It's Friday. Pat yourself on the back for completing another week.

🎂 Happy early birthday to our member Leslie Petcher!

Today's newsletter is 824 words — a 3-minute read.

The McNeil Point trail packs misty forests, wildflowers and one of the best close-up views of Mount Hood into one demanding, but rewarding, day hike.

The big picture: McNeil Point is one of the most popular hikes on Mount Hood, and for good reason.

• The out-and-back trail gains more than 3,300 feet of elevation over roughly 10 miles, though there are ways to make it shorter for the adventurous.

Zoom in: I started the hike around 8am on a Saturday and the lot was already full with cars lining the dirt road leading to the Top Spur Trailhead.

• I climbed steadily for a little less than a mile before reaching the first junction. From there, I took the Pacific Crest Trail to the Timberline Trail along the south side of Bald Mountain. where you'll get your first stunning views of the mountain.

A few miles later you'll take a cutoff trail back to the main route up to McNeil Point.

• Numerous trails intersect here, so having a map or GPS is helpful.

Choose your own adventure: After another couple of miles meandering along the ridgeline, you'll be faced with a fork in the trail and a decision.

• Go right and you'll need to channel your inner mountain goat for a very steep scramble up loose rocks, shaving a couple of miles off the hike at the expense of your thighs.
• Go left and you'll take a longer jaunt through alpine meadows painted in wildflowers with glacier-fed streams crisscrossing your path.

Whichever way you choose, you'll end up at the McNeil Point shelter, one of nine stone structures built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.

• The views of the mountain here are unmatched. Take them in for a bit, or continue all the way to the end of the trail at Ho Rock before heading back down to the trailhead.

The bottom line: The Grasshopper fire on the east side of the mountain is still burning so be sure to check the air quality and for any trail closures before you go.

• And don't head to this trail if you're looking for solitude, especially on the weekends, but if you're willing to brave the crowds, the payoff is one of the best around.

Tell a hiker

The Thorns will honor an icon tonight with a pre-match ceremony to mark the retirement of Tobin Heath, one of the club's most impactful players.

The big picture: Heath helped Portland win two NWSL championships and was a key part of the U.S. Women's National Team during one of its most successful stretches.

• Heath signed a one-day contract with the Thorns to retire with the club where she played from 2013 to 2020.

By the numbers: Heath is Portland's all-time regular-season assists leader, with 24.

• In 73 matches with the Thorns, she made 66 starts and scored 13 goals.
• She also played in three FIFA World Cups, winning twice.
• She played in four Olympics, winning two gold medals and a bronze..

Heath was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame this year.

If you go: The Thorns will celebrate Heath's career Friday in a ceremony before the 5:45pm kickoff against the Denver Summit at Providence Park.

Tell a fan

👀 The former head of Portland's housing authority, Home Forward, is the subject of a state ethics investigation for allegedly using agency funds for more than $100,000 in travel over three years. (The Oregonian)

🍄 More than 20,000 people have used legal psilocybin services in Oregon since they were legalized in 2020, with a majority reporting fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression following treatment, according to a new study. (OPB)

💸 A city audit found Portland wasted about $650,000 in tax dollars on contractors who were hired to update the city's payroll systems, but couldn't complete the work due to security issues. (KATU)

🐦 One of Portland's most beloved traditions — the annual roosting of Vaux's swifts — is just weeks away, but which chimney the birds will choose to call home is anyone's guess. (KOIN)

If you love plant-based mazes but don't want to wait for October, head to Topaz Farm on Sauvie Island this weekend.

• The farm is offering a free chance to get lost in its sunflower fields, along with the usual offerings of u-cut flowers along with u-pick berries and tomatoes.
• You can also take a ride on a cow train or stick around for a farm-to-plate dinner under a 500-year-old Oak Tree.

If you go: The maze is open from 9am to 6pm tomorrow and Sunday at 17100 Northwest Sauvie Island Road.

• Find more details here.

🚗 Meira is driving — her least favorite activity in the world.

😴 Kale is doing maximum down time this weekend.

This newsletter was edited by Geoff Ziezulewicz.