Timberline Trail Day 1: Timberline Lodge to PCT/Timberline Junction near Ramona Falls

Joe and I started our adventure from the Timberline Lodge where we treated ourselves to one night. We had stopped in ZigZag for some BBQ before heading up and enjoyed a nice evening watching the sun go down. 

Joe and his BBQ spead

A view of the sunset from our room

When hiking the trail there is one big decision that has to be made, clockwise or counterclockwise. We were still debating until the night before our start which direction we should head. After reading numerous online posts and debates about directionality preferences, we decided to head clockwise. This would hopefully allow us to hit the worst river crossings early in the day and allow for more gradual uphills. Supposedly at least.

No matter what direction you choose, at some point on the trail you are bound to curse your choice and swear you’ll never hike again. That’s just how it goes. 

Here’s the elevation profile for the entire trip.

Elevation plot going clockwise from Timberline Lodge

The first day we both woke up not feeling our best. I had developed a migraine and Joe was feeling nauseous. Altitude-related perhaps. We began to question our decisions. Was it really wise to load up and haul ourselves around a mountain in such a state? But then we remembered our why. 

This trail has been on our bucket list and with the fire season so bad this was our perfect opening since there were no active fires in the area and the skies were clear. We both popped some painkillers and trudged off to breakfast in the hope it would help. By the time we loaded up, our spirits had lifted. I was still a little woozy feeling but improving.

We meandered our way up the hill from the lodge, then down Sand Canyon, and were instantly hit with a beautiful view of Mount Hood. It was an instant mood lifter and suddenly the task at hand didn’t feel so insurmountable. 

Sand Canyon

Joe at ZigZag Canyon Rim

The day was mostly gentle downhills, we took a recommended detour through Paradise Park where we were awarded beautiful views of meadows dotted with colors from the blooming wildflowers. No photos will ever do nature justice, but we certainly tried to capture even an iota of the beauty. 

The purple lupine was in full bloom

I wish photos could do the wildflowers justice

Vibrant Indian Paintbrush

We had been forewarned from earlier trip reports to expect downed trees as we approached Rushing Water Creek to the Sandy River, but luckily crews had clearly been through and cleared much of it. Joe only had to push me up over one tree. Must be nice to be 6’5” with long legs - he always makes it look effortless! Despite the trail being clear, the tree damage was extensive all around us. It felt eerie walking through woods completely destroyed by last Labor Day’s winds and I’m glad we chose to camp further up. I don’t think I’d sleep well knowing there were so many potential dangers of sleeping near down trees with limbs broken and hanging. 

We approached Sandy River with trepidation. Despite our experiences backpacking and hiking, this would be the first trail with some very dangerous water crossings. Crossings where you can’t just rock hop your way across. I did a little research and tested a spot downstream, got halfway and realized the water wasn’t as calm as it looked, and headed back to shore deciding we should scout another spot. We headed upstream where a fellow hiker was and he guided us to where he crossed. It looked fast, but he reassured us it was shallow and the current wasn’t bad. Joe worked at getting his boots off and into his water shoes. I knew our desired camp spot was close so I went in with both socks and shoes not caring a bit. The cold glacial water was the worst part. 

Joe after a successful crossing at Sandy River

Once we crossed our campsite was not much further. We ended up camping near a small creek which afforded us a water source for cleaning and cooking not to mention a pleasant soundtrack all night. We went to bed early knowing we had a lot of uphills and downed tree sections to tackle the next day. 

Stay tuned for more!

Distance Logged: 11 mi

Ascent: 1869 ft

Descent: 4437 ft