Let the rain begin, the season of enlightenment! Well, the fog anyways...an unexpected surprise when the anticipation of downpours hits you in the core before beginning a hike. Today was the OSU Adventure Club's first outing since its creation this year, leading 9 students into the wild wilderness of the west: Mary's Peak. Ok, so Mary's Peak isn't the most wild place, or the most wilderness-y, but it does rein over the valley as the tallest mountain in the Oregon coast range at 4097 ft, which totally kicks ass.
Today's journey brought us up the East Ridge trail, beginning from Connor's camp off of Mary's Peak Road. Connor's camp does cost money to drive in, but for day hiking there is a free parking lot on the side of the road just past the camp. The trail starts off well defined in lush forest as it ascends the east side of the mountain. The landscape quickly shapes itself into a roomy douglas-fir forest, leading through an understory of vine maple, sword ferns, oregon grape and vanilla leaf. The trail ascends at an angle enough to burn my precious calves, but makes for a good cardio workout if one pushes their way on, enjoying the open forest floor and views of the mountains through the trees.
The East Ridge Trail eventually meets the North Ridge trail, which took us up to the old dirt road near the summit's parking lot. The peak was dismal, with no visibility on an otherwise amazing mountain, but hey, we cheered anyways. A scramble down a drainage to the west presented some challenges with thickets of thorn-laden brush and slick understory on steep slopes..but we all survived with a skip in our step and a sense of adventure. The East and North Ridge trails are great day hikes that rank a "moderate" difficulty (for those who keep track), and a picnic on the summit is definitely recommended on a clear day. Overall, if one hasn't made a trip to Mary's Peak yet, it is a gem of Western Oregon and a great trip for OSU students needing a trip to the woods.
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