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WILDWOOD TRAIL TO
PITTOCK MANSION

June 1, 2003

The Coon Family Hiking Club
Official Hike #4

6.3 miles - 2 hours 54 minutes

Once again, for our fourth Coon Family Hiking Club outing, because I was still on call, we chose a hike that was entirely within the city limits of Portland, where my pager could be reached.

We wanted to get up to the Pittock Mansion fairly quickly, in order to give us some time when we got there to tour the mansion and the gift shop. So, we took a couple of short cut paths to hold the walk on the way up to only 2.5 miles. On the way back, we stayed on the Wildwood trail all the way, which took 3.8 miles.

Here we are on highway 26, which runs, in the westerly direction that we are heading, all the way to the Oregon coast, and in the oposite direction, right up over the shoulder of Mt. Hood. We had just come out of the tunnel, that goes from the downtown side of the West Hills to the western side. Going up this hill, just around the corner, is the exit for the Oregon Zoo, which we took. Once we got to the zoo parking lot, we were hunting around for a spot to park. The lot was pretty full, but when we got away from the zoo entrance, there was a section of the parking lot that was wide open. Right across the street from that area was the entrance to the trail. So, we got a very good parking spot for where we were headed.


My lovely Dotti is standing behind the sign that marks the beginning of the nearly 30 mile long Wildwood Trail. We very much want to hike the entire trail in time. One of our future goals, when we are in better shape, is to start early one morning, and walk the entire trail in one day. Of course that will take two cars, so we will not have to make the return hike on the same day. We are not quite ready for that yet.

Here's Al standing in the same spot. The more I have read about this trail, the more I grow to like it. I think this trail and the CFHC are going to be seeing a lot more of each other.


Al standing at the start of the Wildwood Trail, near the entrance to the Portland Zoo.


This is the standard map of the Wildwood Trail that is posted at many locations along the trail. We are beginning our walk at the far left of the green shaded area of this map.


The first few feet of the Wildwood Trail. It starts off wondering through a grassy park before heading into the trees.


A small stand of trees early on.


Heading into some trees.


This picture was taken by Dotti. She decided to bring her camera this time too, and she got some good shots! (She had her Date Stamp on, so her pictures are easy to spot. Unfortunately the date was one day off. We did the walk on 6/1/03 not 6/2/03.)


Still in the park area near the zoo.


Dotti with her walking stick. The bright sunlight is illuminating the background greenery.


This is on the Holly Trail, one of the shortcut trails that we used to get up to the Pittock Mansion quicker. There are a large number of side trails through this area. They are named for the predominate tree type along the trail.


Here is the sign for the Holly Trail. Most trail intersection points had signs clearly marking which trail went in which direction. There were a couple of places where the signs had been lost, and we had to guess. Fortunately, we guessed right each time and made it to our destination without having to backtrack.


Dotti standing on the Holly Trail. The two guys walking in the background were deep into a religious discussion as they passed us.


The trail curved through the trees, this way and that. Every few feet a new photo opportunity presented itself.


Dotti really liked this purple trees.


Curving through the trees again.


This is our last shortcut trail. The Redwood Trail passed through a large stand of redwood trees, on its way to joining up with the Wildwood Trail.


The surrounding greenery is growing thicker.


Along the Redwood Trail.


I thought that this tree, which was different than the ones in this area was interesting.


Dotti took this one of Al standing in the shade of the trees.


When we started out on our hike, I never expected to see Giant Sequoias!


Looking up at one of the giants.


A stand of Redwoods along the Redwood Trail.


Dotti's camera captured the red hue of the trees better.


The trail bending between the redwoods.


Here's Al checking a his camera to see how the last shot came out.


Dotti captures a redwood.


Isn't she pretty? Here's Dotti on the trail with her walking stick.


We finally connect back up with the Wildwood Trail. We have cut off 1.3 miles of the walk by taking shortcuts up to this point.


The Redwood Trail lies to my back as I took this picture. The Wildwood Trail does a U-Turn here, with the left path heading for the Pittock Mansion and the right path leads back to the zoo. (When we came back from the Mansion, instead of going on the Redwood trail we continued on the Wildwood Trail up the right side of this picture. ) I actually took two pictures at this point, and liked the trail in one, and Dotti's pose in the other. So, I cut her out of one and pasted her into the other to make this picture. Since my angle and distance were the same for both shots, the edit was nearly seamless.


Dotti captures Al crossing the bridge.


The bridge leads us on the Wildwood Trail, into the forest. From this point on we did not take many pictures. The terrain was nearly identical with what we walked on the day before. (See MacLeay Trail Hike #3.)

We had pretty well drained our batteries and filled up our memory devices taking pictures at the mansion, so we did not take pictures on the route back. Since the terrain was quite similar to the walk the day before we felt that was not too big a loss. We also walked 3.8 miles on the return trip, after our 2.5 miles up and spending time wondering the grounds and going up and down the stairs of the three stories of the mansion. After our 5.5 mile hike the day before, we felt that we were doing well to just make the walk back.


Here is Al on the ground of the Pittock Mansion, checking the time it took us to walk up. (The time was 1 hour and 30 minutes.)


Al, writing our time and distance (2.5 miles) down in his "Journal Lite." The Pittock Mansion is in the background. Click on the picture, of the mansion on the left, to take you to the Pittock Mansion Photos.





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