Nocturnal Adventures in the Gorge: Bell Creek Loop.

[wheelbreaker180]

Total Distance: Around 16.4 miles (per my GPS)
Total elevation gain:4900' (per my GPS)

On 7/5/2015, Alison and Tyler decided to head into the gorge for a sunset trail run. The plan had been to run in the morning, however ailment had kept us from the trail that morning (likely dehydration 2/2 to climbing Mt. Adams on the 3rd. We loaded up the goat (our truck) with our running vests, made a quick stop in Troutdale for some pop-tarts and a bag of Jerky and arrived at the Oneonta Trail #424 Trailhead around 6PM. After a quick packing session, we left the car around 6:28 with the hopes of completing the “14.5 mile/3,000 Vertical Foot” Bell Creek Loop. Being around 95F, the beginning of the run was a little slow, but after ascending into Oneonta George and passing the cutoff for Horsetail Falls, it began to cool off ever so little. We continued to ascend up and up past Triple Falls and across two foot bridges until we were 3 miles and a few vertical feet up at the cutoff for the Horsetail Trail#425 to the left (we would reunite here with the trail on our descent later). We banked left and began to switchback up and up and up until we finally were on the top of the ridge holding the Bell Creek Trail. By this time it was around 7:50 PM and we were 6.5 miles in. Since we were nearly halfway (per map) and had “mostly flat or downhill” left, we decided to go for it given we had around 1:20 minutes of light left.

The trail then turned right onto the Bell Creek Trail #459 and progressed nicely thru a non-dense low growth pine forest. After a while we entered the old growth spruce and fir stands which were spectacular, however our progress was slowed greatly by large amounts of undergrowth and multiple small stream crossings.

Around 9.5 miles into our run; sweaty and tired, we ended up at the top of the Oneonta Trail #424. It was around 9PM, we estimated we had around 6.5-7 miles left (not quite as advertised) and had climbed quite a bit more than 3,000 vertical feet. We took a few swigs of our water and started down the Oneonta, hoping it would be just a little shorter than expected.

We passed the Junction (hung right) with the Larch Mountain Cutoff Trail (#446) and after taking a second to let Ali’s ankle recuperate after a run in with a lose rock, we continued down past the intersection with the Franklin Ridge trail (#427) and hung right once again. At this point it was getting pretty dark and the sun was going down really fast. We entered the woods and with about a mile and a half left to the junction with the Horsetail Trail #425 we had turned onto earlier, we met our first trail friend of the day. Off to the left of the trail, about 5′ into the woods, something big was creeping thru the underbrush, breaking sticks and not moving fast (we guessed cougar, but hoped for raccoon or possum). After directing some choice remarks its way, we turned on our lights (as it was now pitch black) and began running towards the intersection, finally reaching the intersection with Horsetail Trail #425 at mile 14.2. We were hot and happy to be on familiar trail.

We continued down the trail and after passing Triple Falls and coming to the junction with the Horsetail Falls trailhead we hung left once again. With under a mile to go we met our second set of trail friends, two dudes and their dog (just moved to Oregon from LA) who were lost in the dark without lights. We guided them back to the old highway and gave them a lift in the bed of the truck back to their car. Finish time was around 10:30PM