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Portland Heights

Even though the forecast was for rain, I decided to take a four-mile out-and-back hike to Council Crest. At 1,071 feet it is the highest point in the City.

By the way, as I learned long ago, if you wait for a sunny day to begin a hike in the Portland area, you won’t do much hiking.

Southwest Urban Trail no. 6 to the Marquam Trail was the first leg of the hike, marked by a colorful totem pole. This was the end of the easy first mile on paved streets and stair steps.

Then it was up and onward for the second mile to the top of Council Crest on on a mostly secluded trail.

There were pretty domestic flowers and wildflowers in bloom. And, for the third time in a couple of weeks I spotted a coyote. I also heard an owl far up into a tree along the Marquam Trail. Sorry to say, neither the coyote nor the owl wanted to pose for photographs.

After arriving at the summit, it began to rain in earnest. This prompted me to quickly finish the loop hike.

Some of the evergreens along the Marquam Trail are over five feet in diameter and there are a few nursery stumps along the Trail too

Thimbleberry and Wild Rose

Roses

Pansy and Iris