Cape Horn — Thursday, Mar. 11, 2021

The WTA description leaves out a critical element of this hike.  The loop hike is only available from July through January.  Every year a segment about 3/4 of the way around is closed for nesting peregrines from early February through the first part of summer.  This should be in the description as it happens every year.  We didn’t discover this until a we got nearly to the top and a returning hiker told us the loop was closed.   That said, it was a pleasant hike through still-bare big leaf maples and alders and a good trail.  The tiny wildflowers like snow queen are just coming out.   Lots of larkspur leafing out and there will be wildflowers soon.Lovely vistas both south over the gorge and north to the mountains.  It was disappointing though to get to the second viewpoint (about 3 miles in) and find a road and  parking area right by Nancy’s viewpoint.  Hiking is  all about the process, but it takes the wind out of your sails to have climbed 1000’ and find cars there.  Unless you want mileage, I’d recommend spring hikers just go to the first viewpoint and return.  You get to see all the vistas and get about 800’ of gain in prox 3miles round trip.