Green Point Mountain Summit Hike: A True Columbia River Gorge Challenge

By John CarrJune 9, 2025 ( 1 )

Up, Up and Away

What is 39,000 steps, 18 miles, 5,000 feet of elevation gain, 11 1/2 hours in duration and 88° at the trailhead at 7:00 p.m. And the answer is – – – – – One really tough hike!!!!!!!!!

On an early Monday morning in the aughts I was at the Wyeth Campground, the Trailhead for the Wyeth Trail. It is located a few miles east of Cascade Locks in the Columbia River Gorge. The temperature was already in the low 70°’s, heading for the mid-90°’s. (As an aside, it would reach 92° in Portland, setting an all-time record of ten days in a row of temperatures over 90°.) I drank over one-half gallon of fluids on the hike and still lost a few pounds.

The first one-half mile of the Wyeth Trail was relatively flat, eventually crossing Harphan Creek. The next two miles stayed underneath a mature forest (mainly Douglas fir), gaining over 2,000 feet in a a series of very steep switchbacks. After crossing a small stream the Trail began an even steeper ascent of a relatively open ridge, gaining 800 feet in one-half mile. The next mile gained 1,000 feet in nine switchbacks to the rim of the Harphan Creek Headwall.

Indian Point, 2,500′ above the trailhead

Lodgepole Pine cone (notice the seal of pitch that requires
fire or heat to release the seeds)

Green Point Mountain

Now it was only a one mile easy descent to North Lake. I took a short break and enjoyed the views across the Lake. Returning to the Wyeth Trail, I headed south looking for the Rainy Lake Trail. I somehow missed it and ended up taking an unintended three-mile detour. (Yes, it happens to the best of us.)

Seven hundred feet above Rainy Lake was the 4,700 feet summit of Green Point Mountain, my next objective. One mile later I reached the top, took off my daypack, unlaced my boots, broke out a snack and took a nice, long break.

The views included Mt. Hood, Mt. Adams, Mount Defiance (the only point in the Gorge higher than Green Point Mountain) and Rainy Lake. To make a partial loop out of the hike, I headed north on the ridge top for three miles on a little-used bypass trail (challenging my route-finding abilities) before rejoining the Wyeth Trail four miles from the Trailhead.

From there it was all downhill – – – very steep downhill! By the time I reached the Wyeth Campground, my muscles and feet were pretty sore. This was a trek I chalked up as a good conditioning hike, but not one to do again on a hot day.