Frog Lake and Frog Lake Buttes Snow Hike

Katie and I went hiking together today around Frog Lake. We started from Frog Lake SnoPark, which is about 7 miles Southeast of Government Camp off Hwy 26. Our plan was to take it easy and just hike a couple miles around the lake due to my leg and knee injury from snowmobiling last month. The weather forecast called for another calm, unseasonably warm sunny day up on the mountain.

It was cold in Portland this morning, about 24°F, but in the mid 30's in the shaded Frog Lake Sno-Park. We arrived a bit after 9:30 to a half- full parking lot. There were a few dog sled teams, a few groups of snowmobilers, and lots of hikers & slowshoers (I mean snowshoers). I was happy to see one large group got it right and had about a dozen people outfitted in Kahtoola MICROspikes® instead of snowshoes. The conditions the past week have made the snow well-packed on all the popular trails, negating the need for snowshoes. But MICROspikes® are very handy for these conditions.

   

We made it the short distance to Frog Lake in no time (less than a mile). The trail had been recently groomed by the Mount Hood Snowmobile Club. There was an eerie fog around the perimeter of the frozen lake. It appeared many snowmobilers have had fun riding across the lake, evident by all the tracks. We decided to walk right across the middle of the lake to the boat ramp on the Southwest end where we had a great view of Mount Hood. From there we walked back around the West side of the lake on the groomed snowmobile trail.

   

   

After walking around Frog Lake (~1.75 miles) and scouting a nearby sledding hill for a place to camp on a later trip this winter, I suggested to Katie we hike up to Frog Lake Buttes where we were sure to have great views on such a beautiful sunny day. I forgot how far it was exactly to the top, but I told Katie it was only about a mile or so. My leg and knee were feeling warmed up and great, so I was eager for a more challenging hike. She agreed and up we went! The trail was groomed, so the walking was fairly easy. We had a great view of Mt Jefferson about half way up. As we continued our climb we both knew it was going to be way more than a mile to the top. Katie started calling me an "over-optimistic distance estimator".

   

As I was determined to push my leg to the limits, we eventually made it to the top in about 1 hour and 15 minutes. As it turns out, it is about 3 miles from the Sno-Park to Frog Lake Buttes. So much for my 1 mile estimate! I guess my memory is going with my old age. It is a little less than a 1,400' elevation gain from the Sno-Park. I was thrilled to have made it with practically no pain in my leg. The temperature had warmed up into the low 50's and we enjoyed lunch with a spectacular view of Mt Hood. We could see Timberline Lodge and the Magic Mile and Palmer chairlifts.

   

The hike back down was a little more difficult for me (not for Katie of course!). I had been worrying about that on the way up, but knew I would make it work. The medial meniscus tear in my left knee means I don't have as much shock absorption as normal and I could definitely feel it going down. I'll have to look for future hikes that only go up! All joking aside, Katie and I had a wonderful day in the snow. We ended up logging 7.5 miles total, twice what I dreamed I could do at this stage in my rehabilitation. Seeing all the snowmobiles in the area really made me want to get back on my sled, but I am still waiting on parts to fix it. Maybe next weekend Katie and I will come out and ride 2-up on our snowmobile that isn't wrecked. That will be better than not riding at all.

Gear List

Osprey Variant 37 Pack
Deuter Futura 32 Pack
Komperdell Powerlock Trekking Poles
Kahtoola MICROspikes®
Hillsound Trail Crampons
Columbia Men’s Bugaboot Max Electric Boots
Merrell Women's Whiteout 8 Winter Boots
Outdoor Research TrailBreaker Pants
Mountain Hardwear Transition Jacket
GoLite Kenai Pertex 2.5L Jacket
Columbia Powerfly Down Puff Jacket
Columbia Sportswear Women's Alpine Alliance Parka
Head Digital Sport Liner Gloves
Columbia Men's Fast Trek Fleece Hat
HighGear ATF8 Altimeter
Petzl TIKKA XP 2 Headlamp
Olympus Tough TG-1 Camera
Lifeline Aluminum Sport Utility Snow Shovel
First Aid Kit
iPhone w/NeoTreksGPS
Suunto A-10 Compass