Home  •   Field Guide  •   Forums  •   Unread Posts  •   Maps  •   Find a Hike!  •    Search  •  

Portland Hikers Archive

Return to Portland Hikers Archive

McGraw Cabin/ Hells Canyon 11-23 to 11/24

Posted by jessbee (2006-11-25)
Warning:  This report describes an overnight, solo bushwhack.  If you're feeling a lecture coming on...turn back now...



"I planned an overnight trip to Hells Canyon, in the northeast corner of Oregon. Much of the area is inaccessible due to snow, so my starting point was the Hells Canyon Reservoir TH, at about 1700 ft. My goal was to find McGraw Cabin by following the Reservoir trail 2 miles to the junction with Old McGraw Creek Route, which is now mostly destroyed and impossible to follow. I figured it would be easy enough to navigate just 2 more miles to the cabin, located right there, near the creek.

Of course, I forgot the golden rule of hiking, which is: Nothing is �just� that simple and if something looks like it�s �right there�, it really isn�t..."  Read the rest!

Or just take a gander at the pictures.

Re: McGraw Cabin/ Hells Canyon 11-23 to 11/24

Posted by Grannyhiker (2006-11-25)
Interesting trip! Your adventures following washed-out trails are definitely instructive. I suspect we're all going to acquire lots of practice doing this after the recent floods!

I say this _not_ to lecture but to remind others who read this: It's a good idea to try out new/borrowed equipment before you leave home--as you found out.

You complained about your pack weight. As you save your pennies and watch for sales to acquire equipment of your own, look for lighter weight gear--this can be done without sacrificing comfort or safety (both of which are more important than shedding those last few ounces). This web site helped me cut my pack weight by more than 50%: http://www.backpacking.net/ Read all of the very informative articles referenced on the home page--those are the ones that showed me where I could cut weight--before delving into their forum. Note that you're not going to go very light with anything from REI--what they call "ultralight" I'd call "heavy"! Many of the best lightweight gear manufacturers are "cottage" industries that sell on the internet. Interestingly, you won't pay any more for the light stuff than you will for the heavy, with the notable exception of a sleeping bag--a good down bag is horribly expensive, but well worth it--it will last that much longer than cheap down or synthetic. The last 3-day trip I took (with nights well below freezing, so I took more and heavier clothing), I left the trailhead with 20 lbs.

Re: McGraw Cabin/ Hells Canyon 11-23 to 11/24

Posted by jeffstatt (2006-11-26)

Wow! Great job!  I'm amazed going through those pictures.  I especially like that 'puzzle bark' and that photo of all the downed trees you had to traverse!

Too bad about all the trash around that cabin, and your cold Thanksgiving dinner! 

You mention slogging through the mud on that one hill.  I know what you mean about it sticking to your boots and it making your legs like jelly after awhile!

What's amazing about the fact those plows take up both lanes is that they aren't even dropping salt!

 

Return to Portland Hikers Archive

Disclaimer: Information found on PortlandHikers.org and PortlandHikersFieldGuide.org is provided by website visitors and volunteers and should be considered anecdotal. All trails and directions and subject to current conditions. Trails and roads can be rerouted due to natural events and the website is not able to provide current information for every hike. Please verify against two other sources before planning a trip. Outdoor activities present inherent risks. Portlandhikers.org, nor any of its members, accept liability for injuries relating to information found on this website.