Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

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MarkInTheDark
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Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by MarkInTheDark » September 15th, 2022, 2:58 pm

Here's an interesting story about the Skyline Trail...

https://www.opb.org/article/2022/09/03/ ... ater-lake/

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drm
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by drm » September 16th, 2022, 6:48 am

We have it so easy these days. I whine about trees down across the trail now. I guess that used to define what it was to go hiking in most places in Oregon.

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RobFromRedland
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by RobFromRedland » September 16th, 2022, 12:54 pm

drm wrote:
September 16th, 2022, 6:48 am
We have it so easy these days. I whine about trees down across the trail now. I guess that used to define what it was to go hiking in most places in Oregon.
On the contrary, I think most trails back in the day were maintained WAY better than they are today. They were the ONLY way to get anywhere in the forest - there were no roads to most places, so the trails had to be maintained for the pack trains to supply the lookouts and guard stations.

All the downed trees on that show are just due to the trail being abandoned for 50+ years. A lot of trees fall in 50 years.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: WOW! What a ride! - Hunter S. Thompson

jvangeld
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by jvangeld » September 19th, 2022, 11:16 am

Following a link at that site, I see a story about a man who hiked the Oregon Trail this year. He pushed a mini covered wagon. On the portions that are now covered by a freeway, he hiked the freeway.

Donald Martin Hikes the Oregon Trail

His trip reports are at trailjournals.com

Bushwhacking the old trails has made up some of my most memorable times in the woods.
Jeremy VanGelder - Friends of Road 4109

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oldandslow
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by oldandslow » September 19th, 2022, 2:12 pm

I have a 1961 Forest Service map of the Oregon Skyline Trail. I don't know about the south half but I believe that very little of the north half was abandoned. Much of the trail was just renamed Pacific Crest Trail.
Where the PCT was relocated, many of the former sections of the Skyline Trail were kept open--Marion Lake thru the Eight Lakes Basin to Santiam Pass and Frog Camp to the site of Sunshine Shelter are examples.

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retired jerry
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by retired jerry » September 19th, 2022, 2:15 pm

I have heard the story about the Skyline trail. Yeah, great story.

Also the guy hauling a wagon on the oregon trail. Most of that was on roads built near where the oregon trail used to be. Too bad there isn't more actual trail left.

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bobcat
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by bobcat » September 19th, 2022, 4:49 pm

A couple of old Skyline Trail signs for people to find:

Skyline Trail sign.jpg
End of Skyline Trail signage.jpg

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RobFromRedland
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by RobFromRedland » September 20th, 2022, 4:52 am

oldandslow wrote:
September 19th, 2022, 2:12 pm
I have a 1961 Forest Service map of the Oregon Skyline Trail. I don't know about the south half but I believe that very little of the north half was abandoned. Much of the trail was just renamed Pacific Crest Trail.
Where the PCT was relocated, many of the former sections of the Skyline Trail were kept open--Marion Lake thru the Eight Lakes Basin to Santiam Pass and Frog Camp to the site of Sunshine Shelter are examples.
The route of the Skyline trail changed significantly thru the years, so it depends on which alignment you are talking about. Portions of it became the PCT and portions became other other trails - other portions were just abandoned. For example, the current Red Lake and Rho Ridge trails were part of the Skyline trail at one point when they shifted it west, presumably to get it out of the way of logging to the east.

Here is a page talking about it with map scans from 1921-1965 showing the changes in alignment over the years:

https://www.trailadvocate.org/historica ... ine-trail/
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming: WOW! What a ride! - Hunter S. Thompson

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drm
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by drm » September 20th, 2022, 6:24 am

RobFromRedland wrote:
September 16th, 2022, 12:54 pm
drm wrote:
September 16th, 2022, 6:48 am
We have it so easy these days. I whine about trees down across the trail now. I guess that used to define what it was to go hiking in most places in Oregon.
On the contrary, I think most trails back in the day were maintained WAY better than they are today.
Then I can keep on whining. :lol:

But that also explains why they were better managed - they weren't just for recreation.

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Double Tree
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Re: Cool Skyline Trail Story From OPB

Post by Double Tree » April 14th, 2023, 8:30 pm

bobcat wrote:
September 19th, 2022, 4:49 pm
A couple of old Skyline Trail signs for people to find:


Skyline Trail sign.jpg
End of Skyline Trail signage.jpg
:) I've got a photo or two of that old Red Lake sign. Loved that trail. My husband would drop me off, drive to Olallie for some fishing, and I'd hike in and find him. Suppose the sign is burnt up now.
Kelly

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