3-hour tour

Sean, Brad, Karen, Steve, Liz

This week's hike took us to Aldrich Butte above Bonneville Hot Springs in the Gorge (at least that's where we were supposed to end up!). We'd never been there, but the map looked easy enough to follow. We got through the first few directions OK but then it didn't look right. A Mazamas group pointed us up a muddy trail and told us to go right and then stay left. The trail was as muddy as could be, and we were trying to keep our footing as we climbed the hill. We got to a junction and soon realized that our map didn't show the trail we'd been on.... so where were we?? Instead of following his right/left/left instructions, we went Brad's way. We eventually found the PCT (which was on our map) and guessed as to where we were. After another couple hours of watching the sky get darker and hoping we were on the right track, we came to the next anticipated crossing (a good sign that we really had found our way).

We soon passed the side trail to Aldrich Butte, but it was too late to make the trip. So we continued down and, right around the corner, there was that junction - the one where we were supposed to go left instead of right. (So that guy's directions were right after all!)

But instead of going down the steep, muddy slip-and-slide route, we chose to try yet another unknown trail (we assumed it was the one on our map that we were supposed to be on in the first place before that Mazamas guy sent us the wrong way). All looked good until we got to the power lines near the bottom and the trail split in several directions. The map wasn't as helpful as it should have been, and I lost the vote 4-1, sending us down the wrong way. We ended up on a road that hopefully would take us to the car. After walking and walking, we started to doubt. It also started to pour! Steve, armed with a small map from the Web, was sure that we were in the wrong place (duh!) but that the road would get us there (yay!).

We made it! Notice Karen's soaked pants, the mud up Steve's legs, the pouring rain and the standing water in our photo? It's always an adventure with us... always :)

-Liz