McCall Point

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drm
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McCall Point

Post by drm » October 23rd, 2021, 3:54 pm

This hike and area is best known for spring flowers, but with the bridge across the Columbia at The Dalles closed Thurs eve through Monday morning for the next six months for a major bridge deck replacement project, I'm going to be spending more time on the Oregon side. It's now a 40 mile drive to get to Columbia Hills hikes, 30 miles to Lyle Cherry Orchard.

I don't get to this hike that often despite it only being 11 miles from my house to the trailhead because it is so short, but add in how the Eagle Cliffs are pretty much toast for hiking too, this is now the nearest hike for me - good for a quick afternoon getaway. Today that means between deluges. Note that the well worn smooth trail is prone to some slippery clay-mud sections. I wonder if I will need my micro-spikes as the winter sets in?
rc1.jpg
Looking at the road up from Rowena and with the trailhead area on the left
rc2.jpg
lots of grassland on this hike
rc3.jpg
and a bit of forest
rc4.jpg
and some great color contrasts despite the gray sky
rc5.jpg

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adamschneider
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Re: McCall Point

Post by adamschneider » October 23rd, 2021, 8:22 pm

drm wrote:
October 23rd, 2021, 3:54 pm
add in how the Eagle Cliffs are pretty much toast for hiking too
Have you tried going up from Chenowith Creek Road? There's a decent stream crossing a few hundred yards west of the first clearing along the road ("first" if you're coming up from 10th Ave.), then you just have to follow deer trails up to the rim.

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drm
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Re: McCall Point

Post by drm » October 24th, 2021, 8:05 am

Yeah, I supposed you could find places to go up from the west side like that. But then most of the tableland above is now fenced off. Apparently a lot of the hiking up there had been on private land and allowed/tolerated, but no longer.

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adamschneider
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Re: McCall Point

Post by adamschneider » October 24th, 2021, 8:38 am

drm wrote:
October 24th, 2021, 8:05 am
Yeah, I supposed you could find places to go up from the west side like that.
I'm talking about the north side. There's some decent hiking to be had along the bench trails, and you can still get to the cliffs themselves.
Chenoweth.jpg

Webfoot
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Re: McCall Point

Post by Webfoot » October 24th, 2021, 10:48 am

drm wrote:
October 24th, 2021, 8:05 am
Apparently a lot of the hiking up there had been on private land and allowed/tolerated, but no longer.
Most of the area is still USFS land I believe.

chenowith.jpg

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drm
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Re: McCall Point

Post by drm » October 25th, 2021, 10:06 am

Webfoot wrote:
October 24th, 2021, 10:48 am
Most of the area is still USFS land I believe.
Not based on the fencing I have seen trying to get up there in recent years. I used to do big loops up there, but most of that is blocked off now.

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Re: McCall Point

Post by Webfoot » October 25th, 2021, 2:20 pm

I know that there have been some changes but the county parcel map shows the green outline in my map to all be owned by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The one conspicuous square on the east belongs to WEBB WAYNE L & JANA L. Where are these new fences?

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retired jerry
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Re: McCall Point

Post by retired jerry » October 25th, 2021, 2:29 pm

maybe private landowners are putting up fences on Forest Service land?

probably few people would notice

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adamschneider
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Re: McCall Point

Post by adamschneider » October 25th, 2021, 3:10 pm

Webfoot wrote:
October 25th, 2021, 2:20 pm
I know that there have been some changes but the county parcel map shows the green outline in my map to all be owned by UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The one conspicuous square on the east belongs to WEBB WAYNE L & JANA L.
Looks like the Webbs own the whole east slope too, around/above the water tank. That part has great wildflowers and rock pinnacles, it's a shame it's no longer accessible.
Webfoot wrote:
October 25th, 2021, 2:20 pm
Where are these new fences?
I was up on top this past spring and didn't encounter any fences on the USFS land.

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