On Tuesday afternoon, December 2, I hiked from Mazama up the Spokane Gulch trail to Sagebrush Lookout or Outlook. I repeated this trip on December 3, but continued on to the top of Flagg Mountain (4009 ft). The weather was similar on both days-- cold, especially close to the valley floor and higher up. However, the sky and clouds were vastly different creating a wonderful contrast and nicely illustrating the variable moods of the mountains. With day-light so low in intensity and short in duration, we need things to enhance the hiking experience.
For today's hike, I stopped at the Mazama store and got one of their hot breakfast sandwiches, already heated and wrapped in an Al-foil/paper wrap, which I placed in one of those Amazon blue foil-insulated shipping bags. Then walked across the meadow using the road mostly buried in a mix of ice and 2 inches of snow. Crossed the loop road, followed it left for about 100 feet and gained the Spokane Gulch trail. There is virtually no snow or ice as long as you are with 100 to 150 vertical feet of the valley floor and under the canopy of trees. As you come out of the forest, there are ice and/or snow covered sections, but these soon end (I should note that for both days, I did have any cables or microspikes on either low top hiking shoes [day 1] or mountaineering boots [day 2]. There were not many other hikers although there was evidence of others wearing spikes or cables). Then for the rest of the way, except for shady places, there was no significant ice or snow.
Soon after reaching Sagebrush Lookout or Outlook for the second time, I started up again on the Flagg Mountain trail, the ice and snow cover increased, but again I did not need spikes, etc. The trail to Flagg is very obvious, both via arrows on trees, and the obvious tread, often follows a well-used game trail. This trails merges with the unplowed road that is then followed to the top of Flagg Mountain. There is some old hard snow or ice and then 4 plus inches of relatively new snow on the road. No obstacles in ascent and a very pleasant descent, buffered by snow or by lots of needles on a relatively firm tread.
At the top, I enjoyed a very warm breakfast sandwich.
After reaching the valley floor, I crossed the meadow again and I returned to the Mazama store and bought a fresh baked item that was more suited for dessert, which I naturally evoked and then consumed. It made for a wonderful end to a nice hike.
Final: Until it really snows, snowshoes are clearly NOT NEEDED.
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