REVISED! Anyone for a Tillamook Railroad Hike Sunday 03-22?

[Peder]

Brad has kindly volunteered to join me to hike 16 miles along the abandoned Tillamook RR between the Cochran trail head and the Salmonberry trail head. The question is now if anybody else wishes to join us?

We will meet at the Hwy 26 junction with the Timber Road (a couple of miles after Hwy 26's only tunnel) at 8.00 am, there is parking on the right. We will then switch cars, so I would drive your car to one trail head, while you drive my car to the other trail head. We then hike along the train tracks back to our own car and drive home.

The trail does have some washouts, so expect some bushwhacking around these, there may also be a stream crossing or two. You will also need to bring a headlamp (flashlight) as some of the tunnels are pretty dark.


Field Guide descriptions here and here.

Should somebody be feeling social but not be interested in 16 miles, you a welcome to do an out n' back from either trail head.

You can respond here or by a PM. Note that the weather should be "mostly cloudy", so well suited for this hike!

[Born2BBrad]

If it was Sunday I'd be there. Sorry

[Buddy]

If it was Sunday I'd be there. Sorry

Too bad Brad; I would have loved company and we really need a second driver!

[Peder]

Edit: I just changed the meet up time to 8.00 am.

[Koda]

I was just there last weekend conditions were perfect. There are stream crossings (wet feet) and scrambling around washouts. We didn't thru hike though so... I'm curious about hiking the tracks on the lower part to the Salmoberry trailhead as they've repaired the tracks and and are now running trains partially up the canyon. I'm wondering what issues this presents to hiking this section?

[Peder]

I was just there last weekend conditions were perfect. There are stream crossings (wet feet) and scrambling around washouts. We didn't thru hike though so... I'm curious about hiking the tracks on the lower part to the Salmoberry trailhead as they've repaired the tracks and and are now running trains partially up the canyon. I'm wondering what issues this presents to hiking this section?

I had heard that they were running train close to Tillamook; I guess if they are running them this far up the canyon that must be for logging. Presumably they do not log on weekends. Anyhow, if the rails are still generally in a similar condition to when the line was last used in 2007, the trains never operate at more than 10 mph, so it does not seem like a major threat.

It would be interesting to see all the repairs that must have been made.

[Koda]

I guess if they are running them this far up the canyon that must be for logging.

I should back up a bit, I don't really know if they are running trains, but I was there last summer while trout fishing the Nehalem we drove to the trailhead to look around and saw that new tracks were rebuilt heading into the canyon. Logically, I'm assuming they are using them.

[Peder]

This hike will be another time... Should anybody be interested in a car-to-car shuttle for this hike in the future, just PM me.

[RobFromRedland]

I guess if they are running them this far up the canyon that must be for logging.

I should back up a bit, I don't really know if they are running trains, but I was there last summer while trout fishing the Nehalem we drove to the trailhead to look around and saw that new tracks were rebuilt heading into the canyon. Logically, I'm assuming they are using them.

If they rebuilt the tracks at Salmonberry where it washed out, they could get back up to Enright and "rescue" all the stranded cars there. I thought I had heard that was kind of the plan - to run the line back up to Enright but no further. I think the only storm damage from Salmonberry to Enright was right there at the bridge, which sounds like has now been repaired. When I was up there a few years ago, the tracks had been pulled up near the bridge. Would be interesting to see what it looks like now.

[Peder]

Bump! Otherwise my edited post keeps lurking at the bottom of the pile!