Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

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Chip Down
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Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Chip Down » April 18th, 2016, 8:07 pm

If you've visited the ruins of the Herman Creek pipeline, or even if you've only read about it, prepare for your mind to be blown. I realize I run the risk of sounding like that jackass who "discovered" Hyperbole Canyon, so I'll try to contain my enthusiasm a bit. But in all the info I've found online, I haven't seen any of the puzzling stuff I found today. Turns out this pipe isn't at all what it seems. If you want to skip my report, just jump down to the pics. [edit: I've already started to come up with sensible explanations for some of my observations, so I guess it's not all that exciting after all. Still, it is neat to find the unexpected.]

Like a condemned man who ponders what to request for his last meal, I wondered what to do with my last day of funemployment (a word I learned here :D ). Hot but windy, so wanted to keep it casual, especially since my poor old body is getting bashed pretty hard with all the offtrail stuff in the last couple weeks. Decided to start with a quick easy trip up Herman Creek trail to check out the old pipeline. I've been getting a lot of satisfaction out of exploring old infrastructure, especially rotten old stuff that takes some sleuthing.

Started up the trail around sunrise, and it was already warm enough to wear just a tee shirt, first time this year. Felt good, but my arms are complaining now (lots of scratches and scrapes). In just a couple minutes, I spotted a pipe, maybe about 3" OD, poking above the trail a bit. Interesting, but by the time I came back down I realized it's unrelated. Anybody know what it is?

Following the trail where it crosses the powerline road was confusing. I see now why some have complained of not finding the trail. I took a chance, picking one option at random. It worked out, as I soon saw the pipe. I wish now that I had dropped immediately and followed it to the end, so I could then slowly pick my way up, examining it closely in one continuous walk. Oh well. Instead I followed the trail until I hit a little ridge, allowing for the easiest access.

When I hit the pipe, I noticed it was wood, so knew I was on the upper half. See, I totally misunderstood. I thought the extant pipe was wood above and steel below, but I eventually learned it's all wood, except the last ten feet or so. The steel pipe is mostly gone, down below the powerline road.

So up the pipe I went. It was easy at first. Walking the crest was the obvious choice from the standpoint of efficiency, but is it safe? I probed constantly with poles, and was careful to step on the steel rings which offered a little extra support. I never found a single spot that was rotten (the pipe is destroyed in places, but that's a different matter).

Soon, I came to a slide that had taken the pipe out. Had to cross the slide and find the pipe on the other side. At the slide I noticed a spiral wire going downhill, like a slinky that had been overstretched. I started seeing more of this coiled wire. Explanation in pic below.

Following the pipe became increasingly difficult. I lost the pipe a few times, but kept picking it up again. Finally gave up an hour in. Creek wasn't sensible to follow, and the steep brushy hillside wasn't either, especially with all the slides. At this point, I had only invested an hour. So coming back later with more info would be doable. Continuing to struggle just didn't make sense.

On the way back, I recognized the ridge where I had dropped from the trail to the pipe, and it felt good to get into new terrain. Found more weird pipe surprises, as shown in pics. Reached the end, bushwhacked ten feet ( :D ) to the powerline road and walked back to the trail.

On my to-do list: find more pipe above, if there is some. There should be some sort of diversion dam or something as well. Also need to find the lower steel pipe and the remnants of the powerhouse.
Attachments
99.jpg
My turnaround point. Getting higher would be a hassle. Maybe after more research, so I know what I'm looking for. Maybe even with GPS.
32.jpg
I'm thinking this pipe might not hold a lot of pressure.
33.jpg
I love this pic. Notice the steel shutters. No, they don't slide closed. Too short; they only penetrate the wood an inch or so. Oh...I just realized, this must have resulted from the pipe getting pulled apart. Windows are so crisp, I assumed they were deliberate. Strange that I didn't see these anyplace else, and there was no other damage evident in this section of pipe.
11.jpg
Wow! Pipe in a pipe!
13.jpg
17.jpg
Small iron pipe bends at an elbow fitting and exits the wooden pipe. I followed it through brush and dirt until...
20.jpg
Small iron pipe re-enters below a bulkhead. I wonder if this was a later retrofit to bypass a section of wooden pipe that was failing. This would have to be in the era when this system was (we speculate) repurposed for domestic water supply, as evidenced by the 2" (?) pipe outlet at the bottom, near the powerline road.
24.jpg
Aha! Kept seeing what appeared to be clean-cut portals in the top of the pipe. These hinges prove there was a lid; the hole isn't just rot or damage.
07.jpg
What's with this spiral wire I keep seeing?
09.jpg
Wow, look at that. Between the spiral wire and the ID of the wooden pipe is a concrete-like material.
05.jpg
Wooden pipe ended, corrugated steel began. I was confused, but the wood started again soon. I think the steel is unrelated.
02.jpg
Rings made me feel a little better about walking on top (less chance of plunging through).
01.jpg
The obligatory end pic. Wooden section visible at right.
00.jpg
Trail pipe. Dug out the hardware a bit, but would need a shovel to really find out what's under there.

