A six mile hike
---- McIntyre Ridge
on Wildcat Mountain ----
Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Click Here to See Pictures of Prior Hikes

This shows where this hike was located.
We turned off of Hwy 224 near Estacada and then drove quite a way on Wildcat Mt. Rd. However, it was all paved.

The interesting thing is that we drove to the trailhead via Estacada, but the hike location was relatively near Highway 26. Apparently getting there from Hwy 26 would have been shorter, but it would not have been as scenic a drive.

At the trailhead our leader, Alan, assembled the group and gave instructions.

We were happy to see this sign.

I hope that the people with guns can read !!

The trail was nice, but steep in some places

We did stop for water breaks and to chat.

Finally at the top, the group stopped to enjoy the view.

From the top,, we could see Mt. Hood in all its glory.

(unfortunately, my little camera does not do justice to the view.)

This Photo by Cathy, gives you some idea of the beautiful view of Mt. Hood.

A couple of the hikers

There were lots of flowers.
Here are some of them

Bear Grass
Also called: bear grass, squaw grass, soap grass, quip-quip
(Xerophyllum tenax)

We crossed several meadows filled with Bear Grass.

However, only a few of the Bear Grass plants were blooming. Bear Grass is a perennial, but a Bear Grass plant does not bloom every year.

Bear Grass was used by Native Americans who wove it into baskets. Its fibrous leaves, which turn from green to white as they dry, are tough, durable, and easily dyed and manipulated into tight waterproof weaves.

Bear Grass is important with respect to fire ecology. It has rhizomes which survive fire. The plant thrives with periodic burns and is often the first plant to sprout in a scorched area. (from Widipedia)

The forest was filled with Rhododendron plants.

A few of them where still in bloom.

For something different:
Here are pictures to identify flowers from the leaves of the plant

The leaves of the Bear Grass plant are easy to identify. They are long and narrow and in a clump.

The leaves of the Bead Lily are also quite distinctive.

They are long, dark green and Basal

A wind flower looks somewhat similar to a Bead Lily.

But look at the Wind Flowers leaves. There are four of them on the stem.

compare these leaves to the leaves of the Bead Lily above.

The leaves of the inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra) are very distinctive.

They are often described as having the shape of a duck's foot.

Bunchberry - also called creeping dogwood
(Cornus canadensis) has very distinctive leaves.

Here you see the four distinctive leaves of this plant.

But let us look at the leaves when the plant is flowering.

Note that the flowering plant has six leaves

In contrast to the four leaves of the Bunchberry, the lovely Trillium has three leaves.

The leaves of the Twin Flower (Linnaea boreali) are evergreen. There are leaves that are opposite each other that are rounded and oval.

Finally, we have Indian Pipes (Monotropa uniflora)

This plant has no leaves and no chlorophyll. It obtains it food as a parasite.

Note: most Indian pipes are pure white; however, some species are yellow or red.

Some have suggested that this is a Pine Sap (Monotropa hypopithys)
It it noted that a Pine sap has a redish stipe and it is Monotropic (that is, all the flowers point one way)

Do offer some comments: Message will go to Joan and Elmer
Type your message in the box below and include your name

Put your name here.................

If you care to see more images
Click on a thumbnail below to enlarge the image

z_map to trailhead	z_map shows McIntyre Ridge	z_map shows Firwood intersction	z_map show NF36 and trailhead	z_map big
z_map hwy 224 and Wildcat Mt Dr	z_map big area view	V_Mt_Hood_254	V_Mt._hood_267	V_Mt Hood_252
sign_316	sign_315	p_Joan_253	p_Joan_251	p_Joan_250
p_Joan_249	P_Elmer_268	group_on_trail_300	group_on_trail_299	group_on_trail_248
group_on_trail_237	group_on_trail_236	group_on_trail_235	group_on_top_259	group_on_top_257
group_on_top_256	group_on_top_255	group_arrive_234	group_arrive_233	group_arrive_232
group 0n trail _243	group 0n trail _242	f_U1_287	f_U1_286	f_U1_285
f_U1_284	f_U1_241	f_U1_240	f_U1_239	f_U1_238
f_twin_320	f_twin_319	f_twin_318	f_twin_317	f_rhododendron_308
f_rhododendron_307	f_rhododendron_306	f_rhododendron_305	f_rhododendron_304	f_rhododendron_303
f_rhododendron_302	f_rhododendron_301	f_leaves_trillium_298	f_leaves_trillium_297	f_leaves_trillium_292
f_leaves_trillium_291	f_leaves_inside_out_283	f_leaves_inside_out_282	f_leaves_inside_out_281	f_leaves_bunch_berries_312
f_leaves_bunch_berries_311	f_leaves_bunch_berries_310	f_leaves_bunch_berries_309	f_leaves_Bunch_berries_289	f_leaves_Bunch_berries_288
f_bunch_berries_314	f_bunch_berries_313	f_Bunch_berries_296	f_Bunch_berries_295	f_Bunch_berries_294
f_Bunch_berries_293	f_bear_grass_leaves_276	f_bear_grass_leaves_275	f_bear_grass_leaves_274	f_bear_grass_leaves_273
f_bear_grass_leaves_272	f_bear_grass_Field_280	f_bear_grass_Field_279	f_bear_grass_Field_278	f_Bear_grass_290
f_bead_Lily _247	f_bead_Lily _246	f_bead_Lily _245	f+bear_grass_266	f+bear_grass_265
f+bear_grass_264	f+bear_grass_263	f+bear_grass_262	f+bear_grass_261	f+bear_grass_260
f_wind_flower_333	f_wind_flower_332	f_wind_flower_331	f_wind_flower_330	f_wind_flower_329
f_wind_flower_328	f_wind_flower_327	f_wind_flower_326	f_wind_flower_325	f_inside_out_324
f_inside_out_323	f_inside_out_322	f_inside_out_321

