p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 1 Where: Columbia River Gorge - PCT > Wahtum Lake > Eagle Creek Loop
What: Trail Run, 33 mi, 6,000 ft gain/loss
Pain factor: 4 (1 to 5)
Fun factor: 6 (1 to 5)
Gear: Hydration pack, bottles, water pump, Probars, GU
It is a love/hate affair to be a climber in Portland and you feel blessed
and cursed at the same time. Driving 600 miles for 6 pitches or 2,000 miles
for five climbs gets old after you have done it over and over the whole
summer. So after nonstop road trips for solid two months (on weekends and
vacations) I was ready for a leisure weekend in town. Feeling guilty for
ditching running for so long, I decided to pick a trail in the Columbia
River Gorge and have a fun run on a gorgeous Saturday. A quick research on a
local forum had my mind set on the PCT-Wahtum Lake-Eagle Creek loop. The
loop is about 33 miles long with 6,000 ft cumulative elevation gain. Not
really a stroll in the park in my book and it took some thoughts to really
commit to it. Nonetheless, a day on the trail beats a day in the couch. What
the hell.
I left the car at the Eagle Creek TH @ 7 and headed over to the Bridge of
the Gods to pick up PCT. At the bridge toll kiosk an old, shaky lady
pointed the directions to the northern end of the Oregon PCT. The fun began
there. The first few miles took me through some rolling hills and I was
glad to be away from I-84 and the constant highway noise. The real business
of the day started unfolding in the next 4 to 5 miles with a relentless
climb of 4,000 feet gaining the Benson plateau. Along the way I met a solo
hiker and I wondered if he was doing the WHOLE THING or just a section of
the PCT. Later on a couple with a big dog showed up and they did not appear
to be thru hikers. I pushed on with tired legs from the plateau to Wahtum
Lake. It was a fairly flat section and went through a few talus fields. The
view was incredible. I was getting excited as I was approaching the lake
since I almost ran out of water and I’ve finished more than half of the
loop and it was all downhill from there! A 20-min break at the lake felt
luxurious and I pumped water to fill up the bottles. I had a Pro Bar for
lunch. At that point I was really feeling the fatigue in my legs and my
upset stomach began worsening with heart burn and acid reflux. I picked up
Eagle Creek Trail and began moving.
I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the PCT section to Wahtum Lake,
albeit the climb was tiring. I was less impressed with Eagle Creek trail
which is well used and hard-packed with numerous technical sections. The
exposed basalt was so sharp that I had to choose my landing carefully
otherwise it would really HURT. To make matter worse, as the day gradually
shifting into the afternoon and the temps quickly rising to the high 80s,
the not-so-shaded trail began to feel like a toaster. Since the trail was
mostly chiseled out of sheer basalt cliffs, the exposure was great at
sections and many would want to cling onto a steel cable on the cliff side.
The last 7 miles was a real grinder and I felt beaten down to the dirt.
The turmoil in my stomach, dehydration, low energy (only had 2 bars because
of an upset stomach), heat, and PEOPELE (hordes of people on the trail),
were getting harder to tolerate and almost sent me over the edge.
Fortunately there were quite a few amazing waterfalls along the trail to
provide distractions from the pain and my cooked brain. I constantly checked
the elevation on my Suuto to estimate how much was left and I was
discouraged every time. Finally it took me by a surprise when I saw the TH
and my car in the parking lot. It seemed like a mirage. It took me a couple
seconds to realize I have come to where I started nearly 8 hours, 33 miles,
and 6,000' gain/loss ago. I have finished it. What a relief!
I dragged my worn body to the creek and sat in the cold water to chill my
sore feet and calves for a while before headed to Cascade Locks to get an
iced mocha. The drive to home was uneventful but my stomach was unset until
10pm when I could eat something.
