Location Summary:
- Country: USA
- City: Hood River
- State: OR
- Site Name: Bald Butte
- Type: Slope
- Skill: All
- Wind: West, Southwest, Northwest

- Access: The Entire Week Mon-Sun
- Landing Area Quality: Grass, good approaches
- Hazards in the area: Trees on back side, transmission lines (pretty far away).

Directions to the site:
Hwy 84 E of Portland to Hood River. Take Hwy 35 south to just north of the town of Mt Hood. Turn left on Pine Mountain Road. This is next to the lumber mill, but north of the ranger station. Take this road E, and then curve S. The map I have shows the trailhead near forest service road #640. The trailhead is just under the huge transmission lines. The top of the butte is a 3/4 mile uphill hike from here, but only 180' elevation gain. If you have a really good 4WD and a really small brain, you can drive to the top. The trail goes almost straight north, it is trail #688. The exact location is: N45° 32.157' W121° 31.936' (Map).
An alternative route, (the 1st one I took) is a 4-mile, 2000' elevation-gain hike from the bottom of the valley. For this you need to take plenty of water, some bug repellant, and sturdy shoes. Start south of the ranger station on Hwy 35, take Smullin road East, and find the trailhead for trail #688A. You will need a map for this hike.

Review of the site:
West wind. Excellent view of Mt Hood in the background. Nice little hike in. A great relaxing place to fly after a short hike in. Might work as well as the lumber site for slope races, and this is public land. The hike in is about the same length, but a little more elevation gain. I think it's well worth it.

This description was provided courtesy of Pat Chewning.