WHY IT’S GREAT Twenty-five years ago, the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area gave federal protection to nearly 300,000 acres of tumbling waterfalls, mossy canyons, and sun-soaked plateaus on both sides of the Columbia. The top of Mount Defiance—at 4,959 feet, the Gorge’s highest point—provides the perfect place to appreciate that decision’s wisdom. Viewpoints along the switchbacking path include Mounts St. Helens, Rainier, and Adams, as well as the Gorge’s Dog Mountain and Wind Mountain, and what seems like the entire 85-mile length of the National Scenic Area. A hiker must earn this visual bounty, however—the summit trail catapults nearly a vertical mile. High-alpine meadows fringed with glacier lily, shooting stars, buttercups, and, at the mountain’s crest, whopper views of Mount Hood provide some distraction during the long march. Even if you can’t stomach Defiance’s climb, take heart: the slightly more moderate Starvation Ridge Trail breaches a hive of waterfalls, any one of which provides an ideal setting for a 25th anniversary party.
DON’T FORGET Portland’s Friends of the Columbia River Gorge routinely lead both member-exclusive and public hikes, as well as annual stewardship events, throughout the Gorge scenic area. gorgefriends.org
POST-HIKE WATERING HOLE The Waucoma Club Set inside the former Waucoma Hotel, erected in 1904, the Waucoma Club’s long, mahogany-toned bar boasts 15 microbrews on tap and fresh-squeezed cocktails. Order grilled flatbread and hummus, organic burgers, and saucy pork sliders while you wait for the band to start. 207 Cascade Ave, Hood River; 541-387-2583; waucomaclub.com
TRAILHEAD DIRECTIONS From Portland, head east 52 miles on Interstate 84 to exit 55 for Starvation Creek State Park. The trailhead is located directly off the highway. No parking pass required.
Published: June 2011
This hike is terrible. Its both unrelentingly steep and boring. If you like the grueling punishment of other hikes but would rather forgo scenery, ad nauseum. Oh, and at the top is an unscenic tower, reachable by a dirt road. You hike above the great gorge views, and are surrounded by ugly man made structures. As a fan of aggressive steep hikes, I object soundly to this being recommened as anything other than a mistake to never be repeated, or a training grounds for higher peaks akin to training for running by doing laps around a track.
If you want a great hike, do Munra point. Its wildly steep but its geography changes and over half of the hike has phenomenal views of the gorge. It gains almost 2,000 feet, so if you must have 5k do it 2.5×. If Munra is too steep turn around, you’ve still hiked something far more worthy than defiance.
Or drive elsewhere in the gorge and do another cool hike. But don’t do defiance. Please. You’ve been warned.