Franklin Ridge from Oneonta
Posted: January 2nd, 2017, 9:06 pm
Forecast was very cold, very windy, slightly snowy. I decided to settle for an easy trail hike. I've never done Franklin Ridge, so that was it. The gate at Multnomah is still locked, and I would never dream of circumventing government decree, so I went over to Oneonta and hiked up the trail to the point where the trail turns south and follows the creek, at the viewpoint loop. From there, I went up a breach in the cliffs, through a gully that formed a bit of an hourglass. I didn't see a locked gate or a ranger, so I assumed this was the safe way up Franklin. It was sloppy mess, but eventually I reached a rocky step, above which the ridge was very well defined. Occasionally it got brushy and broad and leveled off, and at these spots I flagged the dickens out of the route, as if I was getting paid by the inch. Mostly though, I relied on topography and my deep footprints in the soft snow to guide me back if necessary, even though I was planning on a loop.
I was growing weary of the cold, the wind, and the blowing snow that left me covered in a light dusting all day. It wasn't much, but enough to be aggravating.
I started to guess I was high enough to be in the trail zone, and sure enough, I encountered a saw-cut log (around 2100'). Didn't try to follow the trail though, just kept going up on my own route. At 2800 feet I finally gave up. I was at a high point, and although I had a pretty good idea where the trail went, I wasn't prepared to dip. It was getting late, so this was a good spot to call it quits. I did wander a bit looking for signs of the trail, but no luck. But just after I started down, I saw a sawcut log, and from there I could see where the trail went. Next time. It was peaceful up here, dead calm, and the sun was poking through. I felt good as I started down. [Looking at the map now, I see I was just yards from a junction that could have taken me quickly down to Oneonta gorge!]
So back down I went, following my deep footprints in the fluffy snow, to the point where I first spotted the trail (about 2100'). Leaving my track, I followed the trail down a bit, and immediately saw a sign. In bad shape, but I scraped the snow off, and I think it said Franklin. Why was it here, at a non-junction? I guessed this is where the unofficial spur trail goes to Nesika Lodge. I followed a clearing, and immediately hit footprints. Mine! I laughed at how close I had come, turning back mere feet from this sign before heading back up the ridge. That's okay, it worked out fine.
Followed Franklin Ridge trail a ways, thinking maybe I'd follow it to Multnomah. Came to my senses though, realized if I lost it in the snow I wouldn't have time to go back the way I came before dark. So I turned back and huffed back to the sign, then down Franklin Ridge towards Oneonta, retracing my ascent. The wind was picking up again, so more layers went on.
As I collected my tape, I realized my footprints were gone. Initially I was perplexed, but soon realized my deep footprints had been filled in by blowing snow! Relying on a few flags, a few faint footprints, topography, and my memory, I found my way back down to the step. Below the step it was a jumbled mess, but I managed to find my way back to the breach in the cliffs above Oneonta, and was back at the viewpoint loop around sunset.
This was the first time in years my water bottle froze. Not my beer though. Yay alcohol! (and maybe residual sugars and pressure too).
I was growing weary of the cold, the wind, and the blowing snow that left me covered in a light dusting all day. It wasn't much, but enough to be aggravating.
I started to guess I was high enough to be in the trail zone, and sure enough, I encountered a saw-cut log (around 2100'). Didn't try to follow the trail though, just kept going up on my own route. At 2800 feet I finally gave up. I was at a high point, and although I had a pretty good idea where the trail went, I wasn't prepared to dip. It was getting late, so this was a good spot to call it quits. I did wander a bit looking for signs of the trail, but no luck. But just after I started down, I saw a sawcut log, and from there I could see where the trail went. Next time. It was peaceful up here, dead calm, and the sun was poking through. I felt good as I started down. [Looking at the map now, I see I was just yards from a junction that could have taken me quickly down to Oneonta gorge!]
So back down I went, following my deep footprints in the fluffy snow, to the point where I first spotted the trail (about 2100'). Leaving my track, I followed the trail down a bit, and immediately saw a sign. In bad shape, but I scraped the snow off, and I think it said Franklin. Why was it here, at a non-junction? I guessed this is where the unofficial spur trail goes to Nesika Lodge. I followed a clearing, and immediately hit footprints. Mine! I laughed at how close I had come, turning back mere feet from this sign before heading back up the ridge. That's okay, it worked out fine.
Followed Franklin Ridge trail a ways, thinking maybe I'd follow it to Multnomah. Came to my senses though, realized if I lost it in the snow I wouldn't have time to go back the way I came before dark. So I turned back and huffed back to the sign, then down Franklin Ridge towards Oneonta, retracing my ascent. The wind was picking up again, so more layers went on.
As I collected my tape, I realized my footprints were gone. Initially I was perplexed, but soon realized my deep footprints had been filled in by blowing snow! Relying on a few flags, a few faint footprints, topography, and my memory, I found my way back down to the step. Below the step it was a jumbled mess, but I managed to find my way back to the breach in the cliffs above Oneonta, and was back at the viewpoint loop around sunset.
This was the first time in years my water bottle froze. Not my beer though. Yay alcohol! (and maybe residual sugars and pressure too).
