Day 1
Wednesday 8/23
10.8 miles

After arising at 4 am and going to work for a few hours, my son, Alex, and the lovely Rebecca agreed to drive me to Timberline Lodge for the price of gas and a nice lunch. I set forth at about 1:30 PM along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) northbound from the sign which says: "Canada 550/Mexico 2108." As I walked under the ski lifts and past the microwave tower, I was swarmed by clouds of butterflies. Squadrons of them buzzing the earth in intricate formations for no purpose I could deduce save the pure joy of flight. They definitely lightened the mood as I negotiated this familiar undulating landscape down into Sand Canyon and up, down into little Zig Zag Canyon and up, down into Zig Zag Canyon and up and then down into the trees and down, down, down the ridge between Rushing Water Creek and the Sandy River to their confluence at 10.8 miles. It was a cool day with clouds racing over the ridges only to be shredded by the mountain.

It was growing dark in the deep trees near the Sandy River when I stopped to hang my hammock at about 6:30 pm. There are two or three campsites just before the PCT's ford of the Sandy River. Pass up the first as it lacks access to water from the aptly named creek. Move on until the trail levels with the creek and you can camp with abundant flowing water. The Sandy's water is very silty and best avoided.

Day 2
Thursday 8/24
Sandy River to Salvation Springs
About 15 miles

I awoke early and was on the trail by 7:00 and across the Sandy a few minutes later. The Sandy ford can be treacherous and has been known to be lethal in flood, but it was no problem this morning. I crossed on two logs without so much as wet feet.

Shortly after the Sandy crossing, comes lacey Ramona Falls and time for a decision. Stock users on the PCT are told to detour around the PCT's Muddy Fork ford by taking one leg of the Ramona Falls loop and then ascending the Bald Mountain Trail. Hikers are encouraged to do likewise. I had a tough time in 2003 with the Muddy (fell while negotiating the tall, vertical bank and gashed my knee) and required little encouragement to take the detour which crosses the Muddy downstream from the PCT on a nice log bridge (separate ford for stock). Then it was up the rather sincere two-mile climb to the Bald Mountain summit where the Bald Mountain trail joins again with the PCT. I was passed here by a red-haired fellow I was later told was a thru-hiker. We exchanged greetings, but he was moving on. The junction is a bit confusing and attention must be paid. Trail 600 (Timberline Trail) and the Top Spur trail also join the PCT about here and it would be easy to choose the wrong one.

After the summit a fairly uneventful (nice views back to Mt. Hood at a few clearings), but mostly downhill hike took me to Lolo Pass Road where I had lunch and filtered water from a spring next to the paved road about 1/4 mile west of the trail toward the power lines. Somewhere along this stretch I was passed by a long stemmed female solo trail runner. I was later told by a couple of hikers who were reversing a variation on my route (uphill, oh my!) that she was also a thru-hiker running this particular section from road crossing to road crossing supported by her father who met her with water and goodies.

Unfortunately, much as I expected, Lolo Pass lacked a concession stand with chimichangas and salty margaritas so I had an energy bar and some gorp and headed off on the long stretch through the Bull Run Watershed where camping is or isn't prohibited depending on how you read the signs. Not far past the signed junction with a trail (not on my map) down to Lost Lake, I came to a sign on a tree which said Salvation Springs. i followed a short spur trail a few yards to the right of the trail to a trickling spring and an excellent campsite. I reconstituted my freeze dried gruel and retired early to my hammock after the longest and hardest day of the trip. Another hiker arrived as darkness fell and we exchange words through my rain fly, but saved a formal introduction for morning.

Day 3
Friday 8/25
Salvation Springs to a Creek on the Eagle Creek Trail
About 10 miles

In the morning my camp site companion and I introduced ourselves and I made the acquaintance of PCT thru-hiker Adam Bradley who was on his way from Mexico to Canada. Adam's trail name is Listo and he keeps a journal:
http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=4132

Listo is hiking for donations to support the PCT and you can read all about that and make a donation at his website:
http://web.mac.com/hike4trails/iWeb/Site/Welcome.html

Listo started from Timberline almost exactly 24 hours after I did, caught up with me by nightfall of his first day and plans to make Cascade Locks before the post office closes today. He's traveling at double my pace and making it look easy.

