Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

When it’s peak wildflower season in the Columbia River Gorge, you can’t afford be picky about the weather. However the mid-spring bloom lines up with your schedule tends to dictate when you go – rain or shine.

This week the flowers are still in peak bloom at Dog Mountain, perhaps the most iconic and best-loved wildflower hike in the gorge. On Monday, the event came as a shroud of gray mist fell over the region, enshrouding the trail in an eerie fog that added a whole other dimension to the adventure.

READ MORE: 10 iconic wildflower hikes in the Columbia River Gorge

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Hikers packed the small trailhead parking lot Monday morning (a possible result of new permitting to hike on weekends), huffing and puffing their way up the notoriously steep and endless switchbacks. As the trail climbed for three miles up the 3,000-foot mountain, the mist got denser and denser, hanging in the lush, moss-covered forest.



By the time the trail emerged into meadows bursting with flowers – steep slopes covered in a carpet of yellow – the mist had almost entirely obscured views of the Columbia River below.

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

The juxtaposition between yellow balsamroot flowers and gray mist was eerie indeed, as were the few tall, wind-blown trees that stood darkly on the side of the mountain. Hikers stopped to bundle up near the summit, donning windbreakers in the damp and chilly air. It was impossible to see much farther than 50 yards in either direction, the rocky trail leading off into the clouds.

As beautiful as Dog Mountain can be in the sun, as iconic as the photos are of those fields of yellow flowers against a sunny blue sky, there’s something special about its dark side as well. Hiking those steep slopes in the misty days of spring is a visceral experience you won’t soon forget.

You can go for the wildflowers or Columbia River views, but Dog Mountain always seems to radiate a sense of power, even when it’s completely socked in with mist.

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

DOG MOUNTAIN HIKE

Distance: 6 miles

Elevation gain: 2,800 feet

Difficulty: Difficult

Amenities: Parking lot, vault toilet near trailhead



NOTE: Dog Mountain now requires permits to hike on Saturdays and Sundays between April 20 and June 16. Permits are $1 and can be purchased online or on the shuttle to the trailhead from nearby Stevenson. A permit does not guarantee a place to park.



The Dog Mountain hike begins at the Dog Mountain Trailhead, found off the side of Washington State Route 14 east of Stevenson. The trailhead gets crowded quickly, so consider taking the shuttle bus from the Skamania County Fairgrounds, which runs on weekends during peak season.



The trail is fairly straightforward, though there are a few junctions leading to looping side trails off the main path to the summit. Head uphill from the trailhead past the vault toilet and hike up the steep switchbacks that begin the tough hike.

At the first junction is a sign that offers a “difficult” path to the right and a “more difficult” path to the left. The paths are about the same length, though the “difficult” trail does lead to a lower wildflower meadow and a good view of the river, which might be ideal for hikers unable to make it to the summit.

When the two paths meet again, the trail heads steeply uphill, soon after emerging into the grassy slopes of the mountain’s higher reaches. This is where wildflowers will bloom resplendently in late spring.

From the flat, rocky viewpoint, stay left to stay on the main trail, which continues to climb through the meadows. Stay left at the final junction to reach an open spot to rest at the summit, enjoying views of the gorge and Cascade Mountains on a clear day.

SEE MORE PHOTOS BELOW

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

Don't Edit

--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB