TRAPPER
CREEK-OBSERVATION PEAK LOOP
Trapper Creek Wilderness, Washington
~14 miles, ~3200 feet elevation gain
Monday morning saw me heading out for a much needed solo hike with the dog. Still on the hunt for new-to-me places, I decided on the Trapper Creek Wilderness located in southwest Washington. Like Indian Heaven, Trapper Creek lies in the Wind River area just north of the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge… I have taken very little (if any time) to explore it.
Turned out to be a bit of a longer day than I expected.
The loop I picked consisted of following the Trapper Creek trail through the heart of the wilderness valley, committing to a steep climb up to Observation Peak before joining the extremely well-graded Howe Ridge trail back to the car. I chose this loop not only as recon for possible future backpacking trips, but also because it essentially explores the vast majority of Trapper Creek in one swoop: it’s a tiny, but significant wilderness, with only a little over 6000 acres, protecting beautiful old growth and spotted owl habitat.
Trapper Creek Wilderness, Washington
~14 miles, ~3200 feet elevation gain
Monday morning saw me heading out for a much needed solo hike with the dog. Still on the hunt for new-to-me places, I decided on the Trapper Creek Wilderness located in southwest Washington. Like Indian Heaven, Trapper Creek lies in the Wind River area just north of the Washington side of the Columbia River Gorge… I have taken very little (if any time) to explore it.
Turned out to be a bit of a longer day than I expected.
The loop I picked consisted of following the Trapper Creek trail through the heart of the wilderness valley, committing to a steep climb up to Observation Peak before joining the extremely well-graded Howe Ridge trail back to the car. I chose this loop not only as recon for possible future backpacking trips, but also because it essentially explores the vast majority of Trapper Creek in one swoop: it’s a tiny, but significant wilderness, with only a little over 6000 acres, protecting beautiful old growth and spotted owl habitat.
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| huge trees in the valley bottom |
Although I
had a map and a trail description, I just didn’t do something right on this trip. Still not sure what, but it’s been a
looooong while since I’ve been creeped out on day hike; something about this loop spooked me. Maybe my Spidey senses were
hollering at me. Maybe it was over exertion and fatigue (I just was not feeling
my Wheaties on this particular day). Maybe it was that my trail description and
the speed at which I usually hike did not match up at all, which created some
concern that I was lost (I wasn’t), took a wrong turn (I didn’t), or that I bit
off much more mileage than my feet could chew given daylight constraints
(verdict is still out on this one but I did manage to haul the six miles back
to the car from Observation in about two hours). It may have also had
something to do with the “primitive and challenging” trail conditions that are
maintained only by a Portland mountaineering club, the Mazamas. In retrospect,
nothing was ever all that bad, it was just a combination of all the factors
that led to me feeling like I wasn’t where I was supposed to be. Such is the
nature of hiking.
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| crossing Trapper Creek, the climb begins |
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| I felt very small next to this fellow |
 |
| no shit, Sherlock |
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| little green details on the Howe Ridge trail |
All told, it took me about seven hours to complete this very, very lovely loop. I traversed deep valleys filled with roaring creeks and the silence of giant trees. I sweated and cursed my way up the single-track, primitive climb out of Trapper Creek to Observation Point, emerging onto a quiet, empty high ridge that clearly sees little foot traffic. I cruised through magnificent, sun-dappled old growth, bird song and wind the only sounds. And I got my wish for solitude as I encountered not a single soul all day.
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