Wind Mountain was windy, imagine that!

A prominent and unique feature rising up in Washington across the Columbia, visible when driving on I-84, the Mountain is carved out of an intrusion into the Columbia River Basalts making up the landscape of the gorge, sticking out like a pyramid covered in broken rocks, isolated from the surrounding area. The trail gains almost 1200 feet over almost a mile and a quarter from the trailhead on the north side of the mountain. The top is a culturally significant area to the indigenous people of the area, where rock pits are visible that were part of spirit quest ceremonies, so it is important to stay on the trail at the summit and not wander down into the area. I arrived before the sunrise, and while the mountain blocked me from the winds on the ascent, once I got to the peak, the ripping winds of the freezing morning required me to dip back into the woods every few minutes while I waited to see the sun rise out over the gorge. A quick and rewarding hike.