After Listo left me in the dust I started off toward Wahtum Lake. I was overtaken by a Hearty Fellow (we did not exchange names) who was on the final leg of his hike of the Oregon section of the PCT. I then met a delightful young woman with three entertaining dogs and an adorable babe-in-arms day hiking a short distance on the PCT as it traverses Indian Mountain not far from Indian Springs. The views from Indian Mountain are awesome. There is road access to Indian Springs and the springs are located in some brush at the end of the road about 25 yards to the left of the trail/road junction. Someone has thoughtfully plunked a chunk of concrete pierced with a short length of pipe athwart the spring's flow providing an easy place to gather water for the next leg to Wahtum Lake, where I arrived in good time.

My orginal plan had been to continue from here on the PCT, but I was tired from the hard day yesterday and, as I contemplated the sparse campsite options and scarce water on the PCT compared with the abundance of each on the Eagle Creek Trail, I was sucked into the Eagle Creek vortex. Wahtum Lake was tempting. All the campsites were empty and I could see no one around, but it was still early so I hiked on about 1 1/2 miles to a deceptively pleasant flat spot near a creek. At first I didn't think much of the site, but as I nosed around I found a nice flat spot with a soft, duft laden surface devoid of rocks, roots branches and the like. There were no trees suitable for hammocking, but the weather looked exceedingly benign and I decided to cowboy camp here under the stars. Ah, wilderness! As I settled in, a large group of day hikers from OSU passed by on their way to a car shuttle at Wahtum.

Day 3
Saturday 8/26/06
Creek on the Eagle Creek Trail to Cascade Locks
14.5 miles

It was a pleasantly warm, windless night with no dew. I arose before dawn, ate, packed up and hit the trail at first light tromping alone down the familiar track toward Eagle Creek and magnificent Tunnel Falls. I encountered no one until just after I passed 7 1/2 mile camp when I met a couple of backpackers who were apparently backpacking the Eagle Creek Trail at about two miles per day. They'd already spent one night on the trail and were headed for 7 1/2 mile for their second night. I assured them they'd reach it in minutes and moved on wondering what they would do all day when they reached their camp. Hope they brought a deck of cards.

I stopped for a rest at Blue Grouse and was overtaken a second time by Hearty Fellow, who was surprised to find me ahead of him again, as was I. Apparently I passed him while he was exploring around Wahtum Lake (which wasn't deserted after all, I see). I hiked a little later, arose a little earlier, made good time down Eagle Creek trail and would probably have beat him to the trailhead had I not stopped for lunch.

I stopped at the trailhead to call my wife in Portland to pick me up at the Charburger. I cleaned up a bit in the rest room, then hiked the 2 1/2 miles to the Charburger where it was 92 degrees. By this time I was moving slow and my wife actually beat me to Cascade Locks!

A few reflections on the trip:

No bothersome bugs. No mosquitoes, no black flies, only butterflies

I have foot issues. The prevailing downhills did a number on the balls of my feet.

Not crowded. No one at Wahtum and the campsites along Eagle Creek were all empty when I passed on Saturday morning. I've mentioned in my report just about everyone I saw enroute.

I should probably hike the northernmost section of the Oregon PCT from Camp Smokey to Cascade Locks, just to say I've done it, but I really don't know why you'd take this trail unless you are a horse.

I carried too much food, too much water and too much body fat and overestimated by a day how long the trip would take.

I had planned to do the Three Sisters loop and then the Mt. Hood loop as each was closed by fire. This was a nice alternative, but I'd still like to do the other two.

I could have asked my wife to pick me up at the Eagle Creek trailhead, but I wanted to be able to say without reservation that I'd hiked 50 miles from Timberline to Cascade Locks, such is the pathetic state of my personal vanity.

Thanks for another entertaining trip report Wayne!  I too have longed for the Chimichanga on the Lolo Pass Road (sounds like a Neil Young song!)

I'm surprised to hear that no one was in any of those tent sites at Wahtum on a Saturday morning.

It gives me some hope that perhaps one might be open this friday evening.  (I'm starting debating taking my oldest son out there).

Do you (or anyone) know where one might be allowed to drop a tent if the sites around Wahtum aren't  open?

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Jeff - Site Admin

Someday you'll take me home to live forever....up on the mountain
S. Chapman

Jeff, it was Friday afternoon that I found Wahtum deserted and Saturday morning I found the Eagle Creek Trail campsites empty. I don't know how well known this is, but there's a least one campsite on the PCT just as you approach Wahtum from the north. I don't think you'd see it unless you actually walked south on the PCT a hundred yards or so. The place I actually camped on Friday night was about 1.3 miles from the PCT/ECT junction on the ECT. I may have passed up another oppurtunity on the way to it, but I don't recall for sure.

