Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

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Guy
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Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by Guy » June 29th, 2010, 8:52 pm

Alternative Title: A long way to sit on a bench

All but 2 miles of what turned into this 20 mile hike were on established trails but since the connector route that made it possible (Pablo's way) is not a trail I've kept this post in the off trail forum.

Our original intent was to do a Car Shuttle hike between the Eagle Creek Trailhead & the New McIntyre Ridge Trailhead. However when we took a closer look at the map we realized that though the direct distance between both trailheads was not great, by road it would have added about 50 miles of car shuttling to the day - something we didn't want to do!

So the revised plan was to leave one car at McIntyre Ridge and the other at the old Wildcat Quarry & hike down the Douglas Trail to Eagle Creek. We finally hit the trail at 9:30 and found the Lower Douglas Trail to be in great shape which was a bit of a surprise considering it doesn't really go anywhere & has no great views I thought it would be very lightly traveled.

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These first 4 miles went quickly as the trail has a gentle downward grade, we crossed some lovely stepping stones & the Iris were in full force.

We hit the junction with the Eagle Creek trail after about 90 minutes & began our hike up the Eagle Creek trail through all the old growth forest, it had a very Jurassic Park feel to it!

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We followed the trail for about 5 miles until we reached a set of co-ordinates Pablo had given us. By the time we got there it was almost 1:30 and we were 11.5 miles into the hike. Conveniently our jump off point was a wide spot in the trail and next to the creek so we stopped for lunch before tackling Pablo's Way.

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I tied one piece of ribbon on a tree about 100' off the trail at the point were we left the trail (see co-ordinates at the end of this report). We were heading for a second set of co-ordinates about third of the way up the ridge these guided us slightly to the East as we climbed. Though steep the undergrowth was minimal and we actually spent a good deal of our time following game trails that were conveniently going in the same direction.

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As we climbed the ridge began to narrow, shortly before reaching the top which is slightly higher than the Plaza Trail passing on the other side we veered slightly to the West and intersected with the Plaza - Mission accomplished! You can't really go wrong here if you go to high just follow the hill down to the West side until you hit the trail.

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Now were were moving at full speed again & it wasn't too long before we arrived at Coffman Camp, no one needed water so we didn't have to take the side trail down to the water but headed instead for the Wildcat Mountain Rock Garden.

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Before reaching the Garden we got a view back towards the Ridge we had climbed out of the Eagle Creek Drainage on. Glimpses of Hood started to appear through the trees and we got the first unobstructed views at the Rock Garden.

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From here it was on to the Summit of Wildcat Mountain, on the spur trail to the top I saw the last surviving bit of snow it was about 6" across and would probably be gone by the end of the day! Wildcat is pretty much surrounded by trees now though one window on Hood remains open.

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It was about 5:15 when we reached the top of Wildcat & we considered bailing out on the Douglas trail back to the Quarry but in for a penny in for a pound we stuck with the original plan & headed for McIntyre Ridge.

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The views were great as we traveled along and it wasn't long before we reached the classic Dead Tree & Bench Spot! Not many flowers yet & the Beargrass has a long was to go, I don't think it will be as good as the photos that I saw of this place last year but the meadow West of the Bench Meadow looks like it's going to be pretty good.

After 40 winks on the bench I dragged myself onto my feet again for the final march to the McIntyre Ridge Trailhead. About 6:45 by the time we got back with about 20 miles under our feet, a long but very enjoyable day..

Pablo's Way opens up some great loop options from many entry points around the Salmon Huckleberry. Just from the West Side this could be done as an 18 mile loop from either the Quarry or the Eagle Creek Trailhead. If you wanted to do it as a two day backpack & started from the Quarry you would hit some lovely camping spots on the Eagle Creek Trail around the 10 mile mark.

Finally a trail log, Eric's Map & profile of our route & the Coordinates that Pablo kindly shared with us before we set off on the adventure!

Click to view:
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Click to view:
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Trail Log:
0.0 9:20 am Upper Douglas TH
4.7 10:58 am Douglas Eagle Jct.
11.7 2:05 pm Eagle Pablo Jct.
13.7 3:20 pm Pablo Plaza Jct.
14.1 3:50 pm Coffman Camp
14.8 4:08 pm Douglas Plaza Jct
16.4 5:00 pm Wildcat Mt
16.9 5:23 pm Douglas McIntyre Jct
20.0 6:45 pm New McIntyre TH

Pablo'sCoordinates:
001 Eagle - Pablo Junction 45.26765,-122.03475,2335,
002 Eagle - Pablo 2 45.26975,-122.02401,3401,
003 Eagle - Pablo 3 45.27342,-122.01605,4201,
004 Pablo - Plaza Junction 45.27547,-122.01501,4158,

More photos than you can shake a stick at here!

