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Past Activity

Hardesty Loop (Double Black Diamond)

  • Start date: 04/01/2017

  • Start time: 12:00 AM

  • End date: 04/01/2017

  • End time: 11:59 PM

Description:

NOTE: BE PREPARED FOR SIGNIFICANT MUD ON THIS HIKE, WHICH HARDESTY TRAIL IS KNOWN FOR EVEN IN DRY TIMES. ADD GAITERS TO THE STRONGLY RECOMMENDED LIST. This is a difficult but rewarding conditioning hike. If there are a lot of blowdowns or snow we may reroute this to an up and down Hardesty Hike, which is still difficult at 11 miles and 3300 vertical. I plan to go up to the summit, go back down to the junction and descend the very steep Eula Ridge. Once we reach the junction with the Willamette Trail, we return by the lower elevation 5.2 mile trail. That part is not flat; there is a lot of up and down and minimum of 1000' elevation gain and loss. The loop is raced every year; we aren't racing, but we will move along. Be prepared for mud at the lower elevation of Hardesty Trail, some snow at the top, and do not expect to speed up on the downhill part of Eula Ridge. I've done it both ways, once in hot weather, which wasn't fun. We shouldn't have that problem. If we can make it to the top of Hardesty, but there have been a lot of blowdowns, I may choose to just go back down the way we came.

  • Event Leader: Mike Smith

  • Event Leader Phone: 520-488-9569

  • Event Leader Email: mssq@comcast.net

  • Assistant Leader:

  • Event category: Trips

  • Area Type: Mountain

  • Departure Location: Lane Community College, parking lot nearest stoplight

  • Rating: Difficult

  • Roundtrip total drive miles: 52

  • Season: 2017

  • Permits Required:

  • Event Status: Passed

  • Supplies and Equipment Required: 10 essentials. Make sure you have water, snacks, good rain gear and good boots. This is a great hike....really!

  • participant prerequisites:

  • Conditions:

  • Total Distance: 16

  • Member Fees: 1

  • Elevation Gain: 4000

  • Non-Member Fees: 5

  • Committee: Trips

  • Junior member fees: —

Trip Report

We did Hardesty Loop on a cool day with little wind. We found surprisingly few blowdowns and mud, and reached the top in two hours. After a short break, we went down-down-down Eula Ridge and had lunch about half way to the bottom. We then took the Willamette Trail back over to the Hardesty Trail and finished the hike. There were a few others out there at much lower elevations. The trilliums and monkey flowers were prominent, but the Oregon Grape and the rhododendrons have not yet bloomed at any elevation. This was a tough hike, especially early in season, 16.3 miles and 4400' elevation gain, but everybody did it, although we were all beat by the time we got back to the trailhead!