First I did the loop up Gorton Creek Trail to Indian Point, then on the Ridge Cutoff Trail to Nick Eaton Trail, back down it (
http://www.portlandhikersfieldguide.org ... _Loop_Hike)
That loop is in perfect condition - no trees across the trail or anything.
I stayed overnight at the Deadwood camp.
Beyond the Indian Point Loop, there were a few trees across the trail, easy to walk over:
I continued up the Gorton Creek another mile or so to 3400' and finally saw one patch of snow:
On the way back down the Nick Eaton Trail is an excellent viewpoint. Nice view of the Benson Plateau ridge, at about 4000', with a little snow on the East side:
Nice view of the Columbia River West and the Bonneville Dam:
Then I walked up the Herman Creek Trail. Nice waterfall about 100' tall right next to trail:
I stayed overnight a couple more nights at Casey Creek. Okay campsite right next to trail:
I walked down to a campsite at the fork of Casey Creek and Herman Creek, but the trail is very difficult and the campsite is very small so I would not recommend it:
I walked up the Casey Creek Trail to Nick Eaton Ridge. There were about 10 trees across the trail that were a bit difficult to get around/across:
There were places where brush grew over the trail. It's about 2500' elevation gain in 1.5 miles - about the steepest trail I can think of.
Where the Casey Creek Trail joins the Nick Eaton Trail, at 4000', there was no snow:
I saw a few patches of snow on the other side of Nick Eaton Ridge below.
I talked to three people who had walked all the way along Nick Eaton ridge, to where it starts goind down to Ridge Camp, and there were only a few patches of snow.
It seems like there is less snow here, just one ridge East of the Benson Plateau where there is more snow, which is one ridge East of Tanner Butte which has even more snow.