DayHiker2016
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by DayHiker2016 » April 19th, 2016, 7:21 am

I never would have guessed that a wooden pipe existed, but then I don't know much. One of
my ancestors was a wooden barrel maker (Cooper) and the pipe would be the same skill set.

As I'm new to this site, your trip report is the first I've read. But you didn't say what the pipe was
other than an, uh, pipe :) Did it provide a water supply to some local town or mining or logging camp?

And How did you find out about it and its location? Was it on private property or public lands?

Interesting find and particularly since its in such great shape for wood. The only wood
structures around me that are dated and found in the woods are ancient septic tanks that
were redwood and have now been banned by law due to leaks into the local watershed.
I've met a few land owners who told me that they still have functioning tanks on their property.
That said, I don't think I'm going in search of any :)

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Guy
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Guy » April 19th, 2016, 8:49 am

The pipe ends here, just to the West of the Work Center Depot.

Image

This site isn't the easiest to search to there were quite a few discusions about this back in 2010.

There is also the remains of a diversion dam I believe. Don Nelsen is the expert on this.
hiking log & photos.
Ad monte summa aut mors

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Chip Down
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Chip Down » April 19th, 2016, 4:21 pm

DayHiker:
Welcome!
Yeah, very much like a looong barrel. This was the first I'd seen, although have heard of them. I guess I assumed a wooden pipe was a hollow log, but of course that woodn't ( :D ) be practical for a project of this scope.
The pipe purportedly fed a turbine to generate electricity, at least originally.
It's located on national forest land, or at least I assume. Although when constructed it probably was owned by an industrialist. Or maybe in those days people leased water rights. Or maybe the water was just poached.
Learned about it here, I think, although I can't recall what I was searching for. Some of my best hikes in the last 6 months came from unproductive google results that took me other places.
Yes, surprising it's in such good shape. Makes me wonder if it was treated. But even so, you'd expect it to be rotting away by now.

Guy:
I've read the various reports, including Don's. At the time, it was a bit overwhelming. Wish I had printed some stuff out, in hopes it would make sense once I got the basics figured out. Still not sure what the work center is. The cluster of buildings right off the highway, at the road up to the TH? I poked around to the west, but way too brushy to continue. Like the top of the pipe and the dam, I'd bushwhack if I knew exactly what I was looking for. I'll go back and read those old reports and see if it makes more sense now. Fortunately, there's no approach hike, it's all close by, so good for an add-on or a rainy day trip.

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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Webfoot » April 10th, 2022, 4:14 pm

I came across the metal bands from a pipe near Herman Creek the other day. A search brought me here. I cannot seem to find the older threads. Do they still exist? For that matter does the wooden pipe still exist? I only saw the bands, but I was there for other things and didn't try to follow the line.

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Chip Down
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Chip Down » April 14th, 2022, 7:22 am

Webfoot, the wooden pipe perished in the Eagle Creek fire. I suppose some sections might remain, but I haven't gone looking.

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Chip Down
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Chip Down » April 14th, 2022, 8:13 pm

Webfoot wrote:
April 10th, 2022, 4:14 pm
I came across the metal bands from a pipe near Herman Creek the other day. A search brought me here. I cannot seem to find the older threads. Do they still exist?
viewtopic.php?t=10803

viewtopic.php?t=3992

viewtopic.php?t=4511

viewtopic.php?t=6811

Webfoot
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Webfoot » April 15th, 2022, 6:46 am

Thanks! :D

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Don Nelsen » April 15th, 2022, 8:20 am

When I looked for the pipe after the fire, it was completely burned except in a few small spots where it rested the closest to the ground. Only a few of the staves had escaped the fire, likely damp and colder in contact with the earth. Only the rings remained as they do still.

It's a shame we've lost this artifact of the pioneer logging days.

dn
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Waffle Stomper
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Re: Herman Creek Pipe (shocking revelations!)

Post by Waffle Stomper » April 16th, 2022, 11:04 am

Don Nelsen wrote:
April 15th, 2022, 8:20 am

It's a shame we've lost this artifact of the pioneer logging days.

dn
Sadly, nothing lasts forever.
"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe." - John Muir

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