonanon]

He’s forgetting the ever awesome Gnarl Ridge, too.

 

"Technically", the T-line trail (#600) doesn't go through Paradise (#757), irrc. Not that that stops anyone from going on up there while doing the loop. The same could be said of the McNeil Ridge bypass, or the Dollar Lake loop. And even though I wouldn’t want to carry too much pack up and over Barrett Spur, it’s still an easy daytrippin’ diversion from the 600 trail.

 

Loving this cold rain!

[sketchfest]

nonanon said:

He's forgetting the ever awesome Gnarl Ridge, too.

 

I gotta tellya, the Gnarl-y Ridge is pretty f-in impressive in the hazy light of the moon shinning through the fire smoke. By the time the sun rose in the morning, we could barely see the summit.