It was a painfully fun day. |
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | |
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | |
T*********e
发帖数: 39815 | 4 nice run
you should do timberline trail this way if u have not
miles
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Where: Columbia River Gorge - PCT > Wahtum Lake > Eagle Creek Loop
: What: Trail Run, 33 mi, 6,000 ft gain/loss
: Pain factor: 4 (1 to 5)
: Fun factor: 6 (1 to 5)
: Gear: Hydration pack, bottles, water pump, Probars, GU
: It is a love/hate affair to be a climber in Portland and you feel blessed
: and cursed at the same time. Driving 600 miles for 6 pitches or 2,000 miles
: for five climbs gets old after you have done it over and over the whole
: summer. So after nonstop road trips for solid two months (on weekends and
: vacations) I was ready for a leisure weekend in town. Feeling guilty for
|
T*********e
发帖数: 39815 | 5 eagle creek, looks so familiar
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: last batch
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k***z
发帖数: 3522 | |
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 7 That is a good one. But route finding is lot more difficult and the Elliot
Creek crossing is problematic. Have you done the loop?
【在 T*********e 的大作中提到】
: nice run
: you should do timberline trail this way if u have not
:
: miles
|
l****5
发帖数: 2968 | 8 Great....looks nice. I used to live in Portland and really enjoyed the
summer there. Maybe you can try rock climbing next summer? |
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 9 Rock climbing? Eh...that staff is too scary. :)
【在 l****5 的大作中提到】
: Great....looks nice. I used to live in Portland and really enjoyed the
: summer there. Maybe you can try rock climbing next summer?
|
c*******r
发帖数: 13580 | 10 indeed :)
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Rock climbing? Eh...that staff is too scary. :)
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p**********t
发帖数: 2636 | 11 hmmm, esp. if you free solo :)
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Rock climbing? Eh...that staff is too scary. :)
|
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 12 Aye, too old for that sh*t.
I remember the days when sex was safe and climbing was dangerous...
【在 p**********t 的大作中提到】
: hmmm, esp. if you free solo :)
|
d**p
发帖数: 1800 | 13 crack me up...
so no more sex now, just climbing?
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Aye, too old for that sh*t.
: I remember the days when sex was safe and climbing was dangerous...
|
l****5
发帖数: 2968 | 14 talking about the guy called Alex who are mostly solo in Yosemite? Lol
【在 p**********t 的大作中提到】
: hmmm, esp. if you free solo :)
|
c*******r
发帖数: 13580 | 15 well, I'm sure you free solo. I free solo 5.5 all the time :)
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Aye, too old for that sh*t.
: I remember the days when sex was safe and climbing was dangerous...
|
T*********e
发帖数: 39815 | 16 no, I missed several opportunities due to the bad weather
less likely I will have chance to do it ever.
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: That is a good one. But route finding is lot more difficult and the Elliot
: Creek crossing is problematic. Have you done the loop?
|
T*********e
发帖数: 39815 | 17 r u asking a rock star if he ever climbed rock or not? hehe
【在 l****5 的大作中提到】
: Great....looks nice. I used to live in Portland and really enjoyed the
: summer there. Maybe you can try rock climbing next summer?
|
q*c
发帖数: 17993 | 18 我最喜欢第六张，第九和第十也很不错。。。
miles
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Where: Columbia River Gorge - PCT > Wahtum Lake > Eagle Creek Loop
: What: Trail Run, 33 mi, 6,000 ft gain/loss
: Pain factor: 4 (1 to 5)
: Fun factor: 6 (1 to 5)
: Gear: Hydration pack, bottles, water pump, Probars, GU
: It is a love/hate affair to be a climber in Portland and you feel blessed
: and cursed at the same time. Driving 600 miles for 6 pitches or 2,000 miles
: for five climbs gets old after you have done it over and over the whole
: summer. So after nonstop road trips for solid two months (on weekends and
: vacations) I was ready for a leisure weekend in town. Feeling guilty for
|
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 19 The key is "protection".
【在 d**p 的大作中提到】
: crack me up...
: so no more sex now, just climbing?
|
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 20 Well, running out and simuling on easy terrain with no pro, which I do a lot
, are different than going ropeless on a 7 pitch 5.7+. It is hard to find
stuff in this category in the NW but a ton in the Sierra. Things come to
mind, Cathedral Pk, Matthess Crest, E buttress of Whitney, Tenaya Pk...
