Bennett Pass Snowshoe

This Trails Club of Oregon snowshoe hike, with 11 participants, started at the Bennett Pass Sno-park on the southeast side of Mount Hood on Oregon Highway 35, elevation 4,674 ft. In this year of deep snowpack, the first challenge was scaling the bank around the sno-park. We could hear the blasting for avalanche control across the highway at Mount Hood Meadows Ski Area and enjoyed great views of the mountain cloaked in deep snow. Once on the snow, we set off cross country up and over Bennett Ridge and down the other side, breaking trail the entire way and using caution around potential tree wells. Our route took us through mature and old growth forest, crossed several old logging roads, and eventually taking us to a viewpoint (4,950 ft.) overlooking the White River valley, with Bonney Butte visible on the left. Clouds to the south obscured the view of Mount Jefferson. We lingered over lunch in the sun, so welcome after the many days of rain in January, then returned the way we had come for a total distance of about 5 miles. We followed Portland snowshoe tradition and stopped at the Elusive Trout in Sandy for soup on the way back to town.