Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

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Don Nelsen
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Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by Don Nelsen » February 16th, 2017, 6:03 pm

I was hoping this trail and its offshoots would be in better shape than the ones I've hiked farther to the west- and it was, sort of.

The road to the parking area has not been plowed and will need some chain saw work but not much. Snow is continuous from the frontage road and is about 12 to 18 inches deep at the TH.

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The usual parking area at the TH:
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a little farther up the trail:
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There is a well tramped down path as far as the junction that heads east on the 400 and to Indian Point but only two sets of tracks branched off at that point onto the Herman Creek Trail proper. It looked like this:
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It was good for a while and then less good but we sallied forth. The tracks showed that the two previous hikers turned back about a quarter mile later but we pushed on to the first big waterfall:

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The continuation of the trail at that point looked like this and my intrepid hiking partner decided enough was enough!
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I wanted to see more so continued a little farther to the next waterfall:
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The "trail" looked like this beyond so I had had enough! It has been an interesting winter.
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5.2 miles, 1020' vertical
"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

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retired jerry
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by retired jerry » February 16th, 2017, 6:54 pm

hmmm... might be a lot of trail work required in the gorge this spring

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by Don Nelsen » February 16th, 2017, 6:58 pm

retired jerry wrote:hmmm... might be a lot of trail work required in the gorge this spring

Amen, Jerry! Bring the saw and clippers! dn
"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

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Chip Down
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by Chip Down » February 16th, 2017, 8:57 pm

I don't mind the steep snow and ice. Can be a fun challenge. But the arboreal debris can be so demoralizing. Nothing fun or adventurous about that, just a hassle. Although sometimes it can be fun to deal with big downed trees on steep slopes. What finally turned you back? From the last pic, it could have been either the snow or the blowdown, or maybe both.

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retired jerry
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by retired jerry » February 17th, 2017, 6:11 am

my saw is getting a bit dull,I think I'll order a new one, with a couple spare blades

Corona, 6 inch folding, 5.5 ounces

I wonder if I can sharpen that blade?

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Eric Peterson
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by Eric Peterson » February 17th, 2017, 6:15 am

I wonder if MCDS is still around :?

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by Don Nelsen » February 17th, 2017, 7:27 am

Chip Down wrote:I don't mind the steep snow and ice. Can be a fun challenge. But the arboreal debris can be so demoralizing. Nothing fun or adventurous about that, just a hassle. Although sometimes it can be fun to deal with big downed trees on steep slopes. What finally turned you back? From the last pic, it could have been either the snow or the blowdown, or maybe both.
My hiking partner's knee was bothering her on that never-ending traverse. I may go back today and see what it looks like beyond where I turned around.
Last edited by Don Nelsen on February 17th, 2017, 6:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"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

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retired jerry
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by retired jerry » February 17th, 2017, 7:56 am

Ha, ha, Eric,... I think we chased away mcds :)

I assume you mean knee Don

My knee was bothering me, but then the PT told me to use stationery bike, which I've been doing for several months

My knee seems much stronger. And my hips which were also bugging me

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by Don Nelsen » February 18th, 2017, 2:04 pm

retired jerry wrote:Ha, ha, Eric,... I think we chased away mcds :)

I assume you mean knee Don

My knee was bothering me, but then the PT told me to use stationery bike, which I've been doing for several months

My knee seems much stronger. And my hips which were also bugging me
Fixed the typo. Yes, I meant knee.

Biking hurts my knees Jerry. I don't know why but it does. I used to ride about ten miles/day for years in my mid teens, too. sometimes, I would go 100 miles or more but now even ten miles hurts. Must be getting old!

dn
"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

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retired jerry
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Re: Herman Creek, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017

Post by retired jerry » February 18th, 2017, 3:57 pm

I suspect I've got a couple years on you, 62 total

Weird how people are different, some things work for someone but not another

No matter how fast I peddle, I don't make any progress. I guess that's why they call it a stationery bike :lol:

Currently, I'm not into moving bikes, they seem sort of dangerous. You're out there with nothing between your moving head and stationery objects like the ground. Helmets are better than nothing, but not that much.

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