BCEP 2022: Team 10 Hike - Angels Rest

Activity Notes

This will involve an "Alpine Start" (AKA fully packing the day before and getting up in the middle of the night to be at trailhead in the gorge well before sunrise)

We will meet at the Angels Rest trailhead, put our packs and helmets and starting hiking in the dark, by headlight.  We will start hiking at 4:00 AM

You will need a headlight and a back-up light. (no, your phone does not count as a backup light).  If you don't own one, please let the leaders know ASAP.  Please check your headlight works at home and replace the batteries and bring an extra set of either AA or AAA batteries as needed. You will need to clip your headlight to your helmet at home because it's very hard to do in the dark!

Here's a video showing how to do it:  https://youtu.be/kN4qYa2-7p8

Depending on the conditions and student-needs, we may do some skills along the way or on the way down.  This is a wonderful opportunity for everyone to experience what it feels like to start in the middle of the night, and hike on snowy or muddy trails in the dark.

Plan to bring lots of easy to eat snacks you can have in your pockets or in an easy to reach part of your pack as we will not be stopping for any long breaks to eat.  This is going to be a slow steady climb with practice eating as we hike.

Boots, 10 essentials, and warm clothes will be needed.  (see gear list)

A thermos of warm liquid is nice (but not required), same with a pack of chemical hand warmers since it will be a cold night.

Please bring a chair and leave it in your car for our debrief and breakfast in the parking lot. We may cook and eat at the trailhead or we may move to either the overflow lot or to Multnomah Falls lot to cook.

The official event starts and ends at the parking lot.  Breakfast is us gathering as friends to share a meal, and share stories. Check out the breakfast sign-up list

Peter has made an incredibly generous and selfless offer to stay behind with the vehicles to watch them so they don't get vandalized.  (Huge THANK YOU to Peter!)

Hike description:  The trail starts in thick forest following rocky, rooty and dirt trails with a pretty even amount of elevation gain. There are a few small waterfalls which we will view on the way back, and a small creek crossing with a nice bridge. Past this first section, the trail becomes slightly more difficult with more loose rock and larger roots and becomes steeper. The final stretch moves through thin trails with thick bushes, with a few tricky sections on loose rocks. Finally, when the trail arrives at the ridge, we will go left toward the large rocky outcrops and more alpine-like vegetation. There are a few good viewpoints looking west and east, but the main viewpoint for Angel's Rest is found a few hundred feet more to the north. We will hopefully be here for sunrise!

Map:  Look in this google drive folder for the Angel Devil's Rest map

Distance 4.8 miles

Elevation gain 1500 feet

From Portland- Eastbound I-84: Take exit 28/Bridal Veil. Go uphill on Bridal Veil Road. At the stop sign, turn right onto the Historic Columbia River Highway. The trailhead and parking lot are immediately on the right.

Westbound I-84: Take exit 35/Ainsworth State Park. Follow the Historic Columbia River Highway 7.1 miles to the trailhead and parking area on the right.