17. Lolo Pass – Bald Mountain

Summary

Length                                7 miles partial loop

Difficulty                             Moderate

Season                               Summer to autumn

Elevation range                3,420 – 4,440 feet

Human imprint                  Moderate (hikers)

Information                       Mount Hood National Forest (Zigzag Ranger District)

Primary old growth features

Impressive Pacific silver fir and western hemlock.

Description

The path to Bald Mountain from Lolo Pass showcases a variety of old forests, including impressive Pacific silver fir and western hemlock. This hike also spotlights the role of windstorms and their influence on forest structure in an area prone to high winds. A short cut-off trail enables a loop around Bald Mountain for jaw-dropping views of Mount Hood.

Head south out of Lolo Pass on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT, 2000) climbing steadily uphill through younger forest at first, then entering an older forest with large Douglas-fir. The trail soon winds its way into a small, northwest-facing basin about one mile up the trail that harbors a grove of impressive Pacific silver fir and western hemlock. A few noteworthy noble firs are also scattered around the basin.

The trail continues upslope finding the ridge stretching southeast towards Bald Mountain. The forest along the ridgeline varies from silver fir old growth to areas of older blowdown concentrated in vulnerable areas. Young forest with scattered old trees, and abundant tip-up mounds characterize the blowdown areas.

The Top Spur Trail (785) joins the PCT on the right just before the PCT reaches the Timberline Trail (600) at a four-way junction about 2 ¾ miles from Lolo Pass. Oddly, the two trails don’t actually cross at the junction, but touch tangentially where they curve sharply away from each other. Continue straight onto the Timberline Trail headed towards the Muddy Fork.

The trail soon leaves the old forest behind as dramatic vistas open up. Spectacular views of Mount Hood are the main event, but the panorama encompasses the Muddy Fork valley downstream to the Sandy River. Take a few moments to look across the valley at Yocum Ridge where one very large patch and numerous smaller areas of blowdown from the Labor Day 2020 wind event are apparent.

Continue through the open area and come to the Cut Off Trail shortly after re-entering the forest. Take this short connector to the left over the ridge and turn left again, rejoining the Timberline Trail now headed back towards the four-way junction. The trail passes directly through a severe blowdown patch from 2020 where the toppled trees resemble a large-scale game of pick-up sticks. Tip-up mounds from the downed trees will be evident at this site for many decades. Return the way you came from the four-way junction.

30 years of change

Areas of chronic blowdown and a patch of severe blowdown (2020). Otherwise, the forest appears largely unchanged.

How to get there

Turn north onto East Lolo Pass Road (FR 18) from U.S. Highway 26 at Zigzag (29 miles southeast of Gresham). Follow FR 18 for 10.6 miles to Lolo Pass. Parking is in a small lot around the corner to the right and scattered along the road.