Spring is definitely here! With the clocks springing forward and the days getting longer – it’s a great time to be outdoors. So with trusty hound by my side, I went out for another lookup at ZigZag Mountain to see where the snow had settled. It’s been relatively warm on Mount Hood and we have only had one significant snowstorm since the start of the year.
I headed up the ZigZag Mountain Trail with the hope of being able to make it all the way to West ZigZag lookout. Spring is definitely here – the temperature was warm – perfect early spring hiking. Clear skies. The trail has that spring smell, with the scent of pine. Trilliums are just starting to bloom and many of the trees are budding.
However, at around 4’000 feet there is still a persistent layer of snow. This really has not moved much in the last couple of weeks. The trail is quickly covered in patchy snow. Hard and crusty and slippery. Again I was thwarted in an easy hike. But still a good 9-mile round trip and 2’300 feet of elevation gain.
Being spring, another option is a day n the slopes. Spring skiing can be great with smaller crowds. The snow is definitely looking a bit thin. Although most of the runs at Meadows are still in good condition – you can see there has been quite a thaw. Clark Canyon looked decidedly bare.
However, any day being on Mount Hood is a good day. The weather was spectacular, the slopes wide open and by lunchtime, we had already got 15 runs in!
Spring is definitely here on Mount Hood! I had thought that since my last report, the snow would have melted back a lot – but it’s persistentaly hanging around at 4’000 feet.
