Timberline Trail Devastation Above Muddy Fork

The section of Mt Hoods Timberline Trail that rises from the Muddy Fork crossing and wraps around the lower section of Yocum Ridge on the way to Ramona Falls went through large, shaded old-growth forest, a section of the trail gently hugging the contours of the slope with little steepness despite some wavering in elevation.

Everything is changed now, after the intense wind event that occurred over Labor Day Weekend in September 2020. Knowing there were some significant impacts, I trekked out in early October to see the damage, these photos are from then. Since then more damage has occurred from winter storms. From Muddy Fork going towards Yocum Ridge, the devastation is nearly complete, it seems like sections where you can still walk upright without logs to avoid is the exception.

The old-growth forest has been dropped, nearly completely in some sections, and the result feels more like a landslide or a bomb went off than windfall. In all my years of trail work and hiking, I’ve never seen a section so completely devastated.

Much of the tread has been ripped out when entire root systems peeled away from the hillside, and in some areas, logs stack 15 feet up like piles of toothpicks. There are many, many trees greater than 30 inches toppled down.

At some points I was on top of trees on top of trees on top of trees, many-body lengths above the actual ground, channeling my inner squirrel to make the way. It’s going to take some significant and highly technical work to safely clean up this mess and rebuild the tread. The damage is far beyond your typical blowdown across the trail that can be easily navigated around.

The majority of the damage to the Timberline Trail (dark blue) is concentrated along the slope below Yocum Ridge leading down to the Muddy Fork. There is also a large section of devastated forest below the trail north up Bald Mountain, on the slopes of the McGee Creek Drainage that does not impact travel.

Bring the Slider all the way to the left to see imagery of the trail before the windstorms and then drag the Slider all the way right to reveal the damage afterward. Note the visible change all along the Timberline Trail south of the Muddy Fork. The elimination of green old-growth forest is replaced with vast extents of downed trees.

This is ESA satellite imagery from June 1, 2021, blended with USFS Topo Maps. Note the extent of snow still in the area and the extensive damage, even more than the previous imagery from the Fall. There appears a landslide where material has flowed from the base of the large section of blowdown the trail crosses.

There have already been two Search and Rescue operations rescuing hikers from this section performed by Portland Mountain Rescue and Clackamas County Search and Rescue.

The work to clear this is going to be incredibly technical, dangerous, and take a long time. For all of 2021 backpackers, and likely far beyond, hikers, backpackers, and runners would do well to avoid the nearly 2 miles of complete devastation. There are easy detour options on trails that remove the danger to hikers and the search and rescue crews that would be rescuing them in the event of an easily avoidable accident.

To avoid the destroyed section of the Timberline Trail (Red) from the Top Spur Trail-PCT-Timberline Junction on the west side of Bald Mountain, follow the PCT (yellow) south, rejoining the Timberline Trail (blue) close to the Sandy River crossing. Alternatively, the Ramona Falls trail (orange) can be followed which runs along the lovely creek coming down from the falls.

Note that there is also significant blow down on Timberline Trail on the north side of Bald Mountain. This section is easily avoided by utilizing the Timberline Trail Cut-Off Trail which ensures hikers will encounter the iconic scenic views of Mt Hood from the south side of Bald Mountain, no matter what direction they are hiking. From here be sure to look across the Muddy Fork Valley and notice the decimated hillside where the trail was.