Eagle-Unknown Ridge- Benson loop

[Chase]

A few bits to mention first:
1. My computer will not recognize my GPS connection today, so I can't put any tracks or anything up as of now.

2. Some of the photos are of low quality. I uploaded them as they were, uncropped, unfiltered, etc.



Many of you recognize this as the scene right before high bridge. This is where the off-trailing began.



Different views of the rock formations come into view and I skirted around the front of them.



There's a cave that looked like I had no business being near, so I didn't explore it.





Then a waterfall surrounded by cliffs except for one gully to move upward.



I followed this gully and occasionally checked over the left side for views down into Eagle Creek.



Looking over at the east side of Tanner ridge above Eagle Creek.



These rock formations are a few hundred feet above high bridge (Benson side).





Nearing the top of the gully. Next, I headed straight up a ridge towards Benson Plateau.



Deer nest.



The ridge was just like so many others in the Gorge: steep in parts, flatter in others, and never ending.
One always hopes to not reach an insurmountable cliff, right?



I tried this fourth class climb, but was nervous because I had a very heavy pack on (and was alone). After getting up five or six feet, I used a piece of webbing to make my backing down much safer.

I thought about giving up at this point. The cliff looked steeper on both sides. First, I thought I'd scout around a bit and try to find a safe way up.





Around to the right I found a scramble I knew I could handle with a heavy pack.



I just liked this tree.



Found this. Didn't open it. Figured it was a geocache and I'm not into that.

I can't remember if it was before or after the geocache that I hit a second cliff. Did some really fun scrambling up that one! (So much fun that I forgot to take pics).



Rainbow mist higher up.





This reminded me of the scene from Up where the old man and the kid keep thinking they see shapes in the misty rocks.



I can't remember if it was before or after the geocache that I hit a second cliff. Did some really fun scrambling up that one!





A view.



Joyous after hitting a familiar trail atop Benson.



Headed down Ruckel Creek and it felt wonderful!

[pablo]

Nicely done. I'm guessing that was not a geocache but a hiking log - I would have liked to have seen what was in it and who signed the log. I guess I have a reason to go up that way.

Geocaching is not permitted in congressionally designated Wilderness Areas per FSM 2320, or in any other nationally designated areas such as national scenic areas, historic or scenic trails.

Given the waterfall and the High Bridge launch point I'm guessing it was something like this:

[Eric Peterson]

Nice!

Eyed that ridge many times as I hiked up EC, very cool Chase

Hope your GPS can connect to your computer so you can upload this track.

And too bad you didn't crack open that pvc canister!

[Chase]

Yes, Pablo, that's the ridge, but the gully is north from where it says "falls" on your route.



You can really do some exploring/scrambling for views near the yellow star. I thought about continuing down (north) from the beginning of the ridge, but I didn't want to get caught in that canyon where the second steel bridge is on the Eagle Creek trail.

Going around the waterfall (east, then south) is a future option. I'd like to take that to the top of Tunnel Falls someday. It will be steep and slow most of the way, I think.

Here's another view of the ridge I took (facing east):



The pin is where the first cliff band is in the way.

Still can't get the driver to recognize my GPS even after uninstalling and reinstalling. Oh well.

[Peder]

Those pictures do not look as if they were taken in the middle of winter! Initially I thought this was an old Chase report that had been revived! I guess that you are carrying a heavy pack in case you come across a hiker in distress? It looks like a lovely ridge...

[viking]

The waterfall you passed by is Benson falls, 170' tall. (Forsyth, Waterfalls of the Columbia Gorge).

The tube you found is not a geo-casch, geo-casching needs the use of GPSs which I find to be spectacularly useless in x-country navigation. It is indeed a trail register, I placed it there in June of '05. I'm curious if anyone has signed it or if that ridge is a once every ten year traveled. It looks like you started by Benson creek and then went north to gain the ridge, I started to the NW just after passing by Fern creek. I called the route "Serpents Tail" because of the rock formations. We (party of 2) stayed on the nose of the ridge and it took a little rope work.

[Guy]

The waterfall you passed by is Benson falls, 170' tall. (Forsyth, Waterfalls of the Columbia Gorge).

The tube you found is not a geo-casch, geo-casching needs the use of GPSs which I find to be spectacularly useless in x-country navigation. It is indeed a trail register, I placed it there in June of '05. I'm curious if anyone has signed it or if that ridge is a once every ten year traveled. It looks like you started by Benson creek and then went north to gain the ridge, I started to the NW just after passing by Fern creek. I called the route "Serpents Tail" because of the rock formations. We (party of 2) stayed on the nose of the ridge and it took a little rope work.

That's great that chase found Viking's Climbing register! Now somebody needs to look inside it!

Just about wherever you go in the Gorge a Portland Hiker has already been there it seems

[northridge]

Hey Chase, well done! I've recently been looking at various approaches to that ridge, but more from the direction Viking notes. In looking at a 20ft contour map I can pretty much follow what I believe was your route, and see the cliff bands, etc. Looks like you picked an optimal time to do your route, I will have to wander up that way next weather window.

[raven]

Trail register, eh. I've never noticed one myself, so I wouldn't have thought of it, so wouldn't have thought of opening it. Not a bad idea; might be useful when arguing use of an area and a protective status, although the FS might think of it as illegal maintenance of an unauthorized trail. So maybe a standard is needed that would let us recognize the tubes or whatevers as route registers. Maybe "CENSUS" written in magic marker would be sufficient, with "open here" on the lid.

[Rustygoat]

I was curious about the rock formations up above High Bridge. I saw the way you went up last time I was at Benson Falls but didn't have time to climb up. Thanks for sharing