Tilly Jane

On the Northeast side of Mt Hood, lies the A Frame hut Tilly Jane. To get there, one must hike or ski tour 3 miles up the slopes of Mt Hood through a burned forest. A relatively mellow grade, and a popular trail, the beauty of the Tilly Jane trail is not in the solitude, but in the resiliency of a forest decimated by fire. In the summer, wildflowers abound, and in the winter, the contrast of the black, burned trees and the powder white snow is a treat for the senses.

Some days, it is eerily quiet as you pass through the burned forest. And skinning through the forest makes one feel like they are in a graveyard. But other days, the wind howls over the ridgeline, almost blowing you off your feet. On those days, you are reminded that you are a tiny human, and you cannot control the mountain.

Regardless, being in a burned forest on the side of a volcano reminds us that although humans control many things on Earth, we cannot control nature. And being in the presence of such devastation can be very humbling and beautiful.