Photos by Cathy

WM by Cathy 069	WM by Cathy 068	WM by Cathy 051	WM by Cathy 038	WM by Cathy 017
WM by Cathy 015	WM by Cathy 003

Directions to Trailhead:
1) Take I205 and exit going east on OR212/OR224 toward Estacada.
2) From fork where 224 goes toward Estacada measure 11 miles.
3) Take left turn at the Wildcat Mt. /Eagle Fern Intersection
4) Drive 6 miles on Wildcat Mt. Road to the intersection with Firnwood Dr.
5) Continue ahead on paved road for 13 miles -- go past gate at forest boundry.
6) park at messy parking lot and walk on dirt road for 0.3 miles to trailhead.

A six mile hike ---- McIntyre Ridge on Wildcat Mountain ---- Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Click Here to See Pictures of Prior Hikes

At the trailhead our leader, Alan, assembled the group and gave instructions.

We were happy to see this sign. I hope that the people with guns can read !!

The trail was nice, but steep in some places

We did stop for water breaks and to chat.

Finally at the top, the group stopped to enjoy the view.

From the top,, we could see Mt. Hood in all its glory. (unfortunately, my little camera does not do justice to the view.)

This Photo by Cathy, gives you some idea of the beautiful view of Mt. Hood.

A couple of the hikers

There were lots of flowers. Here are some of them

The forest was filled with Rhododendron plants. A few of them where still in bloom.

For something different: Here are pictures to identify flowers from the leaves of the plant

The leaves of the Bear Grass plant are easy to identify. They are long and narrow and in a clump.

The leaves of the Bead Lily are also quite distinctive. They are long, dark green and Basal

A wind flower looks somewhat similar to a Bead Lily. But look at the Wind Flowers leaves. There are four of them on the stem. compare these leaves to the leaves of the Bead Lily above.

The leaves of the inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra) are very distinctive. They are often described as having the shape of a duck's foot.

Bunchberry - also called creeping dogwood (Cornus canadensis) has very distinctive leaves. Here you see the four distinctive leaves of this plant.

But let us look at the leaves when the plant is flowering. Note that the flowering plant has six leaves

In contrast to the four leaves of the Bunchberry, the lovely Trillium has three leaves.

The leaves of the Twin Flower (Linnaea boreali) are evergreen. There are leaves that are opposite each other that are rounded and oval.

Do offer some comments: Message will go to Joan and Elmer Type your message in the box below and include your name

If you care to see more images Click on a thumbnail below to enlarge the image

Photos by Cathy

A six mile hike
---- McIntyre Ridge
on Wildcat Mountain ----
Tuesday, July 8, 2014

We were happy to see this sign.

I hope that the people with guns can read !!

From the top,, we could see Mt. Hood in all its glory.

(unfortunately, my little camera does not do justice to the view.)

There were lots of flowers.
Here are some of them

The forest was filled with Rhododendron plants.

A few of them where still in bloom.

For something different:
Here are pictures to identify flowers from the leaves of the plant

The leaves of the Bead Lily are also quite distinctive.

They are long, dark green and Basal

A wind flower looks somewhat similar to a Bead Lily.

But look at the Wind Flowers leaves. There are four of them on the stem.

compare these leaves to the leaves of the Bead Lily above.

The leaves of the inside-out flower (Vancouveria hexandra) are very distinctive.

They are often described as having the shape of a duck's foot.

Bunchberry - also called creeping dogwood
(Cornus canadensis) has very distinctive leaves.

Here you see the four distinctive leaves of this plant.

But let us look at the leaves when the plant is flowering.

Note that the flowering plant has six leaves

Do offer some comments: Message will go to Joan and Elmer
Type your message in the box below and include your name

If you care to see more images
Click on a thumbnail below to enlarge the image