Feb 24: Angel's Rest

The training hikes have all been designed in such a way as to start out at a moderate level and escalate in intensity as the final climb date was reached. Thinking that the first hike couldn't possibly be a complete wringer, I cheerfully showed up at the meeting point to go on the very first training hike in our schedule: Angel's Rest.

Angel's rest is located near Portland, relatively speaking. It's one of the first exits on I-84, the highway that runs through the Columbia River gorge, which is east of Portland. The gorge has lovely mountains on both sides which plunge dramatically into the water. Here is a little Google Map to give you an idea of how the topography looks:


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At 7:45 AM, the hikers split into several groups: slow, medium and fast. Ambitiously, I volunteered for the fast group. The hike leaders: Barbara Bond, a marathon runner, climber, hiker, outdoor writer and photographer along with Stacy Allison, the first American woman to summit Mount Everest. A fine choice of hike leaders for training, but I soon learned a lesson in humility. Barbara and Stacy powered up the trail like mountain goats, Barbara cheerfully filling the group in about the various places visible from the trail as if she were sitting in a comfortable chair. I tried to valiantly keep step directly behind her, grunting my answers to her questions as politely as I could, convinced I was about to spit out my insides every time I opened my mouth. Once I could taste the iron taste of blood, I fell back a little bit, though I was satisfied with the fact that I made the scenic lookout at the top while still a part of the first and fastest group (the part in question being the tail.) Thankfully, while mild, the temperature never got warm, making this outing rather comfortable in spite of the immediate pain.

The Angel's rest hike was a wonderful start to the training, really. Steep switchbacks get you into the action right away, and some easy rocky scrambles at the top introduce some variety to the trek. According to nwhiker.com, the total distance is about 4.8 miles (7.7 km) and the elevation change is approximately 1540 feet (457 m). Below you can see a couple of maps of the trail:





I didn't bring my camera with me on this hike, and immediately regretted it. Towards the summit, charred dead trees stand as reminders of a fire that raged through the area over a decade ago. Through them, beautiful views of the gorge tease until getting to the top of the mountain, also its namesake. A dramatic rock formation creates a platform that serves as a natural observation deck with 180 degree views of the river below as the rock plunges vertically several hundred feet below. For those who like their hikes civilized, at some point some hardy souls hoisted a bench up the mountain that remains there for the enjoyment of those who come to this lovely spot.

Below is a panoramic photo made from several shots taken at Angel's Rest on another visit. It should give you some idea of how beautiful this area is.



The pain and stiffness the day after my inaugural hike obviously weren't enough for me, as I returned to the same spot shortly thereafter and took some photos this time. That entry, along with said photos will be up, hopefully, by tomorrow evening (Pacific Time, that is.)