Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

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Don Nelsen
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Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by Don Nelsen » June 15th, 2018, 9:57 pm

Making sure I packed my FS approved 25 foot tape measure, I headed out this morning to check out some of the newly opened gorge trails.

The plan was to head up to Indian Point then up Nick Eaton to Green Point Mt., back to the Casey Creek trail, down Casey Creek trail to Herman Cr. and back out. As I hit the start of the final grade up Green Point I realized my late start wasn’t going to give me enough time to do it all so I cut the endeavor short, went back to the Casey Cr. Trail and headed down. As it turned out, I was very glad I went back when I did! The Casey Cr. Trail is a total mess and it took just about all my remaining energy to get down the thing.

Part 1, Herman Creek Trail to the junction with the Indian Point Trail (Actually, this is the Gorton Cr. Trail but I've always thought of it as the Indian Pt. Trail because I think that's the destination for most who hike it):

Once across the power line corridor, the understory has all burned but most (80% or so) of the forest canopy still lives. The trail is in great shape and kudos to those who worked to fix it up.

A few pics:

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Sadly, the old wooden pipeline that carried water to the lumber mill has completely burned. Here's all that remains, a few steel hoops that held the staves together:

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Part 2, Indian Point Trail. Again, the understory is completely burned but much of the canopy is good. This section is a lot worse than the previous, but the best and largest of the old growth seems to have survived.

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These venerable old growth trees look like they will survive:

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Indian Point itself looks good. I didn’t go all the way down to the point but took this photo from the trail:

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A couple of folks and their dogs on the ridge: All-in-all, I only saw 11 people and four dogs in over 7 hours on the trail today.

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Part 3, Nick Eaton Ridge.
This is one of my favorite areas and sadly has taken a major hit from the fire.

Trail resurrection has only gone part way up the ridge and stops abruptly at about the 3,200’ level. You will lose the trail from time to time for the next mile or so. Even knowing this trail very well, I had to really pay close attention to where this trail was. The good news is that the trail generally follows the ridge so it’s easy to find again. Lots of brush and a few trees down but not too bad.

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This is the trail, honest!

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The trail - no kidding!

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Exfoliated rock - the fire must have really burned hot up here - I saw lots of these:

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The Nick Eaton Ridge war zone:

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The fire damage ends and the ridge is just fine starting about .15 miles past the ridge high point. It’s no wonder the fire burned so hot up there – this was simply a bonfire waiting to happen:

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Turning around at Ridge Camp, I headed back to find the Casey Creek Trail.

I missed the Casey Creek junction entirely on the way up but wasn’t paying such close attention as I was still headed for Green Point at the time. After turning around later and trying to find it, it was easy to see how I missed it!

Part 4, Casey Creek Trail:

Casey Creek Trail sign I somehow missed ;)

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Here is the same sign on 081111:

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This trail is a total disaster. It wasn’t a very good trail anyway being in need of some maintenance. It was easy enough in the past to follow though, and the last time I did it, there were no trees down at all. Things have changed! All of the understory is burned and most of the forest canopy is completely burned and dead.

The big problem is that even if you know this trail, it is very hard to follow and has at least 50 trees down (ok, I didn't count them but it seemed like 50 - maybe 30+, at least) and much brush and limbs to push through. Some of the downed trees are huge too, up to five feet in diameter and are difficult to get around. I had to get my FS approved tape out a lot to make sure I wasn’t more than 25’ off trail while navigating around some of them!

90% of the trail has simply disappeared:

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Lots of trees and brush:

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This one is about 5' diameter:

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Typical trail tread condition:

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Part 5: Herman Creek Trail from Casey to Indian Point Trail (AKA Gorton Creek Trail) junction:

This was basically uneventful and the trail is in great shape. The understory is entirely burned but lots of new growth give it some hope. In only a few places has the upper forest canopy burned so except for the blackened trees, it’s not so bad. Again, kudos to the repair crews for working on this. Still, about 15 trees remain over the trail, but all are easily stepped over and there is no brush on the trail.

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A great day in the woods!

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The map:

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A bright spot in my day was running into Woodswalker, and sprengers4jc on the way out. Always nice to see fellow OH folks on the trail!
Last edited by Don Nelsen on June 22nd, 2018, 9:01 am, edited 6 times in total.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Bosterson
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by Bosterson » June 15th, 2018, 10:18 pm

Don Nelsen wrote:
June 15th, 2018, 9:57 pm
Some of the downed trees are huge too, up to five feet in diameter and are difficult to get around. I had to get my FS approved tape out a lot to make sure I wasn’t more than 25’ off trail while navigating around some of them!
:lol:

Great report, Don. Glad to see some things up there survived. Seems like if there fire didn't burn up past the crest of Nick Eaton, then it's likely the Green Point plateau and summit were spared? There's some nice forest up there.
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retired jerry
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by retired jerry » June 16th, 2018, 5:15 am

Great to see trip reports.

