resume going uphill. At 1.7 miles is another unsigned junction. You go straight again and soon notice a change in your surroundings. The lower-elevation forest thins rapidly and is replaced with brushy clearings and a scattering of perky higher-elevation Pacific silver firs. Views to the south of Oregon’s Larch Mountain and Mount Hood become more frequent. Another sign that you are gaining elevation is the presence of beargrass, a local harbinger of the 3000-foot elevation line.
The rocky trail continues going uphill, often rather steeply, as it makes its way up the west side of Silver Star Mountain’s southern ridge. Here the terrain becomes extremely scenic, as the trail crosses huge open slopes of talus fields, grasses, and scattered wildflowers. The views are superb and unobstructed. Most noteworthy are the colorful open slopes of Silver Star Mountain to the north and the ridge containing Pyramid Rock to the west. Bring binoculars to scan the open slopes in this area for deer, elk, and maybe even a black bear. The trail remains rocky but becomes less steep as it rounds the head of an impressive high basin.
About 0.15 mile before the trail tops a side ridge coming in from the southwest, you face a choice. To reach the top of Silver Star Mountain, go straight, climb over the ridge, and soon intersect the trail coming up from Grouse Vista. Follow this route to the top (see Trip 10 for a description). Early-season hikers, however, will discover that even though the trail to this point has been free of snow, much of the rest of the way to the top remains snowbound until early June.
If you prefer to explore a different and less snowy route, veer left (slightly downhill) and make a short scramble on game paths down to a long-abandoned jeep trail. This wildly scenic route cuts across the southeast face of a ridge traversing an open slope carpeted with beargrass. In early to mid-June of favorable years the beargrass puts on a wonderful display of tall white blossoms. After about 0.8 mile the trail loops around the base of craggy Pyramid Rock and then cuts through a saddle in the ridge to an unsigned junction with the trail coming up from Grouse Vista.
To make a loop out of this hike, turn left, descend 1 mile on the steep, rocky trail to Grouse Vista, and then walk 3.3 miles down Road W 1200 to your car.
TRIP 12 Snass Creek Loop
| Distance | 4.8 miles, Semiloop | |
| Elevation Gain | 1200 feet | |
| Hiking Time | 2 to 3 hours | |
| Optional Map | Green Trails Lookout Mountain (part of route not shown) | |
| Usually Open | Mid-March to November | |
| Best Times | April and May | |
| Trail Use | Dogs OK | |
| Agency | Mount Adams Ranger District, Gifford Pinchot National Forest | |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
HIGHLIGHTS The Snass Creek Trail is something of an outcast. The trail is not connected to any of the more popular hiking routes in the Silver Star Mountain area. The trailhead is hard to find. And once you find it, there is no convenient place to park. It’s not surprising then that this trail sees very few visitors. So why go? Well, the forest is attractive, the solitude is inspiring, and you gain unusual views of some of the least known but most impressive summits in southwest Washington. If those aren’t reasons enough, then you probably shouldn’t be reading a hiking guidebook at all.
DIRECTIONS From the intersection of State Highways 502 and 503 in downtown Battleground, drive 5.7 miles north on Highway 503. Turn right on N.E. Rock Creek Road, which soon becomes Lucia Falls Road, and proceed 8.6 miles to a junction. Turn right on Sunset Falls Road and drive 7.4 miles to a junction at the entrance to Sunset Campground. Turn right on gravel Forest Road 41 and almost immediately cross a bridge to an unsigned junction where you go left. Proceed exactly 1.0 mile, and then look for a small sign on a tree on the left saying Summit Spring Trail. There is no room to park at the trailhead, so drive another 0.1 mile to a sharp turn in the road where there is room for 2 or 3 cars to park.
Walk back down the road to the trailhead, and follow the path as it descends briefly to cross a seasonal creek. From here the trail contours for 0.15 mile to a bridgeless crossing of somewhat larger and permanently flowing Snass Creek. The vegetation in this area is quite lush and attractive, with a profusion of ferns and mosses clinging to a canopy of second-growth western hemlocks, red alders, and Douglas firs.
After crossing Snass Creek the trail pulls away from the water, climbing rapidly to the top of a wide, forested ridge. This area features an incredible abundance of Oregon grape, which covers the forest floor with yellow blossoms in the latter part of April. The trail sticks with the ridgetop making an unrelenting but rarely steep ascent. Loggers have selectively thinned the forests here, allowing in more light and letting the remaining trees grow more rapidly.
At 0.9 mile the trail crosses a closed dirt road. If you make the recommended loop, you will hike back along this road—make a careful note of this unsigned crossing so you can relocate the path on the way back. To find the next segment of trail, turn right on the road, walk about 20 yards, and pick up the trail as it angles uphill to the left. From here the trail remains relatively level for about 0.2 mile before resuming its uphill direction. Since this trail receives only irregular maintenance the path is faint in places, but the proper course is always easy to determine.
At just short of 2 miles the trail levels out again along an old road that has been abandoned for so many decades it is now barely recognizable. At 2.2 miles you come to the indistinct top of a small side ridge where there is an unsigned and easy-to-miss junction. The main trail goes right, on its way to a remote logging road. A better option is to turn left (downhill) on a rather obscure trail that winds down to the top of a very old clear-cut. This old logging scar is now filled with perky little Pacific silver fir trees. The opening provides an excellent view to the north of an impressive grouping of peaks known as the Tatoosh Hills as well as a rock pinnacle atop Saturday Rock.
To complete the recommended loop continue downhill on the sketchy route, sometimes on overgrown trail and sometimes on an old logging skid road. The path is not difficult to follow, but it is often brushy, so hikers should wear long pants. About 0.6 mile from where it left the main trail, this route intersects the closed dirt road you crossed earlier in the hike. Turn left and make a pleasant, mostly downhill 1.1-mile walk back to the Snass Creek Trail. Turn right and return to your car.
TRIP 13 North Silver Star Mountain Loop
| Distance | 5.0 miles, Loop | |
| Elevation Gain | 1700 feet | |
| Hiking Time | 3 hours | |
| Optional Map | Green Trails Lookout Mountain, Bridal Veil (some trails not shown) | |
| Usually Open |
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