Broughton Flume day 2 (above Tunnel Lake)

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Chip Down
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Broughton Flume day 2 (above Tunnel Lake)

Post by Chip Down » January 13th, 2018, 11:58 pm

As before, parked at the west end of Tunnel Lake.

This time, ascended until I hit the flume, and followed it east.

Figured I'd encounter rugged terrain and heavy brush, but it was slightly worse than I was hoping for. After a very long time, I arrived at the ridge east of Tunnel Lake (Tunnel #3 I think). To the east it looked brushy and boring, so decided this was a good turnaround point.

Dropped to the river, then back up to the flume, then back west, but higher this time.

Got distracted by a narrow spine ridge which I followed up until it faded, and then I decided to continue up, until I reached the pasture I encountered last time. It was 2:00. Yikes!

I dashed to the summit above Drano Lake, then down to the west, until I could drop south without cliffing out, then traversed east below the cliffs until I hit the scenic spiny ridges. This essentially marked the beginning of the safety zone, beyond which I knew my way. I lingered here, enjoying the exposure and the outstanding weather.

With an hour left until sunset, I moved on, following the flume east until I reached the ridge I had ascended in the morning.

I'm so exhausted right now, it will be a miracle if I can get my favorite 10 pics loaded up and posted before I collapse.
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Flume at lower left. Notice notch cut in ridge.
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retired jerry
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Re: Broughton Flume day 2 (above Tunnel Lake)

Post by retired jerry » January 14th, 2018, 7:16 am

a 2 beer day, must have been exhausting :)

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Chip Down
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Re: Broughton Flume day 2 (above Tunnel Lake)

Post by Chip Down » January 14th, 2018, 11:59 am

retired jerry wrote:a 2 beer day, must have been exhausting :)
My record (on a hike) was six. :D
Mt Defiance from Wyeth.

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RobFromRedland
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Re: Broughton Flume day 2 (above Tunnel Lake)

Post by RobFromRedland » January 14th, 2018, 6:28 pm

That is a cool artifact. I went up there a few years ago - did more driving than hiking - hiked up from highway 14 to look at some and then drove up to the top end where it starts in Willard, where there is an almost perfectly intact section of flume. We also went down Chenoweth road to the end and saw the "dump" station - where the water got dumped into Drano lake if the alarm was triggered - that was an interesting section. We met the caretaker of that land who said they had plans to restore a section of flume as well.

Neat stuff - I just wish I had been able to see it actually work. I'm amazed it ran until 1986.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: WOW! What a ride! - Hunter S. Thompson

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RobinB
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Location: Portland, OR

Re: Broughton Flume day 2 (above Tunnel Lake)

Post by RobinB » January 14th, 2018, 9:34 pm

Chip Down wrote:
retired jerry wrote:a 2 beer day, must have been exhausting :)
My record (on a hike) was six. :D
Mt Defiance from Wyeth.
I feel like this deserves a standing ovation. My record's four, but it was Founders All Day IPA, which is something like -0.4 ABV, so...

Also, great report. I really appreciate how, even in the winter when this site is sort of dead, you keep putting up great stuff.

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BeaverDawg
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Re: Broughton Flume day 2 (above Tunnel Lake)

Post by BeaverDawg » January 15th, 2018, 6:44 pm

Disney filmed Charlie the Lonesome Cougar on this flume. Kinda fun to watch. Skip to 2:15 for a good view of the Gorge.

https://youtu.be/Mx8kJYWXhzs

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