Herman - Nick Eaton - Deadwood Camp and return on Gorton Cr. Tr. 062018

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Don Nelsen
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Herman - Nick Eaton - Deadwood Camp and return on Gorton Cr. Tr. 062018

Post by Don Nelsen » June 21st, 2018, 12:07 pm

In my ongoing quest to hike all the newly opened trails in the gorge I headed out Wednesday morning for Herman Cr. again. It was already brutally hot (at least for this area!) at the TH as I headed up the trail at 10:32. The temperature dropped a little as I started into the woods but by the power line road I think is was even hotter than at the TH! (82 at the TH). I was a half liter into my water supply in less than 15 minutes but I thought I had enough to make it to Deadwood Springs where I could re-provision if necessary. (The spring is fine and boy that was some welcome cold water.)


I made the left turn onto Nick Eaton Way and was pleased to find that a little bit of tread work had been done on that section of trail and there was only one tree down for the entire distance.

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The ground cover is burned for the entire distance except for a small oasis at about the 1900' level: Forest fires do some strange things!

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Most of the trees on the ridgeline are toast but the views have improved and the flowers are back in profusion:

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The turn onto the connector from Nick Eaton down to Deadwood Camp is easy to spot but the sign needs some work:

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The junction to Deadwood Camp:

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This trail has also seen a bit of tread work and there is only one tree down across the trail. Again, easy to step over.

Deadwood Camp area view. the old growth seems to have survived, but the understory is really toasted:

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Another toasted sign:

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For a short distance, the trail south of Deadwood has seen a little tread work and some trees have been sawn but that soon ends and you are on your own. I could see a bootprint here and there but only for a short way.

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Lots of big trees down and lots of brush in places. I finally lost the trail entirely about a mile beyond Deadwood Camp.

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Looking back at a switchback as the trail gains the ridgeline:

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The trail is basically obliterated along here:

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I was happy to see this deer. The first large animal I've seen in the burn area so far:

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When I got back to car, the TH temperature was 95 degrees and that Gatorade in the cooler was really fine! For this hike, I can surely say that I was the one toasted!

10.9 miles, 3,536' EG
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

bushwhacker
Posts: 163
Joined: September 7th, 2009, 3:56 pm
Location: Troutdale

Re: Herman - Nick Eaton - Deadwood Camp and return on Gorton Cr. Tr. 062018

Post by bushwhacker » June 21st, 2018, 6:03 pm

You must have been just behind me. It was only 92 degrees when I got back to my car. Here's a few more of Deadwood Camp. If folks are looking to stay here as one of their dream destinations I would look elsewhere for the next few years. I was going to take a closer look but since most of it is beyond the arbitrary 25 foot boundary and now part of the "Zone Of Death" I just took pictures from the trail.
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Looking up at the forest canope above DC. Lots of burnt limbs and some completely dead ones.
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If you hadn't been here before you would never know this was a well used camp site. Really is 'Deadwood' now.
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One cool thing I noticed throughout the hike is the abundance of Miners Lettuce. Must be something that pop's up right after a fire.
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dmthomas49
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Re: Herman - Nick Eaton - Deadwood Camp and return on Gorton Cr. Tr. 062018

Post by dmthomas49 » June 22nd, 2018, 3:56 pm

I did a short hike up Gordon Creek Trail to Indian Point today. The middle of this hike showed trees that were burned up 1/3 to 1/2 of the tree. Those that had roots burned either fell down or will be very likely to during the winter. Near the top of the trail, the trees were burned to the top canopy. I wonder if the wind strength near the ridge top has something to do with that.
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After reaching the cut off to Nick Eaton, I started down the trail to Indian Point. A Ruffed Grouse started moving below me. I stopped to take pictures and it circled around me and then started to follow me. Eventually lost interest!
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"The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness."
— John Muir

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