Angora Hiking Club

A double loop hike is offered - hike the Kwis Kwis Trail in one direction and return on the Fort to Sea Trail for a total distance of 7.3 miles and an elevation gain of 1125 feet . . . see Map

Some may prefer a shorter hike - just one loop for a total 4.2 miles (3.6 miles if you take the Connector).

Meet in the parking lot on Marine Drive between 2nd & 3rd Streets in Astoria at 9:00 a.m. or in the RV/overflow parking lot at the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center at 9:30 a.m. If you have one, please bring a National Park entry pass and let Craig know that you have one with you (1 Pass admits 4).

7.90 miles, 4 hours 46 minutes, 1,051 feet elevation gain
16 hikers + 2 goats . . . 2 hiked only the first loop

3.68 miles, 1 hours 59 minutes, 47 feet elevation gain

5.64 miles, 3 hours 53 minutes, 714 feet elevation gain

Thursday – Dory and Craig arrived early and hiked the Canyon Trail including the Double Falls spur as far as Winter Falls, hiked out of the canyon and returned to the parking lot via the Rim Trail.

5.94 miles, 4 hours 52 minutes, 785 feet elevation gain

Friday – Ten hikers walked behind South Falls, then after about one mile down 186 steps and behind Lower South Falls. Upon reaching Maple Ridge Trail, Jess Champers and Kathy Liebowitz returned to her car. Eight continued on passing Lower North Falls, Double Falls, Drake Falls, stopping at the base of Middle North Falls where four hikers walked down and behind the falls. Upon reaching Winter Trail, Arline LaMear, Susan Bowe, Linda Thompson and her daughter Michal hiked out of the canyon returning via the Rim Trail to the parking lot. Dory Lukas, Craig Holt, Bill Herold, and Alicia Crockett continued on past Twin Falls and behind North Falls whereupon Alicia left to bring a car back while the remaining three hiked to Upper North Falls. Alicia arrived back with Bryce driving her car and we all rode back to the parking lot.

Jan Fryer, her cousin Roberta and friend Jay from Saint Helens formed another hiking group. Jen Oderkirk drove her car to visit four falls. Bryce Holt had an injured ankle, so he rode his bicycle on the many paved bike paths in the park.

1.43 miles, 53 minutes, 132 feet elevation gain

Saturday – Before going home, Arline LaMear, Susan Bowe, Linda Thompson, Jess Champers, Bill Herold, Dory Lukas, and Craig Holt drove to the North Falls Trailhead, walked down the 77 steps to North Falls, spent time in the cavernous cutout behind the waterfall looking down at the canyon below, watched the never ending water fall, listened to the roar, then returned to the trailhead and on to Upper North Falls. Concluding such a wonderful outing, everyone drove home with plenty of time for Mother's Day.

The Angora Hiking Club has been summiting Saddle Mountain for over 100 years, even before there was a trail. This is a beautiful hike with a profusion of wildflowers and breathtaking views. The trail length is about 5 miles with 1650 feet of elevation gain. The hike is rated 5C the table included in “10. Guidelines for Hikers” found here.

See this link for more information on the Saddle Mt hike.

Linda Thompson, Marilyn deFreese, John Bannan, Rich Duval, and Craig Holt met in Astoria. Rich volunteered to drive and so we all piled in. John Markham meet us at Arcadia Beach, whereupon Mary Allen and Debbie & David Gray arrived making eight hikers. John walked us down to the beach and said to look for his American flag. The beach is very wide and the sand solid and easy to walk on. The tide was very low enabling us to walk around Hug Point. When we got down to John’s house there was NO FLAG! We carefully compared a picture of John’s house sent in a recent email to what we thought might be his house and walked on up. When we came near the door to his house, John came out with his flag in hand. He had been on the phone for 20 minutes.

John has a telescoping flag pole - one never seen before by the author. John is seen here attaching the flag.

After a leisurely lunch on lawn furniture outside John’s house, we all headed back - at times walking eight abreast! The tide had come in, so we walked over the roadway blasted out at the base of Hug Point over 100 years ago. If you missed this wonderful hike, we’ll do it again next year.

  6¼ miles, 3¾ hours
  92 feet elevation gain

1.62 miles, 1 hour 20 minutes, 173 feet elevation gain

Port of Ilwaco Bus Stop - Howerton & Pearl Avenues

8.32 miles, 3 hours 31 minutes, 290 feet elevation gain

This year we will ride a MAX light rail train into Portland from Hillsboro to start the 4T trail hike. Get off of HWY 26 at North Plains (exit 57) and take Glencoe Road south which becomes N 1st Ave in downtown Hillsboro. Upon crossing the MAX tracks, theres’s a parking structure — enter under the yellow sign and drive up to the 3rd level for free Park-n-Ride parking. Take the elevator down, cross the street to the MAX station and buy a full day ticket. An empty train will be waiting. Get off the train at the Washington Park station in the tunnel and ride the elevator 256 feet to the surface and the hike begins.

Going past the zoo entrance, we walk down a new sidewalk, over Hwy 26 and up, up, and up to Council Crest, then down Marquam and Shadyside trails to the Marquam Shelter to eat lunch, then up Connor Trail to OHSU. The OHSU Tram ride costs $8.50 round trip, so we’ll ride the Tram down and back up again, then walk down following the MAP shown here. Fare for the Tram is paid by tapping a card with a chip and then using the QR code on the ticket to open an entrance gate. Once again at the lower Tram station we'll walk across the Tilikum Crossing Bridge and board a trolley running clockwide to board a Blue MAX train going to Hillsboro a block beyond the Multnomah County Library. Then home again.

5 hours 40 minutes, 7.28 miles, elevation gain 850 feet.

Name the nine bridges over the Willamette River.