Sounds like a pretty cool trip. See any elk or elk sign in the Bull of the woods area?

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"There is this to be said for walking: It's the one mode of human locomotion by which a man proceeds on his own two feet, upright, erect, as a man should be, not squatting on his rear haunches like a frog." --Edward Abbey

Hunter, I hiked throught the Bull Run watershed, which is a completely different place from Bull of the Woods. I saw no elk. I saw very little in the way of wildlife: butterflies, a few chimpmonks/squirrels and the usual birds. I have always seen deer or deer sign in this area before and have seen what I think was bear scat right on the trail, but not this time. I'm not sure why, but I have a few theories. First, this was the time of the new moon and I think animals are less active at such times. Second, I wonder if the the wildfires on the other side of the mountain caused all the critters to get out of dodge. Third, as far as seeing wildlife, I think my clattering trekking poles scare off everything that's not old and deaf before I get there.

I am definitely not a trained scatologist, but I did see some scat that looked an awfully lot like this:
http://www.bear-tracker.com/cougarscat.html
So much of it, in fact, that I think it was probably something else.

I heard from folks who work at the Portland water bureau that Bull Run is a wildlife haven. Sort of like a sanctuary. You are not allowed to hunt it at all. So I was just curious about your observations.

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"There is this to be said for walking: It's the one mode of human locomotion by which a man proceeds on his own two feet, upright, erect, as a man should be, not squatting on his rear haunches like a frog." --Edward Abbey

the PCT runs through the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit but it lies outside the actual Bull Run Watershed . it's kind of a buffer zone around the watershed itself. the Management Unit covers about 100,000 acres in three counties while the watershed covers about 70,000 acres. there is supposed to be absolutely no public access into the actual watershed.

(info from Hiking Mt Hood National Forest 31 Scenic Hikes)

WARNING: the camp hosts advised us that there have been auto break-ins every night at the trailhead parking lot, apparently looking for vehicle registrations and insurance cards, anything with your name and address on it. There are signs up warning folks - especially overnighters - to park in the lot up by the hatchery and bathrooms and walk the extra 1/2 mile to the trailhead.

Jeff -

We must have passed you on the trail. My wife and I hiked up Eagle Creek on Saturday, spending the night at 7-1/2 mile camp, then returning on Sunday.

 

We got to Tunnel Falls about noon and there were a fair number of folks there. Since most folks on the trail are day hikers who never go past Tunnel Falls - if they get that far - we had the rest of the trail mostly to ourselves. found a great campsite with a deep pool in the creek. The wife took the plunge, but the smarter half of the duo stayed on dry rock.

 

Sunday was another touristy day on the trail. After 20 years here in Portland and countless trips on this trail, I am still amazed by the number of day hikers carrying only a 1 liter water bottle in their hand while ascending towards Tunnel Falls. The trail quickly climbs far above Eagle Creek so water sources are few and it can get hot in the open sections of that trail. It's especially tough on the kids and the elderly. I really wonder if they know what they're getting into.

Ther camp hosts were actively checking parking passes and wrote three tickets at the trailhead lot while we were there.

Very cool, thanks for the report.  :)

How strenuous would you rate this trail, on a scale of 1 to 10?  And are there campsite options for a slower pace?  Like, say, 5-7 days, hiking 8-10 miles a day?

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-Æ
"Just then, Neville caused a slight diversion by turning into a large canary."

aeryn987:

Very cool, thanks for the report.  :)

How strenuous would you rate this trail, on a scale of 1 to 10?  And are there campsite options for a slower pace?  Like, say, 5-7 days, hiking 8-10 miles a day?

The first night, stop at Paradise Park http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org/wiki/Paradise_Park_from_Timberline_Lodge_Hike

The second night go several miles past the Sandy River, along Ramona Creek, to just before where the PCT crosses the Muddy Fork.  Get water from Ramona Creek.  There are flat places to camp all around.  This is the last water before Salvation Springs.

The next water after Salvation Springs is Indian Springs where you could camp.

A good place to camp after that would be 7 1/2 mile camp on Eagle Creek.

 When we did this section last summer in late July we stayed on the other side of the Sandy River on the bench, followed the actual PCT trail after that to the Muddy Fork - walked up the trail to the bridge. Day 2 we spent at Salvation Spring, Day 3 was at Indian Spring - which was actually quite nice!
On day 4 we took the trail right out of Indian Spring down to Eagle Creek. For an old trail it is VERY good shape :)
My photos are here: http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/pctadventures.htm

The helpful report! thanks to post.