Guy..
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pablo
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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by pablo » June 29th, 2010, 10:18 pm

Guy,

Great report and pictures - that is a neat shuttle, could be done as a bike 'n hike, no? Adding that little x-country piece does make for interesting things (as you have pointed out) like just a simple loop from Eagle Creek to Wildcat Mtn.

I like that lower Douglas Trail - someone spent some time fixing up that little creek crossing you have photographed.

--Paul
The future's uncertain and the end is always near.

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Splintercat
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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by Splintercat » June 30th, 2010, 8:39 am

Nice report, Guy! Good to see Pablo's Way getting some boot traffic..! :)

The fine trail work on the Douglas Trail (and other trails in the vicinity) is courtesy Barb Adams and the folks at Oregon Equestrian Trails (OET). Here's a bit about their work: OET Mount Hood Chapter Activities

Barb posts here periodically, so I thought I'd extend the kudos. The OET is a really important partner in keeping backcountry trails open for quiet recreation.

Also good to see the New McIntyre trailhead getting plenty of use - I'll be up there in a couple of weeks to see those beargrass beginning to open, hopefully. I've got a semi-secluded patch just off the trail that I've been dying to photograph.

-Tom :)

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Guy
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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by Guy » June 30th, 2010, 9:27 pm

Paul, re a bike shuttle, yes, only about 4 miles between the McIntyre Ridge & Quarry trailheads. You would probably want to hide as well as lock your bike though - some interesting folks cruising around up there!

Tom, thanks for the info on OET I think the Forest Service has been paying for some contract trail maintenance as was reported on the Bonanza last week. We past a ribbon on a tree with the words "End of Contract Maintenance - 1.2 Miles" & then the guys name.

I wonder if the FS also paid to clear out that section of the Plaza that Pablo reported on today? Would be cool if they were going to open that up again.
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Barb Adams
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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by Barb Adams » July 31st, 2010, 7:59 pm

Tom, Thanks so much for posting a link to OET. An OET volunteer crew cleared Lower Douglas Trail July 18. Zigzag Ranger District is getting Douglas brushed this year, and doing tread and brushing on Eagle #501.

The information from Pablo and Guy on the links is excellent. At one time OET, working with the Forest Service, had a trail flagged between Eagle #501 and the Coffman Camp area, but the trail was never built.

Hoping to be back in the Salmon-Huckleberry soon.

barb

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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by acoulombe » January 20th, 2022, 3:37 pm

I know that this is an old trail report, but who's Pablo? My family and I went up to Wildcat and then the "dead tree and bench" spot looking for a Christmas tree this last December. While on the hike I was thinking a loop with Eagle Creek would be amazing. The ridge from the Wildcat quarry to Wildcat Mountain was majestic! Never done the Salmon-Huckleberry Eagle Creek, but want to give it a try maybe this next summer and this loop would make it epic.

Do you have any more details on the Pablo Way? Again, I know it was 12 years ago, but is this shortcut easy to locate?

Any details would be awesome!

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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by Bosterson » January 20th, 2022, 4:07 pm

Pablo is an emeritus member of this forum from years past. The route Guy is talking about in this old thread you necromanced ( ;) ) appears to be an offtrail ridge connecting the lower Eagle Creek trail to the Plaza Trail on the ridge above to Wildcat Mountain - you can see it in the map in Guy's post. I would guess that "shortcut" is not actually the correct word for what connects the two trails... :lol:
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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by acoulombe » January 21st, 2022, 6:23 am

Thanks Bosterson. Appreciated. I figured it would be mostly bushwhacking, but it's tough to tell from the map, it won't let me zoom in much (or maybe I'm not doing it right). I just noticed a few trail markers like "Eagle1" "Eagle2" etc. along what I assumed was "Pablo's Way, but couldn't tell exactly where it left the EC trail or joined the Plaza Trail. I don't know the area well enough to know if it would be obvious. Regardless, it sounds like an adventure. I'm considering going clockwise and coming down Pablo's Way instead of up it. The elevation gain at the other end of EC back to Wildcat seems more gradual.

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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by Guy » January 21st, 2022, 6:42 am

If I remember correctly Pablo found the the route on an old USFS map. At one time there was a trail or a way there. There is nothing there now. It was a relatively easy bushwhack from bottom to top I remember the Rhodies being a bit thick near the top. Buchwhacking is always easier going up rather than down if you are not familiar with the route.
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Re: Eagle Creek to McIntyre Ridge via Pablo's Way 06/27/10

Post by acoulombe » January 21st, 2022, 2:25 pm

Thanks Guy!

So it looks like I would need to be on the lookout for Pablo's Way about a half mile from the Eagle Creek Ford? Is this about right? Bushwacking two miles w/ 2,000ft. ele gain doesn't sound easy, but I'll take your word for it :)

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