2.5 hr
Overview
The Mazama Trail #625 is a less popular ridge crest connector to various destinations on the north side of Mount Hood: McNeil Point, Cairn Basin, Eden Park, Wy'East Basin, Dollar Lake, and Barrett Spur are all possible using this trail. The trail essentially formed the western boundary of 2011’s extensive Dollar Lake Fire. The trail begins among young conifers, including subalpine fir, Douglas-fir, silver fir, and mountain hemlock, with an understory of chinquapin and rhododendron. After signing in at the Wilderness Permit box, you switchback up through an older clearcut and reach a former road bed. A large pool below the trail is fed by a nearby spring. The trail passes a second spring and reaches a talus slope below a rock outcropping. You make three switchbacks up the talus slope, the north edge of which was reached by the 2011 Dollar Lake Fire. There are views down into the Ladd Creek valley. The trail enters the woods and traverses up to the ridge crest before entering old growth montane forest with a rhododendron understory. There are 14 switchbacks up in these cool, green woods; at the eighth switchback, you will reach the edge of the Dollar Lake Burn. Higher up, near the Mt. Hood Wilderness sign, the fire actually crossed the trail for a few yards. The trail levels and exits the burn then rises gradually among a dense understory of huckleberry bushes. There are several more switchbacks before the tread reaches the edge of the ridge and enters the fire zone a second time. The path winds up, giving good views across to Vista Ridge and a waterfall on Ladd Creek. In early summer, blooming avalanche lilies carpet this section of the burned forest. The trail makes a couple of switchbacks and continues up the ridge before emerging onto a mountain hemlock parkland thickly cloaked with heather and bear-grass. Mount Hood looms ahead. The Mazama Trail drops back into shady woods, traverses up, and reaches a talus-filled gully where pikas squeak their alarm calls. A few tongues of the fire reached this area bu
Trail Stats
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751 m
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Photos
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