Vancouver, WA

A mountain climber may prepare for a climb by going on a number of “conditioning hikes”. Traditionally a conditioning hike is characterized by being a) very steep, b) poorly maintained, c) soggy, d) lined with stinging nettle, e) very long, and finally f) when you reach the top there is no view. While there are many conditioning hikes to choose from in the Columbia River Gorge Mt. Hamilton is not among them. Savvy mountain climbers and day hikers alike will take advantage of this challenging climb and also enjoy waterfalls, wide trails and brilliant views along the way.

Looking for a way to burn 4,000 calories during the holidays I decided Mt. Hamilton was the way to go. My mom and sister joined me which meant that we took our sweet time leaving. We reached the trailhead by driving east on Highway 14 an easy 20 miles past Washougal. Beacon Rock loomed up on the right and we turned to the left into Beacon Rock State Park. The parking was free and fortunately the restroom facilities where still open for use. By the time we arrived it was obvious that the daylight wouldn’t last long enough to get to the summit and back. We decided to hike to the waterfalls and the first viewpoint, have lunch and then turn around (this means we probably didn’t burn 4,000 calories but it felt like it).

The trail gets right to the business of lifting you to its 2,400 foot summit. The first mile is a mix of up and down, though mostly up, and carried us to the Pool of Winds where we were refreshed by the sound and spray of the waterfall. Along the way we passed hikers of all ages enjoying the fresh air and more than one kid out breaking in new hiking boots. Crossing the footbridge we continued to climb another mile along a narrowing trail. We didn’t pass as many hikers and and those we did pass possessed good balance or carried walking sticks in each hand. After a series of short and steep switchbacks we arrived at the first sweeping view of the Columbia River. This was our stop. Carefully following a narrow foot path we lunched on a precipice and soaked in the scenery: Beacon Rock to the west and Boneville Dam to the east. It was spectacular. By our calculations we probably were little more than halfway through the hike but the trail had carried us close to the summit. Satisfied with the exercise, views and lunch it was time to get down before sundown.