Gnarl Ridge

For my third 2020 summer hiking weekend, I could only hike part of one day since my Grandma was coming to visit from out of state. I picked a nice hike up Gnarl Ridge on the east side of Hood since the light would be good in the early morning. This is a long climb with just a few views from Elk Meadows until you reach the ridge four miles up the trail. Once there it’s certainly worth the effort with incredible panoramic views from Jefferson & Three Sisters South to Mt Adams north along with the central Oregon plains and even the Columbia River Gorge. The wildflowers were blooming beautifully by mid-July and I enjoyed the gnarled old pine skeletons along the ridge as well.