Augspurger Mt, alleged "Cascade Crest Trail", powerline loop
Posted: September 12th, 2016, 7:25 pm
Looking for a break, a nice lazy summer stroll in the hills, no danger or excitement.
On my first trip up Wind Mt a few months ago, I noticed some nice scenery between Wind and Dog, accessible via a powerline road. Figured this would be a good day to check it out. Also, wanted to investigate the north end of Girl Scout Road, which Google shows as Cascade Crest Trail.
Started at the Grant Lake pullout on Hwy 14 and bushwhacked up and northeast, hoping I'd hit Augspurger Trail. I did. As I approached the Dog Mountain junction, at maybe 1800', the precip started. Forecast was chance of drizzle in Cascade Locks, dry in Hood River, so I figured the odds were in my favor. Stopped to don jacket and hat, and passed the Dog junction, dropping into the first of many brushy parts of Aug Trail. Soaked to the skin, at least on the front where I was brushing against wet leaves. Could be worse, at least it wasn't hot. The wind never really let up completely, it was with me nearly all day.
Had none of the routefinding problems others have reported in older TRs. The trail is in good shape, well marked, even featuring blue diamonds on trees in many places. But as I approached the summit I lost the trail. Went back down, tried again, no luck. This was around the girdled trees that others have observed. Okay, so I struck out on my own, not quite sure where to go, but knowing it had to be up. Soon found a tree signed "summit", so figured that was probably the summit. Noticed a trail and followed it back down to see how I missed it, but it never did connect with my ascent trail. So there's a spot around the girdled trees where it's basically pointless to look for the trail. You're almost at the top, so just go uphill a hundred yards.
A surprise at the summit: Aug trail actually bypasses the summit, which is accessed via a very short spur trail. That's weird. Even more surprising was the continuation of this trail to the east. I followed it down a ways to a rocky clearing (good rest spot) but then it started switchbacking steeply down to the north. I didn't think there was anything I cared about down there, so back to the summit, and down the Aug Trail to the northwest.
Enjoyed the views down the back side of Aug. The trail was less overgrown than expected, even recently defoliated in one stretch (Thanks, whoever you are). I expected the trail to end up here, but it just kept dropping and dropping towards the utility roads at the north base of Aug Mt. Maps and TRs didn't prepare me for this. I thought I'd be bushwhacking down to the road, so this was a luxury. At the bottom, in a jumble of utility roads, I saw a sign marking this "other" Aug trailhead.
Followed the powerlines west, looking for the top of Girl Scout Road, aka Cascade Crest Trail. Found a reasonable candidate. As I followed it, there were so many spurs that I wondered if I was where I thought I was. The roadside pond, and the funky junction at the next powerline crossing, reassured me. Was it a trail at this point? Absolutely not. I think this is a Google error (I know, shocking), unless the road was extended up the trail after the trail was resituated, but I doubt that.
I started east on the powerline road, expecting it to take me to the point where Aug Trail crosses, but Loop Anxiety set in. You know, that terrible realization that you're half way through your allotted time, which means if you keep going you're committed. I knew I didn't have a lot of distance to cover, but I also know powerline roads sometimes deadend at brushy canyons, rivers, various obstacles. Was I sure this road was continuous to Aug Trail? Nope. Damn. The prudent thing was to turn back, or I would run the slight risk of an unplanned night out here. When I got back to GS Road I was tempted to follow it down, but I had already seen that there were unmapped roads out here. There was a slim chance I'd get lost in a maze, and I couldn't risk that, so I went all the way back up GS Road, up the powerline road, up the back side of Aug Mt, and down to the empty Dog Mt TH.
This trip reinforced what I already knew: Don't trust aerial pics when planning routes on powerline corridors. They get damn steep sometimes.
On my first trip up Wind Mt a few months ago, I noticed some nice scenery between Wind and Dog, accessible via a powerline road. Figured this would be a good day to check it out. Also, wanted to investigate the north end of Girl Scout Road, which Google shows as Cascade Crest Trail.
Started at the Grant Lake pullout on Hwy 14 and bushwhacked up and northeast, hoping I'd hit Augspurger Trail. I did. As I approached the Dog Mountain junction, at maybe 1800', the precip started. Forecast was chance of drizzle in Cascade Locks, dry in Hood River, so I figured the odds were in my favor. Stopped to don jacket and hat, and passed the Dog junction, dropping into the first of many brushy parts of Aug Trail. Soaked to the skin, at least on the front where I was brushing against wet leaves. Could be worse, at least it wasn't hot. The wind never really let up completely, it was with me nearly all day.
Had none of the routefinding problems others have reported in older TRs. The trail is in good shape, well marked, even featuring blue diamonds on trees in many places. But as I approached the summit I lost the trail. Went back down, tried again, no luck. This was around the girdled trees that others have observed. Okay, so I struck out on my own, not quite sure where to go, but knowing it had to be up. Soon found a tree signed "summit", so figured that was probably the summit. Noticed a trail and followed it back down to see how I missed it, but it never did connect with my ascent trail. So there's a spot around the girdled trees where it's basically pointless to look for the trail. You're almost at the top, so just go uphill a hundred yards.
A surprise at the summit: Aug trail actually bypasses the summit, which is accessed via a very short spur trail. That's weird. Even more surprising was the continuation of this trail to the east. I followed it down a ways to a rocky clearing (good rest spot) but then it started switchbacking steeply down to the north. I didn't think there was anything I cared about down there, so back to the summit, and down the Aug Trail to the northwest.
Enjoyed the views down the back side of Aug. The trail was less overgrown than expected, even recently defoliated in one stretch (Thanks, whoever you are). I expected the trail to end up here, but it just kept dropping and dropping towards the utility roads at the north base of Aug Mt. Maps and TRs didn't prepare me for this. I thought I'd be bushwhacking down to the road, so this was a luxury. At the bottom, in a jumble of utility roads, I saw a sign marking this "other" Aug trailhead.
Followed the powerlines west, looking for the top of Girl Scout Road, aka Cascade Crest Trail. Found a reasonable candidate. As I followed it, there were so many spurs that I wondered if I was where I thought I was. The roadside pond, and the funky junction at the next powerline crossing, reassured me. Was it a trail at this point? Absolutely not. I think this is a Google error (I know, shocking), unless the road was extended up the trail after the trail was resituated, but I doubt that.
I started east on the powerline road, expecting it to take me to the point where Aug Trail crosses, but Loop Anxiety set in. You know, that terrible realization that you're half way through your allotted time, which means if you keep going you're committed. I knew I didn't have a lot of distance to cover, but I also know powerline roads sometimes deadend at brushy canyons, rivers, various obstacles. Was I sure this road was continuous to Aug Trail? Nope. Damn. The prudent thing was to turn back, or I would run the slight risk of an unplanned night out here. When I got back to GS Road I was tempted to follow it down, but I had already seen that there were unmapped roads out here. There was a slim chance I'd get lost in a maze, and I couldn't risk that, so I went all the way back up GS Road, up the powerline road, up the back side of Aug Mt, and down to the empty Dog Mt TH.
This trip reinforced what I already knew: Don't trust aerial pics when planning routes on powerline corridors. They get damn steep sometimes.