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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 6 Submit your own review 
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! 
Reviewed by ams37 on 7/2/2008 I've been meaning to do this for a year now, so I can scratch it off my list. That being said, never doing it again. Just not worth it for the dull struggle up to the top and the equally long, much harder descent down a sketchily marked trail. I could've done St Helens again in the amount of time it took (7 hours, evenly split) and would have enjoyed it much more. Bring poles, and boots for the descent. The view at the top was hazy from fires, so I can't recommend that either. I'd do the Larch mtn trail instead for scenic beauty and toughness.
Reviewed by Jason on 5/13/2008 Still lots of snow but Mt Defiance Trail is in good shape. Did not do the loop for fear of loosing the trail by going down Starvation Ridge, but I am told that the loop is the way to go. My dog and I managed to get up in 2 hours and 20 minutes. One warning, lots of random footprints going all over the place, seems like alot of people getting lost and doing zigzags to find the trail. Just stick to the Pink and Yellow flags and head S to go up.
Reviewed by David on 4/6/2008 Tried to hike this on a beautiful day in Early April without forethought and got about six miles into it before I had to turn back due to snow up to my knees. I could have kept going but the dogs were getting stuck. Amazing views, wonderful solitude. Difficult hike, but will be back again later on after the thaw!
Reviewed by DGF on 9/30/2007 9/29/2007 A friend of mine hiked Difiance in June in about 7 hours. I made the mistake of saying I could do the hike in 3. I started out at an easy jog and then the climb started. This is truely a challenge at any level of physical fitness. Those in better shape can gage their fitness by timing their ascent and descent. The falls are beautiful but I found myself focusing on the trail and the occasional scenry through the trees. I summited in just under 2 hours (1:56:39). I felt good having fueled my body with gel packets and water. The descent is extremely tough on the quads and feet. I rerached the parking lot with a up and back time of 3:06:01 and in pain. Not bad for a guy who will be 50 in February and 198 lbs.
Reviewed by G. Cole on 9/9/2007 Hiked up Mt. Defiance Trail, circled summit for a great view north of Mt. Adams, Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier. To the south, gorgeous Mt. Hood! Fabulous day with unbelievable visibility. Did find some folks at the summit that had driven up the road with young kids doing what they do (noisy). Had a quick lunch, then down past Warren Lake (great campground) on Starvation Creek trail back to the car. Knees and thighs a bit sore the day after, but not bad for a 53 year old. Made it in a bit under 8 hours. 
Reviewed by Den K on 8/27/2007 This is a fantastic climb. i went in the early august and i took the starvation ridge trail up&down to save time. Very hard - for fitness/survivalists only. I went on a "normal" cloudy day to maximize my energy. uphill fog currents around the boulder chute were surreal :) i did this as practice for mt. hood before doing any research. after the research i am pleasantly surprised that by comparison hood is like a long walk in the park. i took frequent rests on starvation ridge but still my knee hurt before the cut-off trail. i was halfway ded for 2 days afterwards from comprehensive pain. good thing i stockt vickies from before. bring sturdy hiking boots with cushy insoles. avoid descending on starvation ridge if u know the other path. 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 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||