Trip Report: Lolo Pass to Bald Mountain

When: 10/14/2017 Location: Lolo Pass to Bald Mountain Conditions: The day we chose to go out to Lolo Pass was super gorgeous- a bright sunny day with temperatures in the high 50's or low 60's in Portland, but up at elevation it was closer to 45 degrees- still not bad considering the amount of snow on the trail. As we ascended, the snow reached depths of up to a 1 foot or 2, dependent on tree coverage/exposure to the sun. As we meandered up the packed out switch backs we got dripped on nearly constantly by the melting snow on the branches of the trees. It was was really quite beautiful Duration: At a moderate pace, this hike took us about 4 hours. There were plenty of photo stops and we took our sweet time on the more challenging parts. I wouldn't leave the trailhead too much past 1:30-2:00p,m. as the winter months bring with them earlier sunsets. The distance we did ended up being approximately 7 miles round trip. Difficulty: This hike definitely isn't for someone who prefers dry, packed down dirt, or gravel, for instance- this trail was mostly covered in snow and slush, varying between the two as different amounts of sunlight hit certain areas more so than others. The snow/mud/slush made the otherwise not so hard trail a little more challenging. Further up toward the Timberline trail and Muddy Fork trail, the width of the path narrows and there was a very steep drop off that poses a potential danger to the person who decides to not pay attention, but staying on trail is usually a matter of putting one foot in front of the other. Kid Friendly: I would say this one is a good one to leave the kids behind for, although a parent is always the best judge of their child's ability to follow directions and exercise caution. Maybe for a rambunctious kid, no, but for a kid that listens and can handle themselves, sure! Pet Friendly: There were plenty of furry friends on trail having a blast. Check for seasonal leash laws, though Useful links: www.oregonhikers.org The Full Report: The week preceding this hike had me ready for an escape into the woods. As the isolated back road wound its way up to an elevation of about 3400 feet, the snow became more and more prominent and present. With such warm temperatures at sea level, I was surprised to see such an accumulation so early in the year. There were various accounts from hikers who had done the trail in weeks past who mentioned nothing of the tangible snowfall that became more abundant with the elevation gain. That being said, my friends and I did not anticipate these conditions but were still super stoked to get to see such wintery beauty so early in the season, as well as in such warm temperatures. We passed many other people who had gone to various lengths and they shared their experiences to better prepare us for what was to come. It was the typical "How's it going?! How much further till the next viewpoint"... "Oh, you know, about 20 minutes- you're so close, just keep on going. It's totally worth it!"... that kind of thing. The further we got, the more we expected the trail to open up to less snowy areas, but what we found ended up being way cooler. The trail spits you out on the edge of Bald Mountain that looks out at Mt. Hood from a perspective. The view was breathtaking and the wet feet were well worth the pain. After realizing that the view couldn't possibly get too much better, we decided to turn around at a small trickle of a waterfall on the edge of the mountain. It was great.