I "discovered" Cook Hill
Posted: November 19th, 2017, 2:16 pm
I wanted to check out a long skinny waterfall east of Dog Creek Falls (east of Dog Mountain). It wasn't a full day hike, but the map showed if I kept going uphill I'd reach a high point around 2800' (just barely higher than Dog). From there, I could descend a ridge that drops NW to a saddle before continuing to Augspurger Mt. But my goal was just getting to the 2800' high point. It's not much elevation gain or distance, but I was anxious about bushwhacking and deep snow, so I set a time budget of 5 hours for the ascent.
Finding my waterfall was easier than I thought it might be. I remembered approximately where it was, but thought I might have to search a bit. Also, the bottom was much lower than expected, hidden from the vantage where I first saw this creek on a previous visit to the peaks east of Dog Creek Falls. I came to realize this waterfall is steeper and taller than I had previously thought, cascading and twisting through a few drops in a deep slot. I was pleased to have found the bottom so easily, rather than meeting it part way up as I had expected. Also was surprised to see the creek went underground almost immediately downstream of the pool (but it soon emerges again).
I followed the creek up, into a grass-and-oak band, where it was still in a slot, until it took me into forest, at which point the slot opened into a typical creek gully. I left the creek, climbing as directly as possible, with some zigs and zags due to terrain and brush. Crossed a few old subtle roadbeds, and one which was so crisp you could probably drive a wrangler up it. I wasn't expecting that at all. I was curious, but crossed the road and continued my direct ascent.
It had been drizzly, but at least I had been below the clouds. That changed, and by the time I reached a clearing (as I had hoped I would) I had no views. Continued up into the clouds, and encountered a series of parallel spines. I was getting nervous. I thought there would be no challenges on the descent, but I now realized it would be possible to cliff out as I came down. With poor visibility, that could be risky. I wondered if I was going to face an arduous hike out in the afternoon.
It occurred to me that this slope really needs a name. What should I call it? Let's see, it's near Cook. Cook Peak has a nice ring to it, but with poor prominence on the north side, "peak" seems a bit ambitious. Same with mountain. It's not really a butte or a bluff. But Cook Hill seems so mundane. Wait, "Cook Hill"? I muttered "Aww, crap, am I hiking up Cook Hill?" I had heard of it, had even posted a comment in somebody's TR. It was on my to-do list, towards the bottom, when I had nothing better to do. Well, so much for adventure. But I did find it reassuring that there must be a trail up there somewhere, which might be helpful when I'm coming down.
Around 2000' my clearings came to an end as I was forced back into forest. I checked the time, and I was shocked at how fast I was ascending. I saw flagging, and a trail. I avoided it, bearing east. The forest was beautiful and open, so I preferred to find my own way. After a brief encounter with a brush band, I found myself on a ridge crest with a parallel clearing to my left. Dropped (just a few feet) and continued up the long tilted corridor parallel to the ridge. The opening was way too wide and tilted to be an old road grade, it was just a natural opening. I had finally hit the snow I was expecting, but it wasn't deep at all, not even enough to slow me down. I came to a high point and realized it had to be the summit.
I was surprised to see a very clear trail dropping along the NW ridge (towards Augspurger). I followed it down to a saddle where I saw what I expected: Power lines, radio towers, lots of roads. So many options. I started off towards Augspurger, but the ridge wasn't as clear as I expected, and it was a bit of a minor bushwhack. I pulled up a map, and realized Augspurger was a long ways off. Not today. Considered following the power lines west to Dog Creek, and following the creek down to the highway. But no, I had no idea what that would entail, and I wasn't willing to risk it.
Decided to head back to Cook summit and try to follow the trail down, exploring a bit along the way. I decided the trail would be a relatively easy safe way to get down, and I was curious to see what route it took. It was faint; I wouldn't want to follow it in 2" inches of snow, but it was totally bare.
When I reached 2000' (where I first encountered the flagged trail on my ascent) I was in for a surprise. Clouds were clearing out quite a bit, and I could see all the way to the river. It was jaring (in a good way) to step out of a dark forest into sun and views. I'd been soggy and chilly all day, and had never even had a dry place to sit, but here I was able to find a dry rock to sit on as I took it all in. One thing I like about hiking is returning to a place I've been to when it was cloudy, or when deep snow was on the ground, and then seeing it later when it's clear/bare. rarely does that happen on the same day; usually I have to wait months, or even years.
I started down that clearing after my 2000' break, trying to retrace my ascent. Never saw the trail again, but didn't care any more. There were a couple spots where I wasn't sure I was on route, but I managed to spot a few distinctive features that offered reassurance.
One of the highlights of my day came when I nearly walked right into a vehicle, inverted, mossy and rusty. Smaller than a modern logging truck, but I don't think it was a car. Probably a small utility truck of some sort. I love finding stuff like that.
