Beacon Rock and Hamilton Mountain Hikes

After Thanksgiving, we were looking for a good way to burn off all those wonderful calories we had consumed.  The Sunday forecast called for clear skies and no rain, so we decided to take advantage of some local hiking trails.  Driving east for an hour, we ventured into the Columbia River Gorge, home of the two elements needed to create great waterfalls:  rapid elevation change and lots of freshwater streams/rivers.  The Ice Age did us a nice favor by creating sheer rock faces, while the pioneers did us another favor by carving some of the best hiking trails in the country.  We crossed the Columbia River using the $1 toll bridge, a method much more convenient than Lewis and Clark's, to land ourselves in the neighboring state of Washington. 

We did a quick morning hike up to the top of Beacon Rock.  It was worth leaving the house before the sun had risen to be the first and only people on the trail.  As we finished the hike, the parking lot was beginning to fill.  Yes, the early bird got his worm today.

Emily at the base of Beacon Rock

early morning foggy view of the Columbia River from atop Beacon Rock

After our morning hike, we decided to treat ourselves to a Sunday Brunch....uh, OK, I guess we aren't gonna work off those holiday meals afterall  :)  An item on Emily's "30 things to do while 30" list was to have brunch at the Skamania Lodge.  I gotta say, with a spread including crab, clams, shrimp, salmon, herring, glazed ham, carved prime rib, and all the usual brunch items (omlets made to order, waffles, etc), this place should be on everyone's bucket list.  Yum!  In keeping the Thanskgiving feasting alive a little longer, we got our money's worth at the brunch.  In addition to a great meal, the lodge has spectacular views; we were especially lucky to see the sun burning off the morning fog right before our eyes.

the sun cleared up the view of the Gorge during our brunch at Skamania Lodge

After lunch, we decided to make another attempt at working off the food.  We hiked 8 miles RT and 2400 ft elevation gain to the top of Hamilton Mountain.  The first few miles of the hike rewarded us with many waterfalls, for which this region is popular, while the latter portion of the hike provided stellar views of the Gorge from up high.

The rainy week prior resulted in waterfalls which were flowing with their full might with an almost deafening roar as the water surged down the rocky cliffs.  After leaving the waterfall area, one notices how quiet the forest can truly be, and the respite it provides from the hustle of daily life.  Places like this become my sanctuary after working in a 24 X 7 job with my Blackberry ringing at all hours of the night.

It's very valuable to be able to find something as pristine and natural as this, yet only 1 hour drive from home.

view of Bonneville Dam (major source of green electricity for the Portland Area) from atop Hamilton Mountain

at the summit of Hamilton Mountain with Mt Hood peaking over the horizon (left side by clouds)

We finished the hike just before dark.  Looking back, it was an ideal day: spending a lot of time with my wife (which can sometimes be rare due to my demanding work and her hectic work/school), enjoying the outdoors, getting 5+ hours of exercise, and eating great food.  Despite only being one day and only driving one hour from home, I felt as if I had just taken a full vacation!