【在 c*******r 的大作中提到】
: well, I'm sure you free solo. I free solo 5.5 all the time :)
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p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 21 Why so pessimistic? Its right in the backyard.
【在 T*********e 的大作中提到】
: no, I missed several opportunities due to the bad weather
: less likely I will have chance to do it ever.
|
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 22 Me? No. Here is a REAL rock star..
【在 T*********e 的大作中提到】
: r u asking a rock star if he ever climbed rock or not? hehe
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c*******r
发帖数: 13580 | 23 not anymore
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Why so pessimistic? Its right in the backyard.
|
T*********e
发帖数: 39815 | 24 not backyard any more
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Why so pessimistic? Its right in the backyard.
|
T*********e
发帖数: 39815 | 25 lol
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Me? No. Here is a REAL rock star..
|
b***y
发帖数: 824 | 26 so have you done them all soloing? just did cathedral, tenaya two days ago,
with rope. but saw two soloer passing us.
lot
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Well, running out and simuling on easy terrain with no pro, which I do a lot
: , are different than going ropeless on a 7 pitch 5.7+. It is hard to find
: stuff in this category in the NW but a ton in the Sierra. Things come to
: mind, Cathedral Pk, Matthess Crest, E buttress of Whitney, Tenaya Pk...
|
p**********t
发帖数: 2636 | 27 你搬家了？
【在 T*********e 的大作中提到】
: not backyard any more
|
p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 28 Not all. But Cathedral Pk and Tenaya Pk are very solo-able. Did you bag
Eichorn Pinnacle as well after topping out Cathedral? I linked up Cathedral
and Eichorn west pillar direct last summer in a day and it was great fun.
Get on Matthess Crest next, you will LOVE it.
,
【在 b***y 的大作中提到】
: so have you done them all soloing? just did cathedral, tenaya two days ago,
: with rope. but saw two soloer passing us.
:
: lot
|
q*c
发帖数: 17993 | 29 白菜搬去哪了？
【在 T*********e 的大作中提到】
: not backyard any more
|
b***y
发帖数: 824 | 30 Yes, we climbed Eichorn Pinnacle too. But via 5.4 North Face, super fun
route with nice exposure. West pillar is bit out of reach for me and
my partner.
Matthess Crest is on my list. Maybe next yest. Did you do the full ridge or
rappelled on North Summit? Also looking at Mt Conness West and North ridge,
though both approach are bit longer.
Cathedral
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: Not all. But Cathedral Pk and Tenaya Pk are very solo-able. Did you bag
: Eichorn Pinnacle as well after topping out Cathedral? I linked up Cathedral
: and Eichorn west pillar direct last summer in a day and it was great fun.
: Get on Matthess Crest next, you will LOVE it.
:
: ,
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p*******r
发帖数: 180 | 31 We down climbed after about 3/4 of the traverse. The terrain was getting
increasingly difficult after the N summit. Down climb the S summit was a bit
tricky too.
.
.
It wasn't me on Eichorn.
or
,
【在 b***y 的大作中提到】
: Yes, we climbed Eichorn Pinnacle too. But via 5.4 North Face, super fun
: route with nice exposure. West pillar is bit out of reach for me and
: my partner.
: Matthess Crest is on my list. Maybe next yest. Did you do the full ridge or
: rappelled on North Summit? Also looking at Mt Conness West and North ridge,
: though both approach are bit longer.
:
: Cathedral
|
r*********e
发帖数: 29495 | 32 最后一张太厉害了!!
bit
【在 p*******r 的大作中提到】
: We down climbed after about 3/4 of the traverse. The terrain was getting
: increasingly difficult after the N summit. Down climb the S summit was a bit
: tricky too.
: .
: .
: It wasn't me on Eichorn.
:
: or
: ,
|
b***y
发帖数: 824 | 33 The easy way up is not bad, just 5.4, with some exposure. The key to have
someone wait at the base to take the picture.
We took picture from summit, nothing dramatic, comparing to this one.
【在 r*********e 的大作中提到】
: 最后一张太厉害了!!
:
: bit
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