Trip Report
Day Hike - Dog Mountain Loop (Columbia River)
Nice summer hike with friends on one of my old favorites!
Nancy Lloyd
- Fri, Jun 21, 2024
- Day Hike - Dog Mountain Loop (Columbia River)
- Dog Mountain Loop (Columbia River)
- Day Hiking
- Successful
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- Road suitable for all vehicles
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We arrived a few minutes before 7:00 with very few cars in the parking lot of this very popular trail. The only permit required at this time is the NW Forest Pass. The traditional "very difficult" trail was in great condition, and the Augspurger trail is good but could use some trimming. The wide forested stretch has a smooth, pleasant surface with abundant poison oak on both sides below 2,000'. Out of the woods the trail becomes rocky and rutted in places, so you have to watch your footing. Dog's notorious upper open slopes were graced with yellow Balsam Root flowers, most of which were on their last legs. However, several different wildflowers poked through here and there.
We agreed to change the venue from Mt. Defiance, across the way in Oregon, to Dog Mountain mainly because of a predicted very hot day in the Gorge.
Mt. Defiance view from Dog Mt., high point in center of photo:
Dog is about half the hiking distance and a little over half the elevation gain. All three of us spent a virtually sleepless night at Oregon's nearby Viento State Park campground the night before. It not only avoided a 3 to 4 hour early morning drive, but I had also hoped for us to be well rested to tackle Defiance. Unfortunately, the campground is tightly sandwiched between I-84 and railroad tracks. Note: freight trains rumble through what felt like every half hour through the night. Not to mention trucks and cars on the freeway. On a positive note, we heard not a peep from our camping neighbors.
Before dinner, we enjoyed a scenic windless stroll along the nearby Columbia River beach. The water level was quite low:
We began our hike at 7:10 in the cool of the morning. As we approached Dog's summit, a growing army of mosquitoes and other little flying things quickly chased us away. Fortunately, no rattlesnakes found us. On the way up we did have peek-a-boo views of the tops of Mts. Hood and St. Helens.
Our route included the Dog/Augspurger loop, and overall it was a nice, uncrowded hike on a beautiful clear day in an area that is seldom visited by groups of Mountaineers. My two companions had never hiked the Dog, and they enjoyed the scenery and experience. My last hike of it was over 20 years ago, but it was still a treat! Our hiking time was 4.5 hours including breaks, just under 8 miles, and 2,800' gain.
