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Trip Report

Monte Cristo — Thursday, Jun. 2, 2022

South Cascades > Mount Adams Area
Wildflowers at the top, with views of Mt. Hood

We accessed via southern trailhead off FS 1840.  The road is passable now with large logs recently cut, but lots of smaller branch blowdown.  We cleared some of it, and our stock Subaru Crosstrek made it up fine.  Several big puddles and some steep gravelly sections may be tricky in a lower clearance 2WD car.

Trail in decent shape, except the ruts from a recent dirt bike (who probably cut the logs on the road & trail).  So many wildflowers along the way and at the top!  Dozens of trillium, plus currant, gooseberry, and even fairy slipper on the trail.  The top is a rocky meadow with balsam root, indian paintbrush, glacier lilly and many more blooming.  Only a teeny spot of snow left at the top.  We had a view of Mt. Hood & Mt. Defiance, but too cloudy to see Mt. Adams.

Well worth the trip for an off-the-beaten path hike.  If Dog Mountain is packed, this is a quiet alternative that's less strenuous, but still has flowers.

Trillium on the trail
Fairy Slipper on the trail
Blowdown & puddles on FS 1840
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