Anything is possible when expectations are lowered. On a spontaneous Sunday, Kyle and I headed towards the coast. The forecast predicted 50s and blue skies--a rarity in January. Driving an hour and a half northwest on Highway 26, we arrived at the Saddle Mountain trailhead. This popular 5-mile out-and-back hike is a short but steep climb of about 1,900'. We set off around 12:30pm as I immediately realized that I was over-dressed for the unseasonable weather--fellow hikers were in shorts and tank tops!
At a quarter mile, a short spur trail leads to a viewpoint of Humbug Mountain. Looking backward, the double-peaked summit of Saddle Mountain looms overhead, foreshadowing the work ahead.
Reds alders are replaced with Douglas-firs and spruces as you switchback up the hillside.
Nearing the one-mile marker, the woods periodically open to meadows that bloom from May to July.
The top 500' of the trail consists of steep rocky meadows with loose gravel, which has been covered with chain-link material for traction.
After a short descent through the saddle, the final push to the 3,283' summit is rewarded with 360-degree mountaintop and ocean views (the best of both worlds).
The Pacific Ocean lies west beyond miles of beautiful coastline.
To the north, the Columbia River meets the sea at the town of Astoria.
Turning inland, the eastern horizon showcases the snowy peaks of the Cascade Range--clear skies revealed Mt. Rainier, Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams on the Washington side of the Columbia River, in addition to Mt. Hood and Mt. Jefferson on the Oregon side of the range. I struggled to capture this phenomenon on film.
After soaking up the warming rays of vitamin D, Kyle and I eventually returned to the car by 3:30pm--an easy favorite! While it would have been easy to head back to town and wind down for the week ahead, Kyle and I instead made the decision to drive the remaining half hour to the coast. We landed in Seaside, just in time for a stroll along the promenade at sunset. The waves were too rough to spot whales, but the scenery was stunning all the same. There is something so powerful about the healing effects of the salty sea air...
