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 Reporter |
Summary: The easy start to this hike may confuse those who heard “this is the hardest hike in the Gorge” but do not fret, as you turn towards the uphill section of this hike they will soon forget the beautiful waterfalls and noisy traffic along the interstate. This trail is considered by many as a harder climb than if you were to summit Mt. hood. I have been told by some that climbers of Mt. Hood regularly use this as a training trail. I would agree it fits the bill for a long slow uphill workout. Once you reach the 4100ft. mark you get a breathtaking view to the north of the Cascade Range, the Columbia Gorge, and all the smaller hills that dot the horizon. The rest of the trail is in the trees and offers little to do but scan the trail ahead. The trail intersects with the Starvation Ridge trail just West of Warren Lake, a popular return route. Once on top you have an unobstructed view of Mt Hood to the South. Trailhead: To find the trailhead you must follow I-84 to exit 55 the Starvation Creek State Park rest area. If you are coming westbound there is no exit and you have to go past to the Cascade locks exit and backtrack. Once at the parking lot the trail begins by taking you along the shoulder of I-84 (behind a fence) for almost a mile before the uphill begins. Along this first mile is where you will see waterfalls and creeks. Do not be fooled by this easy beginning, as once the trail turns uphill it climbs relentlessly. (Lat:45.68843 Lon:-121.69026) Trail Guides for Mt. Defiance Trail-Columbia Gorge: Hiking the Columbia River Gorge by Russ Schneider (Falcon Guide) 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon by William L. Sullivan (Navillus Press) Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Ranger Contact: Hood River Ranger Station 6780 Highway 35 Mt. hood-Parkdale, OR (541) 352-6002 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Drew Furnia, who has posted 23 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 7 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by RT on 9/15/2009 Just wanted to hike did not know what we were getting into, but. We hiked on a crystal clear day and the views were awesome. Relentless uphill after the first half hour and last 45 minutes as you top out. People mentioned the distraction of the atenena aray on top but there are still plenty of spots for awsome viewing. 
Reviewed by John on 9/9/2009 My son (Age 11) and I did this hike on 26 August. The weather was perfect with very few people. The trail provides lots of overhead trees cover which made it nice and cool. We begin the hike by taking the Starvation Ridge Trail up and returned down the Mount Defiance Trail. We left around 8:00 AM and returned back to the parking lot around 4:00 PM. It was almost an even split 3 hours and 45 minutes up and back, plus 30 minutes for lunch at the top). View from the top was AMAZING!!! I would highly recommend trekking poles and good boots. I will definitely do this hike again in the near future.
Reviewed by Butzi on 7/28/2009 Back Packed in 7/25/09, Destination Bear Lake.Great weather ,very few people , nice trail.Veiw from the top is amazing , just need to imagine the radio towers not being there.Bear Lake is definitely worth the extra mileage , we camped overnight and didn't see a soul.We headed back down to starvation sunday , I would recommened trekking poles for the descent , it is hard on the knees and toes if your packing weight.Great Hike!!
Reviewed by johnny utah on 6/21/2009 Climbed on 6/21/09. All the snow has melted and there is a clear trail all the way to the top. 
Reviewed by Mike on 4/30/2009 Sorry that this isn't a review, but I was wondering (about Phil's hike up Mt. Defiance) if any technical equipment was needed? Crampons or Ice Axe. If this is inappropriate, where could I get this kind of info? Thanks again
Reviewed by Phil on 4/19/2009 Back again to Defiance, this time in April, and doing a loop ascending thru Starvation ridge using 414b aka cut-off trail to starvation ridge, reaching Warren Lake and then the summit,descending on Defiance trail. Snow started around 2500 feet, getting deeper with altitude - more than 2 feet at 4k, and probably about 9 feet on the summit, as we were able to sit atop the buildings. Not many markings on Starvation - good thing we had two guys trailing ahead. Pretty confusing descending, as the pink flags get sparse after a while, and there are way too many foot prints going everywhere. We did have great views after warren lake - Helen,Adam and Rainier were in sight. On the summit, Hood was the main star, and Jefferson could be barely see
Reviewed by Phil on 7/28/2008 Took Defiance Trail to the top and loop thru Warren Lake and Starvation Ridge trail 414B(?) - the hard one :) Great conditioning trail, but actually I believe the climb thru 414B - Starvation Ridge trail connector B - meaning, making a left at the fork, IS the way to go up, if you really looking for a good workout - it will make the hike up on Defiance trail look easy.( I do not recommend descending using 414B) Great views from all the big four - Helen, Rainier, Adam and Hood - too many clouds to see Jefferson (?)... Too bad some people can't just enjoy the views without chatting way too loud. Great job for the three guys trying to beat the ascending record without knowing the exact time to beat.
Reviewed by Donny K. on 7/17/2008 Really liked the hike. I thought the view of the four major peaks from the top were awesome. When you go up Defiance trail, make sure you hit the great side trek that over looks Bear Lake as you near the top. Real toe burn out Starvation! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Oregon Hiking, Oregon Trails, Oregon Hikes, Hood River County Hiking, Hood River County Trails, Hood River County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||