Twin Lakes Long Day Hike

It was a spectacular, sunny Spring day in the Mt. Hood Wilderness! We arrived at the Frog Lake parking lot at 9:30, saddled up with our day packs and off we hiked onto the Pacific Crest Trail toward Twin Lakes. We have been here before several times in winter, snowshoeing into the frozen lake and white wonderland, having fun with the "robber birds" that swoop down boldly and snatch morsels from our hands.

The hike to Lower Twin Lake was uneventful and very pleasant. We hiked completely around the lake to see where all the camping spots are and to enjoy the area. We had been to the north side, but never around the lake.

South end of Lower Twin Lake

                      North Side of Lower Twin Lake

                                                                   South Side of Lower Twin Lake

Next was the short walk over the pass and up to Upper Twin Lake. 

                                                                      South Side of Upper Twin Lake

                                                             Northwest side of Upper Twin Lake

We found a small Hobbit hole! But no Hobbits.

Again, we hiked all the way around, then proceeded north on the trail toward Palmateer Creek, and the peak just to the north of the creek that overlooks Mt Hood, for lunch. We passed through some great areas with some remote camping possibilities, as well as some Cascade overlooks that were a little too close to cliff-edge for my comfort, so you only see a part of the view in my video.

                                                                    Cascades overlook from the trail

                                                            Camping spot above Palmateer Creek

                                                                        Crossing Palmateer Creek

                                                                  Found a snake near Palmateer Creek!

 Palmateer creek is a nice rushing, steep creek that starts in a small, marshy meadow at the base of the peak that looks on Mt Hood. We crossed the creek on some well-placed stones, then hiked up to the top. The views of Mt Hood to the north and the Cascades to the east and south were wonderful. This peak does not have quite the height or the 360 view that Tom Dick and Harry mountain has, but still worth the hike.

flowers near the top of the peak

looking south into the Cascades

Mt Hood

                                                          Up the trail to the overlook

                                                                      Mt Hood views

just me

my best friend and I

some weird red succulent plant

We had lunch here in the blazing sunlight, then hiked back down and toward the PCT. We were planning on going back south on the trail and connect with a west-running trail that would take us to the PCT, then go south back to the parking lot. The connecting trail turned north as we approached the PCT,  taking us in the wrong direction. The trails were marked incorrectly on my USGS topo map. We bushwhacked up a hill for a short distance and connected directly with the PCT. By this time we were getting tired, as we had gone farther than we had intended. We hiked back south to the truck, through a considerable amount of residual snow left from the week before. Total mileage was about 10.5 miles.

                                                               Walking in the snow to find the PCT

                                                                                    Found the PCT

Tired