There was no good reason to do this, but it was one of the best things I’ve done.
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The #MtHood Picnic, or the #Hoodnic: Start at Hood River, Oregon. Swim .9 miles across the Columbia River, then swim back. Bike 35 miles with ski gear to Mt. Hood and hike 6 miles to the 11,250 foot summit. Ski, walk, and bike back to the Columbia.
After a 2015 attempt thwarted by a delusional route choice, I went back in June 2020 to take advantage of fewer barges on the river and fewer semis on the road. I took the normal ‘Pearly Gates’ route on Hood. Success. My first ski picnic took 31 hours.
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Picnics are tests of hydration, packing, and calm. I seem to be cursing or chuckling the whole way. In the GoPro recap above, I hesitated to include the embarrassing double ejection, but it’s good to be reminded of the jackassery that can ensue when you let your guard down on a big, ultra-tiring day.
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IMO, fully completing this picnic would mean swimming back and forth across the Columbia both before AND after the Mt. Hood ascent/descent. (One-way swims are too short and a logistical quagmire if you’re solo.) If I’d tried to swim again after everything else, I’d have ended up in the Cascade Locks or as sturgeon bait. I’m satisfied with my double crossing, but think how epic a double-double Hoodnic would be.
There’s always room for improvement in picnicking.