We planned our visit to the Gorge before the crazy April snow event that hit the region. While we didn't find the famous expanses of balsamroot we had imagined, we did find a rewarding, challenging hike to wide Columbia and Cascade views.
Parking/People/Potty:
Obtained the "couple days before" permit and it seemed like they were mostly claimed, but both arriving and leaving it seemed like there was plenty of room in the parking lot. The two vault toilets just a short way up the trail were clean and in good order except that one was absent TP. The other was stocked though. Plenty of people on the trail but wouldn't say it was particularly crowded. At the trail split, we took the "more difficult" route and found we were the only ones headed uphill that way; passed just a few parties heading downhill there. Room for everyone present to spread out at the top.
Trail:
The trail was in good condition all the way up. A couple of step-over trees across the trail were also walk-aroundable depending on your preference. Snow melt in the higher parts of the mountain resulted in a few slightly muddy spots but still good tread the whole way along.
Snow:
Large snow patches could still be found above where the trees open up. For the most part these were off trail, but one partch did cross the trail just a couple switchbacks before the top. It was getting trampled and kicked around so I'm sure it'll be gone shortly. At the top, the lollipop route was covered completely in snow so that it was really only the one direction that you could go without tromping.
Fauna:
In the woods we were followed by a rattling raven for a few minutes. Ominous! Otherwise mostly small birds flitting.
Flora:
The big stretches of wildflowers were not there (yet?). However, we did get to enjoy little, secret signs of spring in the small shady corners of the forested portion of the trail. Small, isolated, delicate wildflowers presented themselves here and there. Tree foliage was still coming in as well with young, folded leaves. I loved the woods in this hike, they had minimal ground shrubbery so you could really see far between the trees and experience the depth of the forest.
Views:
It's the Gorge, so views start from the road and follow you up. We appreciated looking across the river to the falls on the Oregon side even from the parking lot. Heading up, you see more and more. By Puppy Point, I almost started to feel like I was seeing the eastern horizon curve. First the nearby Gorge mountains, then farther south Cascades and finally Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Hood, and Silver Star all come into view. From the top we enjoyed the view west downriver and it was fun to sit with lunch and a map and pick out the peaks around.
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