In the beginning

I had been up to the base of Cathedral Ridge once before, but that was many years ago. With my new little toy – a 360-degree camera – it was time to go up for another view of Hood.

I lived on the west side of Portland for many years.  A definite advantage of living on the east side is the commute time to the mountain is so much shorter.  In no time we were at the big parking lot at the Tip Top trailhead with maybe about nine other vehicles.

This is the easiest access to some of the best parts of Mt Hood and it can get crowded.  It was only 8:30 in the morning when we got started, so we did not run across very many people before reaching McNeil Shelter. The rest of the day was different as we passed almost 200 people. Maybe at half of those folks backpacking the Timberline Trail.

Outward Bound

Nothing to say about the Tip Top Trail – it just gets you up to the PCT. Turn right and your soon reach the Timberline – #600. Here you fill out a wilderness permit and head east.  To get to McNeil – one of the three remaining shelters built by the CCC for the Timberline – I normally just go straight up off the Timberline when it turns north at the base of the cliffs below McNeil.  It is steep, but quick.  I sometimes go down that way too, but usually take my time and smell the flowers on the way back.  The boot path here is class 2 and if my corgi can make it up, so can you – although, come to think of it, I did give her a little boost in a couple of places!

The Shelter

I don’t know the whole story of how they decided to place the Timberline Trail but going to the trouble of building a shelter in a spot where they were not sure where the trail was going to go seems a bit counterproductive.  You can make it across to Yocum Ridge from here but to build a trail?

McNeil Shelter with Cathedral Ridge and Mt Hood above. Click and drag with your mouse for full 360 degree effect.

Short clip showing some of the versatility of 360 video as I approach McNeil Shelter on Cathedral Ridge. Click and drag with your mouse for full 360 degree effect.

The shelter is named after Fred McNeil who was a journalist in Portland for over 40 years. Mt Hood was his passion and his ashes were spread up here when his time was up.

Wandering over to the rim of the Sandy Canyon from McNeil Shelter with Yocum Ridge on the other side.

Upward

The Timberline Trail was built by the CCC in 1934. At that time, there were six stone shelters – three remain today. The shelters make a nice place to get in out of the rain – or snow – from. Some people insist on first come, first get. I remember one rainy deluge day when hiking with my cousin’s son we came upon the shelter at Cairn Basin, just north of here. Someone had already erected their dome tent within the shelter making so no one else could get dry.

Gaining Cathedral Ridge – Upward and onward

The trail, I guess, was to continue to climb higher above the shelter onto the ridge above before crossing the snout of Sandy Glacier. A trail does go higher and we went up from McNeil onto Cathedral Ridge. The trail becomes a path higher up. We finished our day at Ho Rock where the boot path ends and the really rotten rock of Cathedral Ridge begins.

I had thought of going off trail to Barrett Spur. My hiking partner neede to get back home to do some shopping – Winco calling – before the traffic built up too much, so we left that for another time.

Return to the World – leaving Cathedral Ridge behind

We dropped back to the shelter and turned right – north – onto what was supposed to have been the Timberline Trail and made our way through the flowers back down to the Timberline and eventually our car – the parking lot was by now overflowing.

Total of maybe 11-12 miles and just over 4000 feet elevation gain with time to spare for shopping.

The end of the boot path up Cathedral Ridge. The climbing route above is recommended only when things are frozen in place.

Another Good Day

A good day with a good friend.

29 July 2019