By the time I reached the grass/oak band above the falls, I was still running early, and the weather was amazing, so I explored and relaxed until an hour before dark. I want to go back and look for the standard route up to the point where I found the trail. Maybe I'll go up Dog Creek, follow the utility roads over to Cook summit, and play around on the descent.
Finding my waterfall was easier than I thought it might be. I remembered approximately where it was, but thought I might have to search a bit. Also, the bottom was much lower than expected, hidden from the vantage where I first saw this creek on a previous visit to the peaks east of Dog Creek Falls. I came to realize this waterfall is steeper and taller than I had previously thought, cascading and twisting through a few drops in a deep slot. I was pleased to have found the bottom so easily, rather than meeting it part way up as I had expected. Also was surprised to see the creek went underground almost immediately downstream of the pool (but it soon emerges again).
I followed the creek up, into a grass-and-oak band, where it was still in a slot, until it took me into forest, at which point the slot opened into a typical creek gully. I left the creek, climbing as directly as possible, with some zigs and zags due to terrain and brush. Crossed a few old subtle roadbeds, and one which was so crisp you could probably drive a wrangler up it. I wasn't expecting that at all. I was curious, but crossed the road and continued my direct ascent.
It had been drizzly, but at least I had been below the clouds. That changed, and by the time I reached a clearing (as I had hoped I would) I had no views. Continued up into the clouds, and encountered a series of parallel spines. I was getting nervous. I thought there would be no challenges on the descent, but I now realized it would be possible to cliff out as I came down. With poor visibility, that could be risky. I wondered if I was going to face an arduous hike out in the afternoon.
It occurred to me that this slope really needs a name. What should I call it? Let's see, it's near Cook. Cook Peak has a nice ring to it, but with poor prominence on the north side, "peak" seems a bit ambitious. Same with mountain. It's not really a butte or a bluff. But Cook Hill seems so mundane. Wait, "Cook Hill"? I muttered "Aww, crap, am I hiking up Cook Hill?" I had heard of it, had even posted a comment in somebody's TR. It was on my to-do list, towards the bottom, when I had nothing better to do. Well, so much for adventure. But I did find it reassuring that there must be a trail up there somewhere, which might be helpful when I'm coming down.
Around 2000' my clearings came to an end as I was forced back into forest. I checked the time, and I was shocked at how fast I was ascending. I saw flagging, and a trail. I avoided it, bearing east. The forest was beautiful and open, so I preferred to find my own way. After a brief encounter with a brush band, I found myself on a ridge crest with a parallel clearing to my left. Dropped (just a few feet) and continued up the long tilted corridor parallel to the ridge. The opening was way too wide and tilted to be an old road grade, it was just a natural opening. I had finally hit the snow I was expecting, but it wasn't deep at all, not even enough to slow me down. I came to a high point and realized it had to be the summit.
I was surprised to see a very clear trail dropping along the NW ridge (towards Augspurger). I followed it down to a saddle where I saw what I expected: Power lines, radio towers, lots of roads. So many options. I started off towards Augspurger, but the ridge wasn't as clear as I expected, and it was a bit of a minor bushwhack. I pulled up a map, and realized Augspurger was a long ways off. Not today. Considered following the power lines west to Dog Creek, and following the creek down to the highway. But no, I had no idea what that would entail, and I wasn't willing to risk it.
Decided to head back to Cook summit and try to follow the trail down, exploring a bit along the way. I decided the trail would be a relatively easy safe way to get down, and I was curious to see what route it took. It was faint; I wouldn't want to follow it in 2" inches of snow, but it was totally bare.
When I reached 2000' (where I first encountered the flagged trail on my ascent) I was in for a surprise. Clouds were clearing out quite a bit, and I could see all the way to the river. It was jaring (in a good way) to step out of a dark forest into sun and views. I'd been soggy and chilly all day, and had never even had a dry place to sit, but here I was able to find a dry rock to sit on as I took it all in. One thing I like about hiking is returning to a place I've been to when it was cloudy, or when deep snow was on the ground, and then seeing it later when it's clear/bare. rarely does that happen on the same day; usually I have to wait months, or even years.
I started down that clearing after my 2000' break, trying to retrace my ascent. Never saw the trail again, but didn't care any more. There were a couple spots where I wasn't sure I was on route, but I managed to spot a few distinctive features that offered reassurance.
One of the highlights of my day came when I nearly walked right into a vehicle, inverted, mossy and rusty. Smaller than a modern logging truck, but I don't think it was a car. Probably a small utility truck of some sort. I love finding stuff like that.
By the time I reached the grass/oak band above the falls, I was still running early, and the weather was amazing, so I explored and relaxed until an hour before dark. I want to go back and look for the standard route up to the point where I found the trail. Maybe I'll go up Dog Creek, follow the utility roads over to Cook summit, and play around on the descent.