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Nick Eaton Ridge: 16 March 2008 Posted by CherokeeDriver (2008-03-16)

Today was my second trip to the Herman Creek trailhead in two weeks --  last time I took the Gorton Greek Trail to Indian Point, turning back just short of the Indian Point spur trail due to snow. This time I decided to investigate the Nick Eaton Ridge trail ("Nick Eaton Way," according to a stone marker) and get a look at snow conditions. The trail was entirely clear up to the stunning viewpoints on the highest exposed switchbacks -- this is a good, steep climb that gets you up on your toes at points, and an excellent trainer. From the viewpoints, I could see well up the Herman Creek Canyon and Woolly Horn Ridge to what I think is Tomlike Mountain, and then straight down the Gorge from the Cascade Locks Airport to Bonneville, Beacon Rock, and Cape Horn. However, low clouds made me consider that this would be an even more impressive spot for a lunch break on a clear day. Once I got past the switchbacks, the snow began to appear, first as a thin sprinkling of new powder on the ground, and then the more durable remnants of winter. The field of timber on the ridge was beautiful, but the trail quickly became hard to discern, and after short distance into this potential maze of snow, trees, and windfall, I took a quick compass reading to be certain that I did not get disoriented. But after a short while, it became clear that the only good decision was to turn back. I believe that I was only a short distance from the first cutoff trail to the Gorton Creek Trail and the Indian Point spur. It was tempting to carry on, but to where, exactly? For I all I know, I was well off the track altogether. Unfortunately, after all that climbing, this part of the hike looked more like a charming stroll in the woods. Short of my primary goal (a loop back to Herman Camp on the Gorton Creek Trail), I descended to the Herman Creek Trail and enjoyed a more casual ramble upstream, hearing the thunderous creek far below, which never seems to come into view, at least for a while. I was treated to two unexpected waterfalls -- the first, a tangle of ribbon cascades, while the second was a far-more impressive drop of at least 80 or 100 feet, with the trail coming right up on the face of the falls and plenty of spray. According to the Field Guide, this is the unofficially named "Nick Eaton Falls," and I think it's easily one of my favorites in the entire Gorge, simply because it's so far off the beaten track (Herman Creek is no Eagle Creek, as far as foot-traffic goes) and so unusually intimate for something this large, like Fairy Falls but five times as high. The photo on the Field Guide looks a bit different with only one cascade, so it could have been taken at a different time of year. My William Sullivan book indicates that this falls is in fact unnamed, which I find surprising. After reaching Camp Creek, just inside the border of the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness, I took a break and turned back. A good 5-1/2 hour walk today, which seemed to threaten rain at every turn but only treated me with the briefest scattering of snow-dust on the Nick Eaton Ridge. -Robert

Re: Nick Eaton Ridge: 16 March 2008 Posted by pablo (2008-03-17)

Thx for the report. Nick Eaton trail is a good work out - I've tried twice this year to get to Green Pt Mtn via this route and failed both times but the view at the spot of your 1st pic makes it a worthwhile journey. Here's a picture of the stone marker you mention which, in spite of its large size,  I never noticed until the last time out. --Paul

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