Nature at work. I think this area will survive nicely. Good trail work.

Eagle Creek and Tanner Butte trails - that should be more interesting

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drm
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by drm » June 16th, 2018, 6:57 am

retired jerry wrote:
June 16th, 2018, 5:15 am
Eagle Creek and Tanner Butte trails - that should be more interesting
Eagle Creek trail was built ages ago by a guy who knew nothing of maintainable trail routing. I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually reopen just the upper section of Eagle Creek so that access to Tunnel Falls is only from Wahtum Lake. It's just hard to imagine maintaining the lower miles of that trail without a decent groundcover to hold stuff in place above it. We've talked a lot about Forest Service nervousness about liability. Imagine if those cables were damaged and there is constant gravel piles sifting down onto the trail in those exposed areas.

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Chip Down
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by Chip Down » June 16th, 2018, 5:22 pm

Nice report, Don.
I hadn't even thought about that pipeline. Good job investigating and reporting. I'd glad to have seen it, but I never got all the way up to the dam, so a little bummed that I'll never see the rest of it.

Frustrating to see this report today though. I want to get up there and check things out, but it's alpine season, and the mountains are calling. I'll save the Toasted Trail Tour for a cloudy day, since poor visibility won't matter. In fact, fog will only enhance the eerie scenery.

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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by kepPNW » June 17th, 2018, 4:52 am

Yikes! Nick Eaton is looking even worse than I feared. Looks quite similar in intensity to where the inferno licked the edge of the plateau at Camp Smokey. Almost included your ridge in my loop the same day, and kind of glad I just came down Herman instead. Much slower going, it appears. Guessing the upper junction with Gorton Creek trail was unburnt and easily spotted? Loved that Monkeyflower Falls near the end!
Karl
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by woodswalker » June 18th, 2018, 7:07 am

Thanks for the update Don. It was great to run into you out there. :D Really glad to hear your info about Nick Eaton. Surprisingly in all the years I hiked Herman I only made it up to Nick Eaton once. Hopefully there will be a few more boots on the trail and the route will start to become more apparent. My understanding is that it's a very old route and it would be a shame to lose it. The burn a mile or two south of Casey Camp on the Herman Creek Trail was the most severe we saw up there. But Cedar Swamp was thankfully still intact to seed the burn.
Colette Grace

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by Don Nelsen » June 18th, 2018, 9:14 am

Bosterson wrote:
June 15th, 2018, 10:18 pm
Don Nelsen wrote:
June 15th, 2018, 9:57 pm
Some of the downed trees are huge too, up to five feet in diameter and are difficult to get around. I had to get my FS approved tape out a lot to make sure I wasn’t more than 25’ off trail while navigating around some of them!
:lol:

Great report, Don. Glad to see some things up there survived. Seems like if there fire didn't burn up past the crest of Nick Eaton, then it's likely the Green Point plateau and summit were spared? There's some nice forest up there.
Thanks for the compliments and the comment Nat. I think the fire stopped just past the HP of Nick Eaton and according to the fire intensity map the FS posted, Green Point is fine. I will find out for sure soon.

dn
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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Don Nelsen
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by Don Nelsen » June 18th, 2018, 9:21 am

drm wrote:
June 16th, 2018, 6:57 am
retired jerry wrote:
June 16th, 2018, 5:15 am
Eagle Creek and Tanner Butte trails - that should be more interesting
Eagle Creek trail was built ages ago by a guy who knew nothing of maintainable trail routing. I wouldn't be surprised if they eventually reopen just the upper section of Eagle Creek so that access to Tunnel Falls is only from Wahtum Lake. It's just hard to imagine maintaining the lower miles of that trail without a decent groundcover to hold stuff in place above it. We've talked a lot about Forest Service nervousness about liability. Imagine if those cables were damaged and there is constant gravel piles sifting down onto the trail in those exposed areas.
I hope that doesn't happen Dean. The EC is the signature trail of the gorge and to lose that first 6 miles would be terrible. Rocks etc. are falling all the time over steep gorge trails and it's the price paid to enjoy such scenic wonders. There are risks involved in everything we do and to try to eliminate all risk is a futile exercize.
"Everything works in the planning stage" - Kelly

"If you don't do it this year, you will be one year older when you do" - Warren Miller

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retired jerry
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Re: Indian Point, Nick Eaton, Casey Creek 061518

Post by retired jerry » June 18th, 2018, 9:26 am

yeah, same here, shame to lose this trail

at least the tread is mostly stable - blasted out of rock

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