Backcountry

The drive to experience the “backcountry” is what pushes many of us into the woods. Sometimes “backcountry” refers to a specific place, such as the Mt. Margaret Backcountry. More often, the term is used to describe land that is remote, hard to access, or is little impacted by humans. Thus, adventurers speak of heading out to the backcountry, a somewhat mystical place where nature carries on unobstructed by human intervention, where grand vistas and idyllic scenes tease the senses, and where the toll for entry is enduring miles of trail and rugged topography.

The Siouxon Creek Valley is one of the few roadless areas in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest. The creek itself flows from east to west just a bit south of the Swift Reservoir. It flows through forests of huge trees and is surrounded by steep ridgelines and bluffs. Though the Siouxon valley itself is unique in its roadlessness, the plentiful ridges and valleys of the greater Siouxon area are every bit as lush, steep, and beautiful. As a bonus, this high, fertile area also happens to be home to one of the best hiking destinations in the southern Gifford Pinchot.

The Mitchell Peak trail is a short, well-maintained footpath that leads to a rocky alpine viewpoint that is flanked by gorgeous, high altitude meadows. Because of its dubious honor of being included in Portland area hiking guides, Mitchell Peak used to see high numbers of summertime hikers. That has changed. A recent private land sale near Mitchell has resulted in the loss of road access to the peak’s trailhead. At first glance, it would appear that Mitchell Peak, along with its surrounding ridges, viewpoints, meadows, and creeks, is now off limits. In reality, however, what was lost wasn’t so much the easy road access to Mitchell Peak, but the cars, hunters, and swarms of day hikers that the open road allowed. Today, the newly minted Mitchell Peak Backcountry is a paradise for the solitude-seeking explorer.

The trail access for this new backcountry begins from the Huffman Peak 129 trail. The 129 trail is an east-west running ridge trail that links Siouxon and Huffman Peaks and also ties into the Siouxon Creek 130 trail system. The North Siouxon Creek trail, number 126, meanders throughout the Mitchell Peak area, providing a link between the Mitchell Peak trail, North Siouxon Creek trail, and Huffman Peak trail. Now that the road to the old Mitchell Peak trailhead is closed, the 126 trail is the primary access into the Mitchell Peak area.

The 126 trail connects into the Huffman Peak trail at two points. Just west of Huffman Peak, and again just west of Siouxon Peak. At both of these intersections, the 126 trail leads north, and downhill, from the Siouxon/Huffman ridge. If you follow the 126 trail from either of these intersections, the trail will follow old logging roads that meander around small peaks and valleys, eventually tying into the Mitchell Peak trail from the southeast. Using the most current topographical map of the area is a must to navigate these roads.

The 126 trail access into the Mitchell Peak Backcountry is a mix of well established trails, old, decaying foot paths, and old, overgrown road beds. Like most backcountry routes, it is rugged, difficult, and requires land navigation skills. Any route into Mitchell Peak will include steep, trail-less slopes, creek crossings, and a lack of cell phone coverage. Consider yourself warned.

The reward from persevering through brambles, creek crossings, and the long miles is having Mitchell Peak, and it’s surrounding nooks and crannies, all to yourself. It is difficult to describe the subtle, yet significantly different, feel of a viewpoint washed clean from the usual crowd of hikers. The panorama is exactly the same, but the purified experience is worth the work of the difficult hike. If you have the skills, and are up for the effort, give the Cascade’s newest backcountry a try. You’ll be glad you did.