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  • Clackamas River Trail and snow levels

    I finally got out to hiking on Thursday (4/3), and ended up deciding on the Clackamas River Trail, since I figured that there wouldn't be any other trail free of snow, or free of snow very far.  I thought about Cripple Creek, but didn't think I'd get too far before snow.   Anyway, I ended up going from the fish creek end, and it was a very nice day.  I ended up doing 8 or 9 miles, going to Pup Creek Falls.  The trail was clear of snow, with only a couple VERY small patches in the trees.  The trail is is GREAT shape, with only a couple of down trees and a couple of slide areas that weren't very bad.  All in all I very nice day.

    I then went up to Ripplebrook and beyond to see how much snow had melted.  The good news is that a LOT of snow has melted since January.  Road 46 past Ripplebrook is clear now, with only some snow on the sides as you get up farther.  The Riverside trail is accessible once again.  The bad news is that there is still a LOT of snow in places.  I think you can get to Bagby now, although I didn't go that far, I only went to where road 63 meets 70, where they closed it.  At that junction, there is still over a foot of snow on the road.  My GPS said the elevation there was about 1700', so we still have a ways to go before we can get to the higher trails.  I hope we get some warmer weather to start melting off some of this snow!  The other thing I noticed was there there are a LOT of downed trees and slides this winter.  It was a tough winter for the roads.....

    Rob
    Clackamas River Trail and snow levels
  • Re: Clackamas River Trail and snow levels (#)
  • 4/7/08; 9:55:06 AM ¦ by Robert Koscik
  • MORE snow expected today down to 2000' SHEESHHH..winter in April I've had enuff.  Thanks for the report I've been wondering about that.  It's going to be a low elevation outdoor season for quite a while now I'm afraid.  Well it's good for the streams and rivers at least.  Probably good for the ecosystems too to keep the people away.
    • Re: Clackamas River Trail and snow levels (#)
    • 4/7/08; 8:22:41 PM ¦ by Tom Kloster
    • Robert, have you used the Snotel site before?

      http://www.or.nrcs.usda.gov/snow/maps/oregon_sitemap.html

      The Clackamas basin coverage is spotty, for some reason. But even stranger, the snow readings at Peavine and Clackamas Lake are in the 60" range right now at about 3,500 feet, while the North Fork readings above Bull Run is at about 160" at 3,000 feet! The Red Hill station that I monitor (north of Mount Hood, and about 5,000 feet) has 190", so it's going to be a very late hiking/trail work season in that neck of the woods.

      Anyway, it's a good resource for checking snowpacks.

      Another very handy online resource that I use is the Mount Hood air quality cam, mounted above Timberline Lodge. It's always the same view, pointed toward Mount Jefferson. But since you can pick out most of the high country in the Clackamas drainage, I thought I'd post it here:

      http://www.fsvisimages.com/moho2/moho2.html

      I use this to check snow and sky conditions in winter, and summer haze and thunderstorm activity. There's also a cam set near Maryhill, looking at Mount Hood, if that's an area that you frequent -- excellent for gauging the "other side" of the mountains when we're socked in here. The gorge cam is here:

      http://www.fsvisimages.com/cori1/cori1.html

      -Tom
      • Re: Clackamas River Trail and snow levels (#)
      • 4/7/08; 8:33:45 PM ¦ by Rob Williams
      • This is really depressing.....I was hoping to go backpacking at Twin Lakes/Silver King Lake in late June, but I 'm thinking I might have to delay it a bit.  I just can't believe how much snow we STILL have!!!

        IT IS APRIL!!!!
        • Re: Clackamas River Trail and snow levels (#)
        • 4/8/08; 7:50:26 AM ¦ by Robert Koscik

        • No kidding...I've had enuff of winter.  Camped last weekend near Badger Creek, had about an inch of snow fall (but it was gone by noon). 

          Thanks Tom, good info!  Didn't know about Snowtel.