Wildcat Mountain

Hiking Wildcat Mountain wasn't quite what we expected.  The directions we found on Portland Hiker's Guide were a bit out of date and we got a bit off track. (Where it says 9.4 miles, it should be clear that it's measuring from Firwood Road and Wildcat Mountain Drive, not from the beginning of the forest road.  It mentions "a second unmarked turn 100 yards from the first junction", but there is no junction here because one road has been decommissioned.  The road ends and the option to travel further up a "deeply rutted road" to the quarry is gone since this road has also been decommissioned.)  The old quarry where the hike begins is full of trash,  shotgun shells, and the remains of objects used for target practice in defiance of signs proclaiming that shooting is illegal here. Along the trail we found pine drops, which are usually 6-8" tall, but these were closer to 3 feet tall. Whew! Everywhere huckleberries were ripe and mushrooms were beginning to bulge out of the ground in anticipation of the upcoming fall mushroom season. When we finally reached the summit of Wildcat Mountain, we found things have  changed significantly from its former days as a fire lookout site.  The trees have grown tall, and the summit is choked with rhododendrons.  A faint path could be discerned leading to a spot with a view, but we had to carefully pick our way through the bushes.  On the way back, we spotted what we assume is a geocache of many objects attached to a snag. It can only be seen from the trail if you are looking downhill towards the trailhead, so we missed it on the way up.  In the quarry, Jasper caught a beautiful little fence lizard. We don't often see lizards and this really made our day!

Shotgun shells.

This sign has taken a lot of abuse.

Photo by Jasper.

Bird's nest fungi on a pinecone.  Photo by Jasper.

Queen Anne's lace.  Photo by Jasper. 

Jasper holds the fence lizard.

The top of the giant, towering pine drops.

Bird's nest fungi.

Scouler's harebell.

Huckleberries.

Sickletop lousewort. 

Fireweed.

Pearly everlasting.

Mt. Hood from Wildcat Mountain.

Pine drops of a more usual size. 

The geocache (?).

View from the top of the quarry.

Foxglove.