Oregon Hikers

As of May 11, FR 23 heading north out of Trout Lake is snow free for about 12 miles, and FR 24 heading west out of Trout Lake is snow free until right before Peterson Prairie.

Camped half way up Badger Creek and hiked further, to about 3/4 the way, and no hint of snow. I would assume it is snow free or at least passable. I do not know if the road is open yet. There are more logs down than I have seen in many years. A couple are a nuisance to get around, one in particular, a large tree that fell lengthwise on the trail, with dozens of branches sticking out, where the trail contours a hillside. But it is passable with effort and for the most part the logs are just awkward step/climb-overs. But it will take a lot of work to open it up for horses.

There are new signs at the trailhead. For years I have said it is 11 miles to Badger Lake, but the sign now says 12.7 miles. I don't believe it.

drm wrote: ↑

May 18th, 2019, 1:53 pm

There are new signs at the trailhead. For years I have said it is 11 miles to Badger Lake, but the sign now says 12.7 miles. I don't believe it.

Is this the route? If so graphhopper agrees with 11 miles.

https://graphhopper.com/maps/?point=45. ... nStreetMap

drm wrote: ↑

May 18th, 2019, 1:53 pm

Camped half way up Badger Creek and hiked further, to about 3/4 the way, and no hint of snow. I would assume it is snow free or at least passable. I do not know if the road is open yet. There are more logs down than I have seen in many years. A couple are a nuisance to get around, one in particular, a large tree that fell lengthwise on the trail, with dozens of branches sticking out, where the trail contours a hillside. But it is passable with effort and for the most part the logs are just awkward step/climb-overs. But it will take a lot of work to open it up for horses.

There are new signs at the trailhead. For years I have said it is 11 miles to Badger Lake, but the sign now says 12.7 miles. I don't believe it.

Those are the kind of logs that mere mortals can assist with. With a small handsaw you can saw off the limbs on the log and while it is still an impediment it makes passage WAY easier. You may not be able to REMOVE the log, but you can certainly make passage much easier for future hikers. It doesn't take long and it helps keep the trail passable. To me, that is being a good trail steward. Or a good boy scout - leave it better than you found it.

I've done that before on Badger Creek trail - removed limbs so it's passable. Had to walk around the root end. Must be time for a repeat trip.

Hopefully the Goshawk won't attack me and knock my hat off.

Webfoot - Yes, that's the route. Good, I'm validated, it is 11 miles. And I don't have to take my GPS next time to prove it.

Rob - I often do carry a foldable saw early season like this, but haven't remembered this year. And I agree, it often makes a huge difference to hikers to just remove the side branches. For this tree, removing the side branches would be an all-day project. Some were not so thin, and there were so many. But if done, maybe you could then just walk the length of the tree. But that won't do for horses, and I think Backcountry Horseman do a lot of the work on this trail. But I really don't know how you go about moving a tree that must have been over 50 yards long, and up to 3 feet in diameter, from a trail where standing trees on the low side would prevent rolling it off.

Jerry - That goshawk has been gone for years. Myst have found a more private site for it's nest.

drm wrote: ↑

May 19th, 2019, 9:50 am

Webfoot - Yes, that's the route. Good, I'm validated, it is 11 miles. And I don't have to take my GPS next time to prove it.

Well, it's probably a LITTLE more than 11 miles. Map calculations tend to underestimate hiking trail distances a bit. But probably not 12.7.

I was up Badger Creek this weekend as well.
The drive into the lower trailhead from Wamic wasn't bad at all, the flowers were blooming, and the weather was perfect.

There's a lot of low brush along the trail, so if it's rainy or dewy expect to get wet.

AND YES, the 12.7 miles is definitely not correct. It might be 12.7 all the way to Road 4860 trailhead above Badger Lake, but not to the lake itself.

Guy wrote: ↑

May 6th, 2019, 7:34 am

Wahtum Lake Rd 1310, blocked by snow 2.3 miles out. More than 50% of the last 2.3 miles is also snow free but intermittent drifts are keeping even big trucks at bay for now.

Has anyone been on Road 1310 in the 3 weeks since/any updates on the snow conditions there? Thinking of going up there soon.

I was told that Wahtum was accessible by road weeks ago. I have not been there.