Remember when the trail to the top of Mount Hood was basically a goat path?

I went up there again last summer and the whole final approach is a defined, maintained trail with switchbacks now. The Forest Service did a big reroute project in 2021 to cut down on erosion. Anyone else miss the old, scrabbly way up, or is the new route better for the mountain?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_evan1mo ago

Actually, the big reroute was finished in 2022, not 2021. I remember because I tried to go up that fall and the final section was still closed with signs everywhere. The new switchbacks are definitely easier on the mountain itself, but they do feel a bit like a sidewalk compared to the old scramble.

maryp184d ago

Funny how trails shape the crowd. That old scramble kept the casual day hikers away, but now the summit feels like a busy park on a nice weekend. More people means more trash and noise, which is its own kind of erosion.

webb.linda1mo ago

My buddy slipped on that old goat path and lost his favorite water bottle lol. He says the new trail is way safer but kinda boring.