Cape Horn — Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014

Southwest Washington > Columbia River Gorge - WA

How this trail has changed since my first visit in 2010! My first foray up the upper trail was a muddy, steep affair. Now, turnpikes and switchbacks have made quite a difference on the hike up to the viewpoints at the top of Cape Horn. I am very appreciative of the many work parties that took place on this trail, and I have watched in admiration from a distance, so it was a thrill to see the upper trail "tamed" so to speak. The parking area was full at noon. This trail certainly is popular, and we saw lots of fellow hikers out today. We started with an ascent of the upper trail and took a counterclockwise loop. Pacific banana slugs were out and so were lancetooth snails--it was a banner day for molluscs. There were even a few European brown slugs crawling around. Fleabanes and pearly everlasting are in bloom but past their prime. Bigleaf maple leaves are falling, giving the trail some color. Mushrooms abound, especially Russula and Lepiota species. It was cloudy, but the rains stayed away, and there were excellent views of the Gorge, all the way to Beacon Rock. The trail is in good condition. There is one blowdown on the lower trail, which required ducking under or climbing over. Signage is clear. Some spots are slightly muddy or slippery, but there are no puddles or mudholes. Our circuit took 5 hours, including breaks for lunch and too many photos.