This is the second part of the 2023 Timberline Trail Survey raw results. To see the first set of results please see here. This continues the raw data sets from the 2023 survey. Again the entire survey will be presented in three parts. (Note that some of the formatting will change from last year – in between providing the survey updates – I changed from a PC to a Mac and also swapped from using Excel to Numbers). How would you rate the difficulty of traverses? Last year I only listed three traverses and so this year’s survey has an expanded list of traverses. Unfortunately, I wish I had added ..read more

As the leaves change color and the first snowflakes begin to fall, we find ourselves at the end of another fantastic hiking season on the Timberline Trail. It’s been an incredible journey since we launched the Timberline Survey in June, and we’re grateful for every hiker who participated. So the second Timberline Trail survey is closing. This year marked our second season running the survey, and it’s been nothing short of extraordinary. We kicked off in June with a bit more snow than usual, adding an extra layer of challenge and beauty to our beloved trail. But as the snow melted away, it reve ..read more

Calling all adventurous souls and nature enthusiasts! Are you ready to embark on a thrilling journey through the stunning landscapes of Oregon’s iconic Timberline Trail? We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our second annual survey, aimed at gathering essential information from hikers like you who have conquered this picturesque hiking haven. Here’s the link to the Timberline Trail Annual Survey. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker with Timberline Trail experience or a first-time explorer seeking an unforgettable adventure, this survey is your chance to contribute your valuable insights and ma ..read more

I love hiking in the Sierra Nevada and was looking for a spectacular multi-day hike in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the Tahoe Rim Trail should definitely fit the bill. This 170-mile loop trail offers stunning views of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding peaks, as well as plenty of opportunities for camping, wildlife spotting, and outdoor adventure. As always with backpacking it’s always worth having a plan B. Plan A for me was the Wonderland Trail, but again I failed to get permits for it. So hopefully the Tahoe Rim Trail as a plan B for the summer of 2023 will be spectacular. This is the start of ..read more

After months of chilly weather and snow-covered trails, spring has finally arrived in the Pacific Northwest! The snow is slowly melting away, and the Trilliums are blooming. It’s time to start thinking about getting back out on the trail. As an expert hiker, I’ve kept myself busy this winter with snowshoeing and skiing, both alpine and cross-country. Now I’m eagerly anticipating the return of spring hiking. And, while some of us have been busy applying for summer hiking permits, there’s still plenty of excitement to be had on the trails this spring. From the snow-capped peaks of Mount Hood to ..read more

There has been a lot of buzz over the last couple of months on a new AI chatbot called ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a conversational AI chatbot that has an amazing range of capabilities, on a very wide variety of topics. This entire article was written by ChatGPT (anything in italics is written by me). There has been some light editing to remove some redundancy. All the images in this article are also AI generated – from DALLE-2. Welcome to the future: Exploring the Great Outdoors with AI: How Technology is Revolutionizing Backpacking. Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way we experien ..read more

This is the second part of the raw results from the first annual Timberline Trail survey. To see the first set of results please see here. This is the rest of the raw data from the survey. How would you rate the difficulty of traverses? Unfortunately, I wish I had added other traverses to the list. So an improvement for next year! In particular, it would have been interesting to include the Sandy, which for many folks is a bit of a climb if they go counter-clockwise. Also, the phrasing of this question was probably a little misleading. The intent was more on the physical stress of the travers ..read more

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the first annual Timberline Trail survey. It will take some time to analyze the results – especially a more detailed analysis based on starting date. Overall 155 people answered the survey. This initial summary is from the raw results. I’ll split it into two parts. Here are the results from the first half of the survey. Basic Hike Information Starting Location? Timberline Lodge remains by far the most common starting location, with 145 people starting from there. 2 people started at Top Spur and 5 from Cloud Cap. 5 people also started from other locations ..read more

I have hiked across the Zigzag crossing many times, from Timberline to Paradise Park and back. From the lookout on the side of the canyon and from the bottom, if you look towards Mount Hood, you’ll see the imposing cliffs of Mississippi Head. Recently I learned that a use path led from the top of Paradise Part, over the cliffs, above the top of Zigzag canyon, and back down to Timberline Lodge. This path, over Mississippi Head, is actually the shortest route from Timberline and Paradise Park. The total roundtrip is only a little under 11 miles, and I’ve hiked the normal route to Paradise Park a ..read more

A few weeks back I hiked up the Paradise Park Trail to see how the snow was at Paradise Park. At that time much of the trails were snow-covered and all of Paradise Park was deep in snow. Now that the weather has warmed up, and there have been reports of fast melting, I decided it was a good opportunity to complete the Paradise Park Loop. The Paradise Park Loop leaves from Timberline Lodge, and follows the Timberline Trail clockwise down through Zigzag Canyon and then up towards Paradise Park. The loop itself leaves the Timberline Trail and loops up to Split Rock, and then descends to join the ..read more