Pioneer Indian Trail: Mt. Hebo to South Lake

[bobcat]

In the 1850s, settlers in the Tillamook area constructed a trail over the Coast Range to the vicinity of Fort Yamhill (Grand Ronde) using old Native American paths. Somehow, heading up over the wind-blasted 3,154’ summit of Mt. Hebo was deemed the way to go. In a few years, a wagon road was carved along the Nestucca River and the trail was lost. Mt. Hebo’s summit became the site of a weather station and, from 1956 to 1980, a U.S. Air Force radar outpost, part of the line of defense against a Soviet missile attack. A whole small town, including 27 homes, existed up here. Mt. Hebo’s weather was not kind to the military: three times during the existence of the station, the radar dome had to be replaced after being destroyed by storms. None of the original Air Force buildings remain and the land has reverted to the Siuslaw National Forest. In 1975, a USFS employee rediscovered traces of the old settler trail and an eight-mile section of the route was reestablished for hikers and horses.

I had done the hike from Hebo Lake to the summit a few times, but never over the back of the mountain to South Lake. I originally had a plan to drive to South Lake and hike up from there, but, after a brief pit stop at Hebo Lake, I encountered deep snow on the road, and I began the hike where the Pioneer Indian Trail crosses it a couple hundred feet below the summit.

I spent most of the day hiking on snow a few inches to five feet deep. The trail here began as an old road bed that heads up below the summit, where the weather station is, and reaches Mt. Hebo’s extensive plateau farther east. This is a landscape of open moorland dotted with huckleberry bushes and skeletal snags, all that remain from devastating forest fires that ripped through here, the last one in 1910. Views are extensive from up here on a good day. Low cloud cover on my day meant I could see down to Cape Lookout’s south cliffs, Cape Meares and the Tillamook dairy pastures, but not much farther.

The trail continues to meander past bogs, over creeks and meadows, and through Douglas-fir/hemlock/noble fir woodland on the extensive summit area. Sometimes, the trail was a running creek of meltwater that had cut down through the snow blanket; at other times, I was postholing over five-foot drifts. Conveniently situated posts told me the way whenever I seemed to reach an impasse. The snow told tales of much animal activity: squirrel, skunk, marten, snowshoe hare, bobcat, bobcat following hare, coyote, deer, elk.

I switchbacked down the south side of the mountain, encountering some winter blowdown and lots of deep, icy drifts. Soon I arrived at little North Lake, sequestered (dare I use that word?) in its wooded bowl. From here, the trail meandered along on a shallower grade and I emerged from the snow zone. Herds of elk were weaving through the trees, stopping to gawk at me from a distance. A coyote tagging one of the groups shuffled across my path. The trail crossed a road and dropped down to South Lake, which has a (deserted) primitive campground.

I lunched here and began the posthole experience again heading up the slope. There were a couple of light snow showers along the way, followed by brief bursts of sun. A mantle of mist had cloaked the coast and was rolling up Hebo’s slopes. I decided not to tag the summit, since there were no views, and it would have meant slogging through the four-foot accumulations on the access road. As I hiked the last stretch, the woods were dripping in the swirling mist and temperatures had plummeted. All in all, a grand day highlighted by the frequent freezing and thawing of my lower extremities, but what is true hiking without suffering?

[pdxgene]

Nice! I'd been wondering how much snow, if any, was up there on the last couple coast trips I've made. When you catch a clear, haze free day the view of the distant Cascade volcanoes and the closer ocean to the west from the top is great. In just about every direction. I've gone part of the way back down the other side but never made it very far past the summit meadow area either. One of these days....

[payslee]

Wow! Nice wildlife day. You must have been walking pretty softly.

It's been years and years since I've been down there. Thanks for reminding me.

-payslee

[romann]

Nice pictures, especially of lake reflections!

My 2013 hiking list just got a little longer...

[Sean Thomas]

Great informative tr, Bobcat. I haven't been up to Hebo since I was a kid but should get back up there to experience the views pdx speaks of


How were the primitive spots at South Lake? worth an overnight stay?

[bobcat]

@Sean: It's a quiet place if no one is there. I can imagine the sound would carry if there are several boozy groups (I filled two trail trash bags from stuff left there last fall, and still there were a bunch of beer cans I couldn't carry out). No picnic tables, just pull-in spots with one outhouse.

[Splintercat]

Thanks, Bobcat - nice report!

Tom