Trip Stats: 8:36 miles, 4 hours 20 minutes, 3058 ft vertical
Arrived around noon to a full parking lot, with overflow cars parked 1/2 a mile away in both directions. Luckily a number of folks were just finishing up, and it was short 10 minute wait for a spot. This is a fee area - a National Forest Pass or equivalent, or you can scan the QR code at the trailhead and pay thru your phone at Recreation.gov ($5).
Headed up Dog Mountain trail, taking the "difficult" instead of "more difficult" route at the first junction (hey... it's early season and more adventures await this weekend). The trail passes thru a couple of different climatic zones, from dry (and beautiful) Oak forest, to more traditional PNW Douglas Fir forest. Soon, you are above treeline surrounded by a flower explosion. Mt Hook starts to loom about the mountain range above the Oregon side of The Gorge. The Balsamroot is definitely fading (Thursday's rain likely did not help), but that means more Paint Brush and Lupine. We bushwhacked a bit at the top thinking views of Mt St Helens would open up... instead there was a lot of mud, and just peak-a-boo views.
Took the Augspurger Trail down. It was quite muddy and overgrown (was that poison oak?!) for a significant section, and not as many flowers as Dog Mountain, but this combination makes for a nice loop, and the Oak forest was especially nice near the bottom.
Finished up the afternoon at Walking Man Brewery in Stevenson - nice spot with lots of outdoor seating.
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