General info: At the base of Mt. Hood just below Ski Bowl ski resort there is an access trails called Mirror Lake. This opens up to a huge bowl with varied terrain from rollers to huge cliff bands. There used to be upfront access to this trail head but for some reason ODOT has closed parking off 26 and you now have to park in Government Camp or Ski Bowl to access this trail. It sees a pretty good amount of traffic during the winter and has a well traveled trail leading to the frozen lake.
Type of trip: Day trips are easy for this area. It is only a few miles in from the road so an early start is not needed but it can never hurt. If you get caught having to trek back in the dark the trail can get a bit tricky on the switch backs.
Gear needed: A good pair of snow shoes of AT Skiing set up is best to get in. It is an uphill climb on the way in but a nice downhill ride all the way out. Trekking poles are always a good idea but crampons or an ice axe is not needed. This is at a lower elevation so conditions are more mild than higher up on Hood but it is always a good idea to bring an Avalanche gear you have or maps, headlamp, compass, ect.
