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Tilly Jane
Campground, Mt. Hood |
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After reaching Cooper Spur with Amber a month ago, I have been thinking about a reconnaissance hike around the Tilly Jane Campground area to find out more about area and it's trail system. I also heard rumors of a cabin that is up here and wanted to see if they were true. This way, I could burn some mental pictures that I could use for a winter hike or ski trip.
I stumbled across the first shelter. It was a rather large structure complete with a long centered fire pit. I assumed the pit was for more than just heating the occupants that would be inside as it was quite large, being nearly as long as the shelter itself. I am not sure what all the racks were for, whether for people or chopped wood.
Making my way past the first shelter, the cabin appeared. It was a large, two story building with a steep sloped roof. It looked quite serene out here all by it's lonesome. I wondered how nice it would be to use such a place during the dead of winter. I stepped in through unlocked doors to take a peek at what was inside.
Inside, there was everything a person could want from tables to two large stoves. One stove was specifically for cooking as the other was for warming the inside of the large cabin. There was a guestbook as well with signatures dating back a number of years. Upstairs, there was nothing to see other than the balcony.
After burning the pictures I needed in my brain, I walked off to the north, following the Polallie Ridge Tail. Along my way up, I stopped at the head of Polallie Canyon, looking over the wreckage from the Polallie Debris Slide that happened in 1980, causing one death and the closure of Highway 35.
I climbed to the junction with the Timberline Trail and Cooper Spur. A fresh coat of new snow graced the trail as I made my way up to 6000 feet.
Since clouds blocked the view and the winds let me know winter was approaching fast, I did not gaze too long. I hiked back down, following the Tilly Jane Ski Trail. I had time to kill so I wanted to get all the info I could about the area's trails.
Although not as scenic as Polallie Ridge, the ski trail certainly had it's moments of beauty. I made it back to the van, completing a modest 7.5 miles and snapped a couple more pictures before taking off for home.
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