Portland Hiking News and Events

Since I don’t hike much this time of year, other than occasional Gorge hikes, I figured I could at least offer some news and related events. And so:

  • On February 6 one of my employers, the very impressive Donovan Pacholl of Embark Adventures, will give a talk at the Mazamas on climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro. That’s 7 pm at SE 43rd and Stark.
Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro
Climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, anyone?

 

  • On February 13, I will speak at the same time and place, about my adventures on the Oregon PCT and last summer in Glacier National Park.
  • Speaking of Mazamas, they have some cool navigation classes coming up: March 17 is a Wilderness Navigation GPS Skill Builder ($50 for members, $75 for non-members), and May 5 they have a similar class for map and compass navigation (Same prices).
  • If you want to climb Mount St. Helens, you’ll need a permit, and they become available on Friday, February 1. Get them from the Mount Saint Helens Institute. More from Terry Richard at The Oregonian.
  • One more Mazamas thing: They have an excellent program of international Outings (including my spring trip to Tuscany, which has room for one more person) and they are hosting an informational evening on all their Outings March 1. Dig it.
  • The trail up Beacon Rock is closed for a bit after a rock fall.
  • In better trail news:
  • Plans are in the works for turning the old railroad through Salmonberry Canyon (featured in earlier editions of my 60 Hikes book) into a trail! That would be way cool. Here are some images from that hike, which thanks to massive flood damage you can’t even do anymore:

salmonberry1 salmonberry2 salmonberry3

  • They are moving ahead with plans for a 300-mile Chinook Trail looping through the Gorge.
  • How about this? a 750-mile desert trail from Bend to Idaho? The Oregonian has a story, and Oregon Natural Desert Association has the lead.
  • And, finally, the Portland cops caught a local trail rapist. His (hopefully) last victim yelled for help, he ran off, and the next day the cops found him in the park. Whew.